As Park Shin-hye was reborn as a true judge, she died in return.

Episode 13 of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Judge from Hell’ (written by Jo Yi-soo, directed by Park Jin-pyo, and Jo Eun-ji), which aired on the 1st, recorded viewership ratings of 12% in the metropolitan area and 11.9% nationwide. The momentary viewership ratings soared to a whopping 15.1%. (Nielsen Korea)

Kang Bit-na (played by Park Shin-hye) faced death that day. Earlier, Kang Bit-na received a terrible order from Bael (played by Shin Sung-rok) before the trial of serial killer J Jeong Tae-gyu (played by Lee Kyu-han). Bael told her to kill Jeong Tae-gyu after releasing him and send him to hell, or else Kang Bit-na would die forever. Kang Bit-na fell into deep thought. At this time, Jung Seon-ho (played by Choi Dong-goo), who was scheduled to appear as a witness in the trial, was attacked by someone in the detention center. In the end, the trial was postponed due to Jung Seon-ho‘s inability to appear.

Hana On (played by Kim Jae-young) persuaded Jung Seon-ho. As a bereaved family member of the J serial murders and as a police officer. Along with this, Han Da-on also secured the evidence of the J serial murders that Jung Tae-gyu had hidden. Jung Tae-gyu had been filming and storing all the scenes of himself killing people. Kang Bit-na, who had proposed a false deal to Jung Tae-gyu in order to take charge of Jung Tae-gyu’s trial, felt unbearable anger when she saw the evidence that Han Da-on had found.

In the meantime, Jung Seon-ho, who appeared in court at Han Da-on‘s words, testified to all of Jung Tae-gyu’s evil deeds. He also apologized to the bereaved families of the J serial murders. On the other hand, Jung Tae-gyu‘s shamelessness continued. Jeong Tae-gyu, who had consistently denied knowing anything about the J serial murders, admitted, “I killed them all,” when decisive evidence emerged. However, it was not an apology or reflection. Instead, he continued to make excuses that he had saved the victims from poverty.


Then Han Da-on, the sole survivor of the J serial murders and a bereaved family member, appeared as a witness. Han Da-on tearfully said, “The world may have forgotten us, but please show us in this court that the law has not abandoned us.” Kang Bit-na put an end to her wavering heart between the devil and the judge as she watched Han Da-on and the bereaved families in the audience shed tears.

The devils and the angel Oh Mi-ja (Gabriel, played by Kim Young-ok) persuaded Kang Bit-na to release Jeong Tae-gyu. That was because only then could Kang Bit-na live. However, Kang Bit-na’s determination was firm. In the end, Kang Bit-na said, “The law does not forgive the crime that the victim and the victim‘s family do not forgive,” and sentenced Jung Tae-gyu to death. Kang Bit-na was reborn as a true judge who understands the feelings of the victim and the victim’s family.

However, the price of her choice was great. Kang Bit-na, who had a premonition of death, kissed Han Da-on and prepared for a separate farewell on her own. Han Da-on, who learned the whole truth, desperately ran to save Kang Bit-na, but Kang Bit-na had already been attacked by an unidentified being and collapsed, bleeding. The scene of Kang Bit-na dying in the hospital and Han Da-on‘s sad appearance as he recalled Oh Mi-ja’s prophecy from the past, “If we stay together, one of us will definitely die,” intersected.

In the meantime, Jung Tae-gyu, who still has not reflected on his actions, was foreshadowed to escape. The drama ‘Judge from Hell’ is not over until it‘s over, so attention is focused on what kind of story it will unfold in the final episode.

The final episode of ‘Judge from Hell’ will air for 80 minutes starting at 9:50 PM on Saturday the 2nd.

Hong Se-young, Donga.com Reporter projecthong@donga.com