On the evening of September 21th, the beautiful actress Park Shin-hye’s new drama “The Judge from Hell” aired its first two episodes back-to-back on SBS. Despite the late-night airtime, and tough competition, the drama still achieved impressive results. While the first episode recorded a rating of 6.8%, the second episode surged to 9.3%, with peak moments even exceeding double digits. This outstanding performance makes “The Judge from Hell” the highest-rated Korean miniseries currently airing (excluding “Good Partner”, which recently ended).
The first two episodes set the stage for Kang Bit-na’s (played by Park Shin-hye) journey to becoming a judge in hell. After claiming to be a demon, Kang Bit-na is diagnosed by doctors with delusional disorder. However, in her past, she had actually died in a tragic accident and descended into hell. Somehow, she accidentally enters the section of hell reserved for murderers, where she faces the demon Justitia (Oh Na-ra). There, Justitia accuses Bit-na and condemns her to Gehenna – a place of punishment for murderers.
Bit-na is, of course, innocent, and Justitia’s actions are soon discovered by Bael, the ruler of hell. Bael decides to punish Justitia by forcing her to take over Bit-na’s mortal body and hunt down 10 murderers who deserve to be sent to hell within a year. As a result, Justitia inhabits Bit-na’s body and begins her mission in the human world. This leads to Bit-na (now possessed by Justitia) being diagnosed with delusions because she constantly talks about hell and punishment. The story follows Bit-na as she embarks on a quest for justice and hunts down 10 murderers who deserve to be condemned to hell.
The first two episodes of “The Judge from Hell” have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from viewers. Both the script and the actors’ performances have garnered near-universal praise. In particular, Park Shin-hye has been lauded for her outstanding transformation. She perfectly portrays both sides of her character: the fragile, mortal Kang Bit-na who meets a mysterious death, and the strong, proud, hell-bound judge Justitia, who is confident in her superiority over mortals. Park’s portrayal of both aspects has been nothing short of exceptional.
While this is not the first time Park Shin-hye has taken on a strong, action-oriented role, her image has long been associated with romantic dramas, leaving viewers shocked by this dramatic transformation. Many comments suggest that Park Shin-nye has found the perfect role for her career, delivering a performance that truly showcases her talent.
Some netizens’ comments:
- “This is where Park Shin Hye shines, not in rom-coms!“
- “I always thought she suited action roles better, and I was right!“
- “So good! I was hooked from the first episode. I think this is the best performance I’ve seen from Park Shin Hye so far. She truly embodies a goddess of judgment here. What an amazing transformation.“
- “It’s incredible to see Park Shin Hye as Judge Kang. She completely owns this role and is doing so well. Finally, a role that proves how skilled she really is.“
- “The first two episodes were fantastic. A completely new side of Park Shin Hye that I’ve never seen before. Keep it up!“