Actor Park Hee-soon transforms into a judge driven by ambition who charges toward the pinnacle of power.
The new MBC Friday-Saturday drama Judge Lee Han-young, scheduled to premiere Jan. 2, 2026 (planned by Jang Jae-hoon, written by Kim Kwang-min, directed by Lee Jae-jin and Park Mi-yeon), is a justice-fulfillment time-return drama about a corrupt judge, Lee Han-young, who lived as a slave to a giant law firm and returned 10 years to the past, and who punishes great evil through a new choice.
Park Hee-soon plays Kang Shin-jin, chief criminal presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court. He is a figure who disguises others' weaknesses as his own power and aims for the judiciary's highest ranks. One day, the big picture he had drawn begins to unravel slowly because of Lee Han-young (played by Ji-sung), who appears before him.
As if foreshadowing Park Hee-soon's heavy presence, the stills released today (the 20th) perfectly capture Kang Shin-jin's cold momentum with Park Hee-soon's sharp gaze and neat suit fit. Even from only a few stills, his intense aura is felt, raising expectations for the "Park Hee-soon version of Kang Shin-jin," which will be shaped by his distinctive charisma.
In addition, based on his excellent character interpretation, Park Hee-soon will three-dimensionally portray the multilayered aspects of Kang Shin-jin, who runs to protect his own sense of fairness and common sense. Attention is focused on how convincingly Park Hee-soon will depict a character who spares no means or methods to achieve his goals.
The production team of Judge Lee Han-young said, "Actor Park Hee-soon enriches the character Kang Shin-jin and perfectly pulls the drama's tension," and added, "Please look forward to the character's powerful trajectory, presented in Park Hee-soon's unique color."
Meanwhile, Judge Lee Han-young is based on the work of the same name that recorded 11.81 million views for the original web novel, 90.66 million views for the webtoon, and a combined 100.247 million views. Director Lee Jae-jin, recognized for his sensuous directing through The Banker, The Spy Who Loved Me, and Motel California, joined forces with director Park Mi-yeon and writer Kim Kwang-min.
[Photo] Provided by MBC
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