The Judge from Hell (2024)

Bell curve

Why are drama writers not in favour of writing strong female charcters without any romantic attachments??
Kang Bitna becomes the Nth Strong FL who is bogged down by forced romance and fumbled character development.

Park Shin hye was clearly having the time of her life with Kang Bitna (Please write such witty sassy characters for her, dont pidgenhole her into moppy romantic FLs.). While Kim Jae Young literally plays the damsel in distress. Why did the writers think its a good idea to ruin the ML's character with poor writing. The shift from a confident no nonsense cop to one to the damsel in distress was awful to watch(grave injustice to KJY). They wasted the drama's potential by not exploring a platonic relationship between them. Moreover the runaway devil subplot was way more interesting than the serial killer one. And I am not even touching the choices made for Bitna's character by the writers.
the uneveness made me feel like I was watching 2 different dramas. The first 8 episodes were a solid 9/10 while the 2nd half felt like 6/10.

But even with all its flaws I loved that PSH took up such a role and hope to see her in similar roles like this.
This not a bad drama, but if your willing to overlook its short comings, do give it a try.

Lire davantage

Shocked at How Much I Enjoyed This Drama

Do you ever enjoy something so much that you feel the need to share about it the moment you finish it? That's how I feel about this drama. Truth be told, the premise sounded really odd to me when I encountered it, and the fantasy / supernatural elements are not my cup of tea. However, I was in a rut about what to watch next and decided to give it a go. No regrets!!!

It's not really a drama for the faint-hearted, especially if you can't handle blood. I would often have it playing when my sister was around, and she commented a few times about how it was a bit scary and too much.

The acting in this drama was absolutely phenomenon, from the minor characters to the main characters. Each villain really draws you in, leaving you angry at how a human could be so cruel to do certain things. I absolutely loved that Kang Bitna's character would bring the criminal into their own "crime scene" to experience the torture of what they did to those they killed.

While the romance in this drama seems a little odd (simply considering the whole premise), the chemistry between Park Shin Hye and Kim Jae Young was fire. You can't help but want to root for them together even if it doesn't seem logical.

There are also some small comedic elements that help to break up the tension and thrilling aspects. The music was also fantastic!!! And the ending credits? Chef's kiss.

Highly recommend giving this drama a try, especially if you enjoy the genre.

Lire davantage

This series is one of my favorites of 2024

✨this series is simply surprising! I was afraid it would have a bad ending like some releases from this year that I followed, but this series had a very good ending 👍 it kept me from start to finish, the performance of the protagonist who played the character Kang Bitna was amazing, I laughed a lot at her expressions, the couple had a lot of chemistry, I simply loved it and yes, this series was on the list of my favorites of 2024 and I will watch it again because I already miss the cast, the last episodes I dehydrated from crying, I felt the pain of those characters who lost your loved ones, thank you screenwriter for being sensible and for delivering a decent ending!

Lire davantage

Dark Justice: Where Demons Meet the Law!

This series is one of the best I’ve watched in the second half of 2024. I didn’t expect to see Park Shin-hye in a role like this, so I was both surprised and delighted. Known mostly for her dramatic and romantic roles, it was exciting to see her in an action-focused series again—something she’s previously done in Doctors and Sisyphus: The Myth. The plot is unique too, instantly becoming one of my favorites.

The story follows Kang Bitna, a judge possessed by a demon named Justitia. As punishment, Justitia is tasked with hunting down unrepentant sinners who have caused others’ deaths, ultimately sending them to Hell. Along the way, Bitna encounters Han Daon, a detective with a different view of justice, and their chemistry adds a great layer to the plot.

There’s a lot to appreciate in this series:

- It’s satisfying to watch Bitna’s creative methods of punishing sinners, making them feel their victims' pain before their end.
- While there isn’t much romance, the chemistry between Bitna and Daon is undeniable.
- The cast’s performances are excellent, with the actress playing Gremory standing out among the supporting roles.
- The effects are impressive and well-executed.
- The pacing keeps the story engaging, and the music adds an immersive, intense atmosphere.

On the downside, there are a few areas where I had higher expectations:

- I expected more from Justitia’s demon enemies. While Paimon had a strong fight scene, Satan—being second in command—didn’t put up much of a challenge, which felt anticlimactic given Justitia’s rank.
- The “Nightmare Curse” by Satan in episodes 13 and 14 left some confusion, making viewers question if Bitna was still trapped in a nightmare.
- Bael’s role felt underdeveloped. As the one giving orders, I was hoping for a more complex twist around his character.

Overall, this series is absolutely worth watching (and rewatching), especially for those mature enough to handle the darker themes and intense action scenes.

Lire davantage

Good Enough

Korean Drama '' The Judge From Hell '' is a revenge fantasy with many criminal cases that get explored.

