The Judge Returns

The Judge Returns
Promotional poster
Hangul
판사 이한영
Lit.Judge Lee Han-young
RRPansa I Hanyeong
MRP'ansa I Hanyŏng
Genre
Based on
Judge Lee Han-young
by Lee Hae-nal
Written byKim Kwang-min
Directed by
Starring
Music byGaemi (CP)
Opening theme
"Revenge"
by Jeon Chan-woong
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes14
Production
Executive producerHwang Jun-young
Producers
  • Son Ok-hyun
  • Jeong Yeon-ji
  • Kim Seon-heung
  • Oh Tteuk-rak
  • Ji-hwan
Running time60 minutes
Production companies
  • OH Story
  • Slingshot Studio
Original release
NetworkMBC TV
ReleaseJanuary 2 (2026-01-02) –
February 14, 2026 (2026-02-14)

The Judge Returns (Korean: 판사 이한영) is a 2026 South Korean television series based on the Naver series of the same name by Lee Hae-nal and starring Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon, and Won Jin-ah. It aired on MBC TV from January 2 to February 14, 2026, every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST). It is also available for streaming on Wavve and TVING in South Korea, and HBO Max in selected regions.

Synopsis

A legal drama about an unjust judge Lee Han-young, who cries out, "Let's not judge others' lives as we please," regains consciousness after an untimely death and returns to the past to punish the wrongdoers and change his fate.

Cast

Main

Court people

  • Kim Tae-woo as Baek Yi-seok: Chief Judge of South Chungcheong District Court.
  • Kim Byeong-chun [ko] as Lim Jeong-sik: Criminal judge of Chungcheong District Court.

People around Kang Shin-jin

  • Jung Hee-tae as Kim Ji-han: Chief Judge of the Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court.
  • Jang Jae-ho [ko] as Kim Yun-hyeok: Judge in Chungcheong District Court.
  • Son Byung-ho as Park Kwang-to: Former President.

Haenal Law Firm

S Group

Lee Han-young's family and neighbors

Special appearances

Production

The series is based on the Naver Webtoon of the same name, created by Lee Hae-nal. It is directed by Lee Jae-jin, whose credits include The Third Marriage (2024) and Motel California (2025), and written by Kim Kwang-min. It is produced by OH Story, Slingshot Studio.

On June 17, 2025, the main cast was confirmed as Ji Sung, Won Jin-ah, and Park Hee-soon. Filming was announced to begin on that day. Baek Jin-hee joined the main cast on August 27, 2025.

Viewership

The Judge Returns : South Korea viewers per episode (millions)
SeasonEpisode numberAverage
1234567891011121314
10.8290.8061.0321.1381.7832.1252.1092.0472.4491.9922.3542.1672.3752.3691.827
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Media Research.
Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)
Nationwide Seoul
1 January 2, 2026 4.3% (12th) 4.1% (11th)
2 January 3, 2026 4.4% (12th) 4.2% (13th)
3 January 9, 2026 5.8% (7th) 6.2% (6th)
4 January 10, 2026 5.8% (5th) 5.9% (4th)
5 January 16, 2026 10.0% (1st) 10.1% (1st)
6 January 17, 2026 11.0% (2nd) 11.4% (2nd)
7 January 23, 2026 11.4% (1st) 12.0% (1st)
8 January 24, 2026 10.8% (2nd) 10.8% (2nd)
9 January 30, 2026 13.5% (1st) 14.7% (1st)
10 January 31, 2026 10.9% (2nd) 11.7% (2nd)
11 February 6, 2026 13.2% (1st) 14.2% (1st)
12 February 7, 2026 11.5% (2nd) 12.1% (2nd)
13 February 13, 2026 13.6% (1st) 14.9% (1st)
14 February 14, 2026 12.8% (2nd) 13.2% (2nd)
Average 9.9% 10.4%
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

