The Demon Judge (2021)

ANOTHER SEASON PLEASE

I just finished binge watching this. I loved it!!!!!!!, the whole gist of this was ‘the end justifies the means’ and Judge Han did just that. There are so many twists and turns in the plot it gets you addicted to see what happens next. Lots of bad guys (male and female). I honestly did not know how it would end until the very last few minutes. First ML was absolutely perfect in his role as was second ML. The villainess really made you hate her but what a devious mind. Hope society never comes to this stage in any country. Really hope for a season two. Pleasssssseeeee.

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One thing you should know: Each character was a different face of mankind.

The thing i love the most about this drama: Each character showed us a different face of mankind.

Yohan shout out to us that as long as we stay silent about injustices we are no different from other corrupt people. That's why he chose to be the devil rather than being a silent hypocrite under "good person" mask, even if it makes him the scapegoat.

Gaon showed us the consequences of acting ignorantly. We saw through him that sometimes our conscience blinds us.

Sunah said man's worst enemy is himself. That's why she never loved herself, she always wanted more, but she was never happy. Because she couldn't win her war with herself. She thought she wanted Yohan's love, but what she really wanted was to feel like someone worthy of love.

Soohyun made us understand what we saw may not be true and what we think is wrong may not be wrong at all. We shouldn't act depending only our prejudice.

*opinions about ending from here -implicit spoilers-*

Some people found the show extreme, but it was actually so realistic. It was far from ordinary. You just need to look at it from a different perspective. Not everyone suddenly became a "good" person from villain. Not the system suddenly changed well. Not everything suddenly became peaceful at the end.

There was a war, it was fought, it was won.

But as in real life, years must pass after wars so that mankind can learn a lesson and do better. I couldn't have imagined a better finale than this.

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Justice does not exist in reality, all that exists is a terribly unfair game...

Devil Judge is precisely like that, a "game " set in a dystopian world where the corrupt rule the people.
And where those think they are the rulers of everything with their dirty deeds and personal greed.
The true mastermind arrives like a storm with a LIVE court, to punish the criminals with his own unconventional ways.

"It's like playing a game. And if you can't prove anything you lose the game."

Kang Yo Han is not a hero, but he isn't a criminal either.

He is playing a dangerous game against powerful forces. If there is no fairness in their dark world and society, then he makes his own rules by giving the rights for people to vote and decide on the proper punishments, by using the court app DYKE. We can say it gives the rights to people but also a dangerous influence on certain oppositions. But then again it's all in the public eye, it's bound to happen. He did not made it on purpose, the president on the other hand promoted it using excuses.

"If the devil really does exist among us, it would be... in the self-pity of the powerful."

His road to personal vengeance was long and torturous, and he carried a heavy cross not only in the scar on his back but upon his shoulders for his losses. For someone who was ostracized since young and suffered in the hands of an abusive father he grew up to be the most altruist character among them all. Perhaps we could thank Isaac for that, because he guided him well, and also Elijah for being his weakness and only family. Despite their miscommunication, they were always bonded and family.

"I am used to people looking at me like a monster, but having you look at me like that with that face... hurts my feelings a bit..."

Kim Ga On, the always indecisive player in this game. Impulsive and reckless when it comes to make decisions.
"Judas" could be an insult since in a way he is also a victim caught by the evil and played by being too gullible. He is easily influenced by others, and was coddled by his best friend since losing his parents. Coincidentally he is also a doppelganger of Yo Han's older brother, Isaac, hence the reason why he was manipulated and used in all of this.

"Are you saying that being a monster is better than being a victim?"

Although both were victims, and different forces. It was enjoyable to see their bond being created that until Ga On wavered.
Because at a certain point he did sensed a newfound family with Yo Han and Elijah, maybe because of how at ease it all seemed between them. How easily they opened the door of their house and trust to him, only to be broken down so easily...

"The anger... I understand that. Even if nobody in the world understands. I do. At least when it comes to that emotion."

That's his own and personal downfall. - The anger - It blinded him to the truth. Soo Hyun's death being the turning point.
Now, we cannot hold that accountable solely on his part. If Yo Han had been more direct in his own affairs, then perhaps they wouldn't have that rift between them that divided and created a mess of events which led to where they ended. Still, its only natural for Yo Han to not trust anyone easily and Ga On had to prove himself. He knew from the start who he was associated with, and maybe he caught on how easily manipulated Ga On could be whenever it came down to his own broken emotions.

