A political thriller with amazing acting, always keeps you on your toes!
This drama stayed unpredictable and super fun to watch for all of the 16 episodes, consistently. There are no dull moments, it's a whole package with amazing acting and a solid storyline.The setting of the drama, made me see a new perspective altogether. I have never thought about the medical aspects of a prison and this just opened the door to that. The topic of stay of execution was new to me and its actually very creative how they used this topic and made a whole drama out of it.
The characters especially the 3 men, showcased some top tier acting! It was so fun to see such gray characters being selfish and playing mind games, you could never guess what the character will do next or whose side they'll be on. The show had a lot of strong woman too, very cool, composed and strong. The woman didn't have a very important role though, still whatever role they had they killed it.
The way its shot is also very unique, the whole show has hue undertones making it look dark and grungy, setting the mood for the show.
The soundtracks and the occasional beeping added to the thrill and was a very good addition to the show.
Now onto what I disliked about the drama, the show tried to include comedy for no apparent reason, the show without the unnecessary comedy would have increased my ratings. These scenes just made me cringe more than laugh. I laughed and smirked more in other scenes that weren't considered "light and funny scenes". These scenes ruined the whole mood and could have been easily cut out.
There are some characters that were just there for the heck of it and weren't given the spotlight, these made me wonder why they were doing what they were doing. It would have been better if they were given a story too.
Other than these points I enjoyed the drama and always looked forward to watching the next episode.
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LOVE
a great revenge drama, loveeee it. the prison setting and stay of execution was unique, breathe of fresh air, it makes me curious on how a doctor could take revenge to a high up person. the storyline is very interesting, especially with the characters keep changing side and the smart plan that was came up by the male lead. twist after twist I like a lot. I also like that they include psychological diagnosis too giving some in depth towards the medical part of the drama. As for the acting, it was great, Namkoong Min did a really great job in bringing his character to live. Anyways, love it.Was this review helpful to you?
Story: The writers knew what they were doing. The story was progressing at a good pace, not too slow but also didn't feel rushed either. One of things I don't usually see in a drama, that this drama showed, was the increasing strength of the leads, primarily the male lead. Na Yi Je script was written very well. He's seemed like a strong character in the beginning of the drama but becomes even stronger towards the end. This is a rarity in a drama because usually the leads have some kind of weakness. Na Yi Je may had some weaknesses but it didn't overtake him negatively like it does to other leads in other dramas. It's very suspenseful with lots of twists in the story and characters. A lot of characters, I'm like... "Really? He or she is liked this now?" It's very unpredictable which I enjoy. The only reason the story couldn't be a perfect 10 is because there was some comedy in this dark drama. Although I did like the few comedic scenes, it just didn't fit very well with the dark plot.
Character/Acting: This was perfect to me. From Nam Goong Min's revengeful voice to the villains acting that makes me just want to punch them, every actor & actress did it pretty well. It was convincing and I could just sense the hatred, the vengeance, & the fear each character showed. A lot of character development too which I like to see in a drama. I went from either not caring or disliking a character at the beginning of the drama to rooting for them at the end of the drama.
Music: Just the creepy hospital beep noise and 1 song played for the preview. Not much to say about the osts as it's barely played in this dark drama. This is why the overall rating is lower. Without this, the overall rating would be an 8 or 9.
Rewatch: I usually don't rewatch dramas that have a suspenseful and dark theme to it since I know what happens already but because the good guys have a good amount of power, I may consider it again.
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A Good Revenge Drama.
I just finished this drama and I have to say, the acting was top notch. But one thing I wanted was Dr.Nam to have a major drawback in his plan and for him to start from there , being more determined. I liked his character, but it was like he was a Shin ( God) , and he knew the future and planned according to this. I mean yes, he planned these for 3 years but still, as the future is always uncertain.The actor who played Lee Jae Jun did a great job and also the actor who played Director Seon. I don't remember if i have watched any drama of Kwon Na Ra but she did her character life and the guy who played her brother, I've seen him in Adult Trainy and I wanted him to have more screen time.
The one who made this drama lively was Ms.Oh. She's just ... I like that character so much. Her and the prosecutor's chemistry was great and the moments in last couple episodes were amusing to watch. I wanted the only couple of this drama to have more screen time as well.
I liked how the arrogant Lee Jae Hwan changed after his time in jail. And one more thing I liked was how the right hand man of Lee Jae Jun was so loyal to him, he was with him through thick and thin. Even if he was an employee on his playroll, it's good to have some people like that. The chemistry between most characters were so intense. And I liked the thing that there was no romance between the main leads. It would've made the drama less intense for me. This drama showed how people can change in just a moment and can do anything for themselves.
I'm excited for the 2nd season of this drama. Hope it will be these same actors playi6 the same characters.
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Always have a soft spot for plots where someone who was wronged returns to the scene as a formidable adversary. This one was more unique because while it falls under the vengeance theme, it's quite calming and doesn't have the usual overwhelming woes or anger that is sometimes thrown in your face excessively. The slight overacting actually works really well here because it creates that special layer of humor over the darker theme.
While some viewers might not enjoy how the plot can ping-pong a bit, it actually does make it more realistic. In the real world after all, you don't take down corruption down in one fell swoop and then life is all peachy. People who are corrupted will fight back and fight even harder in their desperation.
