Definitely the top 2024 drama for me.
This is the first ever review on my account, dedicated to The Judge from Hell, because it was just THAT GOOD!Everything about this drama was just amazing. The way the director thought and balanced out the plot so well through each episode, the characters' acting, and how each episode got me hooked throughout the entire show without being bored once. THIS is how you make an enjoyable and engaging drama!! Highly recommended 10/10
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it’s my personal opnion.opinion may vary person to person
Personally i love fanatasy series.but i found some recent popular fanatasy kdrama overly hyped.when i saw the trailer I thought TJFH will satisfy my cravings.but i am disappointed. Only plus points of this drama are PSH 's portrayal of funny parts and handsome ML.i found the violence scene overly dragged,overall plot can be finished in just 8-10 episodes(didnt need that detailed and long voilence scenes),story buildup was not that good some plotholes were really eye shore like abduction of the detective and ML's portrayal of emotion on that particular event and so on.i like kdramas because maximum actors' way of handling emotions are very good but i couldn’t feel the chemistry between the leads. Their romance felt to forced like they have superior and subordinate relationship.even the ending Doesn’t feel good at all.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
this drama delivered EVERYTHING
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much going into this drama, choosing to watch it solemnly because Park Shin Hye was in it, and OMG if it didn’t deliver everything I was hoping for and then some.It was such a satisfying watch from beginning to end that I can’t quite put it into words. The romance was perfectly articulated, and the chemistry between the characters was insane. Shin Hye was also the perfect badass demon/judge and I just loved to see her in this hole.
I only have praises for this drama and if I must pick one thing that let me down a little bit was the whole mystery of what happened to Kang Bit Na’s soul. Like, why was she in hell? What sin did she commit? And did they ever find her soul in the end? Idk… maybe I skipped through it? Maybe lol but I don’t think so, because this drama really had me hanging on the edge of my seat at every second, and I couldn’t miss a second of it for fear of missing out on something huge.
I loved the amount of violence we got as well, which I must say I wasn’t expecting considering this was a Korean drama and most of the time they censure stuff or just allude to it (at least when we’re talking about dramas that are broadcasted on TV, and are not a Netflix production or something like that).
Eitherway, it’s a drama I highly recommend if you want some mystery, with satisfying fights and criminals being properly punished, with a side of some really well developed romance.
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one of the best kdramas
this is one of the best kdramas for real, the urge to bing watch was high, it has been ages since i have done any review but i thought a show like this needs reviews, first the story is really interesting it kept me excited to check what will happen in the next eps, the only thing id say i was not interested in is the romance part, but it does make sense why its included ,because love is the reason why things took different path so it had to be included for certain things about the plot , id not say more to avoid spoilersi also loved the ending and found it interesting, tbh i think this role really suit Park Shin Hye very well, it feels like the show is made for her and this is her best drama
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Literally COULD NOT STOP watching this!!
Very few dramas have the ability to make a viewer check the calendar repeatedly to see how long before a new episode drops - this was one of mine.An absolute roller-coaster ride from start to end. This drama had all the necessary things to make it so hard to stop watching. I know there are a lot of comments out there that might be saying the CGI is bad, or the fantasy element is too much to digest, or that the ML is running too much of an interference, etc. Honestly, to each their own. Not every drama out there is for every viewer. But if you enjoy any of the following genres - action, crime, revenge, fantasy, thriller - then you NEED to watch this atleast once. Personally, it's one of the better written and executed K-dramas that offers a diverse viewing experience.
Going to highlight points separately, to make it easier to go through:
*Park Shin-Hye aka Justitia/Kang Bitna*
For someone who couldn't bear to watch Park Shin-hye EVER (trust me, I really tried), picking up this drama in the first place was already a task. The storyline + teasers always had me intrigued and since I wasn't expecting much of a romance anyway, I decided to power through and start the show. THANK THE GOOD LORD, because if not for that I would've missed out on a seriously iconic character. Justitia/Kang Bitna was such a treat to watch - she has a very ambiguous moral compass, she screams personality, she's also a sassy-as-hell demon judge from, well, Hell, and she retains that personality during her time on Earth. Her character arc was extremely well executed, and felt very natural. Despite changes in her environment, emotions, etc. the one thing that stayed constant was her hardcore and badass nature. Also, plus points for PSH doing action, she's one of the best actresses in this genre. I would love to see her do more roles in this zone, basically where she isn't stuck in the same old rut of "poor girl, sad life, cry". I feel like she has so much more potential and this show truly proved it.
*Kim Jae-Young aka Han DaOn*
Umm well, first of all - I need to seriously go touch some grass after the amount of giggling and blushing this man has made me do. The number of times I have rewatched his profile scenes is unhealthy, to say the least (I'm just a girl, cut me some slack). LOVE LOVE LOVE this man and his acting. His character might seem frustrating at first because of his constant need to "do the right thing" and "follow the rules" and "obey the laws" blah blah blah. ANNOYING i know - but you need to understand that there's a whole backstory there. You cannot discredit the circumstances or the events that brought him to that point and made him who he is. Unlearning takes time; unlearning and then adapting to a new outlook takes even longer. I do think some grace period is deserved. I also feel that quite a few viewers these days don't seem to appreciate complex characters because they don't change quickly. Be realistic, who does?
