Director Lee Jae-jin shared these sentiments during a press conference for the Friday-Saturday drama 'Judge Lee Han-young' held at the MBC Management Center in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 10th.
The drama started with a 4.3% viewership rating for its first episode and surpassed 10% by the fifth episode, continuously breaking its own records and gaining immense popularity. Director Lee expressed, "As everyone knows, I didn't complete this work alone. It was a collaborative effort with numerous actors, staff, and the writer's script, and I believe the combination of all these elements has been well-received."
Analyzing the drama's success, Director Lee noted, "The actors delivered outstanding performances in their respective roles, which I think made viewers enjoy the dynamics between the characters." He added, "Last year, many people had various thoughts about 'justice.' During a time when many were contemplating righteousness, the drama resonated with them by addressing those concerns."
'Judge Lee Han-young' is a fantasy hero drama about a corrupt judge who, after living as a slave to a large law firm, travels back 10 years to make new choices and punish evil. It is based on a web novel of the same name. Director Lee stated, "I focused on making the characters easily understandable for the audience." He added, "While the storyline followed the writer's vision, I put a lot of thought into emphasizing the characters."
The drama's theme of punishing villains drew comparisons to SBS's 'Taxi Driver,' which aired in November last year. Addressing this, Director Lee said, "While there may be similarities due to the genre, the visuals and messages we aim to convey are different, so I don't see them as similar."
With high ratings, discussions about a second season have already begun. Director Lee commented, "Many people are asking, but it's not a decision I can make alone." However, he hinted, "The company seems to be thinking positively, and the writer also seems to have concluded the story with hopes for a continuation."
Director Lee expressed his wish for the final episode to achieve a 15% viewership rating and mentioned, "I aimed to create an ending that leaves room for further development, considering a potential Season 2. It's both closed and open."
Reporter Da-yeon Jeong, Ten Asia light@tenasia.co.kr