Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, And Won Jin Ah Reveal Character Keywords For Upcoming Drama "The Judge Returns"

Dec 24, 2025

The stars of “The Judge Returns” have shared keywords for their characters in the series!

Based on a web novel, “The Judge Returns” follows corrupt judge Lee Han Young (Ji Sung), who once lived as a slave to a massive law firm before traveling 10 years back in time. Given a second chance, he seeks justice by punishing great evils.

Ji Sung, who plays Lee Han Young, described his character with three key phrases: “the darkness I once loved,” “pencil,” and “the thrill of justice.”

The actor explained, “Lee Han Young lived while embracing the darkness of corruption and decay, hurting himself and many people. After returning to the past, he ends this destructive relationship and tries to start a new one in the name of ‘justice.’”

The pencil symbolizes Lee Han Young’s changing values. Ji Sung said, “In his youth, sharpening a pencil was a peaceful moment during which he thought about justice. When he became a corrupt judge, it became a dangerous comfort that justified his wrong actions. After returning to the past, it turns into a time of reflection during which he focuses on the question, ‘What is truly right in this life?’”

Meanwhile, Park Hee Soon, who plays judge Kang Shin Jin, described his character’s key traits as confidence and cool-headedness.

Park Hee Soon also hinted at the intense drive and malicious energy that the ambitious judge Shin Jin will display in the reshuffling of events caused by Lee Han Young’s return. “He believes everything he thinks is right and pushes forward with it,” said the actor.

Finally, Won Jin Ah described her character, Kim Jin Ah, with three words: “courageous,” “charge forward,” and “fierce.” She said, “The scenes that best show Kim Jin Ah’s personality are the ones where she expresses emotions through the shape of her mouth and facial expressions. It was fun because they weren’t expressions I usually get to try.”