*THE CHEMISTRY!!!!*
The chemistry between Han DaOn and Kang Bitna was finger-licking good. ngl I'm a big fan of slow burn, banter/bickering and angst - so this was literally perfect for me. They gave me crumbs and had me begging for more at the end of literally every episode and that made it so much more exciting to watch. The fact that romance was not centre-stage, but still such an integral driving force for the plot was what made it an interesting watch.
*The Story*
My absolute FAVOURITE part of every case was the final verdict - Justitia's final verdict not Kang Bitna's. In order to not spoil anything major, all I'll say is that I felt gratified and vindicated (and a little sadistic, since I lacked empathy for them) at the end of every case. The fantasy element of the story was quite interesting and the way everything was tied together seemed satisfactory. The ending, I will say, was a tad bit disappointing since I was expecting it to end on a high - which is why it was not a 10/10 rating. But the fact that this show had me on the edge - watching every single episode as soon as it came out - was enough for me to give it a high rating.
Hope you decide to give this one a watch! And if you do, let me know what you think :)
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Enjoyed The Novelty But Can’t Recommend
My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.I was immediately excited to watch this because it’s a Park Shin Hye (박신혜) drama. Also, she’d be playing a completely different type of character than I’m used to seeing. I was so interested in this idea because I think Park Shin Hye is a pretty bad actress (not the worst, but she’s down there) and I really want to see her improve. She was the lead female in the first K-drama I’ve ever watched (The Heirs), so there’s a sense of nostalgia when I watch her.
Acting/Cast: I am happy to say Park Shin Hye killed it (pun intended). Her character was by far the most entertaining aspect of this drama. I already knew she could do action, which is a huge thing for me. So, I figured that was a big reason why she got this role. She did great with the action as well as the acting. Her sidekick was also a well-acted character. I like who they cast to play Bael. That was a nice surprise. My biggest issue in this category is the male lead. I don’t remember ever seeing him in anything else, so, unfortunately, I can only gauge his acting off this drama alone. It was terrible. I could not tell at all how he was feeling by looking at his face except for when he was literally crying. He looked like he was daydreaming, honestly. He had zero chemistry with Park Shin Hye’s character. It was a bit cringey. He wasn’t half-bad in the beginning though…what went wrong? 5/10
Writing: It’s all over the place. I feel like this drama switches the plot on us multiple times. Characters are introduced and done away with quickly. Things happen that don’t make any sense. The lore doesn’t even make sense. Characters change their minds suddenly to suit the direction in which the writers decide to take the plot. I think what people like about this drama is the revenge aspect. It’s brutal revenge, as well. Park Shin Hye’s character doesn’t do things by the books (unlike most K-dramas), but instead tortures and kills the murderers. In K-drama world, she’s only allowed to get away with this as a female lead because she is already evil and it’s her job as a demon. Loop holes… Anyway, the male lead is a cop and a human, so he can’t take revenge in this way because it would make him “evil”. So basically he just ends up taking a backseat for the duration of the drama. If he doesn’t physically do it, even though he’s not stopping someone else from doing it, he’s still good. What a cop out… (I’m usually not this punny. I swear.) He’s just there to watch along with us I guess. I usually like revenge type plots, but I didn’t feel this one was very satisfying. Especially, the judgments on the murderers who weren’t part of the main storyline. I don’t know these people. I haven’t had enough time to emotionally connect with their victims. I don’t want to see them get tortured. Honestly, even if I was able to emotionally connect…I still don’t like seeing that stuff. I think the revenge in The Glory was really satisfying because she outsmarted them and got them to destroy themselves and each other. And in Revenge of Others (another satisfying revenge drama), the vigilante tortured perpetrators because the law was letting them get away scot-free. He also wasn’t killing them afterward, so they had a chance to repent or be punished by the law as well. Plus, the drama allowed us to fully connect with the victims before enacting revenge. In The Judge From Hell, I also really didn’t like something that happened near the end. I can’t say too much but… we watch revenge dramas because we want a feeling of justice being carried out, wrongs being righted, and we root for the victims and underdogs. There was a victim in this story (this person wasn’t “good”, but still a victim) that was robbed of that and there was really no reason for it. It’s like they just threw it in there because the writers wanted as much death as possible or something. I was a little perturbed during the last couple episodes because of this. 1.5/10
Direction/SFX/Music: Scene cuts felt jarring at times, but I realized it was just the style. They would jump ahead and then backtrack to show the events leading up. The special effects are well done and the soundtrack, although it wasn't quite my style, is distinct and adds personality to the drama. 8/10
Entertainment Value: Now that I’m thinking about it, this drama really has Tale of the Nine-Tailed vibes. The plot is all over the place, it has interesting characters that bring a sort of charm to the drama, one lead is great while the other is terrible, and there is no chemistry between the leads. For me, this drama was a lot more fun to watch though. I never felt like dropping it. Although, I did get annoyed toward the end.
6/10
Overall, I gave this drama a 5/10. It felt like going to an amusement park and buying an overpriced, not-so-great souvenir. It was a fun time and the souvenir’s purpose, although underwhelming, is just to help us remember the good memories we had that day. I definitely would not recommend this if you want to watch a good romance and/or you dislike violence and gore. However, I would recommend it if you like watching Park Shin Hye. It’s the best acting I’ve seen from her.
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maybe real love is found in a menace demon and a sassy detective
skyrocketed into one of my favourite dramas of all time! i wish i could watch it for the first time again :(i loved a lot of things about this drama, but what i loved the most was the beautiful and unique relationships between the characters, and how well characters stood by themselves as well.
kang bitna and han daon's relationship with each other is absolutely electric. their push and pull throughout the show kept me on the edge of my seat; i love how they are both such menaces LMAO they match each other's tempo perfectly.
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IT'S THE SERIES OF THE YEAR
i've been a fan of kim jaeyoung for three years now, i saw his drama "reflection of you" and his acting got me hooked up, he portrays emotions so well, i looked up on sns and he was so underrated, but i'm loving the fact that he's gaining the attention and admiration he deserves, my man devoured his role as "seo woojae (reflection of you)", "kang haejin (love in contract)", and of course as han daon, i feel so proud for the recognition he's finally receiving for his acting, he's a humble pookie, i hope he keeps on getting frequenct roles from now as he mentioned in one of his interviews that whenever he'd go on hiatus after shooting a series he'd be depressed, but i really wish he keeps on getting more and more roles and let's not forget that our man deserves a reward for his unmatched performance, we love you kim jaeyoung.park shinhye depicted her character flawlessly, it was a hard slap for those saying she can't act, the action scenes left me in awe everytime i watched one, i hope both of them work in a project again, they had chemistry that was exceptional.
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Perfect-o a masterpiece
I don't like too long reviews, to make the reader of this review sure about to watch or not,Kang Bitna, omggggg her character is so powerful strong demonic, Queen slayed🔥.
Her acting was so good and the story of this drama was so good, literally had to pause in between so many times to digest what's happening. She's whipped for Han daon, she's like "TOUCH HIM AND YOU DIE" . She protects her Man.
Han Daon the man you are, he looks majestic when he smiles or *scoffs. Just look at him such an eye candy 🍬. In the first episode when I saw him, I knew I won't be able to stop myself until I watch the full episode.
And Bael, he's hot, not just hot, super hot. A Demon with spider legs, and hot as hell (well he came from hell, live in hell), If it weren't for the plotline, I was shipping them too. The other characters were so cute too.
I'm a fan when it comes to these fantasy or mythical types, like setting of Hell, a demon, etc. And that knife of hers with the seal GEHENA. Girl just put a burning knife stamp on the targets forehead after killing them brutally. Such a badass character. Truly another great work of hers.
I totally recommend you to watch it.
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Meh
The series is getting a higher score only for its good-for-casual-watch aspect and the graphics being relatively decent. Unfortunately both the FL and ML were very one-note through the whole series and despite trying to force a romance between the two, it really just didn't work. The plot was both straight-forward and sloppy.However, if you can turn off the analytical mind and are the type who enjoys watching an "eye for an eye" kind of of punishment, this is a good one to try. Note that while it's not the most graphic I've come across, it's graphic enough for queasy watchers to avoid.
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Exploring Moral Dilemmas and Supernatural Justice: A Review of The Judge From Hell
The Judge From Hell is a captivating fantasy thriller that hooks viewers with its unique blend of supernatural elements and moral dilemmas. The premise, which cleverly incorporates law and justice within the realm of demons, adds a compelling complexity that keeps the story engaging. Bitna's character exemplifies this contradiction; she initially appears as an unstoppable force, executing judgments with precision, but her growing emotional attachment to Daon creates an inner conflict that adds depth, even if it sometimes slows the plot's momentum.The trials Bitna administers reflect the moral principle of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and I found her brutal yet fitting approach to justice both intriguing and thought-provoking. While these sequences carried emotional weight and were integral to the narrative, some felt drawn out, affecting the overall pacing. Additionally, the haunting soundtrack enhanced the dark atmosphere, adapting beautifully to the show’s emotional range and elevating the viewing experience.
Despite some pacing issues, the performances were strong, particularly Park Shin-hye as Bitna, who brought fierce energy to her role. However, I found Kim Jae-young’s character to be a bit divisive; his rapid discovery of Bitna’s secrets diminished some tension. The cliffhanger ending leaves the future of the story open, which could either be a clever setup for a second season or a frustrating conclusion if unresolved. Overall, I would rate the series 4 out of 5 stars, as it successfully weaves a strong premise with engaging characters and a compelling mix of moral dilemmas and supernatural elements.
READ MY FULL REVIEW HERE: https://diyarisks.blogspot.com/2024/11/the-judge-from-hell-2024-series-review.html
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