That's what makes them apart. Where Yo Han is broken but remains strong with his eyes wide open and creating plans.
Ga On is broken and drowns in his own misery, often misjudging situations and people around him, only to regret it afterwards.

"If there's no justice in reality and it's just a game. I would like to be on the winning team."

He is naïve and too righteous to the world he lives in, while Yo Han has seen his fair share of despicable beings.

"I want to fight... the corrupt world."

Ga On showed interest the minute Yo Han let him in. However, he did not open his mind at all and put his all in this conviction.

"I don't remember asking you to understand me.
Will you stand in my way... or stand by my side?"

The minute Yo Han confronted him with this statement its bound to know it was one of the last tests for Ga On to take.
And from there on it all went down the hill. Now Ga On's intentions might have been righteous in his mind, abiding by the law and to save Yo Han from the darkness and of becoming a devil himself for his actions. But, we cannot disregard how easily swayed he was on certain things, while he should confronted and demand explanations, he jumped straight into accusations that led to unfortunate events. And in his regret, he tries his best and finally gives his all only it's too late for redemption.

"I have no choice. Once the performance ends, the actor must disappear."
"I'll go with you."
"You'll be a hero. There need not be... more than one devil."

Redemption is also a big word in this gaming world. I mean there's none for the villains.
Some even easily chose to make their way out instead of facing punishment.

Why make Sun Ah regret anything in the END? Made no sense to me. For a woman who easily killed others to achieve things and to hit Yo Han, why make her have self pity towards a young girl? Because that girl reminded her of herself? Why show that she had a bit of humanity left when she easily discarded that when killing others? Lack of love, and blinding obsession made her that way. My only complaint, her sidekick Jae Hee, did not paid for anything she did. She killed for money and got away.

It was a game with many characters, some were useless... others plain annoying and loud. The villains were greedy and snob. Sun Ah was more cunning, and ambitious so I expected more at the end. But she made her grand finale by her own hands.

Yo Han calling his Hyung in there was impactful and something that was highly anticipated.

Ga On was turned into the hero, and Yo Han probably remained a devil by the public eye.
The thing is about heroes.... loneliness is granted - He ends up alone - losing people he loved, betrayed by those he thought he could trust, and far away from those he did betrayed. Those whom he could have formed a family with, Yo Han and Elijah.

For those of us who really enjoyed this game, it's a hope for a second season.

"Do it well. If you don't, I'll come back."

As this warning lingers in the air, with that final scene.
Still, albeit hopeful it would not be the same as this one.
Sometimes, less is more. And Devil Judge is definitely that.

Ji Sung, Jin Young and Min Jung did not disappoint in their roles. They carried the whole show that's for sure.

The cinematography here was amazing, production wise really does deserves its praise. The majority of the shots were clean, and the CGI effects were believable, mainly with the major screens displayed. I really enjoyed the way they did the LIVE court, as a show with an app for voting. It's a different view of a somehow futuristic courtroom. The cases were interesting as well.

The OST is just *CHEF'S KISS* it went smooth with the scenes. The instrumental pieces worked in emotional moments.
It's hard for me to pick a favorite because I liked them all. Remarkable OST for such a powerful drama.

Devil Judge was made to be impactful. The first half was good, the second half became a bit messy but at the same time it held the interest and higher ratings. Although we are bound to either love or hate these characters, and doubt the plot we cannot deny that it was a good and different drama from the usual that we are used to see. I am glad I followed it from the start.

Highly recommended it. Either binge watch it, or savor every episode. In the end it will be worth it.
Just remember to chose a proper side, do not let your feelings cloud your decisions and theories.
I was Team Yo Han from the very start ;) So, which one will you chose?

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A good drama with an interesting concept but with some downfalls

I was REALLY excited to watch The Devil Judge mainly for the cast because all actors are really good and as expected I don't have complains about this. Every actor did an amazing job here! Jinyoung was really good and he definitely proved that he's one of the best idol actors out there (although he isn't an idol anymore), but Jisung and Min Jung are really the best thing here. Jisung as always portrayed the character PERFECTLY, we can always trust him in acting, and Min Jung was fenomenal too. The way her character is sassy and evil but at the same time she's always classy and calm is *chef kiss*. Jang Young Nam as the justice minister was really good too! As I said I think everyone did a good job here so the best thing about this drama for me is definitely the cast and the good acting.

