Actor Kim Beom-rae left a strong impression on home viewers with impactful acting.
Kim Beom-rae plays Jang Tae-sik, the CEO of S Shopping, who serves as the pillar of evil in MBC's Friday-Saturday drama The Judge Returns (planning Namgung Seong-woo, Chang Jae-hoon; screenplay Kim Kwang-min; directed by Lee Jae-jin, Park Mi-yeon), and is leading the drama's tension with a distinctive villain performance.
In episode 1, Jang Tae-sik, who made his first appearance showing his connection with Chief Justice Kang Shin-jin (Park Hee-soon), fully revealed the ugly face of corrupt power. Jang Tae-sik, who was caught on Kim Jin-a's radar for slush fund creation and embezzlement of public funds, tried to cajole Hae-nal Law Firm's servant judge Lee Han-young (Jisung) to reduce the sentence, but instead was sentenced to a fine of 24 billion won and 10 years in prison, expressing a momentary flash of emptiness and then unleashing explosive rage that instantly captivated viewers.
From the point when Lee Han-young returned, Jang Tae-sik served as the linking element connecting the fates of Han-young, Kang Shin-jin and Kim Jin-a and drove the story forward. In the past, Jang Tae-sik arranged for Jin-a's father, who had attended a redevelopment protest as a subcontractor of S Construction, to stage a self-inflicted extortion, and because of this Lee Han-young's father, who had sided with the evictees, was falsely accused of violence and received a 1 year and 6 month prison sentence. The trial in question included Kang Shin-jin participating as the presiding judge's colleague, and Jang Tae-sik, who was present at that proceeding, left the scene with a fishy smile after the sentence was handed down. Kim Beom-rae demonstrated a commanding presence at the center of the tragic relationship among the three characters, showing a masterful model of a villain.
In particular, Jang Tae-sik's brazen attitude, showing not an ounce of remorse, recalled the arrogant face of a powerful man and maximized immersion in the drama. He sent threatening letters to prosecutor Kim Jin-a and constantly tried to bribe her with money. The line "You have to stuff money down her throat until it's packed to the gullet" revealed his warped belief that money can solve everything. Kim Beom-rae added his trademark sly yet chilling charm to the unabashed character, completing a singular villain that only he could embody.
As the nooses of Lee Han-young and Kim Jin-a tighten around Jang Tae-sik, attention is focused on what variable Jang Tae-sik's presence will act as in The Judge Returns, which is racing toward its finale. In this way, Kim Beom-rae breathes life into the drama with veteran pacing and an overpowering charisma, presenting a new prototype of an attractive villain.
Meanwhile, Kim Beom-rae, who has conquered not only the small screen but also the stage, is meeting audiences as Jerry in the musical SUGAR. SUGAR, featuring Kim Beom-rae, can be seen at the KEPCO Art Center through Feb. 22.
[Photo] Broadcast capture from MBC's The Judge Returns
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