The Devil Judge episode 14 starts with the funeral scene for Yoon Soo Hyun. We see Kim Ga On crying in the background and a beautiful montage of their past moments starts playing. When you think about Kim Ga On’s character it is completely heartbreaking that he accepted his feelings and voiced them out. And then the next moment he had to go through this loss. As you look at their memories, you realize she has been a pillar of strength to Kim Ga On since the start. To lose someone so important wrecks you. Yoon Soo Hyun’s character lived to make sure Kim Ga On is alright. It saddens me that she never got to know Kang Yo Han more closely to feel comfortable enough to leave Kim Ga On in his care.
While dying I bet she was thinking what happens to Kim Ga On now? Who will look after him? So dying with this unsure feeling for someone who was a protector makes you sad for her. I hope she found out something about Kang Yo Han’s past that made her see he is not the devil everyone assumes him to be. Because then it would be a nice touch that she died knowing Kang Yo Han will protect Kim Ga On. The speculation that Kang Yo Han is responsible for her death is too hard to ignore. But I do not think the writer will do us dirty in that manner. When you think about it, the constantly recurring theme here is Kang Yo Han appears to do bad things but he always has a reason. Something that makes sense to you and shows him partially in a good light.
The family is back together in The Devil Judge episode 14 but under grievous circumstances. Kim Ga On wants to find the shooter but Elijah asks him to not be hasty. She tells him to think before doing anything. She also reminds him that Yoon Soo Hyun would not like him to be hurt. Kim Ga On’s grief pushes through and he just breaks down crying. Kang Yo Han’s expressions are so perfect. You really can’t discern any information from looking at his face.
But that does not mean we are getting a blank expression. It is a mixture of curiosity and trying to understand face. Part of me felt maybe now he is just glad that Kim Ga On is back on his team and with him and this time there’s no Yoon Soo Hyun to interfere. For some, this could be a cruel outlook but this logical reasoning is unique to Kang Yo Han’s character.
Kang Yo Han tells Kim Ga On that the attack is from the foundation and they were aiming to hurt the judges. It makes sense but the way Kang Yo Han delivers the information makes you see he is not overly concerned by it. Of course, he is all for taking risks so the prospect of death might not scare him. But Kim Ga On feels utterly guilty knowing that Yoon Soo Hyun died instead of him. Kang Yo Han tells him he understands the feelings Kim Ga On is going through. This rage of hell they are currently living in but that means he needs to focus and make sure people who are responsible feel the same hell. It makes me think what if Kang Yo Han feels guilty that he survived when his brother did not. And that is why the past pains him so much.
The judges hold a press conference where Kang Yo Han reveals that he will put the people responsible on trial. Oh Jin Joo backs him up by stating that she will not participate in any emergency court trials. Kim Ga On reveals the defendant is already judged by the people through the app. They are just putting him on trial so people can witness the justice. The members of the foundation are worried about this turn of events. When they wonder why Oh Jin Joo backed out on them, Jung Sun Ah looks proud that she did. She makes a comment that Oh Jin Joo wants to get to the top on her own. And this feeling is something she admires.
These little surprising personality traits of Jung Sun Ah make you like her. She is not a mindless villain who is not appreciative of others. Jung Sun Ah tells the president that he can shift the blame so the issue does not fall back on the government. The president makes a speech saying the dispute was between the workers working there. Everything else is a rumor and a conspiracy to threaten the sovereignty of the government. Jung Sun Ah and the president discuss the measures they need to take to make themselves secure. And the President proposes a sinister idea.
He says they can make sure the virus is found purposely in the poor places of the country. So that gives proof to the statement that the government is not lying about the virus. For a second, Jung Sun Ah is taken aback that he purposely wants to release the virus into the world just so he can save his seat. Honestly, it is also surprising for us. Till now I have always looked at him as a puppet president. But sitting on the seat of power for so long has made him greedy enough to hold onto it even with nefarious methods. He insinuates that Jung Sun Ah has feelings for Kang Yo Han so she cannot take care of the problem properly. She counter attacks by letting him know that he needs to first handle Kim Choong Sik because he is a flight risk.
I cannot wait for the time Jung Sun Ah puts the president down. I love her as a villain so seeing her subdued in front of him in this episode makes me want her to do something. Kang Yo Han arranges a meeting with a researcher who can give them proof that the virus outbreak is fake news. He asks Kim Ga On to come with him. And then we see him checking up on Km Ga On in his way. I cannot believe I was doubting this man in the previous episode.
