(Episode 27)
(Late Choi Kyung Ho)
Jung Joo.
Don't you have a question for me?
If there's anything...
you'd like to say in front of your brother, say it.
If you can't, I will do it.
I must have grown attached to you past these years.
It's hard for me to say this.
Mr. Choi Kyung Ho.
I'm giving you this now.
I'm sorry about this.
(Late Choi Kyung Ho)
I should have found him not guilty 10 years ago in court.
I only wrote the ruling.
It's been in my safe for the past 10 years.
Kim Ga Young's underwear from 10 years ago.
I kept it.
Lee Jung Joo.
Look at me in the eyes.
From the start,
I knew your brother wasn't the real murderer.
10 years ago,
when you tried to destroy his case file,
I also knew...
that the record had been fabricated.
I knew,
but I rendered the wrong verdict.
No.
I misheard, right?
Please...
Please say it isn't true.
You could never.
That... That makes no sense.
Think only about...
what I did to you and what you must do to me...
from now on.
(Seoul Central District Court)
(The defendant is found not guilty. The prior conviction was in error.)
So...
you'll take the blame for everything?
That's right.
You don't need to do that.
Because...
you didn't kill Ga Young.
What are you...
It was me.
I killed her.
Mom.
- Hey. - Let go.
What did you say? I misheard, right?
- That's right, you misheard. - Let go.
I want to hear it directly from her.
Mom, say something.
Who killed Ga Young?
You?
She did not.
Yes, I killed her...
that night 10 years ago.
I choked her and killed her.
Mom.
Mom? What's wrong with you? Snap out of it.
You must be in shock because of what that man did, but...
That man put you up to this, didn't he?
That man told you to say you killed Ga Young.
That's it. Still, that's not right.
You have me.
Mom, look at your son.
Look at your son.
Mom, at times like these, you need to be mentally strong.
I told you...
there's more than meets the eye.
No way.
You're now seeing...
what you couldn't see before.
Look now.
You must see from now on.
I'm sorry.
Han Joon!
I... I'm sorry.
(Son)
What do you want to hear from me?
The person who promised to get you off on insanity.
Was it Professor Yoo Myung Hee?
Then she won't be able to keep that promise.
What do you mean?
That's why I even killed a person!
Choi Kyung Ho's murder,
Judge Lee Jung Joo's hostage situation...
The person who put you up to it all...
was Professor Yoo Myung Hee, wasn't it?
- I'm done with this visit. - Why?
From what I know,
Professor Yoo cares at great deal for Judge Lee.
Why did she make you do that?
If I tell you,
will you get me out?
Hello? Judge Lee?
Where are you?
Judge Lee.
Is she really okay?
Yes. She's unconscious temporarily due to stress.
She may go home after receiving the IV.
Judge Lee.
Are you awake?
Are you okay?
Yes, we're in a hospital.
I had a nightmare.
What was it about?
Something absolutely ridiculous.
That Professor Yoo Myung Hee...
Professor Yoo Myung Hee said...
she knew from the start that my brother wasn't the killer.
She knew, but...
It's ridiculous, isn't it?
So...
it wasn't a dream, right?
No.
It wasn't a dream.
I know it's not easy,
but you must accept the reality...
and regain your level-headedness.
Under any circumstances, we must face the reality.
If we lose our composure,
it will put everyone in an uneasy state.
I also tried to face the truth.
Every moment,
I tried not to give up because I was scared.
I thought I must uncover the truth,
but right now,
I'm so scared,
so I can't be level-headed now.
(My love, Myung Hee and my friend, Jin Myung)
Yes?
What did you say?
Okay. I'm on my way now.
I'm going to go in now.
Thank you for your help today.
Will you be okay?
Get inside, and rest.
Judge Lee.
It didn't hit me as hard as it hit you,
but I was quite shocked too.
I realized I was also subject to all those incidents and accidents...
I read in the case files.
I doubt that this can comfort you in any way now,
but you are not alone in the brutal reality...
you're facing now.
I just want you to remember that.
Hey, Han Joon.
Han Joon!
Hey! Do Han Joon!
Let me get you some water.
I don't want water.
Get me some drinks.
- Han Joon. - Eui Hyun.
Tell me.
Did you know about it?
About what?
Remember what you told me?
You told me that things are never what they seem.
I asked if you had seen things I hadn't seen.
But I think you saw them now.
Yes, I did.
Kim Ga Young's underwear.
My mom fabricated that evidence...
and also murdered Kim Ga Young.
But...
I shouldn't have known this.
So do you want to believe things only you want to see?
Eui Hyun, you also know...
how important my mom is and what my mom means to me.
If I hadn't found this out until the end...
Then what about Judge Lee?
If you hide the truth with lies just for your sake,
Judge Lee must live her life without ever knowing the truth.
Oh, yes. You're right. Jung Joo was in this mess too.
I must tell Jung Joo about this.
Not now.
She'll find out anyway. It's better to find out sooner than later.
There's something you don't know.
What... What is it this time?
The one who instigated to have Choi Kyung Ho murdered...
was Professor Yoo Myung Hee.
Isn't this...
You'd better talk.
What are you talking about? Get out of my way.
Hey, can you tell Judge Lee everything she did?
Hey.
Let go of me.
Gosh.
Drink a glass of water.
Why didn't you tell me that she hurts herself?
She wanted me...
to take this...
to the grave.
Are you all right? I think there's a wound on your neck.
I don't know where she gets her strength.
When I try to stop her,
both of us end up with wounds.
When did this start?
Now that I think back,
it must be after Choi Kyung Ho's trial.
I thought hard about what could stress her so much to harm herself.
Hey, Jung Do.
You must defend Myung Hee.
Myung Hee won't be punished regarding Kim Ga Young's underwear.
Hey.
She told me that she killed Kim Ga Young.
- What did you say? - That's why...
she couldn't stop hurting herself.
Have you gone mad?
How could Myung Hee murder someone?
I don't know what's going on either,
but since that's what Myung Hee said,
we need to be prepared.
I'm sorry. Did I wake you?
No, I couldn't sleep either, so I was tossing and turning.
What is it?
Did you hear from Han Joon?
He called earlier.
(Han Joon)
You shouldn't answer tonight.
Is something wrong?
Let's talk in the car.
Did something happen to Han Joon?
Han Joon received shocking news today as well.
What...
(Han Joon)
(Turn off phone)
Tell me.
I wanted to tell you once you've calmed down a bit.
But I thought it would be better to hear it from me than Han Joon,
who is emotional right now from the shock.
What is it about?
Kim Joo Hyung.
I went to see him.
His letter saying someone put him up to it kept bothering me.
I wanted to go see him as well.
Listen carefully to what I'm about to say.
It'll be very shocking,
but you need to know the truth.
Whereas I can clearly see the pain you'll suffer...
from knowing the truth...
I won't make you suffer alone.
I'll be by your side as your trustworthy colleague.
Who was the person...
who made him do it?
Professor Yoo Myung Hee.
Mom.
You have to live.
I'll be fine in prison,
so you have to live too.
Jung Joo. Aren't you going to court today?
Don't you have a trial?
My gosh. She's burning up.
Jung Joo. Are you okay?
Jung Joo. Wake up, Jung Joo.
The phone has been turned off. Please leave a message...
- after the tone. - She won't pick up?
Her phone is turned off.
The trial starts in 10 minutes, but we can't reach her.
How could she not show up?
Forget this.
Let's delay the first trial...
and get someone to fill in...
I'm sorry.
What are you doing? Why aren't you in your robe?
Okay.
Are you okay?
- We'll be late. - You don't look well.
I'm fine. I took some medicine.
I can't believe this.
(Korean judges are so corrupt. She's pure evil.)
Why are you out here in the cold?
People are picking me apart.
For denying the arrest warrant?
Someone said you were pure evil.
Unbelievable. How could they...
So I also posted a comment there.
"She may be a pain at times, but she isn't evil."
- What? - Let's take a walk.
There's no risk of him...
destroying evidence or fleeing.
If there are grounds for debate, we can't detain him.
What could I do?
I was also annoyed at Assemblyman Do...
because he insisted that he couldn't remember,
but I made my decision objectively by the law.
Some posted that your husband is lucky...
for having a pretty and smart judge wife.
They say he must've saved the country in his past life.
"Pretty and smart..."
Really?
Then again, not all comments are wrong.
Even if I had presided over Assemblyman Do's hearing,
I would've rendered the same decision.
So don't worry about online comments like those,
and please worry about what to cook.
You made kimchi stew for a week now.
Okay then. I have a trial to attend now.
At times like these, he is comforting.
That's right. I won't read online comments.
What's this? 200 more in that short time?
Judge Lee. Will you be okay?
Yes.
I don't think so.
Why don't you go to the infirmary first?
I agree. I'll take her.
I'm fine.
You still have a fever.
At this rate, you can't attend the afternoon trials.
I can do it.
I'll drag you there if you keep insisting.
(Episode 28 will air shortly.)
Even the nurse says you should go home early.
You should go home.
No. I'd rather just work.
You are being too stubborn. You're not even well.
Since I'm sick,
my heart seems to hurt less. That's why I'm being like this.
Then at least have some hot tea.
Professor Yoo...
If she were to do that,
why did she tell me to become a judge?
Why was she so nice to me?
If it was from the guilt...
of killing Ga Young,
rendering the wrong verdict, and sending my brother to jail,
I'd do whatever I could to understand that much, but...
But my brother...
Let's not try so hard to understand.
Accepting the situation takes priority.
At first,
I felt betrayed by the professor,
and that made me sick to my stomach.
But now, all I can do is wonder why she did it.
This is my personal opinion,
but you're much stronger than you appear.
I expected you to be drunk,
completely out of it, and unable to come to court.
You're sick, but you do everything that you need to do.
You seem to study the casefiles even more carefully too.
Reading about the incidents in the case files,
help me realize that I'm not the only one facing a cruel reality.
I want to use that to hang on for the time being.
Drink that before it gets cold.
(Seoul Central District Court)
(Delete Message)
(Han Joon, I'm outside.)
I'm outside.
Han Joon.
Hey.
It was really hard for me to come here.
I know.
I heard from Judge Sah.
Yes.
It's better to hear it from Eui Hyun than from me.
Jung Joo.
It's very hard, isn't it?
I know how hard it must be for you right now.
That's why I can't ask you to forgive my mom.
How could you forgive her when I can't?
But...
don't suffer too much.
I won't be by your side anymore,
so I hope the pain won't last too long.
I was so happy thanks to you.
That's why I wanted to make you happy too.
That's why...
this has to be the last time I see you like you.
I realized this too late, didn't I?
I'm so dense.
Han Joon.
Jung Joo.
May I...
May I hug you one last time?
I'm sorry.
I'll be staying at the cottage for the time being.
Just stay here.
You waived your right to a hearing regarding your arrest warrant.
You'll be arrested soon anyway. Why bother going to the cottage?
Just stay here.
Choi Kyung Ho's not-guilty verdict.
Was that why?
Mom, this is my written decision on Choi Kyung Ho's guilty verdict.
- Take a look. - That's not right.
That would be cheating.
You're so mean.
Then why don't you try writing a decision...
for a not-guilty verdict instead of guilty?
Not-guilty verdict? Eui Hyun is writing that.
You try it. Then I'll give you some tips.
- Really? - Of course.
Okay then. I'll ask Eui Hyun tomorrow.
Why will you give me tips for a not-guilty verdict,
but not for guilty?
The reason...
I'll tell you later.
Much later.
Is that why you told me to write that?
And this? What about this?
What about this?
(Kim Joo Hyung: not self-defense. Lee Jung Joo: murdered)
Was this you too?
(Lee Jung Joo)
(Lee Jung Joo: murdered)
(Kim Joo Hyung: not self-defense. Lee Jung Joo: murdered)
Why did you do it?
Why did you...
Why did you do that to Jung Joo?
If Jung Joo...
hadn't insisted on granting Jang Soon Bok a retrial...
You're the one who told Jung Joo to become a judge.
You shouldn't have been so nice to her then.
Was it out of guilt for framing her brother?
I may have crossed the bridge of no return,
but I hoped Jung Joo could take my place.
I see. Gosh.
You hoped Jung Joo would become a judge...
who would make even Lady Justice cry for your sake?
I see. So that's what you wanted from Jung Joo.
It's only right she went after Jang Soon Bok's retrial.
Yes.
That's right.
Then why did you try to harm Jung Joo?
In order to save my reputation, I gave up the law and my conscience.
I pushed myself to the end.
Then why did you help Jung Joo?
I was terrified of what lies in the end.
I wanted Jung Joo...
to put brakes on me through the law.
Mom.
You should've compromised.
If you broke the law and committed an unlawful act,
you should've just lived like a scumbag,
forgotten about all consequences,
or kept pretending to be innocent and kind until the end.
(Stamps, Snack Bar)
(Daehan Daily, Shinmin Daily)
("Professor Yoo Myung Hee Confesses and Gets Arrested")
Are you certain you don't want me to represent you?
I may not seem so, but I'm a good lawyer.
I don't want to turn a good lawyer into a useless scarecrow.
Besides, I don't need a good lawyer.
Whatever my defense is, it would be a lame excuse.
You seem at ease.
I shouldn't be.
I hurt the people I love.
Myung Hee.
I...
I'm sorry because I feel responsible of what you've become.
I don't even deserve to be sitting in front of you.
But even if I were to go back to that day...
and rendered my ruling while knowing he's your father,
I don't think I would've made any difference.
I'm sorry.
I get it.
That's like you.
That's why I liked you, Jung Do.
Jung Do.
If you can, you should be a judge again.
Even if it was difficult,
you were the happiest when you were a judge.
Even after the incorrect ruling, I persistently tried to keep...
my judgeship like a shameless person.
On Jung Joo's...
first day of her judgeship.
Chief Yoo!
It's my first trial today, and I am so nervous.
But you shouldn't come to my chambers.
To help me feel less nervous,
help me put on my robe.
The chief judge of your panel is supposed to help you with that.
Do you think I came without asking?
I already asked the chief judge if it was okay with him.
I got his permission.
Please.
Okay.
I will never forget this day for the rest of my life.
It's the happiest day in my entire life.
That day,
I thought, "Right."
"I must resign as a judge now."
I was desperate and pathetic.
I tried hard to keep my position,
but I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it then.
I realized that.
You must've been in pure torment.
I'll be in pure torment when I die.
It's a shame I wouldn't be able to wear my robe on my way there.
(Do Jin Myung)
All of these cases are assigned to our panel?
Are we the only panel in the Criminal Judicial Department?
Of course I acknowledge that our panel is quite competent.
But this is too much. How could they assign us to all of these cases?
Gosh, this is driving me crazy.
To be honest, I don't feel comfortable to take Ms. Yoo's case.
So I asked the head chief's panel to combine this case...
with Kim Joo Hyung's cases,
which they are handling.
But he turned me down right away.
Judge Lee, you must feel even more uncomfortable about this.
Do you plan to recuse yourself?
If that's what you want, I will.
No, no. I meant it would be hard for you emotionally.
I wasn't suggesting that you should recuse yourself.
Are you confident...
that you can make a fair ruling while putting aside your feelings?
In my opinion,
it is only fair for our panel to take this case...
since it was assigned to our panel.
I agree with that.
If we recuse ourselves and make another panel to take the case,
it may arise suspicions of a fair trial.
Then let's do it.
Let's take this case.
Oh, right. Ms. Kang Sun Young...
sent us a letter.
Why don't you two read it?
(Recipient: 73rd Criminal Judicial Panel)
Is it from Ji Sun's mom?
Yes.
Dear judges, Happy New Year.
I'm aware that I committed irrevocable acts,
but thanks to your favorable arrangement,
I got to cook my daughter some rice cake soup for the New Year.
I was very happy for that.
In desolate darkness,
I had no choice but to commit an unlawful act towards my family.
Thank you for giving me a chance to repent my crime as a mother...
who can help my daughter live.
Dear pretty and handsome judges, I'll wear this pretty hairpin.
I will get better...
and become a cool judge just like you guys.
From Ji Sun.
Recusing yourself is a way you can take if you're not confident.
