Yes, I'm in front of the courthouse now.
[woman] Huh? Judge Cha? Why are you back here?
You know the evidence we got from the investigation office
for the Yeonhwa Child Murder case.
Please bring all those files to the interrogation room now.
Well… wait, but J-Judge Cha. I'm on my way home for the night.
Han Ye-eun is in the interrogation room now.
What?
Han Ye-eun is in the interrogation room now!
[woman] Oh, okay. Well, wait up for me, Judge Cha!
Oh, Judge Sim. Well…
Judge Sim. Hey, your hand…
Don't overreact. It's nothing.
Yeah.
Oh, well… I couldn't get a hold of the girl's guardian.
But I'll try everything I can--
I already found them.
How'd you do it?
I talked to her attorney.
Her attorney?
[Eun-seok] Both of her parents are currently living in the US.
Her father's a businessman,
and her mother runs a successful fashion boutique.
Because they're abroad, a law firm acts as her guardian on their behalf.
You know Geobo law firm, don't you?
It's a pretty big one.
[suspenseful music]
PERSONAL INFORMATION HAN YE-EUN, AGE 16
[Heo] I wondered what kind of clue this judge
was interrogating a minor at this hour.
As I thought, it's you, Eun-seok.
I've heard about you. You only work in juvenile courts.
You do well to remember, Ms. Heo, that you're only an attorney.
[paper rustling]
You think this interrogation
is some kind of joke?
I'm obligated to tell you that you have the right to refrain from answering
any of the following questions.
A refusal to provide a statement won't work against you.
Anything you say from now on can be used against you in a court of law.
And you have the right to an attorney.
[Eun-seok] Sign here.
CONFIRMATION OF RIGHT TO REFUSE TESTIMONY AND COUNSEL
This isn't an interrogation by an investigative body,
but a court investigation meant to check up on some facts.
So no need to be nervous.
Thank you, Sir.
Please begin.
Baek Seong-u came…
to the station and confessed.
He told them he killed someone.
The victim attended a nearby elementary school--
Just get to the point.
How do you know Baek Seong-u?
I don't know him.
But then, why did you flee?
Because I was scared. You kept following me.
Here.
This is a record showing phone calls between you and Baek.
She must have dialed the wrong number.
[suspenseful music]
There are so many calls. You seem like a kind of stalker, huh?
My client will remain silent.
On the day of the murder, around the approximate time of the incident,
you were the only person who talked with Baek Seong-u over the phone.
But you don't know him?
My client will remain silent.
Where were you between the hours
of 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on December 13th, 2021?
-[Heo] That too-- -I'm sure she'll remain silent once again.
[suspenseful music continues]
[Eun-seok] Ye-eun.
Baek Seong-u is a young offender who is under the age of 14,
so he'll be able to avoid criminal charges.
But you will not.
According to Articles Two and Four of the Special Punishments
for Specific Violent Crimes Act,
the longest possible sentence for a juvenile criminal is 20 years.
And I'm sure you're aware of that already.
You do know that Seong-u had a trial this afternoon, right?
Can you guess what he said…
just after the proceedings were over?
[ominous music]
It's the agreed upon time. The interrogation is over.
[Eun-seok] Please sit down.
I'll ask the last question and end this myself.
[Eun-seok] Hm.
This right here is the footage
from the boy's elevator security camera on the day of the murder.
So then, Han Ye-eun.
What were you doing there?
[ominous music continues]
I just got on an elevator with him.
What's wrong with that?
[Eun-seok] The phone calls between you and Seong-u
right before and after the murder, as well as the camera footage,
suggests you were there at the crime scene on the day of the murder.
And all of this…
is suggesting to me that you were the third individual
who is implicated in this murder.
[breathes shakily]
[door opens]
Just 'cause you're in charge you can't just lock me up without a trial.
I've read over your record.
You were put on level-five probation at the last trial.
You didn't follow any of the instructions, you exhibited a poor attitude.
You were not…
authorized to be a that café so late.
[table thuds]
Let go of me! Let go!
-Ahh! Ms. Heo! Help me! -Hey, don't hurt her.
-[Tae-ju] Be careful, please. -[Ye-eun screaming]
Ah, Jesus! Let me go! Let go!
