The movie "The Judge from Hell" revolves around the story of Kang Bit Na (Park Shin Hye) - a person whose body is possessed by the devil Justitia (Oh Na Ra).
Due to her mistake, Justitia is demoted to the human world and assigned to judge and punish 10 unrepentant murderers within a year.
A demon known for his cruelty, Justitia did not hesitate to carry out harsh justice in his own way after possessing Kang Bit Na's body. This action initially attracted attention, but also caused much concern.
According to the film's developments, Kang Bit Na gave a lenient sentence to Moon Jeung Joon - a violent dating criminal with a fine of 3 million won (55 million VND), making the victim's parents and many people angry.
However, she later punished Jeung Joon by stalking him and using the same violent words and actions he used to use on his victims. He was eventually murdered by Kang Bit Na.
This scene lasted more than 15 minutes, making some viewers uncomfortable. Previously, in episode 1, Jeung Joon's violent behavior while dating Choi Min Jeong was also described in detail.
Nate said the film was not tactful in its handling of sensitive issues, especially the scenes of dating violence. The detailed depiction of the perpetrator's actions and Kang Bit Na's violent retaliation raised concerns about the possibility of normalizing or glorifying such behavior.
Along with that, Korean newspapers quoted comments from the audience, saying that the film's message was unclear: "Shouldn't we honor the scene where the victim kills the perpetrator?", "What does the screenwriter want to say through this film?", "Will things change when she meets the male lead?"...
Since "Judge from Hell" has only aired 2/14 episodes, the debates surrounding the content and theme of the show are likely to become more intense.
According to Korean newspapers, if the viewership ratings show that the film is being well received by the audience, then the mixed reactions will help the producers reconsider how to convey the story, and at the same time, solve sensitive social issues in a tactful and responsible way.
