With only four episodes left, The Judge Returns shifts into a sharper and more dangerous mode. Episodes 9 and 10 focus less on setup and more on execution. Han-Young stops reacting to threats and starts shaping outcomes. Every move feels deliberate, and every ally becomes a tool in a larger design.
These two episodes are dense but controlled. They reward attention. If earlier episodes teased Han-Young’s ability to predict outcomes, episodes 9 and 10 prove that foresight alone is not enough. He now needs coordination, timing, and emotional leverage.
What Happened So Far?
Episode 9 opens with Han-Young making a bold claim to Seon-Cheol. He says Baek Yi-Seok can be brought into Haenal Law Firm if he is nominated as chief justice. At first, this sounds like empty confidence. Yi-Seok has already distanced himself from Han-Young and openly disapproved of Shin-Jin’s dealings.
Han-Young quickly proves this is not a bluff. He exposes Shin-Jin’s plan to remove Chief Justice Jeon and replace him with Nam-Yong. The moment Seon-Cheol realizes what is at stake, the tone shifts. Having both the prosecutor general and the chief justice aligned with Haenal would give the firm unmatched influence. Trust is still missing, but ambition wins.
The Lee Seong-Dae Trap
The most elaborate storyline in episodes 9 and 10 centers on Judge Lee Seong-Dae. He appears careless, greedy, and desperate. Shin-Jin has entrusted him with three billion won, money that Seong-Dae has no business managing. His other investments are already collapsing, and panic drives every decision he makes.
Han-Young orchestrates Seong-Dae’s downfall using nearly everyone in his circle. Jin-A stages a phone call about a fake crypto investment. Woo-Cheol reinforces the illusion by casually mentioning high short-term returns. Se-Hee’s presence at the Miracle Asia event adds just enough legitimacy to push Seong-Dae over the edge.
What makes this plot effective is its realism. Seong-Dae does not fall because he is stupid. He falls because he believes he can escape before the crash. When Han-Young times the fake profit payment to coincide with Seong-Dae’s losses elsewhere, the trap snaps shut.
By the time Seong-Dae invests the full three billion won, the outcome is already sealed. The staged raid, the empty offices, and Miracle Asia’s disappearance all underline how thoroughly he has been played. His brutal beating at Shin-Jin’s hands afterward is disturbing but revealing. Loyalty in this world only lasts as long as usefulness.
Se-Hee Faces the Cost of Affection
While the political and financial plots escalate, the emotional tension between Han-Young and Se-Hee deepens. Their moments together are softer but no less important. Han-Young’s gestures feel sincere, from cooking for her to buying shoes that fit perfectly. Still, these acts only amplify Se-Hee’s inner conflict.
She understands Haenal better than anyone. Her warning is blunt and painful. The firm does not want family. It wants control. Her fear is not that Han-Young will fail but that he will succeed and lose himself in the process.
The later dinner scene drives this point home. Se-Hee sees Han-Young surrounded by allies who trust and laugh with him. Instead of comfort, she feels isolation. Her quiet exit, followed by Han-Young noticing too late, is one of the most restrained but powerful moments in these episodes.
Jin-A and Han-Young’s Shared Past
Episodes 9 and 10 finally clarify the long-hinted connection between Jin-A and Han-Young. The reveal is handled carefully through memory rather than exposition. Jin-A’s father was a witness who testified against Han-Young’s father, sending him to prison for eighteen months. At the time, Jin-A was just a child trying to defend a man she believed was not evil.
The junkyard scene is quietly devastating. Han-Young’s family remembers Jin-A, not with resentment, but with regret. This reframes Jin-A’s motivations in a meaningful way. Her fight against the S-Group is not abstract revenge. It is rooted in guilt, history, and unfinished emotional business.
Tae-Sik’s attempt to buy her loyalty by funding her father’s treatment only strengthens her resolve. Jin-A’s calm rejection of that offer shows how far she has come.
The Fall of Nam-Yong
The power struggle surrounding Nam-Yong reaches its breaking point in episode 10. Shin-Jin’s plan to elevate him to chief justice is revealed to be far more dangerous than it first appeared. Financial records tied to the National Election Commission threaten to expose not just judges, but assemblymen and even presidents.
The abduction of Hwang Tae-Sung is one of the darkest moments of the series. It is chilling precisely because it appears as something routine within Shin-Jin’s world. The rescue and the subsequent press conference completely flip the narrative. Instead of controlling the scandal, Shin-Jin loses everything.
Nam-Yong’s forced resignation feels less like justice and more like inevitability. The system devours its own.
A Quiet Victory and a Dangerous Invitation
The final moments of episode 10 offer a deceptive calm. Yi-Seok’s nomination moves forward. Seon-Cheol celebrates. Han-Young achieves exactly what he set out to do.
Then comes Suojae. Han-Young’s introduction to this inner circle is like a horror reveal. The bathtub full of cash is not an exaggeration. It is obscene in its normalcy. This is the future Han-Young has been predicting, and now he stands inside it.
Final Thoughts
Episodes 9 and 10 mark a turning point for The Judge Returns. The narrative tightens. The emotional stakes rise. Every victory carries visible damage. Han-Young’s knowledge of the future remains his greatest weapon, but it is also isolating him in ways he cannot fully predict.
With four episodes left, the series has positioned itself for a high-impact ending. If it maintains this balance of strategy and character-driven tension, the payoff could be devastating in the best way.
Want more in-depth K-drama recaps and K-pop news? Visit Saranghero for the latest updates, reviews, and industry stories you do not want to miss.