Can't you hear me?
-[screaming continues] -[door closes]
[suspenseful music]
If you were gonna take her all along,
you could've let her sleep and taken her tomorrow morning.
-She's still a minor after all. -Even though…
she's technically still a minor…
a child was still murdered.
And the boy's family was absolutely destroyed.
One night of little sleep won't kill her, will it?
[scoffs]
All I did was carry out my duties as a judge.
So why don't you carry out yours…
as her lawyer.
[ominous music]
[theme music]
[woman] Okay, I will.
I'll call you right away if Mr. Kang asks for you.
Later.
[phone thuds]
-[woman] Oh, hey. You're up. -Yeah.
Oh, I heard about what happened to Han Ye-eun.
She was taken to the Juvenile Intake Center.
[sighs]
Don't forget to talk to Judge Sim when she gets to work
because she's the one who actually caught her.
[sighs]
She went through quite the ordeal.
Her hand was scraped and bandaged up.
Oh, right. No wonder.
Judge Sim just called and said she'd be a little late today.
She really needs some rest.
I think she hasn't been sleeping much lately.
-Mr. Kang in? -Not yet.
Okay then. Please don't tell him about all this.
[children playing]
[boy] Come on!
[dishes clattering]
YUN JI-HU
[clattering continues]
[Ji-hu's dad] I'm off to work.
Your mother's coming over later.
Try to eat something, please. Huh?
You've got to eat to stay alive.
[somber music]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[sobbing]
[whimpering]
[somber music continues]
[machine beeps]
[phone vibrating]
Hi, it's me.
Were you able to get in?
Oh, no. The more cases you find, the better.
I've already taken a look at the domestic ones. Send the overseas ones.
Juvenile cases, though. And not the parricide ones.
As soon as you get the records on Han Ye-eun from the Juvenile Intake Home,
take them to Judge Sim.
[man] Yes, ma'am.
Oh, by the way, what the hell happened last night?
Huh? My goodness. Don't get me started.
I had to go back to the office on my way home,
and Han Ye-eun was there with her lawyer.
It was pretty intense.
Oh, that's crazy.
But with the phone records and the security footage, there's solid evidence.
I don't think she'll find a way out.
Gosh, that's insane.
We've really been walking on thin ice since Judge Sim transferred to our office.
-I know. -Jesus.
For God's sake. What are we gonna do if Mr. Kang finds out this?
-Find out about what? -[gasps]
-Hello, Sir. -Goddamn, look at your faces.
Find out about what?
[phone ringing]
[ringing continues]
This is Sim Eun-seok.
I'm at the court now.
[exhales]
Yeah. I'll make my way over there.
[Won-jung] Hey, Cha!
Come on! You should know better.
Sim Eun-seok is going completely out of her mind.
But you can't go acting like her. Fuck!
You went behind my back. You're all traitors.
Without my consent, you summoned a minor
and put her in the Center, right?
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. For fuck's sake. Are you two crazy or what?
Hey! Hey! Do you think I'm a fucking pushover?
-[groans] -Get out! I don't need either of you!
I was going to let you know about it today.
No need. Go ahead and hold the trial without me too.
I was ashamed of it, Sir.
I was so ashamed…
[sighs]
These kids aren't serial killers or international criminals.
They're just some juvenile delinquents.
But they've managed to fool the whole nation and the police as well.
The court should at least try and find out the reason.
Isn't that our job after all?
[somber music]
[Eun-seok] If they come away from this thinking,
"Oh, the legal system is such a joke,"
what do we do then?
HUMAN
If they commit even worse crimes when they're older,
and victimize more people like Ji-hu,
whose fault is that gonna be?
[somber music continues]
We need to show them how harsh the law can be!
We have to teach them when you hurt someone…
you have to pay the consequences.
And when parents attempt to cover for their criminal children,
we must intervene and stop it.
That's the job we're all here to do.
So just tell me, Sir,
what exactly did I do wrong?
What made you so upset that you threw around these papers?
As a court judge…
tell me what I did that was so wrong?
[breathes heavily]
[dramatic music]
[sighs] So then, what are you planning to do now?
I'm going to use the law to prove my case…
mercilessly.
