▲ This poster of South Korean legal series "The Judge from Hell," starring Park Shin-hye and Han Da-on, is provided by TV broadcaster SBS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- The new fantasy drama "The Judge from Hell," starring Park Shin-hye, debuted with strong ratings, exceeding 9% on its first day of airing.

 

According to Nielsen Korea on the 22nd, the SBS drama The Judge from Hell recorded viewership ratings of 6.8% for its first episode and 9.3% for its second episode.

 

The show is a fantasy thriller about a demon possessing the body of a judge and delivering justice to criminals who have committed murder without remorse. The story begins with Judge Kang Bit-na (played by Park Shin-hye) being murdered in a park and her soul descending into hell. Instead of the afterlife, her soul is transported to a courtroom where the demon Yustitia (played by Oh Na-ra) presides. Without hearing Kang Bit-na's story, Yustitia brands her soul and sends it to a prison for murderers.

 

As punishment for this wrongful judgment, Yustitia is ordered to kill 10 unrepentant murderers within a year and send their souls to hell. She inhabits the body of the deceased Kang Bit-na to carry out this mission. In the first episodes, Yustitia, now in Kang Bit-na's form, sentences a man who brutally assaulted his girlfriend to a mere fine, only to later find him and send him to hell.

 

▲ These still photos of South Korean legal series "The Judge from Hell," starring Park Shin-hye and Han Da-on, are provided by TV broadcaster SBS. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

The initial episodes quickly introduced the main characters and delivered a sense of catharsis through scenes of criminals receiving judgment. However, the show also featured violent weapon scenes and graphic assault moments, which some viewers may find uncomfortable.

 

On the same day, KBS 2TV's Beauty and the Gentle Man garnered 19.8% ratings, MBC's Death to Snow White: Blackout had 8.7%, and tvN's Mom's Friend's Son recorded 6.0%.

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