'The Judge Returns' is creating a sensation with endings that stimulate viewers' dopamine.
The recently aired MBC Friday-Saturday drama 'The Judge Returns' has ascended as an "ending destination" that provokes exhilaration and curiosity, capturing viewers' attention. With its solid narrative and the outstanding performances of its actors, 'The Judge Returns' has passed the halfway point, and we looked at the ending scenes, another point of interest.
First, the ending in episode 2 where Lee Han-young (played by Jisung) punishes Kim Sang-jin (played by Bae In Hyuk) delivered a thrill. Before his time rewind, Han-young was deceived by Kim Sang-jin's tears over an attempted theft charge and sentenced him to a light sentence. But Sang-jin was actually a serial killer, and this verdict had led to innocent victims. After returning to 2025, Han-young sought to correct his mistake, pressed the accelerator toward the fleeing Sang-jin, and struck him with his car to incapacitate him. Viewers went wild, saying, "The core-cider ending catharsis is amazing," "Executing him on the spot felt so satisfying," and "The method of execution from the future is very futuristic."
In episode 3, Lee Han-young's intelligent play shone. He sent chills by calling witness Kim Ga-young (played by Jang Hee-ryeong), who lied that she had no personal phone, and in the episode 4 ending he shook the judiciary by dramatically exposing the military service corruption records of children of political and financial figures. In episode 5, he continued unpredictable developments with an ending in which he suddenly visited Haenal Law Firm, where his pre-rewind wife and the woman he is currently matched with, Yoo Se-hee (played by Oh Se-young), works.
In particular, the retribution ending that capped episode 6 maximized the unpredictable charm of 'The Judge Returns.' The scene in which he threatens Choo Yong-jin (played by Lee Jang-won), the main perpetrator and mayor of Nam-myeon district, with a backhoe for the bereaved family who lost their son in the "sinkhole incident" was shocking in itself. Lee Han-young's unwavering gaze while operating the backhoe delivered a fresh shock to viewers and raised expectations for the realization of "Ddolpan's" sense of justice.
Last week's episode 7 and 8 endings raised the drama's tension to a peak. At the end of episode 7, while chasing Choo Yong-jin, who was trying to stow away, Lee Han-young encountered killer Kwak Soon-won (played by Park Geon Il), who is employed by Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon). Han-young's unstoppable kick upon witnessing Kwak Soon-won's attempt to kill Choo Yong-jin delivered breathless tension. Furthermore, in episode 8, the final scene in which Han-young makes an irresistible offer to Yoo Sun-chul (played by Ahn Nae-sang), the head of Haenal Law Firm, to have the judiciary's Baek Ho Baek Yi-seok (played by Kim Tae Woo) hunt for him, spiked to a peak rating of 13.9% and made viewers even more curious about the huge story to unfold.
In this way, 'The Judge Returns' delivers powerful endings every episode, leaving a deep aftertaste. Viewers' passionate reactions continue, saying, "Stopping here is driving me crazy with curiosity," "This ending destination is Michelin three-star level," and "A week feels too long—just air it every day."
'The Judge Returns,' which is causing a syndrome with its crazy endings and fast-paced development, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m.
[Photo] Provided by MBC.
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