Go meet with Baek Seong-u's mother.
Should I go now?
What matters more than anything now is Baek Seong-u's confession.
Tell her that he seems to have worked with an accomplice
and ask her to persuade him to come clean.
Yes, ma'am.
[soft suspenseful music]
I'll be back soon, Ma'am.
[footsteps receding]
[door opens]
[door closes]
-[knock on door] -[door opens]
[door closes]
[man] I'm sorry, Ma'am. I should have kept my mouth shut.
Don't worry about all that. I've had to go through this kind of thing before.
I see.
Oh, and…
this is what the Juvenile Intake Center came up with
when they were running their own investigation of the case.
It's Baek Seong-u's chat with someone on a foreign social media account.
But the content is a bit…
I TOOK A KITTEN FROM ITS MOTHER I'M GOING TO PRACTICE ON IT
[man] I think they're very intimate with each other.
Ma'am?
Contact…
the Juvenile Intake Center
and ask them if Han Ye-eun has any other social media accounts.
[suspenseful music]
[door opens]
IS HE ALIVE? DID YOU CHECK THE CCTV? I'M NOT GOING TO BE INVOLVED, AM I?
IT WON'T HAPPEN. THANK GOD. YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU, RIGHT?
[paper rustles]
[Baek's mom] Ma'am. I'll see you same time next week.
Ye-chan, don't forget to solve other problems by next week.
-[Ye-chan] Yes. -[woman] Thank you so much, Ma'am.
-Have a good day. -[Ye-chan] Bye-bye.
[woman] See you next week.
-[Ye-chan] Bye. -[woman] Come on. Let's go.
-[inhales deeply, exhales sharply] -[door lock chimes, closes]
[dog barking]
[birds screeching]
[gasps]
[Baek's mom] Are you trying to get me fired?
How did you know that I was here?
What if people at my new company find out about it?
The cram school where you worked as an instructor told me you quit.
I contacted the tutoring company where you work now.
Did they really say that?
That I quit my job?
My life will be over if I get fired again.
I have to be able to make a living.
It's not the first. The first time that kid has made trouble.
I'm not here to get you in any kind of trouble. Please trust me.
[bag unzips]
Well…
have you ever seen this girl?
No.
What's wrong?
I think Seong-u was with her at the scene of the murder.
Then why up until now…
Why was only Seong-u…
I just knew it.
He doesn't have it in him to do something like kill a child.
She still hasn't confessed anything, though.
We need his confession, Ma'am.
And if he does?
Depending on what he tells us, the degree of punishment could change.
He will. I'll make him do it.
[Baek's mom] I haven't been able to reach the victim's parents.
I, I can't talk to them, I can't even meet with them.
So what did his public defender say?
His "public defender"?
[groans]
I don't answer calls from unfamiliar numbers.
Here.
This is the number to call.
If you contact them,
you'll learn more about your son's public defender.
You're a judge, Sir. You're allowed to do this?
This is also what we… the court do.
Considering the gravity of the crime,
Seong-u needs his own attorney too.
Thank you so much, Sir.
[Tae-ju] Article One of the Juvenile Act says,
"The purpose of this act is to ensure the sound fostering of juveniles."
It isn't just a question of offenders and victims.
The objective of the Juvenile Criminal Collegiate Division
is to ensure that the juveniles won't become repeat offenders.
Please, just try to persuade him.
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[switch clicks]
[objects clattering]
[exhales heavily]
Mm. You're back.
It seems like you haven't been sleeping well for a few days.
Why don't you go home and nap a little?
[paper rustling]
Didn't you say to go to sleep?
Ah. Well, you're new to the department,
but we haven't had a party for you.
No, I don't do that.
[Tae-ju sighs]
God, it's like you wouldn't even bleed if I pricked you with a needle.
Mr. Seo told me that you were late this morning
not because you overslept, but because you went to the library.
So I have a question I'd like to ask you. Mind if I do?
[exhales]
Why this court?
[Tae-ju] It's not like the juvenile division's a very high status.
Your work here won't gain a lot of attention
when you open a law office later.
Because of the workload and bureaucratic issues, most people avoid us.
