Drama: The Judge Returns
Type: Drama
Format: Standard Series
Country: South Korea
Episodes: 14
Aired: Jan 2, 2026 – Feb 14, 2026
Aired On: Friday, Saturday
Genres: Action, Law, Drama, Fantasy
Duration: 1 hr. 10 min.
Content Rating: 15+ – Teens 15 or older
Synopsis
The Judge Returns follows Lee Han Yeong, a talented judge who rises through the judicial system despite coming from a modest background and graduating from a lesser-known university. His career takes a darker turn after marrying into the family that owns Haenal Law Firm, leading him to use his position to serve the firm’s interests.
For years, Han Yeong follows orders and compromises his principles, but his conscience eventually forces him to stand against the powerful people controlling him. When he sentences a corrupt chairman to ten years in prison, he becomes a target and is ultimately murdered for defying those above him.
However, Han Yeong mysteriously awakens ten years in the past, retaining all of his memories from his previous life. Given a second chance to change his fate, he decides to expose the corruption that once controlled him and deliver justice before history can repeat itself.
With the help of determined prosecutor Kim Jin A, Han Yeong begins taking on powerful criminals, corrupt officials, and influential figures who believe they are above the law. As he confronts the people responsible for his downfall, he must use his knowledge of the future while navigating dangerous enemies and the consequences of changing the past.
Cast
Main Roles
- Ji Sung as Lee Han Yeong
- Park Hee Soon as Kang Sin Jin
- Won Jin A as Kim Jin A
Support Roles
- Tae Won Seok as Seok Jeong Ho (Dajul Cash CEO)
- Baek Jin Hee as Song Na Yeon (Daejin Ilbo Legal Affairs Reporter)
- Oh Se Young as Yoo Se Hui (Seon Cheol’s Youngest Daughter)
- Hwang Hee as Park Cheol U (Prosecutor)
- Kim Tae Woo as Baek I Seok (District Court Chief Justice)
- Kim Byung Chun as Im Jeong Sik (District Court Senior Criminal Judge)
- Jung Hee Tae as Kim Jin Han (District Court Chief Criminal Judge)
- Jang Jae Ho as Kim Yun Hyeok (Chungnam District Court Judge)
- Ahn Nae Sang as Yoo Seon Cheol (Haenal CEO)
- Heo Hyung Kyu as Yoo Jin Gwang (Seon Cheol’s Eldest Son)
- Baek Seung Hee as Yoo Ha Na (Seon Cheol’s Second Daughter)
- Kim Bup Rae as Jang Tae Sik (S Shopping CEO)
- Kim Byung Gi as Jang Yong Hyeon (Tae Sik’s Chairman Father)
- Kim Han Gyeol as Attorney Byeon (Tae Sik’s Assistant)
- Park Geon Il as Kwak Sun Won (Sin Jin’s Thug)
- Jung Jae Sung as Lee Bong Seok (Han Yeong’s Father)
- Hwang Young Hee as Sin Nam Suk (Han Yeong’s Mother)
- Seong Byung Sook as Park Mal Rye (Nam Suk’s Neighbor)
- Son Byung Ho as Park Gwang To (Former President)
- Han Soo Ho as Kim Jeong Gyeon
Guest Roles
- Jo Dan as Cho Yeong Ho (Ep. 1)
- Kim Young Pil as Ma Gang Gil (Senior Prosecutor) (Ep. 1)
- Son Seon Geun as Kwon Yong Han (Ep. 1)
- Kim Dong Jun as Kang Jae Jin (Prosecutor) (Ep. 1)
- Lee Yoon Sang as Kim Seok Hyeon (Professor) (Ep. 1)
- Park Boo Gun as Ko Jin Gyu (Gojin Chemical CEO) (Ep. 1)
- Kwon Ban Suk as Han Jeong Hun (S Group Director) (Ep. 1)
- Jang Eui Don as Judge (Ep. 1)
- Son Ki Chul as Anchorman (Ep. 1)
- Uhm Ja Yoon as Investigator (Ep. 1)
- Park Kyung Chan as Na Yeong’s Lawyer (Ep. 1)
- Yoo Yong as Gojin Chemical’s Lawyer (Ep. 1)
- Kim Dong Yong as Judge (Ep. 1-2)
- Lee Dong Wook as Lee Cheon Su (Ep. 2)
- Lee Jae Eun as Janitor (Ep. 2)
- Baek Kil Sung as Lawyer (Ep. 2)
- Yang Ha Yoon as Reporter (Ep. 2)
- Jeong Seo Yeon as Yong Jin’s Wife (Ep. 2)
- Kwon Hyun Hee as Mart Employee (Ep. 2)