Among the characters in the drama the most interesting ones were certainly Yohan and Sun Ah. They both did what they wanted and even manipulated certain things but with completely different intentions, as Sun Ah did everything for money. I really enjoyed the interaction of both characters and for me they were the main point to move the story and make the viewer like the drama and want to watch it more. Many may think that Sun Ah`s suicide scene was random but I believe it was the only option for a character who would rather die than seeing that everything she had conquered was for nothing. The justice minister was also an interesting character who captivated me throughout the drama. Unfortunately for me, the other characters were not as interesting as these 3. Despite understanding Gaon and knowing that it was necessary to have an honest character among the corrupt ones, Ga On is quite irritating in the drama and takes extremely stupid attitudes for a lawyer. Ga On`s friend and police officer was nice at first but her attitudes also start to bother me in the drama and I honestly didn't feel her death so much. Sun Ah`s poppets were also extremely annoying and very caricatured characters, they didn't show anything new except that old "I`m evil, I don't have remorse and I just care about money" story.

About the plot, I think that The Devil Judge have a really interesting concept. The dystopian world and how the judgments were showed to the entire population was very interesting. Sure, some punishments may have felt forced but we're talking about a dystopian world so in the narrative it makes sense. The different perspectives of Yohan and Ga On were also interesting as we have Yohan, who thinks that following the law correctly does not matter because power and money always prevail and we have evil people everywhere, and Gaon, who is a honest and naive lawyer and he still believes that following the law correctly is above everything. It is interesting that both perspectives, although different, are correct and can be applied in today's world. (altought as I said before, Ga On was a character that bothered me a lot). Other think I liked was that even though those corrupt politicians left the power, the system was still not destroyed and we still have corrupted politicians because we will always have evil people everywhere, for me this part was really realistic. Yohan being considered a god to the society was REALLY interesting as well because it shows how the society can be really blind by the ministry. However I cannot say the plot was well made in the entire drama. We had some scenes which seemed forced and things miraculously worked out, especially in the final episode. I began to lose focus on the drama and the plot seemed no longer as interesting as before, I was only watching for the good acting and Yohan and Sun Ah, but I believe that the irritating attitudes of the other characters may have contributed to this.

Talking now about the last episode, I didn’t really liked, it was almost like an open ending. Both Yohan and Ga On did a lot of things together in the drama and even tho they fought in almost all scenes the plot kind showed us a “bromance” going on between them. But the ending was too “meh” and Yohan walking away looked like he was saying “yep we did what we had to do and that’s it goodbye”. I don’t know I little expected more for characters that had such connection in the drama. Besides that, the final episode did not please me very much as I thought it was quite exaggerated and the scene of Yohan faking his death and then miraculously appearing to save Ga On was kind forced. The courtroom scene where the villains pull each other out to try to leave and then Sun Ah shoots the president was also a bit over the top for me (although I screamed a lot because Sun Ah was a legendary character until the end). The final scene between Yohan and Ga On was kind meh too, I expected a little more.

Overall The Devil Judge has an interesting concept and definitely keeps the viewer stuck. It's not perfect for me because I think the drama lost a bit of quality in some episodes mainly because the characters attitude bothered me a lot and some things seemed forced in the script, but for sure this is a drama that I enjoyed watching and I recommend.
PS: the direction scenes and OST were amazing too, for sure one of the best things in this drama!

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One of the best kdramas I have watched

So this Kdrama really gripped me. Not going to lie, I started it because of the cast but I wasn't expecting it to be this gripping

If you really like suspence and mystery, this is one of the best kdramas for you. The plot really kept me wondering who the real bad guy was although it was kind of clear, it still made me doubt everything while keeping it interesting and putting in more information bit by bit.

The character death were unexpected as one wouldn't really expect such important characters to just end up dying and it really added a lot more emotion to the drama. There were small happy moments that kept me alive even in the darkest part of the drama which I was greatful for because many dramas completely remove all happiness when dark or deep parts appear making those dramas very depressing. This one was different in that way.

The ending was bitter-sweet which left a deep impression on me as many dramas have either a happy ending or a sad one.

All in all it was a worth while drama and very well played out by all the cast members. The acting was amazing! I shed a lot of tears and smiled at the heartwarming moments.

