Actors Jisung, Park Heesoon and Won Jina shared character keywords that induce over-immersion in "Judge Lee Han-young."
MBC's new Fri-Sat drama "Judge Lee Han-young," planned by Jang Jae-hoon, written by Kim Kwang-min and directed by Lee Jae-jin and Park Mi-yeon, scheduled to premiere on Jan. 2, 2026, is a justice realization time-travel drama in which corrupt judge Lee Han-young, who lived as a slave to a huge law firm and returned to 10 years ago, punishes great evil through a new choice.
With the first broadcast just ten days away, the leads of "Judge Lee Han-young" revealed keywords that further amplify the drama's appeal and asked prospective viewers for their interest.
First, Jisung, who plays Lee Han-young, a judge who returned to 10 years ago and now follows justice, selected the darkness and pencils I once loved, and the thrill of justice as his character keywords. He said, "Lee Han-young, who lived embracing the darkness called corruption and decay, hurt many people and himself," and added, "After returning, he is a character who tries to break off this romance with destruction and start a new relationship called 'justice.'"
The pencil is a symbolic medium showing Lee Han-young's change in values. Jisung said, "The act of sharpening a pencil in the drama was a peaceful moment when he contemplated justice in his youth, and when he became a corrupt judge it became a dangerous consolation that rationalized wrong actions," and added, "After returning, the act of sharpening a pencil becomes a reflective time focused on the question 'what is truly right in this life?'" The question of how convincingly Lee Han-young's changed values will be conveyed through Jisung's acting is stirring curiosity.
Meanwhile, Park Heesoon, who plays the senior criminal presiding judge at the Seoul Central District Court, mentioned confidence and cold-headedness as character keywords. He said, "He believes everything he thinks is right and pushes it through," and previewed the intense drive and malicious energy that the 'desire judge' Shin Jin will show amid the reconfiguration of cases following Lee Han-young's return. Park Heesoon's characteristically restrained acting is expected to amplify the character's intimidation.
Finally, Won Jina described her character Kim Jin-ah with the words brave, charging and momentum. In this regard, she said, "In particular, the scenes that best show Kim Jin-ah's personality were those where emotion was expressed through mouth shapes or facial expressions," and added, "They were not common expressions, so they were fun." Expectations are rising about how she, who became a runaway locomotive to avenge the person who put her father in danger, will seize living rooms.
[Photo] Provided by MBC
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