Ms. Hammurabi Explained

Alt Name:	Miss Hammurabi
Native Name:	Hangul: 미스 함무라비 Rr: Miseu Hammurabi
Genre:	Legal drama
Director:	Kwak Jung-hwan
Composer:	Choi Chul-ho
Country:	South Korea
Language:	Korean
Num Episodes:	16
Company:	Studio&NEW^[1]
Network:	JTBC

Ms. Hammurabi^[2] is a 2018 South Korean television series written by Moon Yoo-seok, the chief judge of Seoul Eastern District Court, and starring Go Ara, Kim Myung-soo, and Sung Dong-il.^{[3] [4]} It is based on the screenwriter's own novel of the same name, which was first serialized in 2015 on The Hankyoreh and was later published in paperback form in 2016 by Munhakdongne Publishing Group.^{[5] [6]} It aired on JTBC from May 21 to July 16, 2018, every Monday and Tuesday at 23:00 (KST) for 16 episodes.^[7]

The series was well received by viewers for its fresh perspective on judges, as well as its honest depiction of adversities in modern-day Korean society.^{[8] [9]}

Synopsis

The series tells the story of the life of judges and the various disputes that they have to settle.

Cast

Main

• Go Ara as Park Cha Oh-reum, a passionate and idealistic rookie judge who stays by her beliefs and stands for justice.
• Kim Myung-soo as Lim Ba-reun, an elite judge who prioritizes principles and sticks to the rules.
• Sung Dong-il as Han Se-sang, a down-to-earth chief judge with years of experience and knowledge who understands the harsh realities of life.
• Ryu Deok-hwan as Jung Bo-wang, an elite judge from Department 43, beside Department 44, who knows almost everything about everyone.
• Lee Elijah as Lee Do-yeon, a stenographer for Department 44 who has a secret nighttime job.

Supporting

• Lee Tae-sung as Min Yong-joon^[10]
• Lee Jae-woo as Judge Cheon Seong-hoon
• Ahn Nae-sang as Chief presiding judge
• Cha Soon-bae as Sung Gong-choong
• Lee Won-jong as Bae Gong-dae
• Kim Hong-fa as Chief Judge
• Lee Cheol-min as Maeng Sa-sung
• Yum Ji-young as Yoon Ji-young
• Lee Yea-eun as Lee Dan-di
• Kim Bo-yoon as Han Seo-yeon
• Kim Ji-sung as Kim Da-in
• Kim Hyun as Park Cha-oh Reum's aunt
• Kim Young-ok as Oh-reum's grandmother
• Park Sun-cheon as Lim Ba-reum's mother
• Ko In-beom as Lim Ba-reum's father
• Cha Soo-yeon as Hong Eun-ji
• Lee Kan-hee as Park Cha Oh-reum's mother
• Hong Hee-woon as Lawyer Go Jin-tae
• Kim Wook as Lee Ga-on
• Son Ji-yoon as Lee Myung-soo's wife

Production

• Ms. Hammurabi was planned to be 100% pre-produced.^[11]
• This series reunites Sung Dong-il and Go Ara who previously worked together in Reply 1994 (2013) and (2016).
• The first script reading of the cast was held on January 16, 2018.^[12]

Original soundtrack

Ms.Hammurabi OST
Type:	Soundtrack
Artist:	Various artists
Recorded:	2018
Genre:	Soundtrack
Label:	Music & New Studio & New

Part 5

Viewership

+ Average TV viewership ratings
	Original broadcast date	Average audience share
		Nielsen Korea^[13]		TNmS^[14]
		Nationwide		Nationwide
1	May 21, 2018	3.739%	4.179%	3.7%
2	May 22, 2018	4.553%	5.201%	4.8%
3	May 28, 2018	5.045%	5.487%	4.9%
4	May 29, 2018	4.924%	5.147%	4.1%
5	June 4, 2018	4.735%	5.049%	4.8%
6	June 5, 2018	5.083%	5.612%	5.2%
7	June 12, 2018	4.475%	4.726%	4.4%
8	June 18, 2018	4.523%	4.660%	4.7%
9	June 19, 2018	4.495%	5.053%	4.6%
10	June 25, 2018	3.838%	4.262%	4.0%
11	June 26, 2018	3.867%	3.946%	4.1%
12	July 2, 2018	3.763%	3.825%	3.9%
13	July 3, 2018
14	July 9, 2018	4.121%	4.494%	4.2%
15	July 10, 2018	4.490%	5.354%	4.5%
16	July 16, 2018
Average
In the table above, the represent the lowest ratings and the represent the highest ratings. This series aired on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS). Episode 7 did not air as originally planned on June 11, 2018, due to news coverage of U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's summit in Singapore. The episode aired the following day.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipient	Result	Ref.
2018	6th APAN Star Awards	Excellence Award, Actress in a Miniseries	Go Ara		^[15]
		Best New Actor	Kim Myung-soo