The drama has a satisfying plot when it comes to giving justice, even though one can argue about its fairness and morality. But the cases the Judge takes up are so frustrating that the audience can't help but root for her to give them a 'proper' punishment.

The fantasy element, moreover, was nicely handled, as it was proven by the way they concluded the story. In addition, there were a lot of small details that enhanced it and made the lore compelling.

On the other hand, the final episode was pretty much a filler. Yes, it gave some additional moments with the characters, but plot vice, it didn't offer much. Also, the romance was nice and sweet at times, as it provided plenty of funny and cute moments, and fortunately, wasn't the focus of the drama. But, in the end, was kind of rushed, so a batter handle of it would have been nicer.

Finally, the performances were all great, but the leading lady stole all the thunder.

So, overall, seven out of ten.

Lire davantage

Expectations Met and Lost

First off, the show is an absolute watch. I remained hooked from the first episode to the last... Had to take breaks though since I'm not really into the dark themes 😅.

The overall theme of justice was very moving and I found me asking myself the hard questions on my own sense of justice and that around me. I think having a 'judge from hell' showed the failings of the human laws especially in dealing with those who have the means to pay their way out... but also how the law can be manipulated for other crimes, because in all essence, Kang Bit Na made her rulings according to the law. It also depicted quite literally what it means to take the law into your own hands and the 'true justice' scenes were amazing to watch as the tables are tuurned on the criminals. I like that this was consistent throughout the drama.

Kim Da On's character was interesting in its evolution. From the easy beguilement when he liked the judge thinking she was on his side, to the rejection when their views clashed and the ultimate choice to side with a demon for his own goals...His character feels very human being that it is being contrasted against a demon who has very different rules for her own court. His cuteness was very endearing to watch.

In the overall direction of the drama, my expectations from the blub and trailer were met. The cast was amazing, the acting great, the OST (mostly the croossroads one) an earworm but the story kind of fizzled out in some areas. We're shown KBN ending up in hell by mistake and Justitia taking possession of her body, but even as the story ends we still don't know what happened to the real KBN...It honestly wouldn't have been a problem if somehow in 30secs we're shown her being sent to the right place, but there're scenes where she's running/discovering hell which gave the expectation that she'd return somewhere down the line. Also, does this mean that even for the other possesions those people ended up in hell by accident? I also expected the scene where KBN would return to hell we'd have the 'original' Justitia since she had a different face from KBN...Satan's fight was waay underwhelming, I thought he was second to Baal! I honestly expected Justitia to summon Bael to fight him since she's lower ranked than him....For all the power Bael showed at the beginning, he ended up being a redundant demon, basically playing a messenger between Justitia and Lucifer. I was even confused about the deal to make Justitia human when in the entire drama she didn't show any inclination of wanting to be one. So was Bael being a good master/plotting something?

The romance was 50/50 for me. The scenes and moments were cute and endearing but some felt out of place. When the humanizing changes started happening, it felt wrong to assume that it was love based on the character settings for the drama. Everyone telling KBN that she was in love made her beleive it too. Don't get me wrong, but I felt with the emphasis that was being placed on the lady judge statue, the development of emotions would have been developed torwards why her eyes were covered or something... Also why is love the only treasonous emotion and how is it okay for Arong get away with obsessing over Justitia to the point of interfering with her romance?

My review is kinda all over the place(sorry) and ended up being a ranting(very sorry)... But the show is amazing to watch, its just some plot holes that were left unfilled.

Lire davantage

Disappointed....story all over the place.

I didn't enjoy the drama as much as I had hoped. The beginning was promising, and the main female lead carried the show with her excellent portrayal of her character. However, the second half became increasingly ridiculous, with the plot taking a nosedive. It's a shame because the storyline had potential. Additionally, the romance between the characters felt forced and lacked chemistry. The behavior of the main lead was inconsistent and his character seemed poorly developed. As a result, I started to lose interest and found it difficult to stay focused on the show. Also the open ending was unnecessary.

Lire davantage

Don't judge Hell by its cover!

Without spoilers, all I can say is that this show deserve the hype, BUT it's not perfect!

The first half of the season was a HELLA FUN! Park Shin Hye as Bit Na carried the whole show, and that's not even surprising. Honestly, at first I thought we're gonna get some weekly cases, but that doesn't really happen. The overall story was good, but predictable, especially if this isn't your first fantasy Kdrama. I had some problems with the writing, because even tho I don't like when they say everything out loud, the case of real Bit Na and what happened to her would be nice to know without doing research online.

The biggest issue with the show is probably the fact that it lacks consistency. The problem with fantasy shows in general is that the writers creating a world and rules that they can't follow later on, because if they would, they need to kill the main characters. I don't want to talk about the mythological part of the show, because it wouldn't make any sense, but the plot armor helped the main characters a lot, because there's no way in hell (no pun intended) Bit Na is stronger than her leaders.

