The Judge from Hell- Episodes 3-4
Episode 3 takes us back to 1999, giving us a glimpse into Daon’s haunting past. As a child, he returned home only to find his parents brutally murdered—while the killer calmly lingered in the kitchen. This traumatic memory casts a long shadow over Daon’s present-day actions, fueling his relentless pursuit of justice.
Fast forward to the present: Bitna has just stabbed Daon, urging him to embrace his fate in Hell. But in a rare moment of hesitation, her knife vanishes, and the Director of Hell, Bael, appears to reprimand her. She’s punished for sentencing the wrong person by doubling her original quota—now she must send twenty souls to Hell.
Miraculously, Daon’s injury disappears—likely thanks to the cursed blade—and he regains consciousness just in time to witness the cut on his side close up entirely. When Daon drags Bitna to the police station to explain, Bael arrives in disguise and makes him take a breathalyzer. With Daon clearly intoxicated, his wild story is dismissed as drunken nonsense. Bitna cheekily plays along, suggesting that she only came willingly because she thought Daon was “into that kind of thing.” The absurdity of the moment is topped off with some dark humor that leaves Daon exasperated and Bitna amused.
Later, at a diner, Bitna’s world gets even stranger. A waitress pulls a knife on her, revealing herself as Gremory, a runaway demon from the underworld. Recognizing Justitia in her human form, Gremory goes from hostile to reverent in an instant, bowing deeply as she admits she’s a huge fan of Bitna’s legendary work in Hell. Gremory (now living as Lee Arong) reveals that she, too, has a mission on Earth—and warns Bitna to keep an eye on Daon, as her plan to cut ties with him might not be the safest option.
Meanwhile, Bitna’s assistant, Koo Man-do, finds himself hilariously dragged to church by a woman determined to "save his soul." He goes along willingly, adding yet another layer of dark comedy to the episode.
Bitna, however, isn’t done with Daon just yet. She tracks him down, conjuring her knife right before his eyes, smashing any hidden cameras, and even disabling his attempts to secretly record her. She warns him to back off, insisting that her earlier attempt to kill him was purely accidental—a result of his own words. But Daon, driven by his childhood trauma, refuses to let things go. He’s spent his life trying to make things right, and Bitna’s dismissiveness only strengthens his resolve.
As the case of the week unfolds, we’re introduced to Jiho, a young boy caught in the crossfire of a custody battle. His father drowned in a car crash, and now his mother and grandmother are locked in a bitter fight for guardianship. But Bitna smells something off—there’s a hefty insurance payout involved, and she suspects there’s more to the story than meets the eye.
Daon, undeterred by Bitna’s warnings, continues to shadow her movements. Their banter sparks, with Bitna showing off her demonic powers and Daon proving he won’t be easily scared away. Together, they uncover that Jiho’s stepmother, Jayeong, may have intentionally drowned her husband for financial gain—and Jiho witnessed the entire thing. The boy’s drawing, initially dismissed as child’s play, becomes a critical piece of evidence.
In a shocking twist, Bitna’s magical mirror reveals that Jayeong is planning to drown Jiho next. Racing against time, Bitna confronts Jayeong in a vision reminiscent of the stepmother’s crime, threatening her with the same fate she inflicted on her victims. Jayeong, finally broken, confesses to both murders. With no remorse left to give, Bitna plunges her knife into Jayeong, sending her straight to Murderer’s Hell.
The Hell clean-up crew arrives, efficiently wiping away all traces of the crime. Jayeong’s body is stuffed into a suitcase and conveniently left near the police station—complete with the "Gehenna" mark on her forehead, signaling her fate in Hell.
Back on Earth, Bitna and Daon’s dynamic deepens in unexpected ways. Despite their constant clashes, Bitna seems genuinely pleased whenever Daon shows up, hinting that she may be developing feelings for him. But Gremory warns of a dangerous truth: demons who fall in love risk dying themselves.
