Juvenile Justice: Not a show for the faint-hearted

'Juvenile Justice' is a thought-provoking law drama that will put you in the shoes of agents of the law, as well as make you see through the eyes of the criminal. The story follows violent and nonviolent juvenile offender cases in South Korea, and often highlights how the legal system allows young offenders to get away with crime due to their age. 

Several aspects need assessing when deciding whether or not someone gets to walk free after committing a crime, irrespective of their age. The story revolves around Shim Eun-seok (Kim Hye-soo), a newly assigned judge at a local juvenile court. Beside her, Cha Tae-joo (Kim Mu-yeol) also shares the spotlight as one of the supporting characters, playing an influencing and empathetic judge. 

The two characters have opposing natures with similar goals: to do the right thing. The protagonist – Shim is driven by the idea of treating crime like crime. 

The series lays out how people under 13 are forgiven because they are underage – with little to no punishment – even if the crimes they have committed are gruesome and cruel. Because of this, Shim wants to present things as they are, and point out people for their law-breaking tendencies that are clearly capable of destroying another life. 

On the other hand, Judge Cha is compassionate. He believes in rehabilitation and redemption for the young non-violent offenders. He does not completely stand in Shim's way, but prefers a functional solution that will help the young offenders become a better version of themselves. 

 As Shim's caseload increases and she aggressively implements her beliefs, ideas and point-of-view in the courts, people around her start questioning her methods. As a viewer, it will seem harsh to observe Shim's insensitivity towards teenagers who are acting out. Her remarks about young criminals will make it hard to love her as the episodes escalate, even though she espouses valid arguments.  

Nothing justifies violence against another human if done with forethought and premeditation, she argues, even if it involves past trauma, loneliness; or a 14-year-old stabbing a child who is 8, just for the sake of it. 

The series slowly unfolds, balancing twist after twist within each case, evinced by the great work done by the writer, Kim Min-seok. While some plots seem predictable, there were easter eggs that connected other hidden dots we casually missed.

Every time one case in the show unravels, you will get two sets of very convincing arguments that will make you realise the unnerving and conflicting realities of juvenile crime.

The last episodes bring a blast from the past for Shim. It is an easy guess that something terrible must have happened that solidified her determination for prosecuting minors.

'Juvenile Justice' also highlights the known yet ignored part of the law, where many decisions are made based on the chains of power and command. It also points out issues such as mental and physical abuse, PTSD, mental health, upbringing, healthy childhood environment, and a few other less prioritised social matters. 

The show makes you look inside the deep-rooted deficiency of the Korean juvenile justice system. It brings awareness to both sides - the positive impact of correct verdicts, and how wrong judgements can ruin lives on both ends. 

While the first few episodes bring in more content and stories, the ending episodes get slower. 

The series takes no aid from the Kdrama industry's popular 'romance' genre. The show is romance-free and yet so relatable because of the different stories the episodes have managed to bring forward. You will find loyalty and camaraderie between the characters. 

Potential characters were also somewhat wasted such as the characters of Seo Beom and Woo Su-Mi who played the workers of the Yeonhwa District Court. When some people are present throughout a series, one usually expects more from those roles. 

There is brutality within reality generously scattered in the series, leaving no room for the faint-hearted, because of some explicit details of the crimes. Nevertheless, it is a show worth watching. 

Juvenile Justice is available for streaming on Netflix.