The Judge from Hell: Episodes 3-4

24 September 29, 2024October 6, 2024

The Judge from Hell: Episodes 3-4

by missvictrix

And we’re back for more wild times with our demon-turned-judge, except it’s even more fun this week since we get backstory filled in, some wider plot intrigue — and a rather serious case of the butterflies.

EPISODES 3-4

We pick right back up with Da-on bleeding out on the ground and Bit-na having a grand time watching it. Except she’s wrong. Bael busts onto the scene in his spidery Shin Sung-rok glory to tell her that Da-on is innocent. Bit-na has made a huge mistake, and now she gets a very biblical double portion: she now has to nab 20 unrepentant murderers instead of a mere ten. But before we get to that, we watch Da-on’s stabbing in reverse, and when he next gasps, he’s very much alive. And pretty sure that thing that didn’t happen definitely happened: she killed him.

Off to the police station! Here, noona detective KIM SO-YOUNG (Kim Hye-hwa, cheers!) tells him he’s still drunk and the whole thing gets laughed off. But Da-on is a detective for a reason and he can’t let it go. He starts pestering Bit-na by way of getting in her space and calling her with a megaphone, until she’ll explain what the heck happened to him.

Bit-na has never tried to hide her demon nature, so it doesn’t take too much for her to outright tell Da-on that she’s a demon. She reveals her mystical dagger and even blows out the CCTV camera and though he’s startled, he’s still confused. So what does he do? Search “Kang Bit-na” and then “demons” (separately) on the Internet. LOL. Nice work, detective. Anyway, in Jane Austen terms, “the two are much thrown together” when they’re on the same case yet again and ~~spend lots of time together~~ investigating.

Here’s the backstory of the incident. A drunk man in the backseat was getting driven home by his new wife and his son (aka most adorable boy on earth). But when New Wife suddenly crashed all three of them off a cliff and into the water (that happened awfully easily), she chooses to rescue the little boy, while her husband sadly drowns. It’s awful, and the drama doesn’t spare the… drama.

Well, when the case turns up on Bit-na’s desk and in her courtroom, it’s because the boy’s grandma is making a big stink trying to “save” the boy from New Wife who “killed her son” and apparently killed her first husband too. Halmeoni is painted as a bit batty, while New Wife is grieving and delicate. But as Bit-na digs deeper (with Da-on~), some drawings from the little boy reveal a very different story.

As Bit-na comes to uncover (and later, Da-on), New Wife has been abusing the little boy. And as for the evidence of whether she killed her husband, Bit-na just needs to turn to her very convenient magic mirror. There, she catches New Wife acting all heartbroken, only to give the most evil smirk ever when her back is turned. And thus, Bit-na has her next ~~killing~~ project.

As with the case we saw last week, these unrepentant evil-doers are indeed just the worst of the worst. The things New Wife did to the little boy were deeply disturbing… and of course Bit-na takes perverse pleasure in reenacting each one with herself as the assailant and New Wife as the victim. New Wife also gets to experience the torturous deaths she designed for both husbands. Then, she’s stabbed, stamped, and sent to Gehenna — and Bit-na’s got her BOGO deal in the bag.

Last week we saw the completely charming clean-up crew from hell (Ha Kyung-min and Lee Joong-ok) and after this slaying they come back to supernaturally remove all traces of the crime from the scene — and Bit-na. But the body? Bit-na decides to leave it in a suitcase in front of the police station. Not really caring that the police will stitch these two killings together into a serial killing, Bit-na’s sole purpose is to get Da-on’s attention. You see, he inexplicably lost his interest in figuring her out. He might just believe her demon story, but no one believed him when he said he was stabbed and killed. (Indeed, the psychiatrist gives him the same diagnosis that she gave Bit-na last week). So for some reason, all his curiosity disappeared, and he promised to leave her alone.

But there’s only one problem with that: Bit-na doesn’t want him to leave her alone. Somewhere during their sniping and investigating, she’s developed quite a little crush on him. During the case with New Wife and the little boy, Da-on associated big time with the boy, and how the cops wouldn’t take his statements seriously. In his own childhood, Da-on experienced the same thing — in fact, this entire case was written just to pull out Da-on’s backstory (but that’s okay).

What happened was this: when Da-on was little, he came home one day to find his parents brutally murdered and the killer still in the house. The police never took his witness statement seriously, and that’s why when Bit-na does listen to the little boy in this current case (knowing he’s the key), Da-on cracks. And by “cracks” I mean stares at Bit-na with tears streaming down his face while they’re standing talking on a photogenic lighthouse pier. In that moment, Da-on’s dealing with 30 years of cathartic emotion after hearing Bit-na say: “I always believe children.” But as for Bit-na, she’s got some weird heart palpitations going on and has to look away from Da-on… (I told you, it’s those eyes!)

Well, what we learn of Da-on’s past gives us clues into why he’s so protective of victims — and maybe why he lives out of his camper. Which is fine and everything, but I hope this show doesn’t try to convince me that he can go on a police chase in that thing. I’m also not really sure if the show adequately explained Da-on’s on-and-off behavior here, but we’ll see how they rectify that next week.

As for Bit-na, the stakes are quite a bit higher. She knows she’s missing Da-on after he ghosts her, but her pouting around can’t be because she likes him or anything. Indeed, her demon minion GU MAN-DO (Kim In-kwon) and latest demon-hoobae LEE AH-RONG (Kim Ah-young) chat over how demons can’t fall in love with humans. Never! Cue: Convenient flashback to Bael back in hell telling Justitia that if she falls in love during her mission, she’ll experience a fate worse than death. And for some further foreshadowing, the lovely Kim Young-ok also lurks in Bit-na’s decrepit neighborhood, and when she sees Bit-na and Da-on together, warns that one of them will die if they remain together.

But there’s another thread too (because K-drama)! While Bit-na is looking for murderers with high kill counts so she can maximize her ROI and get back to hell, Ah-rong tells her there’s a serial killer who was never caught. The only witness was a boy at the time, and he’d be about 30 now… *wink wink*

The other bit of fun we get this week is around pre-dead Bit-na. Her almost-father-in-law is ASSEMBLYMAN JUNG (Kim Hong-pa, why can I never trust that you’re a good guy) and he wants to tell her “what she used to be like.” Cut to: fancy dinner at their mansion with her ex-fiancé JUNG TAE-GYU who we met briefly last week. Oddly enough he says almost nothing over dinner and his dad does all the talking.

Long story short, Bit-na was cued up to be dad’s political successor but uri Bit-na as she is right now finds that utterly ridiculous. In fact, she finds most everything utterly ridiculous (except Cola Z and Da-on), and it’s her total detachment and mocking demeanor that makes this character. It’s the life of the show, and I was just as impressed as I was last week with Park Shin-hye here — she’s even changing her vocal inflections for the role, and it’s just so much fun. Whether she’s blasting Puccini, dusting off crumbs from her fingers for her minion to clean up, or inflicting torment on those who arguably deserve it, Bit-na is queen.

But as our episodes end, said queen has just passed out. There’s a new neighbor in her apartment building, and when she begrudgingly goes into the hall, who is this new neighbor but Da-on? Cue the heart palpitations, and collapsing into his arms in her bathrobe. Oh boy, I’m just loving this. This might be the ~love next door~ I was waiting for.

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1 Britney

September 29, 2024 at 11:22 AM

A couple of things came to mind as I watched these episodes.
- It's funny/ironic to me that people have complaints about serial killers in romcoms and then some writer was like "okay, I see you, I hear you, what about a demon serial killer?" Haha
- I did not know this was a romcom haha. I thought this was like a dark comedy with odd couple type energy haha. So I was a little thrown when the heart palpatations started.
- I don't particularly like this show yet I couldn't help but smile while watching and I don't know what that's about haha. I think I was smiling during scenes when Daon was trying to get Justitia's attention and his camper van thing. I also wondered if this is the type of guy thought should've been No Gain No Love instead of Kim Young Dae. I don't personally find him any more attractive or charming but I have seen comment that say he's charming so I was wondering if this is what they meant
- I continue to like the culprit has to experience what the victim went through but man, it was still tough to see. Those poor victims; I think I genuinely got teary over that. I also thought it might be alot if Justitia really does put a serial killer on infernal trial. That's alot of recreations.

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2 Kurama

September 29, 2024 at 11:36 AM

Their relationship has a lot of stages : professionnal judge-cop, killer-victim, demon-human, suspect-cop...

My favorite parts are the both leads together. They're fun. Now, he knows she can't kill him, they're equal.

I don't really like when she made the killer re-live everything she did... PSH doesn't look scary with her big eyes but more comical for me.

For the serial killer, it makes sense, her number of killers to kill decreases and the limitation period has passed.

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K

November 15, 2024 at 4:18 PM

I don't think her character need to be scary. She look badass and cool with a hint of devilness. You are in Korea drama land. Demon doesn't mean scary.

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3 Blue (@mayhemf)

September 29, 2024 at 11:56 AM

Demon is Bitna body is just so much fun!! Loving PSH here. Her expressions are so awesome and so is her fashion.

I do like that the ML knows her secret and it is her that is falling for him and not the other way around. And how do you get the attention of a boy you like?? Throw in a dead body in front of his workplace. Pfftt. Is this the demon version of pulling the pigtails.

Enjoying the leads dynamic here. But I worry about the future angst (My demon scarred me a bit).

Off to find a serial killer because that’s the fastest way to meet KPI targets!!

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Nefret

September 29, 2024 at 12:58 PM

She is like a cat that leaves its prey as a gift on the doormat.

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TwoCentsWorth

September 29, 2024 at 6:23 PM

🤣 That's just purrrfect!

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4 tabong

September 29, 2024 at 12:36 PM

I really really enjoy this show.
It's so much fun.

1. First of all, I propose this drinking game so beanies stay hydrated: drink one cup of water everytime Bit Na changes outfit. 😂 I love how she had three different outfits in less than one minute at some point. She's always looking gorgeous.

2. I cried when Bit Na sent that messenger to the little kid with a letter from his parents.

3. I can't wait to see what happens now that one of my favorite tropes entered the chat. They're neighbors! Yay!!

I love their dynamic so much. And I didn't know that I needed it, but clingy Bit Na is ADORBS.
I'm so excited for this romance, tbh.

4. I wonder if the ex-in laws are going to try to kill her again. Otherwise, how are they going to get her attention? Justitia has zero interest in OG Bit Na's life.
I wonder how many killings it would be if she catches them. A politician? And in kdramaland? He most count as a serial killer.

5. Dear @seeker I think the landlady isn't that suspicious anymore. I'm thinking the new demon that's obsessed with "Da One staying away from Bit Na" is more sus now. I feel like Bael sent her to keep an eye on her...

6. What in the Hwayugi was the ending of episode 4. 😂
And what in the TOT9T was that halmoni telling them that one of them would die. LMAO

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TwoCentsWorth

September 29, 2024 at 6:34 PM

I thought the new demon was to add more fun to her posse. (Tho we may be losing one to conversion?) I know Bael's warning was supposed to be scary and all that. But I thought his deadpan delivery campastic fun. Ah, this is truly rom-coming for me. We truly find it in the strangest places.

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TwoCentsWorth

September 29, 2024 at 6:42 PM

I should have said "also" because, yes, you could totally see the new demon turning on Bit-na should her idol fall from her pedestal.

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tabong

September 29, 2024 at 8:37 PM

Yeah, I see it this way too.
I don't think she would be happy about her Justitia sunbaenim's romantic(human) feelings for a simple mortal.

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5 Britney

September 29, 2024 at 12:56 PM

I've been wondering and now I know for sure: this show is posted to Hulu on Wednesdays!

And now I'm wondering do most of their kdramas air on Wednesdays for some reason because now that I think about it a number of shows have (The Worst of Evil, The Zone: Survival Mission, No Way Out: The Roulette)

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6 Lord Cobol (Kdramas, like water, flow downhill)

September 29, 2024 at 2:47 PM

So if she falls in love with him she will suffer a fate worse than death, and someone will die. Those must be true because people said them.

Guess that means she will become mortal and die after about 80 years. As for the "fate worse than death", she'll be in Hell Joseon without her powers. When her kids are bullied at school and she's drowning in credit card debt she won't be able to pull out the magic knife. All the fancy clothes will come back to haunt her.

