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The drama " The Judge Returns »hits hard with an intense, action-packed teaser highlight, revealing the radical transformation of Ji Sung as a disgraced judge determined to rewrite his destiny. Between corruption, revenge, and second chances, the series promises to be a dark and relentless legal thriller.
A corrupt judge confronted with his own mistakes
Inspired by a web novel, The Judge Returns follows Lee Han-young (Ji Sung), a judge who was once subject to the interests of a powerful law firm. A prisoner of Haenal Law Firm, Han-young renders verdicts motivated by personal interest rather than justice, to the point of losing all moral credibility, even in the eyes of his own mother., Shin Nam-sook (Ahn Nae-sang).
Aware of his downfall, Han-young finally confronts his father-in-law. Yoo Sun-cheol (Ahn Nae-sang), the real brains behind Haenal. He is categorical: «My agreement with Haenal Law Firm ends here.»
But breaking free comes at a price. Shortly after making this decision, Han-young finds himself in an extreme situation. One rainy night, he collapses after being stabbed... only to wake up 10 years earlier, in 2025.
Faced with this unexpected second chance at life, he makes a clear vow: «I'm going to put things right.»
Dangerous alliances and high-stakes justice
Back in the past, Han-young quickly attracts the attention of Kang Shin-jin (Park Hee-soon), the formidable chief judge of the criminal division of the Seoul Central District Court. Their first meeting is fraught with tension. As he shakes her hand, Han-young declares, «I will become someone you absolutely need.»
But his inner thoughts reveal a burning hostility: «In my past life, you had me killed without ever speaking to me. And now you want to share a table with me on our first meeting?»
Shin-jin, far from being fooled, replies coldly, «I want to use this power with you.»
In parallel, Kim Jin-ah (Won Jin-ah) makes a remarkable entrance. A determined prosecutor, she states: " I became a prosecutor to catch Jang Tae-sik.»
Despite threats and a dangerous past linked to Jang Tae-sik (Kim Bup-rae), she refuses to back down. Recognizing her strength, Han-young proposes an alliance: «Let's work together.»
The teaser also reveals other key figures: the journalist Song Na-yeon (Baek Jin-hee), the prosecutor Park Chul-woo (Hwang Hee) and Seok Jung-ho (Tae Won-seok), announcing the formation of a united front against a corrupt system.
As enemies close in from all sides, one final question echoes, asked in Han-young's calm but firm voice: «I'm giving you one last chance. Which life will you choose this time?»
The Judge Returns will be broadcast from January 2, 2026 and will be available on Viki!