Accolades

Award ceremony Year Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Baeksang Arts Awards 2026 Best Actor Ji Sung Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Lee, Soo-jong (January 2, 2026). [종합] '이보영♥' 지성, 시청률 50% 불렀다...'줄초상' MBC서 "전 재산 걸어, 가족만 아니면 돼" ('이한영') [[Comprehensive] Ji Sung, who plays Lee Bo-young, achieved a 50% viewership rating... "I'll bet everything on my family, as long as it's not my family" (Lee Han-young)]. Ten Asia (in Korean). Retrieved January 2, 2026 – via Naver.
  2. ↑ Son, Bong-seok (January 10, 2026). 임정은, '판사 이한영' OST '룩 스루 더 스카이' 가창 [Lim Jeong-eun sings "Look Through the Sky" from the "Judge Lee Han-young" OST.]. Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean). Retrieved January 10, 2026 – via Naver.
  3. ↑ 판사 이한영 [The Judge Returns]. Watch CJENM. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Kim, Ji-hye (November 12, 2025). '판사 이한영', 내년 MBC 드라마 포문...지성X박희순X원진아 시너지 ['Judge Lee Han-young', the MBC drama of next year... Synergy between Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon, and Won Jin-a]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  5. ↑ Kim, Se-hoon (January 2, 2026). '판사 이한영' 등장 인물 관계도 본격 전개...OTT 웨이브·티빙 [The character relationship chart for The Judge Returns begins to unfold in earnest...Available on OTT platforms Wavve and TVING]. Biz Enter (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 2, 2026. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  6. ↑ Conran, Pierce (January 6, 2026). "HBO Max K-drama The Judge Returns: Ji Sung in fantastical and melodramatic morality play". South China Morning Post. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Lee, Joon-soo (June 17, 2025). '판사 이한영' 지성X박희순X원진아, 안방극장 접수 나섰다 ['Judge Lee Han-young' Ji Sung X Park Hee-soon X Won Jin-ah take over the living room theater.]. etnews (in Korean). Retrieved September 26, 2025 – via Naver.
  8. ↑ Yoon, Seok-yeol (March 6, 2025). [단독]원진아, 첫 지상파 여주 꿰찼다..지성과 '판사 이한영' 캐스팅 [[Exclusive] Won Jin-ah lands her first terrestrial TV lead role... Cast alongside Ji Sung in "Judge Lee Han-young."]. Star News (in Korean). Retrieved September 27, 2025 – via Naver.
  9. ↑ Kim, Ye-eun (October 2, 2025). 태원석, '판사 이한영' 합류...지성과 연기 호흡 [Tae Won-seok joins "Judge Lee Han-young" and collaborates with Ji Sung.]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 11, 2025. Retrieved October 2, 2025 – via Naver.
  10. 1 2 Ahn, Byeong-gil (August 27, 2025). 백진희, 새 금토극 '판사 이한영' 출연···지성과 호흡 [Baek Jin-hee to star in new Friday-Saturday drama "Judge Lee Han-young" alongside Ji Sung]. kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved September 27, 2025 – via Naver.
  11. ↑ Lee, Na-yeon (July 29, 2025). 오세영, '전남편' 지성과 호흡..MBC 새 드라마 '판사 이한영' 주연 발탁[공식] [Oh Se-young stars alongside ex-husband Ji Sung in new MBC drama "Judge Lee Han-young." [Official]]. Osen.co.kr (in Korean). Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ Han, Ho-joo (August 5, 2025). '판사 이한영' 황희, 지성과 믿고 보는 케미 예고! [Judge Lee Han-young's Hwang Hee and Ji Sung's trustworthy chemistry is on display!]. bntnews. Archived from the original on September 28, 2025. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
  13. ↑ Jung, Min-kyung (October 29, 2025). 김태우, '판사 이한영' 출연 확정...지성 조력자 된다 '몰입감 ↑' [Kim Tae-woo confirmed to appear in "Judge Lee Han-young" as Ji-sung's assistant, further increasing immersion.]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved October 29, 2025 – via Naver.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 판사 이한영 | 만나면 좋은 친구 MBC [Judge Lee Han-young - Character Introduction]. MBC (in Korean). Retrieved December 5, 2025.
  15. ↑ Geom, Bich-na (November 14, 2025). 정희태, MBC '판사 이한영' 출연...대법관 김진한役 '지성과 대립각' [공식] [Jeong Hee-tae to appear on MBC's "Judge Lee Han-young"... Playing Supreme Court Justice Kim Jin-han, a standoff with Ji Sung [Official]]. MK Sports (in Korean). Retrieved November 14, 2025 – via Naver.
  16. ↑ Yoo, Jung-min (November 25, 2025). 장재호, MBC '판사 이한영' 합류...지성 라이벌 된다 [장재호, MBC '판사 이한영' 합류...지성 라이벌 된다]. MBC Entertainment News (in Korean). Retrieved November 25, 2025 – via Naver.