Ms. Sim, you're such a respected judge
so, why did you want…
to come join this court?
-[indistinct chatter] -[sighs]
You wanna know why?
Why?
[sighs]
Enjoy your meal.
Judge Sim.
[footsteps receding]
[Tae-ju] It's not like the juvenile division's a very high status.
Your work here won't gain a lot of attention
when you open a law office later.
Because of the workload and bureaucratic issues, most people avoid us.
Why did you want to come join this court?
[dramatic music]
I don't know.
[engine rumbling]
[birds chirping]
That's it. [sighs]
[Won-jung clears throat]
One more thing.
The work in our division is one matter,
and the juvenile protection cases assigned to you are another matter.
Those trials are independent, so I'm not allowed to intervene.
But if you wanna do it half-heartedly…
-Yes, of course, Sir. -Yes.
-[door opens] -Uh, I'm so sorry to interrupt the meeting
but this is really quite serious.
What's going on?
Judge Sim Eun-seok
of the Juvenile Criminal Collegiate Division at Yeonhwa District Court,
has been appointed to the Yeonhwa child murder case,
but her qualifications as a judge are questioned.
[reporter] Since she was a juvenile court judge
at Uijeongbu District Court two years ago,
her overbearing attitude and manner of speaking
have caused much controversy.
[woman] She didn't use cuss words,
but she lashed out at my child yelling at him.
I couldn't believe such a person was a judge.
[reporter] In particular, during the investigation
into the Yeonhwa child murder case,
she asked a minor to go voluntarily to the court, but when she refused,
she forcibly took her without a warrant,
and there's quite a lot of controversy over this now.
[line ringing]
[beeps]
[indistinct chattering]
No, no. Well…
They published the article without performing a fact check.
No, she didn't forcibly take her. She was accompanied by probation officers,
and she was investigating a judgment.
I didn't yell. I just tried to explain what actually occurred.
JUDGE SIM'S QUALIFICATIONS ARE BEING QUESTIONED
[dramatic music]
[inhales deeply]
-[Won-jung exhales heavily] -[knock on door]
Mr. Kang, the Chief Judge is asking to see you.
[dramatic music continues]
[suspenseful music]
Look who's here.
What brings you to our office, Your Honor?
It's you.
You're the only one who would think this up.
Yes, it's me. You told me
that I should do my job.
The nation should get this chance to know
Sim Eun-seok's true colors.
Your dirty legal tricks
didn't work back at the institute, they won't work here either.
You lost to me then, you'll lose again.
Han Ye-eun is going to receive a summons to appear in court.
Bring her on time. Don't be even a minute late.
Because there's gonna be a lot of press which you love.
[footsteps receding]
-[clanks] -[Won-jung] What the hell is going on now?
Because of you, I've been summoned by the Chief Judge!
You aren't even a junior judge! You're a senior judge!
[sighs]
[Won-jung exhales sharply]
Why didn't you tell me that?
[Won-jung] You made all that fuss to interrogate Han Ye-eun last night,
but you did it by force. Didn't you know the problems it would cause?
Hello. Tell Mr. Cha to come to my office.
-[knock on door] -[door opens]
[sniffs]
-This case. -[thuds]
I'm reassigning it to Mr. Cha.
-But Mr. Kang-- -It's an order from the Chief Judge.
'Cause I, I warned you that the justice department
would be in the spotlight,
and that we needed to be especially cautious about what we do.
I acted alongside her.
-What? -I was also suspicious of…
Han Ye-eun's whereabouts the day of the murder, so I decided to join her--
-Is that true? -It isn't, Sir.
[inhales]
I looked for Han Ye-eun on my own that day.
It was my decision and mine alone, Sir.
-[sighs] -[Eun-seok] There's no excuse for it.
Mr. Cha, schedule a date as soon as possible.
And Ms. Sim…
Assist Mr. Cha from now on.
Yes, Sir.
[Tae-ju sighs]
Why'd you do that?
I'm the one who told you about the internet café.
I also looked for Han Ye-eun.
Why did you take all of the blame? You've put so much effort in all of this.
I tried, so what?
That still doesn't excuse what I did.
The news didn't say anything wrong after all.
The whole thing was my fault.
