Actor Ji-sung promised viewers a satisfying blow for justice with his return to MBC after 10 years in Judge Lee Han-young.
MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama Judge Lee Han-young, scheduled to premiere Jan. 2, 2026 (planner Jang Jae-hoon, writer Kim Kwang-min, directors Lee Jae-jin and Park Mi-yeon), is a justice-achieving return drama in which corrupt Judge Lee Han-young, who lived as a slave to a giant law firm and returns 10 years to the past, punishes great evil through new choices.
Ji-sung plays corrupt Judge Lee Han-young, who habitually conducts requested trials. Having compromised with power and handed down unjust rulings, he returns to his time as a sole judge 10 years earlier after an unexpected incident, transforming from a henchman of great evil into a judge racing toward justice. Ji-sung will maximize the character's depth by delicately portraying Lee Han-young's dilemmas and crossroads of choice.
Regarding his reason for choosing Judge Lee Han-young, Ji-sung said, "I felt it was not simply a story criticizing a case or an object but contained deep reflection on 'what kind of person makes the right choice,'" and added, "I wanted to portray human conflict and reflection, and I joined because I thought it was a work that could ask meaningful questions." It conveys Ji-sung's sincerity in choosing an MBC project for the first time in 10 years since appearing in Kill Me, Heal Me in 2015.
For the emotionally wide-ranging Lee Han-young, Ji-sung focused on establishing a "firm axis of emotion." He explained, "I believed that with a clear center you can create an unshakable, living character," and added, "I tried to clearly organize the flow of Lee Han-young's emotions and judgments." He also cited the "change in values" that the Lee Han-young who returns 10 years earlier experiences as the core point of the drama, emphasizing, "The gap in which the same person embraces completely different values — cutting off a romance with ruin and starting a new relationship called justice — is the most important aspect of this character," heightening the narrative interest of Lee Han-young.
Moreover, Ji-sung noted the chemistry with Park Hee-soon (playing Kang Shin-jin), who appears in an antagonistic relationship, and Won Jina (playing Kim Jin-a), who is linked in solidarity, expressing anticipation for their acting synergy. Ji-sung said, "Scenes exchanging energy with senior Park Hee-soon were full of thrill and excitement, and filming with actress Won Jina brought a clear energy that quickly helped me focus and fall back into Lee Han-young's emotions," adding, "Every moment with the two of them was 'breath' itself, and thanks to that I could live more deeply as Lee Han-young."
Finally, Ji-sung mentioned "satisfaction" as the greatest charm of Judge Lee Han-young, saying emphatically, "It is a work that shows how strongly justice can shine amid darkness and confusion." He added, "I hope that if we can make your time a little refreshing so that no moment feels boring, that would be great," asking for the love and interest of many prospective viewers.
[Photo] Provided by MBC
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