- Im Yu Ran as Mart Employee (Ep. 2)
- Park Chan Kuk as Mart Employee (Ep. 2)
- Bae In Hyuk as Kim Sang Jin (Ep. 2-3)
- Choi So Yoon as Kang Ju Yeong (Ep. 2-3)
- Moon Seung Bae as Lawyer (Ep. 2-3)
- Shim Hye Rim as Good Samaritan (Ep. 2-3)
- Hwang Dae Woong as Car Salesman (Ep. 2, 7)
- Lim Seung Beom as Prosecutor (Ep. 3)
- Son Sung Chan as Assemblyman (Ep. 3)
- Lee Eun Ju as First Victim’s Mother (Ep. 3)
- Kim Hyuk Jong as Second Victim’s Son (Ep. 3)
- Seo Young Sam as Man in Hotel Cafe (Ep. 3)
- Jo Hyun Im as Good Samaritan’s Mother (Ep. 3)
- Han Seo Ul as Kim Seon Hui (Ep. 3-4)
- Jang Hee Ryung as Kim Ga Yeong (Ep. 3-4)
- Lee Je Yeon as Park Hyuk Jun (Ep. 3-4)
- Yong Jin as Judge (Ep. 3-4)
- Im Ho Joon as Judge (Ep. 3-4)
- Jung Chan Hoon as Seon Hui’s Father (Ep. 3-4)
- Joo Soo Jung as Seon Hui’s Mother (Ep. 3-4)
- Jung Dong Gyu as Kim Jun Man (Ep. 3, 5)
- Jo Yeong Jin as Cho Hu Heon (Ruling Party Leader) (Ep. 3, 5)
- Lee Joong Hyeon as Investigator Baek (Ep. 4)
- Seo Woo Jin as Young Lee Han Yeong (Ep. 4)
- Kim Nak Gyun as Security Guard (Ep. 4)
- Choi Ji Yeon as Restaurant Owner (Ep. 4)
- Chae Yoon Hee as Traditional Market Worker (Ep. 4)
- Lee Se Rang as Traditional Market Worker (Ep. 4)
- Cho Seok In as Ttajyo (Ep. 4-5)
- Choi Hong Il as Lee Chang Hyo (Ep. 4-5)
- Kim Myung Soo as Hwang Nam Yong (Judge) (Ep. 4, 6, 8)
- Yeom Ji Hye as Anchorwoman (Ep. 4, 8)
- Park Kyung Geun as Jeon Heung U (Judge) (Ep. 5)
- Yeo Woon Bok as Lee Tae Geun (Prime Minister) (Ep. 5)
- Ma Jung Pil as Judge (Ep. 5)
- Lee Dong Gyu as Anchorman (Ep. 5)
- Park Kyung Rim as TV Program Interviewer (Ep. 5)
- Ahn Ju Mi as Jeong Gyeon’s Girlfriend (Ep. 5)
- Jeon Jin Ki as Woo Gyo Hun (Ep. 5-8)
- Park Jung Hak as Um Jun Ho (Prosecutor General) (Ep. 5-6)
- Kang Jong Sung as Cho Man Gil (Ep. 5, 8)
- Lee Soon Poong as Ma Cheong Jin (Ep. 5, 8)
- Song Won Su as Ju Gwang Cheol (Ep. 5, 8)
- Jeon Geum Han as Sim Yeon Pyeong (Ep. 5, 8)
- Song Hyun Jin as Woo Hui Yeong (Gyo Hun’s Daughter) (Ep. 6)
- Son Seung Taek as Judge (Ep. 6)
- Lee Jang Won as Chu Yong Jin (Mayor) (Ep. 6-7)
- Shin Hyun Jong as Min Gu’s Father (Ep. 6-7)
- Kim Nan Hee as Min Gu’s Mother (Ep. 6-7)
- Kim Seo Ha as Kang Sin Jin (Ep. 6, 8)
- Jo Sang Ki as Lee Seong Dae (Judge) (Ep. 6, 9-10)
- Chu Yeon Gyu as Plaintiff’s Lawyer (Ep. 7)
- Kim Jin Ho as Kang Jeong Tae (Assemblyman) (Ep. 7-8)
- Lee Kyung Oh as Han Sang Min (Ep. 8)
- Song Kyung A as Park Sun Yeong (Ep. 8)
- Choi Nam Uk as Assemblyman (Ep. 8)
- Song Kyung Eui as Assemblyman (Ep. 8)
- Kim Sun Bin as Hwang Tae Sung (Ep. 9-10)
- Kim Min Kyo as Brian (Miracle Asia) (Ep. 9)
- Kim Song Il as Choi Jong Hak
- Yoon Seo Yeon as Young Kim Jin A
- Yoon Jae Chan as Teen Lee Han Yeong
- Park Si Yun as Teen Seok Jeong Ho
- Kim Do Hyeong as Kim Yong Jin (Accountant)
- Han Sang Jo as Dol Soe (Jeong Ho’s Friend)
- Hyun Young Kyun as Prosecutor
- Kang Jun Young as Investigator
- Han Tae Ha as Delivery Guy
- Kang Myoung Soo as Security Guard
- Byeon Chang Yeol as Homeless Man
- Yoon Jae Jin as Prosecutor General’s Wife
- Kim Hye Jung
Final Thoughts
The Judge Returns combines courtroom drama, action, fantasy, and revenge into a gripping second-chance story. Lee Han Yeong’s journey gives him the opportunity to confront the corruption that destroyed his previous life while using his knowledge of the future to challenge powerful figures. With strong performances, high-stakes legal conflicts, and an engaging time-reversal premise, the series offers an exciting blend of justice, redemption, and suspense.
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