MBC’s Friday–Saturday drama The Judge Returns wrapped up its run on February 14th with impressive ratings and a powerful courtroom showdown that left viewers talking.
According to Nielsen Korea, the finale recorded 13.2% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 12.8% nationwide, ranking No. 1 among all Friday–Saturday dramas.
The episode’s most talked-about moment — when Lee Han Young (played by Ji Sung) confronts Kang Shin Jin (played by Park Hee Soon) and says, “Let’s go. It’s time to pay for your crimes” — reached a peak nationwide rating of 17.2%.
The key 20–54 viewer rating also ranked first among all programs that day, proving the drama’s strong impact until the very end.
The final episode focused on the intense legal and psychological battle between Lee Han Young and Kang Shin Jin.
Kang Shin Jin continued to manipulate those around him, even threatening powerful figures by saying, “If His Excellency passes away, I’ll take everything down with me.” His bold and cold attitude raised tension as the story moved toward its climax.
Lee Han Young, however, refused to back down. In one key moment, he persuaded a doctor connected to the case, saying, “Instead of attempted murder, how about admitting you refused Kang Shin Jin’s order to kill?” This line highlighted his strategy of exposing the truth through the law rather than personal revenge.
Their confrontation reached its peak in the final trial. Standing firmly in court, Lee Han Young declared, “I decided to become a sacrifice to change a Korea where rotten power has become dirty justice.”
He added, “Justice is not about speed but direction. Justice built by one person can never change the world. The only people who believed they could change the world alone were dictators.”
In the end, Lee Han Young sentenced Kang Shin Jin to death “as an ordinary human being would,” marking the close of their long-standing conflict.
Although the finale hinted that power struggles may not completely disappear, the drama concluded with a strong message about justice, responsibility, and choice.
Lee Han Young’s final reflection — “Is everything truly over now? … No matter what, can my choices still be just?” — left viewers thinking long after the credits rolled.
With steady ratings, a 17.2% peak, and No. 1 rankings in its time slot, The Judge Returns proved its popularity until the very last episode.
Backed by strong performances from Ji Sung and Park Hee Soon, the drama successfully closed its run as one of the most talked-about legal series in its time slot.
Source: [1]
