Ji Sung, returning to MBC after 11 years since 'Kill Me, Heal Me', expressed his ambitious hope for a 50% viewership rating for his new drama 'The Judge Returns'. This comes as a bold statement considering last year's MBC dramas averaged only 1-2% in ratings. All eyes are on whether 'The Judge Returns' can achieve this remarkable feat.
On the afternoon of the 2nd, a press conference for MBC's new Friday-Saturday drama 'The Judge Returns' was held at the MBC headquarters in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The event was attended by actors Ji Sung, Park Hee-soon, Won Jin-a, Tae Won-seok, Baek Jin-hee, along with directors Oh Se-young and Lee Jae-jin.
'The Judge Returns' is a time-travel drama about a judge, Lee Han Young (played by Ji Sung), who returns to the past after being a puppet for a large law firm. He makes different choices to fight against a great evil, aiming to implement justice.
In the drama, Lee Han Young is a corrupt judge, manipulated by the influential Hae-nal Law Firm, calling himself a 'servant judge'. The Chief Justice Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon) is a character who commits evil deeds under the guise of justice to gain more power. The plot thickens with the involvement of prosecutor Kim Jin-a (played by Won Jin-a), who is on a quest for revenge against those responsible for her father's death, setting up a tense triangular dynamic among the three.
Ji Sung stated, "I didn't feel burdened by taking on another judge role after 'The Devil Judge'. The depth and texture of this work are different, and there are aspects unique to this drama that I wanted to explore." He added, "'The Judge Returns' is not just a political or courtroom drama but also a story of Lee Han Young's emotions. It offers a deep reflection on right and wrong through the society depicted in the drama."
Director Lee Jae-jin explained the casting of Ji Sung, saying, "He's well-known for his excellent acting skills. Watching 'Kill Me, Heal Me', I thought he portrayed multi-faceted characters well." He continued, "Since the role requires expressing dual emotions of the past and future, Ji Sung was deemed the most convincing actor for this transformation."
Regarding the adaptation of the original work, Director Lee mentioned, "In the process of condensing it for the drama, we had to decide what to keep and what to refine. We wanted to maintain a level of difference that wouldn't be uncomfortable for fans of the original." He added, "While the original focuses on events, the drama emphasizes the transformation of the character who returns to the past, aiming to make Lee Han Young more three-dimensional."
Park Hee-soon recalled his reaction to Ji Sung's casting, saying, "I agreed to do it without hesitation." He humorously added, "I received about four scripts, and while they were interesting, I barely appeared in episodes 1 and 2. It was challenging to decide without seeing episodes 3 and 4." He eventually read the original webtoon and found it very entertaining.
Won Jin-a shared, "I've often played righteous and kind roles, but this character is bold and expressive. I wanted to try portraying such a personality." She added, "Reading the script, I was intrigued by Lee Han Young's journey back 10 years and the thrilling trials he leads. The unfolding story made me eager to join the cast."
She continued, "It was an honor to learn from acting alongside seniors like Ji Sung. 'The Judge Returns' is different from traditional courtroom dramas. There are more scenes outside the courtroom, focusing on action and collaboration with Judge Lee Han Young, aiming for excitement rather than weightiness."
When asked about his hopes for ratings and awards, Ji Sung said, "I'm not focused on awards. I just hope many people enjoy it as much as we put our best effort into it." He humorously added, "I hope for a 50% rating. I'll do whatever is asked if we achieve it." Park Kyung-lim joked, "You could bet your entire fortune on it," to which Ji Sung replied, "Money doesn't matter, as long as it's not my family."
'The Judge Returns' premieres on the 2nd at 9:40 PM.