I really recommend this drama to everyone

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I enjoyed it a lot!! at first Idk it was set in dystopian korea, so it was really strange and a very new world. plus there is almost no introduction... so it was kinda ehh?? for me. but thats the reason i was invested in the storyline. I wanna grasp what was happening and the next thing I know I was so into it. oh and plus, i really think this is like makjang for political and law related genre. sometimes it doesn't make sense and goes overboard, but thats the unique thing bout the drama. Acting was obviously amazinggggg and great i have nothing to say. anyways, i like it the storyline and all, but im not like a big big fan of makjang so thats where i cut my rating and sometimes there are few parts that were draggy and little bit boring. and thats it. but overall i enjoyed it

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One word - UNIQUE

This drama is set in the dystopian setting, where everything is just messy and frightening and does not make any sense but could be real in the real world. This drama is very unique and never seen before - to my knowledge, in any Korean dramas. However, I feel like the concept of dystopian in this drama is not enough? But I'll let it pass since the story is good. The story is interesting and exciting, the only thing that I find it undesirable is the slow burn this drama is. Kim Ga On always have distrust issues with Kang Yo Han, and while I understand his feeling but when I watched episode 15, I give up at Kim Ga On at some point because he has no trust when they're at war.

The casting for this drama is perfect. Jeon Chae-Eun can improve her acting skills, there are some scenes she acted that comes flat, but considering it's her first drama, she did a good job. Kim Min-Jung is the star of this drama I'd say. She did INCREDIBLE, if you remember/know Lee Yoo Ri got a daesang for playing a villain in Jang Bo-Ri, then I think Kim Min-Jung deserves a daesang this year. Not only she can play a psychopathic, manipulative behavior, she too can play an anti-social personality disorder without being flat af. Park Jin Young did a great job too, so does Ji Sung, I mean c'mon Ji Sung SERVES in every drama so..

I can't get over the judges outfit though lol, they look like altar boys lowkey.

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Traces of reality

A drama of peaks and troughs, in that there was a slower pace during scenes of plotting and vulgar celebrations while ordinary people suffered. The pace accelerated quickly during trials and action scenes. Excellent portrayal of threat, corruption and suffering in a dystopian world.
There were actually references to the realities of the inconsistent S.Korean laws and punishment for crimes, where, for example, sentences for GBH and sexual assault, are vastly different when they involve alcohol. Someone abusing, or causing grievous bodily harm to another person, whilst under the influence, is not deemed to be in their right mind and so gets a lesser sentence. Yet someone using drugs, who doesn't affect anyone else by doing so, gets a hugely inconsistent sentence in comparison. Drunks even get away with murder. It is farcical and sickening.
The dystopian society setting for this story is multi layered. There are the filthy rich and country's most powerful, who abuse the poor, their position and are covered in bribery and greed; the ordinary, blue collar, working, middle class who are largely unaware of, or unaffected by, the abuse of power (apathy); and the poor, who bear the brunt, as usual.
There are horrendous examples of what it might be like if the wealthy ended up with total control.
The ex-actor President figure, with his OTT cheap rhetoric, greed, nationalist diatribe against foreigners and zero conscience, was like a cross between Trump and Hitler. The types in society who latch on to that and use it as an excuse to maim and murder, are portrayed excellently. Cowards and thugs.
An excellent, amoral, mentally unhinged, inferiority complex ridden and purely evil female character, who is a great puppet master, is portrayed really well by Kim Min Jung. The times I wanted to climb into my TV and punch her!...
The whole cast were great, with neither Ji Sung nor Jin-young overacting, although there were times scenes of grief were stretched out too far, for me personally ~ but that's down to direction, not acting.
The pivotal story of a fire years before, is always in the background. Ji Sung's cold, menacing and detached character of Kang Yo Han is really good.
I honestly wasn't sure about him until a lot further into the drama.
The dynamic between Ji Sung and Jin-young's characters was brought to life by the actors, who I thought worked really well together.
There's a little romance, but I never felt sparks between Jin-young and Park Gyu-young ~ a kiss was decidedly mediocre, considering it was between 2 people that had avoided their attraction to one another for years, over fears of wrecking their friendship, and were no longer teenagers. Their chemistry as the closest of friends, however, was really good.
There was a scene where Elijah was alone with Soo-hyun on Ga-on's rooftop apartment terrace and when they left, I immediately wondered how the hell they got up there (never mind down again), with a wheelchair (no lift). That to me is lazy directing. There were several occasions the story veered a little too far away from what would actually be possible.
Overall I enjoyed this drama a lot though. It felt great when Yo-han found loop holes to exact punishment on criminals, that those he was ultimately after, were trying to protect.
The power of the media (but also the need for it to be independent), of spin and of how it is more than possible to frame someone by manipulating facts, should be watched with a huge dose of caution about the realities of such things, which are prevalent in today's societies throughout the world.
Dictatorships brainwash and control their citizens. Those of us lucky enough to live in democracies, should fight to ensure life stays that way and be thankful for it.
It also spotlights the realities of baying for blood, when it's others who will carry out and have responsibility for taking that person's life ~ regardless of why.
Some scenes are difficult to watch, but fit perfectly, are not done purely for effect and carry a heavy message, if looked at as more than just another action/thriller drama.
The OST is near perfect too.... Huckleberry Finn and more, were a genius choice.