The pure way he tries to comfort Kim Ga On in The Devil Judge episode 14 makes your heart feel soft. This man cares, he just does not know the right way to process it and show it. Elijah also checks up on Kim Ga On in the same manner, it is almost funny. There is a sense of comfort with these two but his hurt is too big for him to be alright anytime soon.
We see Jung Sun Ah thinking about the President’s words. The way he said he will release the virus into the poor parts of the country just to back his words. She calls up her informant and checks if her childhood neighborhood will be part of it. She also wonders if the place where she gave the speech to young children from the poor neighborhood will be on that list. The informant lets her know that it might not be as that place is affiliated with the foundation.
She comments on how Jung Sun Ah should not think too much about this and not care about others. But seeing her we know she also cares, she cares because she came from a poor background paved her way up here. Even though she cut all the ties and is ruthless enough to sacrifice things for her gain, in her way she still holds some things close to her heart.
I love this transformation or maybe you can say the layers to Jung Sun Ah’s character. When I started watching The Devil Judge, her character completely irked me. I could not stand her but the way she emerged as the real enemy to Kang Yo Han, made me appreciate her. I liked her crazy side, the extreme lengths she went to get what she wanted. But in The Devil Judge episode 14, we see more of an authentic side to her. Showing us that she likes it when women make it to the top and also how her roots genuinely affect her. Of course, she is not one to get swayed by emotions so she accepts the consequences of being at the top.
This could be one of the reasons why she is so affected by Kang Yo Han. As even he will not be swayed by emotions when it comes to doing things. They have this in common, they are completely on the same side of the coin. Kang Yo Han and Kim Ga On meet up with the researcher and get to know the truth they suspected. He lets them know that there is no virus and the people who are supposedly affected have no common symptoms. The only thing common between them is malnourishment. It means as the government stated the virus is affecting the poor areas, all the dead people are old ones from those areas who already suffer from chronic diseases. The researcher agrees to testify in the live court trial.
In the live court session, an officer is defending Kim Choong Sik. He states that Kim Choong Sik killing the old man is accidental. As he was merely trying to control people who were not listening to him in the containment zone. Kang Yo Han clearly shows everyone the proof that the containment zone is not legit. And the evacuations happening there were not proper. He also shows the video of Kim Choong Sik beating the old man to death. When he calls out for the researcher, no one comes inside the courtroom. After a while, the officer smugly states that the researcher passed away due to the virus and this only shows how deadly it is. And proves that Kim Choong Sik was only doing his job to contain it.
This puts the judges in a pinch as even the prosecutor under the pressure of the government asks for a lenient punishment. During recess Kang Yo Han lets the other judges know to follow his lead. This man always has a backup plan. He reveals that Kim Choong Sik was working for the president before. And he asks him whether he was following the president’s orders. Kim Choong Sik clearly states that he believes in the president’s ideology but he did everything voluntarily under no orders. Kang Yo Han asks the officer if he believes in the president’s motto and the officer agrees to it.
In the next moment, a video plays where the President says the death penalty should be given to every criminal. He clearly states that an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is the motto the judges should follow. Kang Yo Han declares that Kim Choong Sik will receive the death penalty. This shocks everyone in the courtroom as the Justice system does not stand for revenge. It is there so it can protect people but also rehabilitate them after their punishment. On top of this Kang Yo Han adds that Kim Choong Sik will sit on an electric chair, and the public will vote for his death. The number of votes will be equal to the voltage of current his body will receive. After a certain threshold, he will die accordingly.
Kim Choong Sik is terrified after listening to this. I agree he did a lot of bad things and he has completely no remorse. But killing him with inducing voltage to his body is a bit too much. But Kang Yo Han is known for his dramatic punishments so it makes sense that he thought of this. Oh Jin Joo shows her disapproval regarding the judgment. Kang Yo Han just asks her to leave the bench if she does not condone it. It is important to note that Kim Ga On does not react outwardly at Kang Yo Han for this judgment. He disapproves of the judgment but he also understands why Kang Yo Han is doing something. He has come a long way from the starting of The Devil Judge.
