Jung Kyung-ho has found himself at the center of the manipulated trial controversy. In the January 3rd episode of the tvN weekend drama 'Pro Bono', the pro bono team embarked on a journey to uncover the truth surrounding the allegations of a manipulated trial against Kang Da-wit (played by Jung Kyung-ho). This episode recorded a viewership rating of 6% in the metropolitan area and peaked at 7.3%, achieving first place in the same time slot on cable and general programming channels. Additionally, it ranked first in the target audience of 2049 males and females based on the same criteria.

In this episode, pro bono team member Park Ki-peum (played by So Joo-yeon) fell into great confusion after her meeting with habitual fraudster Yoo Jae-beom (played by Yeon Je-wook). Yoo Jae-beom acknowledged the manipulation of bribery charges against Kang Da-wit, citing Kang's manipulated trial as the reason for his actions. Yoo delivered evidence he had gathered over ten years to Park Ki-peum, enhancing the credibility of the claims made by the judicial victim.

Park Ki-peum convened a pro bono team meeting excluding Kang Da-wit. During the meeting, Park mentioned a major fire incident at a factory run by Yoo Jae-beom's father, Yoo Baek-man (played by Kim Yong-jun). She explained that Kang Da-wit, the presiding judge at the time, held Yoo Baek-man, the representative, accountable instead of the factory manager, who was responsible for safety management, and issued an unusually severe ruling that garnered significant public attention.

Park shared circumstantial evidence and details that raised doubts about Kang Da-wit's manipulated trial. This included the fact that Yoo Baek-man died of health issues during his imprisonment and that there exists a statement from the factory manager, who could not freely testify during the trial due to the direction of the proceedings focusing on the representative's accountability. If this claim is true, it inevitably raises suspicions that Kang Da-wit deliberately intervened in the trial.

The pro bono team wanted to hear Kang Da-wit's side of the story directly, but the situation escalated quickly. Allegations of Kang Da-wit's manipulated trial became more public, and the head of the law firm, Oh Gyu-jang (played by Kim Gap-soo), pressured him to take on Yoo Jae-beom's case as a public defender. Consequently, the pro bono team felt a pressing need to communicate with Kang Da-wit.

Kang Da-wit opened up about his past. He revealed that his mother, who worked at Yoo Baek-man's paper mill, lost her hand in an accident, and although they pursued a compensation lawsuit, the trial was delayed for over a year and ultimately dismissed. Kang stated that this experience was the starting point for his path as a legal professional and that he wanted to be a judge who upheld fairness to prevent further victims like his mother.

However, once Kang Da-wit finished speaking, doubts arose within the pro bono team. Hwang Jun-woo (played by Kang Hyung-seok) questioned whether a recusal decision was necessary for a fair trial, while Park Ki-peum argued that Kang Da-wit's story could be interpreted as a strong motive for his crimes. At that moment, Kang Da-wit smiled meaningfully and said, "You learned well from me, right? Yes, I did it," shocking everyone.

Kang Da-wit then indicated his intention to invoke his right to remain silent, stating, "See you in court," as he left the pro bono team's office. This scene left viewers deeply confused. As curiosity heightened about the truth behind Kang Da-wit's past rulings, the next episode will air on January 4th in the tvN weekend drama 'Pro Bono'.