Also, even tho the main leads were cute and all, I think they were better as a bickering frenemies than lovers! I think the romance is kind of took out the fun from the show, but it's not a big deal. I just didn't felt they had a great chemistry as a couple.

The main story with the serial killer and the families were amazing, where the show really shines is the drama, the comedy, and the action.

For me, the best "couple" of the show is easily BitNa, aka "Soon To Be Dead" and the "Old Hag"! That part is still making me laugh!!!😂 Park Shin Hye and Kim Young Ok were absolutely amazing together!

The OST and a Score is also great, especially the latter, and props to the director and cinematographer, and of course the VFX team! This isn't really a big budget Kdrama, yet it still looked great!

I'm not sure if we're gonna get a 2nd season, but if we will, I'm gonna watch it for sure, because this was entertaining!

If you can look past on the flaws and just enjoy what you get, you won't be disappointed!

Lire davantage

Fantasy ,, Good story ,, Great acting (from Shin Hye)

Story plot:
The story is good and kinda new. the fantasy was exciting but they should have elaborated on the demonic powers and limitations. Some parts could have been written better as they don't add up like they should.
Some scenes would have been more exciting and events should have been thought through to make more sense.
I didn't feel bored most of the show but it could be cut down to 12 or smth. The best part was Shin Hye's acting.

Acting:
Park Shine Hye's acting is 10/10 but that male lead is not as strong and not meticulously crafted I'll give him 6/10 since he did his part. If the lead actors had had more chemistry it would have been much better. I liked all the other characters they were written just right.

Takeaways:
- They weren't much chemistry between the lead actors, the romance could have been elevated a lot, it was a bit disappointing.
- It was nice overall and I would say it's worth watching.

Lire davantage

Damned if you do and damned if you don't

The subject matter and presentation of this series are outside the box. It is not every day you get angels and demons working together for the greater good, but k-dramas can be quite "creative" at times.

My problem with this drama is that its tone is hard to nail down. It is obviously a dark fantasy but there are also very humanistic topics on display. Law and order, rewards and punishments are the four pillars of this show. The problem is that demons don't play by our rules and they are happy to hijack our justice system to serve their own purposes. It is this clash of values that caused me some discomfort.

Ultimately, you must buy into this show's premise wholeheartedly. Any waiving will undo the spell. If you stick it out, then the show is quite engaging and is a blast. If you start asking questions, then it becomes a self-serving mess. It is go hard or go home.

With the preamble out of the way, let's move on. At its core, this is an old-school morality tale. It is literally fire and brimstone stuff. The not-so-subtle message is that our police is ineffective, and our justice system is opaque with forces at play that might deliver questionable outcomes. Whether it is due to valid rules of law, incompetence or corruption, we shall find them wanting.

So rather than waiting for sinners to show up in Hell via natural causes, Justitia, the Goddess of Justice is send to walk the mortal realm after a bad judgement in Limbo. The odd thing is Justitia is shown to be a demon of the Netherworld and is the heir apparent to Bael. I don’t quite get the connection but please refer to my point about “ask no questions”.

To wit, Park Shin-hye is the undisputed star of this show. She is Dominatrix il Supremo personified and one helluva of a sexy demon/goddess. The ML is too righteous and prim to be sexy. They are the OTP by default, and it took him 2/3 of the show to crack a smile. He defrosts towards the end and they have a few swoon-y moments but let’s just say romance is not the main theme.

By now you should know the main thrust is the judgment and punishment of A-grade sinners with extreme prejudice and I mean EXTREME. There are blood and gore by the bucket. If you are sensitive to that or might be triggered by bullying, DV and sundry abuse/torture then please don’t even start watching. Even if you are ok with it, you will be desensitized by the end. It is relentless.

In that sense, this show is a one trick pony (but in a good way). It follows its internal logic to the letter. See crime, judge crime and dish out punishment in the most graphical way possible. Rinse the blood off and repeat. It is engaging because the show builds up the angst and emotional pressure until you are braying for blood at the screen. The antagonist is pure evil with no room for redemption.

Speaking of redemption, there are healing and redemption for everyone (except the sinners) towards the end. Life goes on is the final message. The last ep even includes some fan service. The unicorns must be freed! Even if they breath fire. ;)

There are moments when I thought I can’t watch anymore but they’d pass and the show draws you in again. You know where it is heading but you just want to see PSH kick some more perp's arse. I have a feeling she likes this type of roles more than the standard issue ones as well. I don’t blame her.

In the end, I enjoyed this series but with caveats. It is definitely not for everyone. It is ultra violent and moralistic. That should be on a warning label. Yet, it is not all blunt instruments. It does have a quirky sense of humour and a weird charm.

Lire davantage