Although…
[deep inhale]
…knowing it was going against protocol,
I still wanted to catch the girl.
[sighs]
If the case were reassigned, it'd be a problem.
But they just changed the judge. No big deal.
So what if we had to sacrifice an arm to finally get the head of the enemy.
[inhales deeply]
CASES INVOLVING SCHIZOPHRENIA
[Eun-seok] These are all the relevant cases here.
Stop worrying about me and read through as many as you can.
-[knock on door] -[door opens]
-[dramatic music] -[door closes]
Judge Sim, I just got a call from the Juvenile Intake Center.
Baek Seong-u wants to make a confession.
[reporter] The trial for the Yeonhwa child murder,
a case that shocked the whole nation, will be held today.
As Han, the third person who was caught on CCTV on the day of the murder,
is suspected to be the real culprit.
The prosecution has filed a murder charge against her.
-[man] The trial of Baek… -The trial of two teenagers…
will be held this afternoon…
-…will be held at… -[indistinct shouting over megaphone]
[people shouting]
[reporter] The court will hold a criminal trial of Han
and a juvenile trial of Baek at the same time.
So everyone is closely watching the results of the trial.
[woman] Do you admit that you took her by force?
[man 1] What does the Justice Department think about The Yeonhwa Child Murder?
[man 2] The presiding judge has changed. Is that because of the recent controversy?
[man 4] Will the trial be held behind closed doors?
[suspenseful music]
[Won-jung] Case Number 2021P2598.
2021CC2611.
We'll commence with the trial now.
[suspenseful music intensifies]
Han Ye-eun's attorney.
Is her guardian absent today?
Han Ye-eun's guardians are unable to attend due to their business in the US,
so her counsel is here on their behalf.
I've been a judge for the last 22 years,
but I've never seen such illegal dream team in a juvenile case.
We'll take it as a compliment.
[Won-jung] Han Ye-eun's attorney.
Does she admit murdering and abandoning the body?
[Heo] She partially admits it though doesn't admit everything.
As Baek Seong-u has already stated,
she murdered and abandoned the boys body. She admits that.
She said it wasn't premeditated murder,
but manslaughter due to her unstable mental state.
[Won-jung] Baek Seong-u's defender.
Does your client admit to being her accomplice?
He doesn't admit to it at all.
Baek Seong-u confessed to having committed the crime already, didn't he?
[Baek's defender] He did, but he wasn't her accomplice.
He claims that he aided the murder.
What's the basis for that?
[Baek's defender] Until Han Ye-eun actually committed murder
at Baek Seong-u's apartment,
Baek Seong-u interpreted everything as merely a joke.
-[thrilling music] -[inhales deeply]
[exhales heavily]
Ye-eun…
Is your address
Capital Palace, 103 3201? Is that right?
Sorry?
Is your address Capital Palace, 103 3201?
Yes.
Yes, when someone asks to confirm an address,
people normally answer the question with a yes or no just like you did, right?
-Yes. -And people confirm an address
when they're planning on a visit to that place.
Or if they're planning on sending something to that place.
Would you say that's correct?
I guess so.
But why, if that's the case, did Baek Seong-u reply to your message,
"Is he alive? Did you check the CCTV?"
[Tae-ju] They exchanged these text messages on social media at 11:28 a.m.
[children playing]
[shutter clicks]
YOUR ADDRESS IS UNIT 101, APARTMENT 1402, RIGHT?
IS HE ALIVE? DID YOU CHECK THE CCTV?
[Tae-ju] The CCTV footage and the elevator at the scene was captured at 11:29 a.m.
[ominous music]
There are two things that the CCTV footage and the conversation tell us.
First of all, the person who lured the murder victim to the crime scene
wasn't Baek Seong-u, but was in fact Han Ye-eun.
[Ji-hu] Hey.
[Tae-ju] Second.
"Is he alive? Did you check the CCTV?"
The reply from Baek Seong-u…
indicates that these two conspired to commit this heinous crime.
Besides, Han Ye-eun lured the victim into Baek Seong-u's apartment,
but Baek Seong-u took the whole thing as a joke is hard to understand.
Baek Seong-u's defender, what do you think?
[Eun-seok] I'm sure they'll just claim that the whole thing was accidental.
