Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Ji Sung and Park Hee-Soon faced off.
In the MBC ‘Judge Lee Han-Young’ broadcast on the 13th, lawmaker Gwak Sang-Cheol (Lee Jong-Hyuk) met Lee Han-Young (Ji Sung) and expressed thanks, saying the way people look at him had changed.
That day, Lee Han-Young gave money to Gwak Sang-Cheol and asked him to persuade lawmakers struggling with nominations to introduce the Park Gwang-To special prosecutor bill. Gwak initially refused, but eventually agreed to help submit the bill after Lee's persuasion.
Song Na-Yeon (Baek Jin-Hee) reports that the housekeeper Jang Myeong-Ja who works at Suojae was used as a borrowed-name account holder for Park Gwang-To, but Lee Han-Young already knows this. Song says it cannot run in Daejin Ilbo, but it will be reported by an online outlet.
Jang Yong-Hyun (Kim Byung-Gi) undergoes a prosecution interview and implicitly threatens by mentioning Kim Jin-A (Won Jin-A)'s reassignment to Hyenam. Ordered by the Hyenam chief prosecutor to handle only trivial cases and pass time, Kim Jin-A reviews one of her files, thinks of something, calls an investigator, and says she will use a cabbage theft case as a pretext to request carrier location tracking.
When Kang Sin-Jin (Park Hee-Soon) suggests forming a Park Gwang-To task force first, Lee Han-Young recommends Park Cheol-Woo (Hwang Hee). Kang Sin-Jin, whose real goal is to eliminate Park Gwang-To, approves it.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Kang Sin-Jin visits the hospital room of Gwak Sun-Won (Park Geon-Il), who fell into a coma after being struck on the head with a whiskey bottle, and, referring to the attending doctor's fatal malpractice case, says “Relying on odds of less than 10% and expecting you to lie there forever will not be acceptable.”
The opposition introduces the ‘S Group special prosecutor bill’, and Kim Jin-Han is about to deliver a photo of Lee Han-Young who appeared at the time of the attack on Prosecutor Kim Jin-A, but refrains when he hears that Suojae is convening an emergency meeting.
Gwak Sang-Cheol begins a hunger strike to push the Park Gwang-To special prosecutor bill, and another lawmaker approaches and shows him an article about Park Gwang-To's borrowed-name account. Gwak texts Lee Han-Young that he can fast for up to three days, and Lee asks him to hold out only until tomorrow.
Park Gwang-To asks Kang Sin-Jin, who has come to visit him, “I think about you a lot these days. The more I think, the more I know. Are you not curious how far my knowledge goes?” Kang replies, “I also always think of Your Excellency. I will bring you back to Suojae as soon as possible.”
Lee Han-Young visits the hospitalized Gwak Sun-Won and relocates his room. Lee tells Seok Jeong-Ho that Kang Sin-Jin will try to kill Gwak Sun-Won. The attending doctor attempts to kill Gwak Sun-Won to secure an acquittal in his own trial. As the doctor tries to inject drugs, Gwak opens his eyes and knocks him out.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Gwak Sun-Won calls Kang Sin-Jin using the doctor's phone, and from the words “Is it over?” he realizes Kang tried to have him killed. In the past, after being acquitted and released, Gwak's hideout had been visited by Kang. Seeing the silent caller, Kang says, “It seems there is a problem at the hospital.”
Gwak Sun-Won kills the police officer guarding the door and flees. Seok Jeong-Ho realizes belatedly that Gwak has disappeared, and Gwak steals a passerby's car and heads somewhere. Seok relays this to Lee Han-Young.
Lee Han-Young goes to Park Cheol-Woo and tells him to catch Park Gwang-To. Park asks whether this team is not meant to free Park, and Lee explains that Kang Sin-Jin intends to seize Park and make himself the head.
At the emergency meeting, Kang Sin-Jin says Park Gwang-To will likely be released tomorrow through a detention review. Then Jang Yong-Hyun clears his throat to draw attention, and Kang says, “The ruling party is pushing an S Group hearing and a special probe, correct?” and adds, “Accept the hearing. The special probe must be blocked.” Jang grumbles but says, “Half the hearing members will have taken the chairman's money, so just tough it out for half a day.”
Kang senses that the Suojae people want Park's return, and Kim Jin-Han reports that Gwak has escaped from the hospital.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Park Gwang-To appears for a detention review hearing, and Kang Sin-Jin and Kim Jin-Han dine with Suojae figures including Jang Yong-Hyun and Woo Gyo-Hoon (Jeon Jin-Gi). After the meal, Kang and Kim buy a cake and head to Seonhwagak. It is the Seonhwagak owner's birthday. At Seonhwagak, Gwak Sun-Won is waiting. Kim approaches Gwak and tries to speak, but Gwak stabs him without hesitation.