There isn't the most intricate weave of plot layering but as mentioned, it's pretty unique (at least from what I've come across) and overall enjoyable. There is almost no romance, didn't feel like skipping through any parts, Namkoong Min was very likeable as the main protagonist, and against all odds, I totally fell for the Kim Jung Nan character.
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Strong Assertions About Chaboel Politics & Ambitions
If any audience think this movie about the medical practices, per se ONLY, you're in the wrong movie. Of course, it's about a genius doctor who's not only strong with his medical knowledge but also his abilities to manipulate the toxic corporate behavior run mostly by patriarchy ideologies. The doctor uses his medical knowledge yo manipulate the various seniorities either to their downfall or guided them towards the humanity aspect of a person in society. His retribution methodologies are akin to surgeons how they dissect and remove cancerous tumours to precision.The series can be tiresome because tautology plots, with suggestive inserts. That could be understood because in SK, this is a drama on national television interspersed with advertisements.
Koreans are infatuated with these dramas, and it's understandable. For foreigners, they might be amused because they only view these dramas as revenge and blackmail. Korean actors, directors, producers, writers, and Korean society are infatuated with these issues, because the Korean corporates, government servants, and system of governance rely precisely on cronyism and corruptions. Not only these issues, but also issues of police corruptions, integrity, and political will to really investigate seniors, elders, and respectable people in positions because of power and influence.
If anyone really thinks lightings are insufficient, musics are loud, jarring, and doesn't sync with situations, well, the purpose aren't mostly to entertain, but more so to educate. Of course, outsiders, not Koreans, won't understand, but I suggest people to read up about Korean society before embarking these sort of serials.
Even though I am not Korean, but I am interested in current affairs, social sciences, law, and geopolitics, all over the world to understand about realism, humanity, and human rights.
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The veracious Art of Revenge
"Doctor Prisoner", the intriguing title itself tells us a little about what we should expect, but this one administers shot by shot of Excitement till the end.One of the best written revenge drama that I've seen. When I'd stumbled upon his title, I wondered how they would drive the series with the 16 long episodes without reducing the essence of revenge and excitement. But never once did I get bored, and actually binged the entire episodes within 2 days.
The plot about a wronged doctor and his fight against those that far outclassed himself, using their own strength and weaknesses, worked really well. The Cinematography, Editing and OSTs were top notch.
The leads, Namkoong Min [Na Ji Yae] and Choi Won Young [Lee Jae Joon] weren't acting, infact they lived as their characters. That's how well they've performed.
Because for a storyline like this, if both the opposing forces aren't balanced enough, it would get uninteresting. But they were like tit -for-tat, an eye for an eye, kind of people. They carried the show basically.
The ex-prison director character [Sun Min Shik] was also handled by a capable actor Kim Byung Chul. I especially liked the character growth of the Lee Jae Hwan [Taegang Group's second son].
Well for a great show like this, it deserves a second season. Guess what! It does have a planned second season, though we could've guessed it with the cliff-hanger they gave us.
Eagerly awaits the second season, like an addict.
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This is a must watch
LIKEHow Yi Je came up with all the illnesses to help his clients - extremely smart
Min Sik and Yi Je how they used their wits against each other
Jae Joon - he is so so good especially when showing his symptoms of his sickness (Choi Won Young one of my fav actors!)
Jung Hee and Ui Shik - this pair I love them
DISLIKE
Nothing to dislike really
MUSIC
Not to my liking
REWATCH VALUE
Five for now
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This review may contain spoilers
Doctor Prisoner set the revenge drama standard for me
Doctor Prisoner is by far one of the best revenge dramas I've watched. Everything and everyone is so suspicious and you just want to continue watching after each episode. I think the actors play their respective roles really well. For example, Kim Byung Chul who plays Director Seon stays in character pretty well... a doctor who's not up to any good with his creepy and sinister smile. Or even, Park Eun Seok who plays Lee Jae-Hwan... a funny, idiotic yet somehow loveable character haha.I don't like to rewatch dramas, but if I feel nostalgic I may. This drama is incredibly fast-paced so it may no be everyone's taste. Regardless, I would recommend it. You don't have to binge, but I'm glad I did.
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This review may contain spoilers
His Resentful Revenge.
Nam Goong Min (Na Yi Je) plays his role beautifully with the sole purpose of revenge. He creates plot twists that leave us confused while also rooting for him to avenge his family.The difference I especially enjoy is that other dramas bring the bad ones to jail as an act of revenge. That's their revenge. While Prisoner Doctor focuses on the aftermath of getting them to prison. It humiliates them in public and private.
This drama is more than revenge.
The protagonist is inhumane in his process of revenge. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty, even as close to killing a prisoner to get his way. I mean, after all, he has nothing to lose.
He wants to take everyone down, even himself.
The drama also showcases how easily reputation and promises influence and persuade people to change sides. Na Yi Je does not have a solid group. His "group" is imperfect. They solely focus on themselves and how it benefits them. As Sun-Min Shik had said, "people need groups to succeed, who do you have in your group" (not the exact quote but somewhere along that line).
The actors and actresses all played their roles well. Especially their facial expressions, you can quickly feel their emotions and feelings. You can see it.
I give it to Lee Jae Joon; he played his role well. The way he slowly broke down and completely lost it was a frightening sight. You could clearly see his emotions and mental breakdown.
Everyone made you hate the character they displayed
I love this drama; now I'm off looking for other similar dramas while hoping it matches Prison Doctor's level.
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That beep beep part when it scenes are getting intense will forever be engraved in my mind. This drama is highly recommended.
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