They can't deny abduction, murder, mutilation, abandonment
because Baek Seong-u already confessed all that.
[Eun-seok] As for Baek Seong-u, he either conspired or aided in the murder.
As for Han Ye-eun, she committed either murder or manslaughter.
[inhales]
They'll claim that they aided in the murder
and committed manslaughter respectively.
Then we need to see if their claims are founded
or if there are holes in any of their arguments.
Witness. How do you know Han Ye-eun?
I'm the psychiatrist who has been assigned to her case.
Actually, I've been Han Ye-eun's doctor for three years.
What is her condition?
Well, depressive conduct disorder, neurasthenia,
and persistent delusional disorder.
So in other words, she was diagnosed with depressive conduct disorder,
neurasthenia and persistent delusional disorder, Ma'am.
Persistent delusional disorder. Please elaborate on that.
Well, there are many types of delusional disorders.
Han Ye-eun's case was the persecutory type.
[doctor] In other words, it was a persecutory delusional disorder.
Persecutory delusional patients interpret other people's actions
as threats, such as slander, and harassment,
and respond to them instantly.
[girl] Hey, sorry.
[indistinct background chatter]
[faint somber music playing over headphones]
-[loud banging] -[students clamoring]
[faint music continues]
[indistinct clamoring]
[doctor] Depending on what their delusions are,
they can have a hard time trying to control their anger.
Then is it possible that this case only happened
because of the persecutory delusional disorder?
[doctor] Whatever it is, nothing is 100 percent certain.
Yes, of course, but is it possible?
If you ask if it's possible, then I would say it is.
That's all, Sir.
[sighs]
[micro feedback]
We'll resume the trial after a one-hour recess.
[door opens]
[Won-jung exhales]
[door closes]
At the rate we're going, it could go on forever.
Han Ye-eun's attorney
seemed to be quite prepared to claim that the whole thing was an accident.
[suspenseful music]
WITNESS STAND
[Eun-seok] Baek Seong-u.
Do you know what that is?
-It's the charger cable for my cell phone. -Additionally…
it's the weapon you used when you murdered the victim. Is that right?
Yes.
Can you tell us exactly what happened that day?
[Baek] Hey.
[Baek] As I said earlier…
I didn't see Han Ye-eun kill that boy
because I was changing my clothes in another room.
But…
[Eun-seok] How about we try this now?
We'll separate them. Baek Seong-u and Han Ye-eun…
[suspenseful music]
…and we'll make them reveal the truth about each other?
[muffled laughter]
[Baek] Did you really kill him?
Hey, you crazy bitch! Answer me! Fuck!
[screams]
[breathing heavily]
Neither of us…
has to wind up in jail.
We can both…
get out of this.
[breathes heavily]
Are you really saying that…
Han Ye-eun started this entire thing?
[Baek] Yes. Well, she said there's a way.
She removed all of her fingerprints from the charger cable and put mine on it.
She said she had a plan and told me to listen to her.
[suspenseful music]
So, who came up with the idea of mutilating the body?
[breathing shakily]
[door creaks]
Baek Seong-u.
He told me to do it.
When I killed the kid…
he was so distressed.
So he told me to do it…
outside of the bathroom.
-[thudding] -[blood splatters]
He showed me how to chop a body into pieces…
and told me to throw away all the organs in the trashcan…
[ominous music]
…and the body parts… [sobbing]
…in the rooftop water tank. [sobs]
[sobbing continues]
-He threatened me. -Hey, it was your decision
to dump them in. They're not to get all on CCTV.
That's all a lie! She did it all by herself!
It's not a lie!
Outside the bathroom, you told me how to do it all.
You said you would.
I asked you to turn yourself in, you said you wanted to!
-When did I say that? -[Baek] "When did I say that"?
"When did I say that"? What the fuck! You're the one who picked that ax!
After you killed him, you were so excited that you danced. You crazy, fucking bitch.
[Ye-eun] When did I do that?
[Baek] That bitch chopped the kid with an ax and looking at him bleeding,
she danced over his body. She did all kinds of crazy shit!
Shut up, you son of a bitch!
[Baek] Fuck, I'll kill you!