Kang asks Gwak, “Will you stab me too and live as a fugitive forever?” He moves toward Gwak, saying, “Are you upset? Then stab me. Make it hurt as much as you are upset.” In the end, Gwak drops the knife, kneels before Kang, and apologizes. Kang then places the knife back in Gwak's hand and says there is something to do.
Park returns to Suojae and leaves, saying he is tired. Watching Park's back, Kang smiles, and in the office Park has returned to, Gwak is hiding.
Earlier, at a meeting with the four of Suojae, Kang raised a glass to the four who voiced fear of Park, saying, “Let the prosecution handle the finish.” The remaining members congratulate Kang, who has become Suojae's new chief, saying, “Congratulations, Presiding Judge Kang Sin-Jin.” Kang calls over Lee Han-Young, who was seated at the far end. Lee moves to the seat beside Kang and drinks champagne with him.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
As Gwak strangles Park, a shaman enters the office, and the freed Park takes a gun from a drawer and fires at Gwak. Gwak is shot and collapses. Park takes the gun and flees Suojae, and Lee Han-Young blocks his path. Park points the gun at Lee, and Lee tells Park that Hwang Nam-Yong handed over the illegal political funds file, suggesting he take revenge.
Lee says, “If you take my hand, I will turn the prison into Suojae for you. You can select a cabinet for the new administration there and plan national development, and you will not be bored.” At that moment a car pulls up and Park Cheol-Woo steps out to greet them. Park Gwang-To says to do whatever it is tomorrow and gets into Park Cheol-Woo's car.
Lee raises a hand to Park Cheol-Woo, who asks him to come along, then heads back to Suojae. As soon as the Suojae members realize the attempt to kill His Excellency has failed, they try to offer up Kang as a scapegoat. Kang stabs the charging Woo Gyo-Hwan with a broken bottle. The members panic and rush out of the conference room, and Kang is also rattled.
Entering the conference room late, Lee finds Kang sitting alone. Two people lie dead beside Kang. Kang had earlier seen Lee's photo on Kim Jin-Han's driver seat. Kang presses him, and Lee confesses everything that has happened.
Kang says, “So the target of your approach was me.” Lee replies, “Evil can never become justice.” Kang says, “If you want justice, it is not too late yet,” tears up Lee's photo, and tells him to take his hand. Lee refuses.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Kang swings a fist at Lee. Lee takes off his glasses and fights Kang. Kang slashes Lee's neck with Gwak Sun-Won's knife that had fallen to the floor. Lee groans, lying on the floor, and in that moment Kang leaves the conference room.
An ambulance speeds down the road, and a news narration announces it is presidential election day. Lee wakes in a hospital room from a nightmare of Gwak choking his neck. News reports that candidate Kim Yoon-Cheol has been elected president, and Yoo Se-Hee (Oh Se-Young) visits Lee. Yoo applies gauze to Lee's neck and then kisses him.
Yoo apologizes and says, “The day we first met, I slapped you. I felt like I had not apologized for that yet.” Yoo steals Lee's blood.
Police race to the hospital, and Lee mutters to himself as he looks at Yoo, “What are you doing?” Lee flees, avoiding the officers coming to arrest him.
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
Lee calls Baek Yi-Seok (Kim Tae-Woo) and says it seems Kang framed him, that he has been falsely accused. Baek tells him to turn himself in, but Lee says it is something he must resolve. Kang, meanwhile, goes to see Yoo Seon-Cheol (Ahn Nae-Sang). Yoo reports that Lee has fled. Yoo hands Kang a bag full of dollars.
Kang says he will meet Park Gwang-To and tells him to apply for an attorney visit. Yoo Seon-Cheol is startled. Yoo Se-Hee had been instructed to frame Lee Han-Young, with the warning that she and Yoo Jin-Gwang (Heo Hyeong-Gyu) could be dragged in otherwise. Yoo Se-Hee sheds tears alone.
Kim Jin-A spots the chief prosecutor drinking with a jeonse scammer and says, “That imported car costs over 100 million won,” demanding that the jeonse scam case be handed to her. Kim is shocked to see news that Lee Han-Young is being framed as the killer of lawmaker Woo Gyo-Hoon.
Now a fellow fugitive, Kang says, “I have nowhere to go,” and heads to a Chinese restaurant he used to frequent, but turns the car around when the proprietress claims not to know him well. He calls Lee and says, “Find me before the police do. You need at least that much effort to clear a murder frame-up.” Lee answers, “It will not take long. I started this to see it through, anyway. I am not dead yet.”
Judge Lee Han-Young screen capture
