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MBC continues to unveil its new legal thriller " The Judge Returns ", revealing the first images of Park Hee-soon in a dark and captivating role. Adapted from a web novel, the series follows Lee Han-young, played by Ji Sung, a formerly corrupt judge who returns 10 years after an unjust death. This second chance gives him the opportunity to overthrow those who have manipulated him, and finally confront the power that was crushing him.
One figure in particular stands out in this battle: Kang Shin-jin, Chief Criminal Judge at Seoul Central District Court, played by Park Hee-soon.
A power-hungry judge determined to climb ever higher
Kang Shin-jin is presented as a fearsome magistrate, capable of using the weaknesses of others to strengthen his own influence. Ambitious, cold-blooded and calculating, he has his sights set on the highest spheres of judicial power. But his methodical rise falters the day Lee Han-young reappears in his courtroom, carrying with him a past he thought had been erased.
The first images unveiled show Park Hee-soon in an impeccable suit, with sharp eyes and a presence that commands respect. In just a few images, he sketches an austere, intense and dangerous character, whose authority seems overwhelming. An aura that foreshadows an explosive face-off with Ji Sung's character.
A complex role that Park Hee-soon already seems to master
According to the production team, Park Hee-soon brings a singular depth to Kang Shin-jin, revealing his subtlest layers. Despite his all-consuming ambition, the character sees himself as a man guided by a certain vision of justice and common sense, a fragile balance that the actor promises to bring to light with nuance.
The Ji Sung / Park Hee-soon duo is shaping up to be one of the drama's highlights, with a narrative tension that should keep building over the course of the episodes.
The Judge Returns will make its debut on January 2, 2026 at 9:40 pm (KST) on MBC (awaiting an international broadcaster).