When Daon finds Jiho safe after narrowly escaping his stepmother’s grasp, the emotional weight of the moment hits him hard. Bitna’s unexpected kindness toward Jiho tugs at something inside Daon, causing him to break down in tears. For the first time, he realizes that beneath her sharp exterior, Bitna might actually care—and not just about her mission.
Meanwhile, Bitna’s connection to the ongoing redevelopment project complicates things further. Her refusal to cooperate with Jung Jae-gul, a key player in the scheme, raises eyebrows—and awkward tensions arise when Bitna unexpectedly attends dinner with Jae-gul and his son, Tae-kyu. In true Bitna fashion, she skips grace and dives straight into the food, brushing off conversations about her parents emigrating to Argentina and her canceled engagement like they’re minor inconveniences.
But as the night unfolds, Bitna feels a growing sense of unease. The grandmother at Jiho’s villa warns that if Bitna and Daon stay close, one of them will die. The ominous foreshadowing suggests that Bitna’s budding feelings for Daon may be more dangerous than she realizes.
In the final moments of the episode, Daon shows up at Bitna’s door—and instead of annoyance, Bitna feels a flicker of happiness. But just as that realization sinks in, she clutches her chest and collapses. Could it be that Bitna’s icy heart is melting—and is this the beginning of her downfall?
The episode wraps up with yet another cliffhanger, leaving us with more questions than answers. Will Bitna’s growing attachment to Daon be her undoing? Can a demon really love without consequence? And what other dark secrets are lurking in the cases yet to come? With every twist and turn, The Judge from Hell pulls us deeper into its tangled web of morality, love, and justice—making it impossible not to come back for more.
DramaZen's Opinion
The Judge from Hell returns with yet another thrilling episode, this time adding layers of intrigue as the Jiho case takes a darker, unexpected turn. This installment dives deeper into the show’s complex themes, weaving together moral ambiguity, personal secrets, and subtle character growth.
Bitna continues to straddle the line between ruthless demon and reluctant human, making her actions unpredictable and compelling. While she maintains her tough exterior, glimpses of vulnerability creep in—whether through fleeting glances or awkward, half-hearted quips during the case. It’s becoming clear that something inside her is shifting, even if she refuses to admit it. Watching her wrestle with these cracks in her demonic facade only makes her character more fascinating.
The subplots in this episode also shine, with Bitna’s assistant, Koo Man-do, hilariously roped into a bible class—a cheeky twist of fate that adds some much-needed humor to the otherwise heavy plot. Whether this unlikely encounter will change his destiny and send him to Heaven remains to be seen, but it’s a fun subplot that promises more surprises ahead.
As for the Jiho case, it wraps up in a way that cleverly ties back to one of the show’s core motifs: things are never quite what they seem. Just as Jiho’s situation is more complicated than it first appears, so too are the dynamics between Bitna and Daon. Their chemistry is undeniable, but both characters are clearly carrying emotional baggage and hidden agendas, making their growing relationship feel all the more intriguing.
It’s becoming clear that Bitna is developing feelings for Daon—a dangerous complication that could have serious consequences down the line. Her sudden chest pain at the end of the episode seems to hint at more than just physical discomfort; it could mark a major turning point in her character. There’s a good chance she’ll recover temporarily in Episode 5, but this emotional crack might deepen, striking again when she least expects it.
This K-drama continues to deliver with a blend of intrigue, dark humor, and supernatural flair. The influence of Taxi Driver is hard to miss, especially during Bitna’s dramatic car exit set to a gritty rock soundtrack—a standout moment that showcases the show’s bold style.
There’s still plenty of story left to unfold, with Bitna’s internal struggle and her complicated dynamic with Daon adding layers of suspense. As their connection grows, the tension rises—will love make her vulnerable, or will it unleash something even more dangerous? With so many questions hanging in the air, next week’s episode can’t come soon enough. Buckle up—things are just getting started.