10 Gritty K-Dramas Like The Judge Returns You Need to Watch
If Lee Han-young’s “heretic justice” in The Judge Returns has you hooked, you aren’t alone. The legal thriller genre is currently obsessed with one question: Can you fix a broken system from the inside without breaking yourself?
Here are 10 must-watch K-dramas like The Judge Returns that explore the dark, theatrical, and often violent world of law and order.
The “Anti-Hero” Judges (The Vigilantes)
1. The Devil Judge: The Blueprint for Theatrical Justice In a dystopian South Korea, Head Trial Judge Kang Yo-han (Ji Sung) turns the courtroom into a reality TV show where the public votes on verdicts. It’s a world of high-fashion, high-stakes, and zero mercy for the corrupt elite.
- Why watch it: If you loved the “courtroom as a stage” energy in The Judge Returns, this is the ultimate predecessor. It features Ji Sung at his most charismatic and chaotic.
2. The Judge from Hell: Punishing the Unrepentant A merciless demon judge named Justitia possesses the body of a human judge (Park Shin-hye) with one mission: send ten unrepentant murderers to hell. She cares nothing for human law, focusing only on eye-for-an-eye retribution.
- Why watch it: It trades the “time-loop” of your current watch for supernatural possession, but the core theme of a judge who is “evil punishing evil” is identical.
3. Vincenzo: Only Evil Can Punish Evil Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-ki) is an Italian Mafia consigliere who returns to Korea to recover stashed gold. He eventually uses his dark expertise to take down a monstrous conglomerate that the law is too weak to touch.
Why watch it: Though he’s not a judge, Vincenzo lives by the exact same code as Han-young. It’s a stylish, high-octane look at bypassing the system to achieve true justice.
The “Systemic” Scalpels (The Realists)
4. Juvenile Justice: The Weight of the Bench Sim Eun-seok (Kim Hye-soo) is an elite judge who openly expresses her hatred for juvenile offenders. Tasked with handling complex cases, she must balance her personal disdain with the cold, hard requirements of the law.
- Why watch it: If Han-young’s struggle between personal vengeance and professional duty is what keeps you hooked, this is your next stop. It explores the heavy emotional toll of holding the gavel.
5. Ms. Hammurabi: The Humanist Alternative A rookie judge (Go Ara) who believes in empathy clashes with a senior realist (Kim Myung-soo) who believes in following the rules above all else. Together, they navigate the “small” civil cases that often have the biggest human impact.
- Why watch it: It’s the “empathy” counterpart to The Judge Returns. If Han-young feels too cold, this drama explores the emotional intelligence required to actually be a fair judge.
6. Good Partner: High-Stakes Strategy A veteran star lawyer (Jang Na-ra) and a rookie (Nam Ji-hyun) navigate the brutal world of divorce law. It’s a sharp look at the strategy, manipulation, and psychological warfare used to win when there are no “good guys.”
Why watch it: It proves the courtroom doesn’t need a murder to be high-stakes. It mirrors the tactical, chess-like maneuvering Han-young uses to outsmart his enemies.
The “Conspiracy” Thrillers (The Underdogs)
7. Big Mouth: The Third-Rate Genius A lawyer with a 10% success rate gets framed as a genius conman known as “Big Mouse.” To survive prison and protect his wife, he has to actually become the criminal mastermind everyone thinks he is.
- Why watch it: Perfect if you love the “trapped by the elite” trope. It’s a wild ride of identity shifts and underdogs using the system’s own corruption against it.
8. Doctor Lawyer: The Double-Threat Revenge A brilliant surgeon loses everything due to a rigged operation and returns five years later as a medical malpractice lawyer. He’s out to surgically remove the corruption from the hospital and the courtroom alike.
- Why watch it: A high-octane mix of medical and legal thriller. It captures that same “man on a mission” energy as Han-young’s quest for vengeance.
9. Why Her: The Cost of Ambition Oh Soo-jae (Seo Hyun-jin) is a cold, brilliant lawyer who has done anything to reach the top, only to be pushed off the edge by a single mistake. Now, she’s fighting her way back up through a law school clinic.
- Why watch it: It mirrors Han-young’s “adjustment” to a cruel world. It features a fascinating, morally grey female lead who is just as calculating as any judge.
10. Parole Examiner Lee: The Final Gatekeepers Lee Han-shin (Go Soo) is a parole examiner who uses his power to stop inmates from using money and connections to get out of jail early. He acts as the final judge for those the system failed to truly punish.
Why watch it: A unique look at a different part of the legal machine. It deals with the same “loopholes for the rich” theme that drives the rage in The Judge Returns.
K-Dramas like The Judge Returns: Finding Your Next Verdict
Which of these justice-driven dramas is next on your list? Whether you’re in the mood for the theatrical flair of The Devil Judge or the cold, systemic realism of Juvenile Justice, each of these shows challenges the idea that the law is always black and white.
If you’re currently caught up on Han-young’s journey and want to dig deeper into the “dog-like era” he’s trying to escape, don’t miss my full breakdown of the moral chaos in the opening arc:
👉 [Read My Review: The Judge Returns Episodes 1–4]
⚖️ The Stakes are Rising: Can Han-young keep playing God? The timeline is shifting, and the “evil cartel” is closing in. My Mid-Season Review covering the shocking twists and character evolutions of The Judge Returns Episodes 5–8 drops February 2nd, 2026—don’t miss it!
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All copyrights and trademarks for the TV shows, films, and other media referenced are the property of their respective owners. This blog aims to provide original commentary and insights and claims no ownership over third-party content.