Kim Ga On learns that his professor resigned from his chief justice post because of Kang Yo Han’s judgment. When he goes to him to talk it out, the professor turns hostile and starts blaming Kang Yo Han. Kim Ga On still holds his ground and lets him know that Kang Yo Han has his reasons. But then suddenly the professor brings up all the questions that have been circling in our minds too. He talks about how Yoon Soo Hyun was looking into Kang Yo Han’s past. He suspects that Kang Yo Han killed her for this. The suspicion of Kang Yo Han doing something is there but this reason is ridiculous.
I believe the past is buried for reasons other than those that everyone assumes. Even though the professor has every right to be suspicious, it feels wrong for him to corrupt Kim Ga On’s head with these thoughts. Though Kim Ga On does not agree with the reasoning and he firmly believes that Kang Yo Han will not do such a thing. Honestly, the character of the professor annoys me because he is not aware of the reality of things.
For him, he stands on his moral high ground and looks down on people who take justice into their own hands. But does he even know the severity of the situation? No. And his strong dislike for Kang Yo Han will not let him see things in an unbiased manner. This shows us how people who with extreme good in them can also be harmful to the right cause when it matters.
Kim Ga On does not doubt Kang Yo Han, but the parting words the professor left him with put his heart in turmoil. What will Yoon Soo Hyun think about this? Her words come through in his mind where she says no one should be above law. Even doing wrong things with reason does not make them right. I completely understand her take but the opponent is so filthy that if you do not get your hands dirty then you will be crushed under them.
Kim Ga On fueled by Yoon Soo Hyun’s memories confronts Kang Yo Han. He tells him that he knows Kang Yo Han was aware there would be casualties so that he can put Kim Choong Sik on trial and through him get the president. Kim Ga On asks him to not go ahead with the punishment. He pleads that it is too dark to come from and will ruin Kang Yo Han’s soul more.
Kang Yo Han seems unaffected by this outburst. It is because he already was threatened, he got shot, lost one of his loyal guys and the girl working for him is missing. On top of that people he cares for – Kim Ga On and Elijah, he was only able to save them at the last minute. The stakes are too high to consider humanity now. He knows he needs to get what he wants at any cost because if not then the next time his enemy strikes him, he might not be able to save the people he loves. And that is one experience he does not want to go through.
Kang Yo Han is ready to dole out the punishment. Kim Choong Sik seems fine sitting on the electric chair thinking the president will save him. Looks like the president was able to brainwash him enough to not reveal any secrets. Kang Yo Han hopes that Kim Choong Sik will come forward and talk about the president. But he also is alright with the gamble that Kim Choong Sik can die without saying anything. The people in the country are voting, some are hesitant to be part of a death sentence but most of them have a herd mentality and just doing it because the others are. Kim Ga On is watching all of this and hoping that Kang Yo Han will step in before the number of votes gets too high.
When it looks like Kim Choong Sik will die, the power shuts down abruptly. It looks like Kim Ga On held a press conference saying that the live court trial is all fake. Did I expect this from him? Maybe, because he will lose his essence if he goes along with all the bad things Kang Yo Han does. Kang Yo Han is shocked by this but his expression puts you in doubt. Did he expect this to happen? Or is this a ploy so the foundation reaches out to Kim Ga On to take down Kang Yo Han? This will give them time to do hidden attacks. But it also could be what we just see, Kim Ga On following his conscience and doing things his way by the end of The Devil Judge episode 14.
I feel Kang Yo Han is a man whose mind works ten steps ahead of what is happening currently. So he could have expected this and maybe he does have another plan as a backup. It is crazy to think next week the drama is ending. That means we will finally get answers to a lot of questions we have. I genuinely want Kang Yo Han to have a happy ending. It means I want him, Kim Ga On, and Elijah making it through the craziness by the end of the drama. I like that in the previous episode I was almost convinced that Kang Yo Han is more of a bad guy than we thought of. But in The Devil Judge episode 14 those doubts kind of fizzle out because even Kim Ga On does not doubt Kang Yo Han on that part.
It will be interesting to know how it all ends. I am looking forward to the showdown between Kang Yo Han and Jung Sun Ah. Also, I am curious will the writer make Kim Ga On aware of Jung Sun Ah’s real personality. So yes get ready for the finale week!
Still Deliberating Whether To Watch “The Devil Judge” Or Not? Read here
You can watch The Devil Judge episode 14 on Rakuten Viki.
Read all our review/rant on Mouse K-Drama series.
