Intrigue and Power Struggles Unfold in 'Judge Lee Han-young' as Ratings Soar

MBC's Friday-Saturday drama 'Judge Lee Han-young' sees Ji Sung and Park Hee-soon laying the groundwork to achieve their respective goals. The series premiered with a 4.3% viewership rating on the 2nd and reached a peak of 11.4% on the 23rd. Previously, MBC faced criticism for low ratings with shows like 'Bunny and the Brothers', 'Mary Kills People', and 'To the Moon', which struggled with ratings in the 1-2% range.

Tonight, on the 30th at 9:50 PM, episode 9 of 'Judge Lee Han-young' will air, featuring Lee Han-young (played by Ji Sung) and Kang Shin-jin (played by Park Hee-soon) engaging in intense behind-the-scenes maneuvers over the appointment of the next Chief Justice.

In the previous episode, Lee Han-young exposed a drug scandal involving the daughter of Justice Minister nominee Woo Kyo-hoon (played by Jeon Jin-ki), leading to his downfall. This event solidified Lee Han-young's alliance with Kang Shin-jin, who he asked to help him capture Supreme Court Justice Hwang Nam-yong (played by Kim Myung-soo), who had previously ruled unfavorably against his father, Lee Bong-seok (played by Jung Jae-sung). Although Kang Shin-jin planned to make Hwang Nam-yong the Chief Justice, he mysteriously handed over documents about Hwang's son's hiring scandal to Lee Han-young, raising questions.

As the appointment of the new Chief Justice becomes a battleground for Lee Han-young and Kang Shin-jin's conflicting ambitions, newly released stills from today show the two meeting with their own agendas, drawing significant attention.

Lee Han-young visits the office of Baek Ho Baek I-seok (played by Kim Tae-woo) in the judiciary, only to be met with suspicion and wary glances. This is due to Han-young's growing closeness with Kang Shin-jin, which disappointed his strong allies Baek I-seok and Im Jung-sik (played by Kim Byung-chun). However, Han-young remains undeterred, aiming to involve I-seok in his grand scheme. The future of their fractured relationship, whether it will mend or lead to an irreparable rift, remains to be seen.

A significant variable threatens to shake the appointment of the Chief Justice. Kang Shin-jin shares a tense meal with Chief Justice candidate Hwang Nam-yong (played by Kim Myung-soo). Despite Kang's calm demeanor, Hwang's face is filled with worry. The tension is palpable, leaving viewers eager to discover Kang Shin-jin's next move in tonight's episode.

Episode 9 of 'Judge Lee Han-young' airs tonight (30th) at 9:50 PM.

Lee So-jung, TenAsia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr