Here’s a collection of quotes from the Netflix Original Series, Juvenile Justice (2022):
On crimes, juvenile cases, and justice
“There’s one absolute truth I realized while working at the court. Anyone can be a victim. It’s such a given, but no one realizes it.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Uncovering the truth is important. But if delayed, it isn’t justice.” – Judge Na
- “I think juvenile cases are all about speed.” – Judge Na
- “Is it really for the children? Or is it because juvenile cases are all about speed?” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“Uncovering the truth is important. But if things go wrong, the court could end up creating another victim.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “That’s just how the law is. The law doesn’t protect every victim. The law only makes judgments based on evidence.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Why do you handle cases so hastily? What about those who can’t keep up and are left behind? What about the victims? Who’s responsible for them? That’s not being efficient. It’s being irresponsible.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“Though I hate and despise young offenders, I’ll do my best when I deal with them. Though I hate and despise young offenders, I’ll stay cool when I impose sentences. Though I hate and despise young offenders, I won’t look down on them with prejudice.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“Juvenile crimes aren’t just committed. It’s something they sink into.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “This is why we live by the law. For your own good.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “It’s true that juveniles are influenced by their family and environment. But in the end, it’s themselves who chose to commit a crime out of variety of options. Not everyone resorts to crime because of their predicament.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“Juvenile judges deal with children. Our denial as juvenile judges affects them directly. Even if everyone denies them, we should not. Because we are the last line of defense for those kids.” – Judge Cha
- “Juvenile crimes are being portrayed as violent by the press. Society has no concrete plans. They just keep insisting that we abolish the Juvenile Act. Law isn’t the problem. It’s the system.” – Judge Kang
- “How can you revise a law for adolescents while trampling on them? Do you even know what the students at Moonkwang High are going through right now?” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “When the methods are corrupt, its purpose is also tainted.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“How is someone so young capable of murder? How can a young child cut off another child’s arms and legs? And how is it that he won’t go to prison at all?” – Mrs. Yun
- “I believe the purpose of Juvenile Law is to provide a structure where troubled kids can reform themselves and mature into better citizens.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “I heard that kids under the age of 14 don’t go to prison even for something like murder. Is that true?” – Baek Seongu
- “Cleaning a crime scene requires a high level of concentration and causes them a great amount of stress.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “There are two main reasons why criminals usually hide their underlying intent. One reason is that it’s unfavorable to the criminal, and then the other is oftentimes because there’s another person involved.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“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.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Even though she’s technically still a minor, a child was still murdered. And the boy’s family was absolutely destroyed.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “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.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “We need to show them how harsh the law can be! We have to teach them that when you hurt someone, you have to pay the consequences.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “The law judges everything by facts. Because he is my dad, because he is my son. Those excuses won’t work here.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“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 but it’s never really over. That’s the work we do.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
On social issues and teenage problems
“When juveniles get hurt from home, they start to abuse themselves by committing a crime that they normally wouldn’t, or by associating themselves with the wrong crowd.” – Ms. O
- “For runaway kids, it’s highly likely they’ll run away again.” – Judge Cha
- “My stupid dad always beats up people when he’s drunk. My mom left home because of that.” – Gyeongsu
- “Her mom told her not to hang out with me. I’m the victim. But why am I the one getting ostracized?” – Kang Seona
“If we had good parents, we wouldn’t be living like this.” – Gyeongsu
“There’s no end for rape victims. It doesn’t matter how much time passes. They’re scarred for life. That’s why it’s so cruel for them.” – Staff
- “She wasn’t sick. She lied so she could abandon me.” – Yeongna
- “It could lead to prostitution. Because that’s the only way they can make money. Because that’s the easiest. This is what happens to kids you kick out.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “The truth is they know themselves that they shouldn’t but they do it anyway. Because they hope hurting themselves would also hurt their families as well.” – Ms. O
