No. of episodes: 16
Genre: Legal, Fantasy, Mystery, Politics
Native title: 악마판사
Original network: tvN
The drama is set in a dystopian South Korea. Kang Yo Han (Jisung) turned the courtroom into a reality show. Kim Ga On (Park Jinyoung) is an associate judge who shines like a ray of hope in the world of injustices.
The dystopian world
Dystopian – An imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice.
Kim Ga On was selected by his mentor/professor Min Jung Ho (Ahn Nae Sang) to enter the newly established live courtroom as an associate judge to keep an eye on the devil. Kang Yo Han was selected and appointed to be the judge for the live courtroom by the President of Korea, Heo Jung Se (Baek Hyun Jin).
Ga On is utopian, he wants to create an ideal and perfect state/ society after what he went through. Trusting his mentor, he went in with the idea that it isn’t right to turn a sacred courtroom into a reality TV show.
The Live Courtroom
The first case, brand new courtroom and judges’ uniforms to fit this combination. Countless cameras pointing towards all the members in the court and the director behind the live stream.
Members of the public can judge and give their judgment through a mobile application after seeing the evidence and testimonials. The final sentence will then be decided by Yohan. Along with Ga On there is another associate judge Oh Jin Joo (Kim Jae Kyung) that sits as Yohan’s right chair.
Trying to plant a bug to spy on Yohan but was caught by him. Ga On was openly investigating and suspecting his superior. A planted bomb behind a piece of art in Yohan’s office turns their relationship around.
Inside the dark castle
Ga On saved Yohan from the bomb but went unconscious and woke up in Yohan’s house, a dark castle. Wanting to find out more about this mysterious person, he stays and lives in the house to find more clues.
He found out that he has a disabled niece in a wheelchair, Kang Elijah (Jeon Chae Eun) is a smart and pretty teenager that was paralyzed after the church fire. Assumed that her uncle, Yohan caused the fire that killed her parents, she resents him but he is her only kin.
Kim Ga On is a split image of Kang Isaac, Yohan’s older brother and Elijah’s late father. The coincidence is weirdly suspicious. Yohan started to bring Ga On out for the events by the prestigious circle to get him exposed.
Ga On and Soo Hyun
Yoon Soo Hyun (Park Gyu Young) is Ga On’s longest and only friend, police that is brave and courageous with an only soft spot which is Ga On. Confessed to Ga On on several occasions since they were in kindergarten, but he did not accept.
Yohan and Sun Ah
Hard to describe their relationship but if there is a word, obsession?
Sun Ah is a powerful mind player that controls more power than one can imagine. She was a helper at the house that Yohan grew up in, she was interested in him from a young age. The interest became an obsession and grew into something scary and dark.
The reason
Yohan was an adopted son and since young he was growing up in a very different environment but was protected by his brother Isaac. Isaac holds a very important role in his heart and after the church fire that caused his death, Yohan has his own revenge plans.
When the whole world points finger that him to be the cause and mastermind of his brother’s death, he only focus on his own plan without explaining it.
Overall, this is a really good production drama and I totally understand why it took them 6 to almost 7 months to produce. Really proud that it is doing well and rewarded with high ratings. The dystopian world really took it so well and there aren’t limits to the craziness happening.