Bae In Hyuk Just Entered His Villain Era — And It Changes Everything

The Setup: From Romance King to Villain Arc

Okay, so here's the tea. Bae In Hyuk has spent the last few years building this reputation as the guy who does the warm, heartfelt romances. Love Buzz, Kiss Scene in Yeongnam-dong, the whole vibe. He's got that trustworthy visual, that stable acting presence. You know the type fans go crazy for in slower-paced relationship dramas.

But now? He's jumping into Judge Lee Han Young as Kim Sang Jin, and this character is literally the OPPOSITE of what he's known for. We're talking unpredictable, intense, complicated villain energy. This is a major flex for any actor, honestly.

What Is Judge Lee Han Young Even About?

The drama itself is based on a 2018 web novel, so you KNOW the source material has that cult following energy. The premise is wild: a corrupt judge gets sent back in time ten years and gets a second chance to actually do justice right instead of being a puppet for this massive law firm.

It's got that time-travel redemption angle that Korean dramas absolutely eat up. Plus the cast is stacked with Ji Sung, Park Hee Soon, and Won Jin Ah. This isn't some random project.

Why This Matters for Bae In Hyuk

The Range Moment

Here's what gets me excited about this: actors don't level up their careers by staying in the same lane forever. Bae In Hyuk has proven he can carry romantic narratives and make people emotionally invested. But can he do menacing? Can he do morally gray? Can he make you uncomfortable in the best way possible?

This is the type of role that separates the "solid actors" from the "wait, can HE do that?" tier actors.

The Filmography Context

If we're being real, his recent stuff has been building toward this. He did Cheerup, Check In Hanyang, Contract Marriage with Yeol-nyeo Park, even popped up on a cooking variety show. He's been working CONSTANTLY, mixing drama and variety, keeping his name relevant.

But none of that prepared us for a villain arc. That's the jump we weren't expecting.

The Timing Situation

Real quick though, Bae In Hyuk just got cast as the lead in tvN's Universe to You. Like, LEAD role energy. So Judge Lee Han Young as a special appearance villain is interesting strategically. He's not taking a supporting villain role because he's desperate for work. He's doing it because the role probably slaps.

That's an actor who's confident enough to experiment.

What Fans Are Already Saying

The K-drama fan community has been going back and forth on this. Some people are hyped that he's finally diversifying. Others are like "wait, our soft boy is being EVIL?" and honestly both reactions are valid and kind of hilarious.

The fact that this is his FIRST actual villain role after years in the industry? That's newsworthy. That's the kind of career milestone fans keep receipts about.

The Prediction Game

Honestly, the question on everyone's mind is whether he absolutely crushes it or whether this becomes one of those iconic "what was he thinking" moments in K-drama history. But even if it swings either way, the ATTEMPT matters. The willingness to shock people and try something completely different? That's respect-worthy energy.

Judge Lee Han Young drops January 2nd at 9:40 PM on MBC. You should probably watch the first episode at least, just to see if Bae In Hyuk's villain era is as intense as everyone's predicting.

Either way, his agency YY Entertainment is definitely banking on this being a character people won't forget.