[Interview] 'Juvenile Justice' Writer Kim Min-seok "Inspired by Every Judge I Interviewed"

Completed through court and juvenile detention center coverage
Starting as a competent female judge

Writer Minseok Kim / Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] "Through extensive reporting, I realized that juvenile cases do not occur due to a single cause but are intricately intertwined with social systems, family environments, friendships, and more."

Kim Min-seok, the writer of the Netflix series "Juvenile Justice" (directed by Hong Jong-chan), completed the screenplay after long preparation. He said, "I pondered deeply to incorporate diverse perspectives through extensive reporting."

"Juvenile Justice" has been praised for its careful handling of juvenile offenders and the concept of "chokbeopsonyeon" (criminal minors), which are serious social issues today. "Chokbeopsonyeon" refers to criminal minors aged 10 or older but under 14 who commit offenses but are not subject to full criminal responsibility. With recent occurrences of violent crimes by youth, the series was seen as a timely project.

It took Kim Min-seok four years to prepare the work and meet director Hong Jong-chan. Through various interviews with juvenile detention centers, juvenile classification review officers, type 6 facilities, youth recovery centers, judges and investigators from district and family courts, court staff, facility officials, and lawyers, he completed his debut screenplay.

"At first, I was surprised because the opinions of current workers differed from existing media reports. Those working in the field said that actual juvenile crimes are not as brutal as portrayed. Most crimes occur because the children are poor, suffer from domestic violence, or run away from home. The first challenge was to bridge the gap between existing perceptions and the views of active judges."

The weight of the title "Juvenile Justice" is also significant. The fact that it is "Justice" rather than "Trial" is impressive. When mentioned, Kim Min-seok laughed, saying, "Many people remember the title differently, such as 'Juvenile Trial,' 'Chokbeopsonyeon,' 'Juvenile Crime,' or 'Juvenile Court.'"

He added, "'Justice' in 'Juvenile Justice' is also an abbreviation of Judge Shim Eun-seok's name," explaining, "It was a suggestion from the planning PD at the production company Gil Pictures."

Kim said, "During reporting, I realized there are more female staff and judges working in courts than I expected. The scene where Taeju misunderstands Eun-seok's name is an irony of the name Shim Eun-seok and partly expresses my own prejudices felt during the reporting process. From the start of planning, the series' starting point was a competent female judge."

"I wanted 'Justice' itself to be a character. Shim Eun-seok is a person who is colder and firmer than anyone else but also highly responsible. He does not hesitate to say 'I despise juvenile offenders,' but he is also an adult and judge who wants to understand children the most. He chose the juvenile division not for 'revenge' but to find the answer to 'Why do children commit crimes?' I believe his principle and belief are to never give up on cases he takes on, hoping no more victims like me will be created."

We asked how the four judges with different beliefs were set up and why these four particular beliefs were chosen among many.

Kim Min-seok answered, "I judged that to approach the essential story, it was necessary to exclude emotions as much as possible, maintain balance, and show various aspects. For that, four judges with different values were needed, and the more fiercely they clashed over their values, the closer we could get to the core story."

He continued, "Rather than modeling a specific judge, all juvenile division judges I interviewed served as motifs. Surprisingly, many judges are actively involved in juvenile cases and feel heartbroken."

Writer Minseok Kim / Photo by Netflix

"Juvenile Justice" contains many memorable lines that make viewers reflect deeply. These lines would not have emerged without vivid reporting. Through this, the issue of chokbeopsonyeon resurfaced, prompting all of us to think.

Kim Min-seok said, "The lines had to sound like something the characters in the drama would say, and sometimes I created stories myself. At times, I felt like I was just transcribing what the characters in the script were saying."

His favorite lines are those of Shim Eun-seok and Na Tae-ju. Kim said, "I really like Eun-seok's line 'That's how the law is' and Tae-ju's 'Anyone can criticize juveniles. But giving juveniles a chance? Only judges can do that.' I liked not just the written lines but the actors' tone, expressions, and sincerity."

He also shared his thoughts on the somewhat shocking ending scene. The writer said, "It could be the cruelty of the juvenile, a social system problem, or a family environment issue?there are various possibilities. While there is intention, ultimately, the interpretation is up to the viewers."