[shouts] Can you please, stop!
[sobbing]
Please, stop it now.
Just stop.
Honey.
-[Ji-hu's dad] Honey! -[door opens]
[door closes]
[exhales]
[Ji-hu's mom sobbing] My baby! Ji-hu…
[clanks]
[sobbing hysterically]
[somber music]
[Ji-hu's dad clicks tongue]
[rattling]
[sobbing]
[Won-jung] Baek Seong-u…
and Han Ye-eun voluntary made a confession,
uh, so it seems useless to proceed with this trial.
Well, lastly, the victim…
Yun Ji-hu's mother.
If you have anything you'd like to say…
feel free to go ahead and address the court
to get it off your chest.
[somber music]
Paranoia?
Schizophrenia?
I'm not interested in any of those.
What matters to me is…
What's clear to me is…
that my child…
shivered with fear…
without his mother in a stranger's house…
[sobbing softly]
…and then was murdered by them.
[somber music continues]
[sobbing continues]
I still…
don't understand at all…
why…
why my innocent little baby…
had to die like that.
[Ji-hu's mom sniffles]
Your Honor, I ask you…
[sobs]
Please…
punish them severely for their crimes…
so something like this won't happen again.
[somber music]
[sobbing]
[crying]
[somber music continues]
-[sobbing continues] -[sighs]
[sobbing]
Whatever the reason was,
they robbed a human of their life.
I think we should sentence Han Ye-eun to 20-years, the maximum sentence,
and put Baek Seong-u on probation level ten,
the highest level of probation possible.
[inhales deeply, exhales heavily]
Probation level ten…
is two years imprisonment.
What do you think, Judge?
I agree, we should sentence Han Ye-eun to the 20 years.
And for Seong-u…
[Won-jung] The court reached a decision.
The offenders targeted an innocent stranger for murder,
and they treated him like little more than an object.
And they murdered him in the most brutal way,
just to take pleasure in killing a child.
[Won-jung] Most importantly, this was a despicable and inhumane crime
that shocked parents who have children of their own
who are in grade school like the victim.
The court sentences…
Han Ye-eun to 20 years in prison…
[breathes heavily]
…and Baek Seong-u to probation level ten.
[Ye-eun] No!
-This is wrong. -Please. Don't, don't do this.
-You shouldn't do this, Ye-eun. -[Ye-eun shouting]
-[Heo] Don't do this! Aah! -20 years? Why am I sentenced 20 years?
Let go of me! How dare you order me around, you evil, fucking bitch!
Let go of me! Let go of me, you fucking bastard!
-You bastards! I'll kill you all! -Seong-u. I'll come to visit. Don't worry.
-[Ye-eun] Let go of me! -[Heo] I promise you.
-Let go! I'm innocent! -Don't worry. Okay?
[Ye-eun] Let go of me!
[somber music]
[sighs]
[somber music continues]
[door closes]
[reporter 1] Mr. Baek has decided to appeal the decision.
What is Miss Han going to do?
She doesn't accept the court's decision. She'll appeal against it.
[reporter 2] Does she deny all the charges?
[reporter 3] How do you feel now?
[man] Wait! Wait, Ma'am!
[panting]
This is from the judge.
[phone vibrating]
[panting]
[man] Hello, Ms. Joo?
Okay, I'll be right there.
[panting]
I'm sorry. I'm quite behind in my work. Bye then.
[man] Oh, right.
Oh, and Judge Sim told me to give it to you. Bye.
[footsteps receding]
[somber music]
[knife chopping]
[munching]
[liquid pouring]
[somber music continues]
[Tae-ju] Han Ye-eun isn't gonna change much even after prison time, will she?
Do you think serving time in prison is really good for such a child?
At least that's the court's rule.
We're only court judges.
We can't change a person's nature, you know.
I'm just concerned.
She'll serve out her prison time and become an adult.
And then what?
That's what her parents need to do.
They need to make her realize the seriousness of what she's done.
Although…
there isn't gonna be a next time.
[Eun-seok] The girl committed such an unspeakable, unforgivable crime,
but her parents didn't even go to the trial.
If parents don't make an effort,
their children will never change.
[Ji-hu] Hey, um… can you lend me your cellphone for a minute?
