Michelle Topham 
Episode 2 of The Judge Returns earns slight ratings rise
The Judge Returns (Korean title 판사 이한영), the new legal drama starring Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, and Won Jin Ah, continued its broadcast on Saturday, January 3rd, 2026, with the K-drama’s second episode airing as part of MBC’s usual Friday–Saturday slot.
And, while we didn’t see skyrocketing ratings for the legal-themed drama’s second episode, what we did get was solid viewership.
According to Nielsen Korea, The Judge Returns, Episode 2 maintained a consistent viewership, posting a 4.4 % nationwide average and 4.2 % in the Seoul metropolitan area.
That means each rating was .10 percent higher than the K-drama earned for its first episode the night before so, yep, solid ratings.
Even cooler, Episode 2 of the MBC drama also saw its viewership peak at about 5.7 % during one of the more intense early scenes.
That is slightly above the average, and a sign that Korean viewers’ interest may be growing as the story’s central conflict deepens.
While these numbers don’t yet threaten ratings juggernauts in the same time slot, ie: SBS’s Taxi Driver 3, which hit its highest ever rating last night, they do represent a solid performance for a brand-new Friday–Saturday drama in a very competitive landscape.
What international viewers are saying about The Judge Returns after Episode 2
International fans started to discuss Episode 2 across various platforms right before its broadcast, with the buzz getting even louder after the K-drama’s second episode aired.
On Reddit, reactions to the first two episodes are mixed.
Some viewers appreciate the unfolding narrative and Ji Sung’s acting, noting that the second episode’s developments “made them more invested” after a slower first installment.
Others talked about familiar themes being pretty dull, and were also split on where they wanted the story to go from here.
On platforms like X, posts tagged with #TheJudgeReturns around the time of Episode 2 was airing only showed moderate engagement from international fans.
Then there’s Facebook, where a handful of fan pages and international K-drama groups are sharing short clips and reaction videos to Episode 2.
All of this suggests, while The Judge Returns isn’t gaining huge traction, at least yet, it is sparking some interest from international K-drama fans.
Overall, though, The Judge Returns Episode 2 showed slightly higher moment-to-moment engagement than its premiere. And that, along with its steady ratings, is a good sign.
The next episode of The Judge Returns, which is streaming on Viki and HBO Max depending on your area, will air on Friday, January 9th.
We’ll be back here on Baozi Buns to let you know how its ratings fare then.
(Update: Episode 3 of The Judge Returns aired last night to the Korean drama’s highest ratings yet, even seeing a 2.0 percent increase in its viewership from TV viewers in Seoul).
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