Meanwhile, what are the connections between the big serial killer and her almost in-laws? It's a kdrama so there must be something.

Guess they'll have to abbreviate the whole do-unto-the-sinner-as-he-did-unto-his-victims bit when she catches the big serial killer (?) Otherwise that might take a whole episode.

~~And I guess she won't be catching many rapists? Punishing them in kind might be awkward~~.

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TwoCentsWorth

September 29, 2024 at 7:21 PM

I’d thought the show had been smart about selecting heinous crimes because this extreme form of retributive justice cannot be tolerated otherwise. It was also smart to use a woman to mete out justice (rightly or not, many viewers might balk at a man brutalizing a petite female criminal).

But I didn’t consider certain crimes just can’t be depicted on easily on screen, nor be countenanced in general as retribution. (What does it say that rape may be less tolerable than murder?) And of course the practical consideration of screen time if the list of crimes is too long. A montage perhaps? 😂

I now think we'll see a series of escalations, first the serial killer (a 2-for-1 to get her kill count and Da-on justice), then the nefarious in-laws (another 2-for-1 to get her kill count and the OG Bit-na justice), but they may not be connected.

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7 TwoCentsWorth

September 29, 2024 at 6:21 PM

“Oh boy, I’m just loving this. This might be the ~love next door~ I was waiting for.” If I had been drinking when I read the recap punchline, I might just have spat it up. 😂 While I found the use of vaseline a tad excessive even if oh so pretty, when JYK dials up the banter and charm, that’s when I get the heart palpitations.

(As for Da-on’s odd “on and off” behavior, I suspect that’s just choppy writing or editing, which the show is prone to here and there. But I could be proven wrong in the next episodes.)

I do continue to struggle with the show's brand of eye-for-an-eye justice. While one part of me finds satisfaction in the poetic justice, another feels uncomfortable with it. (Tho I don't consider it vigilantism, I wonder if Da-on suspects so, hence his words to her.) I also don’t like the extra dose of stamping and stabbing Bit-na tosses in. I suppose that’s what actually makes her a demon as opposed to the petulant boys posing as lovely demons. And maybe the show wants us to be uncomfortable even as we root for her? I dunno.

BTW Is Z Cola fictitious? If so, what a wasted PPL opportunity for some edgy energy drink.

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hacja

September 29, 2024 at 8:11 PM

When I watched the first 2 episodes, I was pretty surprised at how Christian the eschatology was. So I'm sure what @attiton said in commenting on the first 2 episodes is right--the end lesson will be the virtue of forgiveness rather than retribution. That way the show will have its cake (showing violent retribution) and eat it too. (what you took pleasure in watching isn't really what you should do)

I'm also pretty sure that's where the love storyline will go as well, (that is, if it develops.) Either she'll truly value love, and will die in a bittersweet ending, OR she'll become Kang bitna, human, again, and the moral will celebrate the love and forgiveness that makes us human (and Christian), despite the temptation of giving into revenge and violence.

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TwoCentsWorth

September 30, 2024 at 5:54 AM

You raise some great points, and perhaps I should have more caffeine before I address them, but I'll give it a go.

I’ve seen a fair number of kdramas play with Christian theology (tho eschatology here?) so I wasn’t as surprised. If love and forgiveness ultimately triumph, I have no beef with it. And yes, fiction allows us to fantasize many things we would not dream of doing, even approving in real life, but I am not dismissive of that. Or at least I don't believe it is always unhealthy, not even in this show. Perhaps there were many viewers who found some catharsis in imagining a world in which abusers experienced the pain they inflicted upon their victims, but they wouldn't actually enact that. It does get a bit dodgy if that translates into real life. I’m imagining someone constructing the tech to make this a possibility… Yikes. But most of us can hold complex, even contradictory views.

And since as you say, what is more Christian than love and forgiveness, I remain hopeful falling in love will not lead to Lady Justice's demise. After all, many flawed leads in kdramas find redemption, true love and happily-ever-afters. (In fact, if she doesn't find forgiveness despite repenting, wouldn't you say that would be a betrayal of Christian beliefs?) Yes, Bael's pronouncements were dire, but the rules of this fantasy are incredibly flexible. I could be wrong, however. There have been notorious exceptions and this could be one.