My mom wants me to call her.
Mom?
[somber music]
[clanging]
[breathing shakily]
[chuckles]
[exhales sharply]
[breathes shakily, sobs]
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
[Baek's mom] Judge Cha!
You said you'd reduce the punishment. How can you do this to me?
You said you'd reduce the punishment. You clearly said that.
[Baek's mom] Introducing a public defender to me.
You said the judges at the juvenile division aren't our enemies?
Why? Why didn't you release Seong-u?
It's not my son that killed the boy!
No, that wasn't what…
Release Seong-u! Release him right now.
You said you'd release him. Why did you lock him up?
Because the boy was killed in your home.
And your son was there.
And he helped Han Ye-eun instead of calling the police.
Furthermore, your son…
complicated our investigation…
and even made a false confession.
The court finds that your son…
should bare some responsibility.
[breathes shakily]
Well, Judge Sim…
There's an old saying that goes like this,
"The pain of a mother who lost her child
is as severe as an internal splitting stomachache."
What did you do for Seong-u when he was nine?
When Ji-hu was nine…
Ji-hu's mother…
lost her little boy…
all because of your son.
[somber music]
[somber music continues]
[door opens]
[breathes deeply]
[door closes]
[Tae-ju] Judge Sim.
I didn't mean that.
Well, I… I understand why you said that.
And you weren't wrong.
[inhales] Although…
if the guardian were to take your words the wrong way,
you, as a judge, are the one to blame.
I'll be careful, Ma'am.
[inhales, exhales heavily]
[somber music]
[exhales]
I just can never…
get used to juvenile cases.
They make me so uncomfortable.
[Tae-ju exhales sharply]
Go home early today. Go get some rest.
[Eun-seok] And then, we'll get ready for the next one.
You did a good job.
[footsteps receding]
[distant traffic noise]
[rustling]
[paper rifling]
JI-HU'S BABY BOOK
[somber music]
[Ji-hu's dad] Aren't you going to go?
[Ji-hu's mom] I wish I had written this steadily.
I wish I had written in it every day.
[somber music continues]
[somber music]
[boy] Wow! Is this for me?
Do you like it? That's from Ji-hu.
Say thank you to her.
Thank you.
Where's Ji-hu? I should say thank you to him too.
[chuckles]
What are you going to say to Ji-hu?
[boy] "Thank you, Ji-hu."
[somber music]
I wanted to give him a hug so much,
but I couldn't. [sobs]
I'm so grateful to you. Thank you for welcoming the toy.
Yeah, I'm just so grateful.
[sobbing softly]
[somber music]
[switch clicks]
[exhales heavily]
[clock ticking]
[ticking continues]
[dramatic music]
WHEN SEONG-U LOST HIS BABY TEETH
SEONG-U'S TALENT SHOW
[dramatic music continues]
[gasps]
[breathes shakily]
[Eun-seok] What did you do for Seong-u when he was nine?
When Ji-hu was nine,
Ji-hu's mother lost her little boy…
all because of your son.
[gasps]
-[breathing shakily] -[floor squeaking]
[sobbing softly]
[somber music]
[cries]
[crying hysterically]
I'm… sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm the one to blame.
It's…
It's all my fault. I'm sorry.
[crying continues]
[somber music continues]
[Eun-seok] I just can never…
get used to juvenile cases.
They make me so uncomfortable.
Young offenders are the ones who get punished.
But sometimes, other people…
have to bear the crosses.
[Ji-hu's dad] Honey.
Honey.
-[Ji-hu's mom vomits] -[Ji-hu's dad] Honey.
[Ji-hu's mom sobbing]
[Eun-seok] "Did we succeed in meeting out proper punishment today?
Did the punishment
give the victim a sense of closure?
Does the offender feel regret?"
It's over for now…
GED EXAM QUESTIONS
…but it's never really over.
That's the work we do.
[dramatic music]
[dramatic music continues]
[suspenseful music]
COURT OF KOREA
-[door rattles] -[knocks on door]
[breathing shakily]
[suspenseful music rises]
[somber music]
["The Little Swallow" plays]
THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS DEPICTED IN THE SHOW ARE FICTITIOUS