A truly perfect collaboration between the writer and the director. From the very first episode, this drama has a great hook for its story. Once you watch even just one episode, you’ll definitely find yourself thinking about it and wanting to finish it.

With a fresh and tidy plot, current jokes are also frequently woven into the drama. When I learned that this drama was written by a new writer and produced by someone who had never produced a drama before, I knew it would bring a breath of fresh air. Honestly, there are a lot of great dramas this year, but The Judge From Hell has successfully established itself as one of the best dramas of 2024.

This drama has a strong identity and a slightly wild mindset, in my opinion. That’s the interesting point when watching a drama written by a new writer. Every scene feels fresh and not overused. The dialogues are also more fluid and funny.

Kudos to Park Shin Hye for her continuously improving performance, even after being in this field for so long. She portrays the character Kang Bit Na, a.k.a. Justitia, exceptionally well. This drama is truly led by her. This drama was clearly created for her. Her character is iconic, and it might just be one of my favorites of hers after Choi In Ha in Pinocchio.

I’m also really happy because finally, the actor I’ve been waiting for since 100th Days My Prince is the lead in this miniseries, Kim Jae Young. He has always acted well, it just seems he hadn’t gotten the opportunity yet. Especially in Beautiful Love, Wonderful Life, his crying were genuinely among the best, perfectly suited for the character Han Da On, who often cries due to her painful life.

What I really need to applaud again is the casting director. As far as I remember, there are no idol actors in this drama. I’m not underestimating idol actors, as some are indeed more skilled than pure actors. However, I often feel uncomfortable when there are too many idol actors in one drama. Many of them have a limited range, resulting in constrained expressions.

In this drama, there are so many cast members I've seen in other dramas, not as leads but as supporting characters. Almost every cast member has appeared in other dramas. The difference here is that their roles are close and significant. This drama didn’t bring in big names except for Park Shin Hye, but it did an excellent job in casting. Their performances are all commendable; they just hadn’t gotten the chance to play such characters before, and here they do.

I think this drama has great teamwork, making it feel solid and minimizing plot holes from episode one to the end. Even for lesser-seen characters like Bael, played by Shin Sung Rok, and Justitia, played by Oh Nara, with minimal screentime, they slayed the character, the casting was done excellently. There are truly no actors or actresses who are currently trending this year in this drama. The plot captivates viewers and draws them into the drama. Even in the ending of episode 14, all cast members' names are mentioned, even the smallest roles. For some reason, I felt moved watching it I know them, but I don't know their name, and Now I know it!

In my opinion, every aspect of this drama is just right. In terms of story, it might be similar to Devil Judge and Taxi Driver, but it has successfully carved out its own identity. The cases presented are also very compelling and evoke strong emotions, and Justitia's vengeance feels entirely justified.

The romance element might not appeal to everyone, but I see it as an essential aspect. Justitia is a demon; she could easily resolve punishment from Bael if she descended to Earth as a demon. Unfortunately, she is in a human body, so her soul and the body she inhabits inevitably begin to merge (similar to the theory used in Alchemy of Souls). Perhaps that is Bael's true punishment. Considering Justitia’s impulsive decision to throw Kang Bit Na into hell, once she becomes a judge in the world, she starts to have things to consider.

Love is one of the most significant elements of human life, whether it's romantic love or familial love. All of these feelings stem from being human. Gradually, Justitia starts becoming Kang Bit Na. That’s why when Justitia dies and enters the afterlife, she returns with Kang Bit Na's body, no longer as Justitia. This also leads me to conclude that the open ending of The Judge From Hell suggests that Justitia might not choose to remain human; she will complete her duties as a judge for another year and return to hell. Since Justitia is now also living as Kang Bit Na, I think it would be difficult for her to act as she did when she first descended to Earth.

Oh, and let’s not forget the beautiful chemistry between Park Shin Hye and Kim Jae Young. They don't go from hate to love, but somehow, they are always there for each other. An odd but charming couple. It’s truly the best chemistry Park Shin Hye has had with a co-star since I last felt it when she acted in Pinocchio. (Unfortunately, it's a forbidden couple, so let’s just enjoy it :’D).

Overall, this drama is genuinely entertaining, helps us vent our anger, is thrilling, and memorable.
In the end, I believe the name Kang Bit Na, with "Bitna" meaning "shine" in Korean, truly brings light to all the cast members and makes them shine in this drama. And the brightest light, of course, is Kang Bit Na.