Notes and References

1. News: Na. Won-jeong. Film studios see TV as the future: As movie sales slow, creators have big ideas for the small screen. Korea JoongAng Daily. JoongAng Ilbo. January 22, 2018. October 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028151723/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid%3D3043511. live.
2. Web site: Ms. Hammurabi. JTBC Worldwide. JTBC Content Hub. June 14, 2018. June 14, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180614171435/http://www.jtbcworldwide.com/script/detail?pgmMstSeq=352. live.
3. News: Hong. You-kyoung. JTBC to air legal drama written by a judge. Korea JoongAng Daily. JoongAng Ilbo. January 22, 2018. October 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028154141/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid%3D3043322. live.
4. News: Kim. Seul-ji. http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=057&aid=0001215323. ko:'미스 함무라비' 고아라·엘 캐스팅 확정…新법정물 탄생 예고(공식). Naver. Maeil Broadcasting Network. January 22, 2018. ko. April 20, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190420060611/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=057&aid=0001215323. live.
5. Web site: Moon. Yoo-seok. 문유석 판사의 미스 함무라비 (Judge Moon Yoo-seok's Miss Hammurabi). The Hankyoreh Serials. The Hankyoreh. February 9, 2018. ko. March 8, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210308214905/http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/SERIES/702/home01.html. live.
6. Web site: http://www.munhak.com/books/book_view.asp?page=1&SearchType=0&SearchText=%EB%AF%B8%EC%8A%A4+%ED%95%A8%EB%AC%B4%EB%9D%BC%EB%B9%84&pidx=1&bookidx=10938. ko:미스 함무라비. Munhakdongne Publishing Group. February 9, 2018. ko. February 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180210062043/http://www.munhak.com/books/book_view.asp?page=1&SearchType=0&SearchText=%EB%AF%B8%EC%8A%A4+%ED%95%A8%EB%AC%B4%EB%9D%BC%EB%B9%84&pidx=1&bookidx=10938. dead.
7. Web site: Miss Hammurabi' to search for warmhearted justice. May 21, 2018. Kpop Herald. May 21, 2018. May 21, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180521191646/http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201805211708149051052_2. live.
8. Web site: Real-life judge behind 'Miss Hammurabi'. June 18, 2018. Kpop Herald. June 18, 2018. December 1, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221201101930/https://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201806181742512405787_2. live.
9. Web site: Go Ara shares feelings on 'Ms. Hammurabi'. July 17, 2018. Kpop Herald. July 17, 2018. February 23, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230223045759/https://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201807171714001678077_2. live.
10. News: Lee Tae-sung to Star in JTBC's "Miss Hammurabi". HanCinema. Nate. January 22, 2018. May 23, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220523222511/https://www.hancinema.net/lee-tae-sung-to-star-in-jtbc-s-miss-hammurabi-114526.html. live.
11. News: Park. Gwi-im. 고아라X엘, JTBC '미스 함무라비' 주인공 확정…5월 편성 [공식]]. Naver. TV Report. January 22, 2018. ko. January 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180122125317/http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=213&aid=0001012093. live.
12. News: Hyun. Ji-min. '미스 함무라비' 고아라X김명수X성동일, 대본 리딩부터 터졌다. Naver. Tenasia. February 12, 2018. ko. February 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180212201748/http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=312&aid=0000311805. live.
13. Web site: Nielsen Korea. AGB Nielsen Media Research. March 22, 2018. ko. https://web.archive.org/web/20160601140426/http://www.nielsenkorea.co.kr/tv_terrestrial_day.asp?menu=Tit_1&sub_menu=3_1&area=00. June 1, 2016. dead.
14. Web site: TNMS 홈페이지에 오신 것을 환영합니다.. TNmS. January 22, 2018. ko. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160411000428/http://www.tnms.tv/rating/default.asp?menu=Cable_Daily. April 11, 2016.
15. Web site: 이병헌·손예진·아이유 APAN스타어워즈 노미네이트. September 27, 2018. Star News. ko. September 27, 2018. April 4, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190404195917/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=108&aid=0002730227. live.