However, if your principles are firm,
facing the truth instead of recusing yourself is another way too.
Ms. Yoo Myung Hee has turned down the visit.
Can you go ask her one more time, please?
She knew you'd say that.
She said that she'll see you in court.
Hold on. Wait.
Judge Sah,
who helped you put on your robe for your first trial?
It was...
My dad helped me.
Were you on the same panel with your dad?
I wasn't.
He came to my chambers and asked the chief for permission.
But why do you ask...
For your first trial...
Yes.
Professor Yoo helped me put on my robe.
I want to become a judge that would make even Lady Justice cry.
Well, I'm not confident, but I will try.
I respect you.
You can do so well, that you would make...
even Lady Justice cry, can't you?
We will now begin...
the trial presided by the 73rd Criminal Judicial Panel.
Case number 2017916. Murder.
Defendant, Yoo Myung Hee, step forward...
and take your seat.
You have the right to refuse to speak...
or answer the questions being posed.
You may speak on matters that are advantageous to you.
Everything you say in this courtroom...
may be used to prove your guilt.
I will confirm the identity of the defendant.
What is your name?
By order of the court,
the defendant is sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Defendant.
Yes.
My name is Yoo Myung Hee.
Prosecution, please explain the grounds for the indictment.
The defendant, Yoo Myung Hee,
witnessed her husband, Do Jin Myung,
rape a teenage girl, Kim Ga Young,
at the Gwangdeok Reservoir...
10 years ago.
In order to cover up for her husband's crime,
she choked Kim Ga Young to death.
Thus, she is accused of murder under Section 250...
of the Penal Code.
Counsel.
What is your position regarding the claim?
The defendant had refused to meet with me, her counsel...
I accept...
all charges.
We will review the evidence.
Prosecution. Please proceed.
Yes, Your Honor.
(Test Result Analysis)
I will call the witnesses according to the witness list.
Defense. What is your position regarding the evidence?
Because I was unable to meet with the defendant...
I agree with all submitted pieces of evidence...
by the prosecution.
Since the defendant agreed, we will accept the evidence.
We will now proceed.
It includes the defendant's confession during questioning...
that she chocked the victim, Kim Ga Young, to death.
It also includes Kim Ga Young's underwear,
which she took from the crime scene.
Your husband, Do Jin Myung,
stated that he raped and choked Kim Ga Young to death...
when he was questioned.
He says you are mistaken due to the trauma...
of witnessing his actions.
That is not true.
I killed her.
The testimonies of the two people who were present...
at the scene of the crime are in conflict.
If the defendant has no other comments,
we will call Do Jin Myung, whom prosecution has called,
as their witness.
What's the next case?
Well, it's case number 201725.
It's Choi Kyung Ho's retrial.
In the retrial hearing,
Kim Ga Young's underwear with Do Jin Myung's DNA was submitted.
He confessed to raping her,
and was indicted.
Also, Professor Yoo Myung Hee...
confessed to killing Kim Ga Young.
Considering all the evidence,
Choi Kyung Ho appears to be not-guilty...
of the rape and murder of Kim Ga Young.
It rather appears to be Do Jin Myung and his wife.
The first trials of Do Jin Myung...
and Yoo Myung Hee have not been decided yet.
Furthermore, since both of them insist that they did it,
doesn't that confession lack credibility?
You insist you killed Kim Ga Young.
You insist you were too drunk to remember,
but you remember choking her to death?
That's correct.
Even if people judge me, I will accept it.
I...
killed Kim Ga Young.
Do Jin Myung is committing perjury.
I will submit into evidence an analysis from a national lab...
proving the hands that choked Kim Ga Young...
belonged to a woman.
Where is...
that evidence?
My son has it.
If your father...
keeps insisting he killed Ga Young,
give this...
to a prosecutor or submit it to the court.
Do you have...
that document now?
As per the defendant's wishes,
I will submit it into evidence.
(Choi Kyung Ho Innocent, Choi Kyung Ho Guilty)
(Choi Kyung Ho is innocent.)
(Culprit may be female.)
(Court in Session)
Defendant.
Please give your final statement.
By order of the court,
I hereby sentence Yoo Myung Hee,
the defendant, to death.