I'm not sure what you mean when you say she'd turn into Bit-na, but if that means the soul of the original Bit-na returns to this body, then yes, it would be disappointing. And doubly so, if Da-on falls for Lady Justice, but the HEA is reserved for OG Bit-na and him. But kdramas do not have a great track record on that count. I can only hope that because the OG Bit-na truly did die (vs displaced by ghosts, time-travelers and whatnot) that won't be the case. 🤞

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8 9TailedVixen (formerly 9TailedFox)

September 29, 2024 at 10:04 PM

This is now my favourite current live watch.

The ending is hilarious with Bit-Na's butterflies giving her heartburn. With all the rules about demons not falling in love with humans etc, I wonder how they are going to navigate themselves out of that one.

And I think while Bit-Na is falling first, Da-On's gonna fall harder. And everybody involved is gonna have a serious case of acid reflux or indigestion LMAO!

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9 jillian

September 29, 2024 at 10:27 PM

I am enjoying this show much more than I expected. Its mostly because of Park Shin Hye and her portrayal of this irreverent reborn judge.
I am not sure how the writer will resolve this demon and human falling in love thing. But I am here for it.

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10 Siona ⭐️ (@DramaticFoodie)

September 29, 2024 at 11:19 PM

Thank you for the recap @missvictrix! Loving this weekend drama hopefully this fun momentum lasts till the end.
Whether she’s blasting Puccini, dusting off crumbs from her fingers for her minion to clean up, or inflicting torment on those who arguably deserve it, Bit-na is queen. Yes, this is her best in recent years.

This might be the ~love next door~ I was waiting for. Hear! Hear!

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11 Nefret

September 30, 2024 at 1:01 AM

Episodes 3 and 4 were again very entertaining, mainly thanks to Kang Bit-na. I just hope that there is enough material for 14 episodes and that we won't have to deal with a new case every week. I already found the punishment scene a bit repetitive.
Although I would like to see the cleaning crew more often.

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12 Kafiyah Bello

September 30, 2024 at 5:49 AM

I love that Justitia gives them exactly what they gave. The romance is fine, but I love the little beautiful moments in between the camp and violence. When she sent the mailman to the little boy, when she told Da On that she always believes children. Her effervescence is so great and her crazy eyes are even funnier.

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9TailedVixen (formerly 9TailedFox)

September 30, 2024 at 9:27 PM

I have a sneaking suspicion that despite working for Hell and being a demon, Bit-Na is a marshmallow inside.

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13 RenOIshi

October 1, 2024 at 3:54 PM

I have watched PSH many many times before but was left cold and unimpressed. Here, she is cold but I LIKE IT!

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14 🌸 Seeker 🌸

October 8, 2024 at 11:43 AM

Thank you for the recap. 😈👩‍⚖️

Love does catch you unexpectedly and apparently non-rom-coms have the most heart fluttering romances. Just like The Midnight Studio I wasn't looking for any romance in The Judge From Hell and the Cop from Heaven(!?) but here we are and er, ... yay!! 😉 The fact that they have laid it on thick that a demon falling in love will get a fate "worse than death" seems like Justitia will be "cursed" to become a human and live a long and happy like with uri ML who apparently cannot be killed by Justitia (m... and also not by anyone else I feel, till Bael decrees otherwise. 😅😂

The case of the week is as bad as can be and at this pace how is Justitia going to wrap up ... umm ... eighteen more kills in (*counts again*) ten episodes. Cue serial killer J - with 12 kills and perhaps the Assemblyman and ex-fiancé to make up the balance. 😳 Not to forget the other drug addict second son.

Guess this drama is fun ... till it isn't. For now I'm more concerned about the blow hot and blow cold by the ML. It would blow the mind 🤯 and apparently also give heart palpitations to any hot blooded female what to talk about a she-demon to be wooed via megaphone 📣 one day at work and asked to date (if only for a week), given a favorite cola and a - goodbye see you never - at night and ignored only to be met by the love next door (great catch by missvitrix 👌🏻👏🏻).

So apparently a serial killer (FL) does make the romance more heart fluttering, huh!?

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