  17. ↑ Kim, Hyeon-rok (January 17, 2026). 지성 일냈다...'모범택시3' 끝나니 '판사 이한영' 시청률 2배 '10% 돌파'[TV핫샷] [지성 일냈다...'모범택시3' 끝나니 '판사 이한영' 시청률 2배 '10% 돌파'[TV핫샷]]. SPOTV News (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026 – via Naver.
  18. ↑ Geom, Bich-na (November 14, 2025). 정재성, MBC 새 금토극 '판사 이한영' 캐스팅...지성 아버지된다 [Jung Jae-sung cast in MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama "Judge Lee Han-young"... becoming Ji-sung's father.]. MK Sports (in Korean). Retrieved November 14, 2025 – via Naver.
  19. ↑ 박아름 (January 1, 2026). 지성, 편파적 판결만 내려온 적폐 판사 '냉혈한 표본'(판사 이한영). Newsen. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ 박수인 (January 3, 2026). 판사 지성, 죄인으로 추락했다 '판사 이한영' 시청률 4.3%로 시작 (in Korean). Newsen. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
  21. ↑ Kim, Ye-eun (January 1, 2025). 배인혁, '판사 이한영'으로 첫 악역 도전...강렬한 변신 예고 [Bae In-hyuk takes on his first villain role as "Judge Lee Han-young," signaling a powerful transformation.]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved January 1, 2026 – via Naver.
  22. 1 2 이민지 (January 10, 2026). '판사 이한영' 지성, 배인혁에 사형 선고하고 박희순 눈도장...자체 최고 시청률 (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 양소영 (January 11, 2026). '판사 이한영' 지성, 병역 비리 장부 폭로...최고 7.7% 돌파 (in Korean). Star Today. Archived from the original on January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  24. 1 2 3 정빛 (January 18, 2026). 지성, 포크레인으로 싱크홀 사건 주범 참교육...시청률도 경신[SC리뷰] (in Korean). The Sports Chosun. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Nielsen Korea ratings:
    • "Ep. 1". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 2, 2026. Retrieved January 3, 2026.
    • "Ep. 2". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 3, 2026. Archived from the original on January 4, 2026. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
    • "Ep. 3". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 9, 2026. Archived from the original on January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
    • "Ep. 4". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 10, 2026. Archived from the original on January 10, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
    • "Ep. 5". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 16, 2026. Archived from the original on January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
    • "Ep. 6". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 17, 2026. Archived from the original on January 17, 2026. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
    • "Ep. 7". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
    • "Ep. 8". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 24, 2026. Archived from the original on January 24, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
    • "Ep. 9". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 30, 2026. Archived from the original on January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
    • "Ep. 10". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). January 31, 2026. Archived from the original on January 31, 2026. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
    • "Ep. 11". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 6, 2026. Retrieved February 7, 2026.
    • "Ep. 12". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 7, 2026. Archived from the original on February 8, 2026. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
    • "Ep. 13". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 13, 2026. Archived from the original on February 13, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
    • "Ep. 14". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 13, 2026. Archived from the original on February 14, 2026. Retrieved February 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ Lee, Da-gyeom (April 13, 2026). '제62회 백상예술대상' 후보 발표...'왕과 사는 남자' 7개 부문 노미네이트 ['62nd Baeksang Arts Awards' Nominees Announced...The King's Warden Nominated in 7 Categories]. Star Today (in Korean). Retrieved May 9, 2026.