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Finally dystopian dramas!!!

The drama deserves a high rating, although at some point the story one became too far-fetched, but I think the ending made up for it. I feel that the drama is kind of a satire that says a lot in low tones. Where there is tyranny and oppression, it will give rise to a monster seems to be the central theme for this drama, I liked how the drama gave us a visual of how it would have been in a world of live court shows where people could actively participate. I learnt a lot, like yo han used to say, 'no one is really innocent', most people who hold themselves out to be so righteous turn out to be the worst hypocrites, we shouldn't be too quick to pass judgment on people's character. Most importantly, I liked how the drama ended on a realistic note that in the end, the fight against corruption is a destination and is not something that can be achieved quickly.

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Sun-ah...

tw: mentions of rape sa Bruh... i feel like sun-ah got so downplayed at the end. it felt like they implied they all raped her when they talked to director seo before he died and then they never brought it up again...? i honestly thought after she saw the orphan she would've been the one to stop all of them and then yohan would've stopped her idk..? like i was expecting a little more.. and the fact they left GAON IN KOREA????? he has nobody left in his life ???? if yohan killing the PRESIDENT couldnt save korea from dystopia wtf was gaon gonna do... like i wish they would've all went and had the family they always wanted 😭💔

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I'm gonna miss this series

Can't believe that it's over! Two months gone- just like that! And the ride that this series carried me on! What a journey!

Story-9/10
This was an amazing story that just left me shock week after week and made me eager to see what would happen the following week. Sometimes when you think it's going to go one way- a curveball is thrown just to blow you away. And it was also so good to see that all of the bad guys got their just desserts in the end. I couldn't give it a full 10 due to these two major things- the characters of Kim Ga On and the portrayal of Yoon Soo Hyun.

Kim Ga On's character was easily persuaded by any individual once they say 'Yeah, this is what happened.' And that what annoyed me a bit. I thought that maybe, just MAYBE he wasn't that gullible (or some might say trustworthy) to believe basically what anyone says. He was a lawyer. His character needed to be more analytical as he needed to think with his brain and not with his emotions. Basic knowledge is that there are three sides to a story- the two people who are telling the story and the truth. That's just plain common sense (this also goes for his teacher, Min Jung Ho).

What also got to me (even though I cried when she died) was that they basically used the fridging trope on Yoon Soo Hyun. Fridging is the practice of killing off or hurting a minor character (yes, I know she is a main character in this series, but it still works) in order to motivate or torture a main character. And it can clearly be seen here. We don't really get any in-depth background story from her character except for she went to school with Kim Ga On and loves him and that she's a cop. We don't have any background story of her life. And because they used this trope and didn't develop her properly, I am clearly annoyed.

Acting/Cast-10/10
Everyone's acting was amazing. There were characters who I hated with a passion from the beginning to the end. Some characters I felt were even able to redeem themselves (there were two female characters who annoyed me, but in the end they changed my perspectives on them). this series makes me want to see more series that stars Ji Sung, cause his acting was phenomenal. I also felt that Park Jinyoung's acting is improving as he is taking up more series and different characters every time.

Music-10/10
The music is beautiful and top notched!

Rewatch Valu-9/10
Okay. Here what- I'm going to give this a 9. Cause there were a few things that annoy me, but this series was still excellent. So, I do want to rewatch it, but still have to gear myself to watch it again.

Overall-9.5/10
Overall, it was an excellent series that I did enjoy. And I would most definitely recommend this to other viewers.

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