“They want to be noticed. They want others to know that they’re having a hard time.” – Ms. O
- “Why do you think he did that? He wanted your approval and attention. You compared him to Jeong-u on a whim and looked down on him.” – Kang Wonjung’s wife
- “He risked his life to get your approval. And to get attention from you.” – Kang Wonjung’s wife
- “The police said he was just standing there while the light changed several times. What could have he been thinking? He must have been scared. He must have been lonely.” – Kang Wonjung’s wife
“You must know well that most kids who get sent to us don’t have a good family background. I thought I’d be used to it by now but it’s hard every time.” – Ms. O
- “It doesn’t have to change. No matter what the system is, people will still cheat and it’ll still have side effects. But the court can at least take this chance to set standards.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “This isn’t just a matter of ethics. These children’s futures are being trampled on by the selfishness of adults.” – Staff
“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.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Kids like you never change.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “No one cares about these kids.” – Judge Cha
- “Just because you were a victim of domestic abuse yourself, likewise using violence towards your own family, that is still undeniably a crime.” – Judge Sim Eunseok “
- “She’s a child who suffered from abuse. Children like that never grow up. Time will pass by but they will just remain as an abused child regardless of that.” – Judge Cha
- “Grown-ups don’t know how much it hurts their children.” – Judge Cha
“I realized that being loved is when someone puts a side dish on my rice.” – Do Yugyeong
On life, humanity, and parenting responsibilities
“They say it takes an entire village to raise a child. In other words, a child’s life could be ruined if the entire village neglects the child.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “What’s important in life is a comma, not a period. So you don’t need to be anxious. Anyone can make mistakes. Mistakes do not mean you’ve failed. You can start over again at any time.” – Judge Cha
- “Why is it that your worries make me so uncomfortable?” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“For some people, it may just be a story in the paper. We’ll be just defendants and victims to them. But for us, they’re a husband and a son.” – Kwak Doseok’s mom
- “Everyone is a perpetrator.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “You weren’t swayed by your emotions. You just acted on your conviction.” – Judge Cha
“The start of most misconduct is the family.” – Ms. O
- “To all the legal guardians who are present today, I order you to receive guardian education.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Children do not grow up alone.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Today, the children have been punished, but the legal guardians must feel the weight of their crimes as well.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“You’re not an instructor. You’re a mother.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “If we don’t get emotional about our kids, then when do you think we should?” – Kang Wonjung’s wife
- “Your amazing career. And the assemblyman’s badge that you’ve been after. You pushed him because you thought he’d ruin it for you. You were worried about your own future, not his.” – Kang Wonjung’s wife
- “No matter how cutthroat the competition is, everyone should be equal in front of exam papers.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“Life is not a fairy-tale. No one lives a happily ever after. That I can assure you as a someone who’s lived up to this age. Only difference comes from whether or not one overcome one’s limitations.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “I have nothing but hatred for young offenders.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “When someone is cornered, their true nature always comes out. That’s how we know how vicious humans can be.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “You lost to me then, you’ll lose again.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “So what if we had to sacrifice an arm to finally get the head of the enemy.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“That’s what her parents need to do. They need to make her realize the seriousness of what she’s done.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “Whatever the reason was, they robbed a human of their life.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “They say time is money. I wasted a lot of money today.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “The kids warm up to you, and they feel like opening up to you. But do they really think you’re a good adult?” – Judge Sim Eunseok
- “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.'” – Judge Sim Eunseok
“The meaning of discipline is to give intellectual, moral, and social guidance to someone.” – Judge Sim Eunseok
Genre: Crime, Legal, Drama
Synopsis: A tough judge balances her aversion to minor offenders with firm beliefs on justice and punishment as she tackles complex cases inside a juvenile court.
No of episodes: 10
Starring: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Moo-yeol, Lee Sung-min, and Lee Jung-eun
Written by: Kim Min-seok
Directed by: Hong Jong-chan
Original network: Netflix
Date: February 25, 2022
Subtitle translation: Netflix
KORB 