On the 30th, the 9th episode of MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Judge Lee Han-Young' (directed by Lee Jae-Jin, Park Mi-Yeon/written by Kim Kwang-Min) aired, where Lee Han-Young targeted the financial sources of a major villain to cut off their power.
The episode achieved a viewership rating of 14.7% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 13.5% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea, setting a new record for the series and dominating Friday night television. The climax, where Kim Jin-Ah (played by Won Jin-Ah) and Ma Gang-Gil (played by Kim Young-Pil) led a prosecutor's raid on 'Miracle Asia,' shouting "Prosecutors!" just before the raid, reached a peak rating of 17% nationwide, showcasing explosive viewer engagement.
Reflecting changes in media consumption, the key demographic of viewers aged 20-54 gave the show a 5.7% rating, making it the top program of the day. 'Judge Lee Han-Young' thus claimed the top spot across all metrics—Seoul, 20-54 demographic, and nationwide ratings—rewriting the history of Friday-Saturday dramas.
In the episode, Lee Han-Young approached Yoo Sun-Cheol (played by Ahn Nae-Sang) from Haenal Law Firm, proposing to make Baek Yi-Seok (played by Kim Tae-Woo) the Chief Justice. He targeted Yoo's desire to have Baek as a legal advisor for the firm. Confidently, Lee assured Yoo that he would handle Hwang Nam-Yong (played by Kim Myung-Soo), another candidate for Chief Justice.
Lee then asked Song Na-Yeon (played by Baek Jin-Hee) to write an article exposing Hwang Nam-Yong's son's employment scandal. As the news broke, Lee approached Baek Yi-Seok, asking him to become the next Chief Justice. Baek, who was disappointed by Lee's previous alliance with Kang Shin-Jin (played by Park Hee-Soon), was puzzled by Lee's unpredictable moves.
Meanwhile, Kim Jin-Ah approached Lee, expressing her willingness to join his cause, saying, "Will you let me in if I risk my life?" She discovered that her nemesis, Jang Tae-Sik (played by Kim Beom-Rae) of S Group, was released by the judiciary under Kang Shin-Jin's influence. The deep connection between Lee and Kim was also revealed; Kim had attended the trial of Lee's father, who was involved in a redevelopment protest by S Group. Feeling guilty about her father's fraudulent actions, Kim had apologized to Lee's family, who ran a junk shop. Their shared goal of revenge added depth to the narrative.
Lee Han-Young, along with Kim Jin-Ah and Park Cheol-Woo (played by Hwang Hee), devised a plan to leak information about investment scammers to Lee Seong-Dae (played by Jo Sang-Gi), a key financial figure for the villains, to extort money. Lee Seong-Dae, who suffered losses from stock investments, was tempted by the scammers' promise to pay interest to build trust before fleeing. Lee Han-Young set up a fake company, 'Miracle Asia,' with Seok Jeong-Ho (played by Tae Won-Seok) as the front, attracting investors. Using Yoo Se-Hee's (played by Oh Se-Young) reputation and Song Na-Yeon's credibility, they built a strong facade, leading Lee Seong-Dae to invest 3 billion won.
Meanwhile, Song Na-Yeon discovered that former President Park Kwang-To (played by Son Byung-Ho) was behind the major villain, shocking Lee Han-Young, who was unaware of Kang Shin-Jin's powerful backer. Realizing the vast and high-reaching network of evil, Lee steeled himself for a larger battle for justice, heightening anticipation for the next episode.
At the end of the episode, Lee Han-Young faced a critical crisis. Ma Gang-Gil, Kim Jin-Ah's superior, planned to raid 'Miracle Asia' to catch the scammers. At the same time, Seok Jeong-Ho was anxious as Lee Seong-Dae lingered after transferring the 3 billion won. Despite Kim Jin-Ah's efforts to delay Ma Gang-Gil, the episode ended with Lee Han-Young's startled expression as the door burst open, leaving viewers eager for the next installment.
The 10th episode of MBC's 'Judge Lee Han-Young' will air on the 31st at 9:40 PM, with an extended 10-minute runtime.
Reporter: Lim Chae-Ryeong, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr