Recap of The Judge from Hell Episodes 7-8: Is the Serial Killer J Back on the Loose?

Premiered on September 21, 2024, “The Judge from Hell”features prominent performances by Park Shin-hye and Kim Jae-young.

The storyline follows Kang Bit-na, a high-ranking judge who secretly assumes the identity of a demon, administering justice by sending wrongdoers to hell. She crosses paths with Detective Han Da-on, a gifted investigator grappling with emotional turmoil. The series also includes a skilled supporting cast featuring Kim In-kwon, Kim Hye-hwa, and Lee Joong-ok.

In episodes 7 and 8, Bit-na targets her next prey but begins to grapple with human emotions. Meanwhile, Da-on revisits the pain of his past as the person responsible for his parents’ deaths resurfaces.

Recap of “The Judge from Hell”Episodes 7-8: What does Da-on do with Bit-na’s evidence?

During episode 7, just as Jeong-im is about to be attacked, Myeong-suk and Man-do arrive in time to fend off the assailant. Jeong-im is escorted to Nobong station to provide her account, where she recalls details about the attacker’s height and weapon. So-yeong identifies the knife as one used by serial killer J, who is linked to the death of Da-on’s parents, but keeps this crucial information to herself.

On her commute home, Bit-na intervenes to rescue So-yeong’s daughter, Da-hui, from bullies, earning So-yeong’s gratitude. However, Bit-na feels slighted when Da-on fails to express his thanks. Later, Da-on speaks with an elderly resident of his building, who claims to have known his late parents. She warns him that continuing to associate with Bit-na could lead to tragedy.

Knowing that Da-on is participating in an outing organized by the building’s committee, Bit-na decides to join him. During this expedition, Da-on reveals that he sees himself responsible for his parents’ deaths, believing he is to blame for the tragic accident. Bit-na reassures him that he is not a murderer.

After the outing, Da-on shares his emotions with Bit-na over drinks, but she quickly stops him. She later drives him home when he becomes too inebriated. A-rong starts to suspect there are deeper feelings between Bit-na and Da-on at play.

In a shocking turn, Choi Won-joong, CEO of KO Foods, commits a brutal murder of Union Chairman Mr. Won amidst ongoing protests. The meeting was secretly recorded, implicating Won-joong, who had also transferred a significant amount of money to Mr. Won’s account on the day of his death. In a desperate attempt to protect his son, Won-joong’s father persuades Assemblyman Jeong to install Bit-na as the judge for the upcoming trial.

So-yeong goes on patrol in Hwangcheon Dong with Donghun, where she spots the serial killer and chases after him. Meanwhile, Donghun encounters Da-on and Bit-na, and they hear a gunshot ringing out in the distance. Da-on discovers So-yeong’s bloodied stick at the scene.

In episode 8, Da-on visits So-yeong’s family, and her husband provides him with documents he collected about the elusive J. A-rong learns that Da-on is the sole witness to have seen the killer and informs Bit-na of this critical development.

As the police deepen their search for So-yeong, Da-on and his team are redirected to focus on their respective cases, with So-yeong’s assigned to a different unit.

In court, Won-joong bribes the only witness, who then gives false testimony against Mr. Won. Using her legal knowledge, Bit-na finds a loophole and only sentences Won-joong to one year in prison. Meanwhile, Mr. Won’s daughter Yu-gyeong, critically injured, is miraculously saved by a local grandmother.

Bit-na’s plans unfold as she coerces Man-do into luring Won-joong to the amusement park where he tortured Mr. Won. On her way, she runs into Da-on, who questions her intentions toward Won-joong. She suggests they eliminate J, but he declines her offer, expressing gratitude with an unexpected hug, leaving Bit-na shocked.

Bit-na confronts Won-joong, reenacting the violence he inflicted on Mr. Won, and unleashes hellish entities upon him. After brutally attacking and branding him, Da-on intervenes, throwing sulfur powder on her, temporarily stripping her of her powers.

With a hidden tracker on her, Da-on captures evidence through recording. He receives urgent news about So-yeong and reluctantly handcuffs Bit-na to the Ferris wheel before departing.

Tragically, So-yeong is discovered dead. In a flashback, it is revealed that she was the detective who once found and adopted Da-on after promising to hunt down J. Da-on returns to the amusement park, where Bit-na regains her powers, frees herself from the handcuffs, and rushes at him. However, Da-on destroys the phone containing crucial evidence and asks Bit-na to execute J for him, expressing his desire for vengeance, offering his own life in exchange. Bit-na is left touched yet conflicted, leading to a poignant moment as episode 8 concludes.

The next installment of “The Judge from Hell”is set to air on October 18 on Disney+.

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