K-Drama Reaction: Miss Hammurabi | Finale

“It seems like it’s nowhere. In fact, it’s everywhere. It’s the story of our heroes.”

Real Questions

For the last time, the Court Department 44 handled a complicated case and held a trial that kept us all at the edge of our seats.

I would not detail the murder case against an obvious victim of domestic violence. Instead, I want to focus on the jury proceedings which showed different kinds of people. There are those who insist their moral values is the correct and only path. There are those who don’t even really care about the issue. And there are those who really opened their minds to both arguments. Yes, the murdered man was someone else’s precious son but so is the accused. As Park Cha O Reum (Go Ara) said, no one deserves to get beaten to death.

Even in the finale episode, the series didn’t really stop agitating my personal stance. Like Im Ba-reun (Infinite L / Kim Myung-soo), I thought things would go south because of the jury but it turned out to be a miracle. They have set a new opinion on the court by asking the real questions; questions that should have been asked in the first place. Presiding Judge Han Se-sang’s (Sung Dong-il) criticism might be harsh but his just speaking out some avoided truths.

Nation’s Future

While the trial was ongoing, there was another matter going on outside the court. Judge Jung Bo-wang (Ryuk Deok-hwan) led the campaign to stop O Reum’s disciplinary action. It looked like an impossible task at first but they managed to crack the great dam of old ways. It only took one more blow from Judge Oh before the old structure spilled the water of truths. The spill has convinced the Chief Presiding Judge to take some action and prevent the structure from crumbling. There won’t be innocent sacrifices; just the right choice to pave the correct path for the future.

The young judges stepping up for their rights is one of my favorite moments during the finale. Most of them have chosen to stay in the background in the past but they are now ready to sacrifice their own career in order to fight in solidarity with their defamed colleague. They’ve proven the future isn’t bleak and that they are the New Era.

Little Steps

Judge Han dropped the biggest surprise in the finale episode. He decided to retire as a judge as he felt his job there is already finished. It was heartbreaking to see him go but at the same time, I felt satisfied with this character’s decision. There is nothing for him to do. Ba-reun and O Reum have learned a lot from him. It felt nice to think that he would finally have time to be with his wife and his daughters.

As for our two beloved Associate Judges, we all know they have changed for the better. They are still far from perfect but they are now more open to listening to views different from them. They have taken little steps towards becoming a good and just judge.

Maknae’s Series Verdict

Hammurabi didn’t let me rest even in the finale. The last hour of this series was still filled with attention-seizing scenes. I really felt the higher stakes being played while the trial was ongoing. Although we still lost one of the judges, in the end, I think everything about the ending was fitting to the story.

Every character in this series has been portrayed really well. I have to admit that I doubted the acting ability of Go Ara and (even my beloved) L but they have proved their doubters wrong. I think they are tailor fit to play the overzealous Park Cha O Reum and the cynic Im Ba-reun. I’m so proud of how they showed their improvements in this series. I could also feel Sung Dong-il was so comfortable acting with these two actors. He was, as usual, excellent in his role as the ill-tempered Presiding Judge Han Se-sang. Until the end, it was apparent that he has bonded with both Go Ara and L.

The thing I love the most in this series is the storytelling. If you’ve read my episode reviews, you probably think I’m being repetitive in expressing my love for how every scene was written. But I think it is not enough. The dialogues, the arguments, and the characters’ thoughts were all well written. The writer chose to present uncomfortable realities without being too imposing. He still let us decide. He let us be the judge on issues they tackled.

I’ve learned a lot of things in this series but my biggest take away is the lesson to put oneself in other person’s shoes; to listen to things I disagree with and look at things differently. The series made me questioned my views and challenged me to think with a bigger perspective. Some may find this series a bit pious for their taste but I love it. Miss Hammurabi ended already but the truths it delivered will stay with me for a long time.

Dongsaeng’s Afterthoughts

– That epilogue was so cute!!!

– ‘bowang’ sounds like the Filipino slang word ‘buwang’ which means insane. Fitting for the character who makes us crack up like crazy.

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