Not your usual medical drama
This drama became one of my overall fave dramas and my fave medical drama (even though I'm not so fond of the genre) because it treats a lot of ambiguous topics from many angles.What I found most interesting is how I didn't expect it to be deep. The way it invites the viewer to think about things we usually wouldn't bother ourselves about much unless when we're faced with a similar situation like he meaning of pain, death and most importantly the real purpose of a doctor.
One of the main reasons I kept on watching was Ji Sung as I love his acting and how he brings every role he plays to life by conveying so much emotions but got really hooked.
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This drama should be entitled: "Ji Sung runs places."
==Breakdown==Background plot - 60%
Romance - 30%
Misc comedy - 10%
Background plot - Good
Romantic chemistry - Excellent
Misc comedy - Good
Production value - Great
Ji Sung runs in every episode. He runs down corridors and hallways; he runs on rooftops and in parking lots; he runs through a prison and a hospital ward. He ran a lot. I ended up skipping ahead every time he started to run because it was-- no lie-- at least 30 minutes of running over the course of 32 episodes.
THAT BEING SAID, this was quite a good show because the *only* scenes I fast-forwarded were those scenes. Ji Sung is absolutely brilliant as Dr. John. I think he's the best Kdrama actor, period. I will watch anything he's in just because he's in it because I know I'll enjoy his parts (at the very least). Lee Se Young is also always brilliant and her soulful performance was no surprise here. Their romantic chemistry was off the charts and it was a delight watching them together, fall in love. Ji Sung has this ability to stare at his co-star like he's a starving puppy and those scenes always give me the feels. I'm so glad I took the time to watch this one.
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This review may contain spoilers
This one had me mumbling as I was watching it
Very unpopular opinion here, but it's just my opinion -I love Ji Sung - he is such a talented and charismatic actor. I don't know why I kept putting this one off, but now I wish I had continued to keep it on the back burner.
There was a lot to like about the show:
1) Ji Sung
2) Second couple - they were just so cute
3) The entire pain management team was fun to watch. They had the ability to be serious, but there was a lot of levity from them as well.
4) I loved the fact that the hospital politics was low, and we got more focus on the doctors and the cases they handled.
Now the causes for my mumbling:
1) Lee Se Young as Kang Shi Young. I have liked her acting in other works, but she really bothered me here. This character cried in every episode. She was kind of a stalker toward Dr. John and followed him around a lot. For being a resident, she had an awful lot of free time! And the strange haircut...when they first showed her at the conference from the front, I thought she had a bob haircut and it looked really cute. Then she turned around, and it WAS a bob, just with a lot of long hair underneath it. It was so distracting! Add her wide-eyed staring at Dr. John all the time, I didn't like her at all.
2) The romance. It should have been left out. I love me some romance, but the leads had absolutely no chemistry with one another. I think that this is the first time I've watched supposed romantic scenes and been uncomfortable. They acted like they were acting, and I didn't believe that they liked each other at all.
3) Do medical shows have medical advisors? If so, the advisor for Dr. John must have been on vacation when they were filming.
A woman has had her arm amputated and feels pain - she knew nothing about phantom limb pain?!?! They warn amputees about this. She thinks that he has a fever, and she checks his forehead with her hand. She checks his pulse with her thumbs.
Multiple instances of patients writhing in pain with no medical staff close to them and the side rails are down. She's worried that he's gotten this dreaded disease a few hours after contact when she's already told us the incubation period was 10 days.
They stated that the actress had not signed a DNR form, and then were yelling when he was performing CPR. And can we talk about how fake the CPR looked. Get the disease names right - it's lymphedema, not lymphadenia (maybe a translation error, I'll give a little slack on that.) There is no way they would have hired him back at the same hospital after being in prison. Him not being able to feel pain, there is no way he would have been walking around outside barefooted, at night especially.
4) The last few episodes. He leaves for three years without contact. She CONTINUES to try to reach him (have a little pride, woman!). Come to find out, he's been back for a year and following her around, then he shows up in her face and she just forgives him (she's crying of course).
I had high hopes for this, but the writing took a definite turn in the wrong direction somewhere along the line.
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You should watch this one (YES! )
You would recommend this to others. (YES!)
You could watch this again. (UPTO YOU)
There are some stories that impact you and leave an impression on your mind for a very long time. I would rate this drama as one of them. It leaves you thinking about pain and suffering and makes you pause and look around you to observe those who are suffering amongst you. It gives you an insight.
The topic of Euthanasia is tackled logically. There are so many theories expounded. Some we will accept. Some we won’t. The writers have done some good research on the topic. There are some rare form of illnesses which we are exposed to in each episode.
The thread of romance is beautiful and deep. The way the lead characters understand each other is beautifully portrayed. The supporting cast of doctors are very impressive in their roles. The anti-heroes are aptly placed and make you want to shake them up for not understanding. It makes you cry, it makes you laugh, It makes you empathize. The last 5 episodes take you on a roller coaster ride of emotional upheavals. It is definitely one of the finer dramas which you will watch and never regret. It does get a tear or two out of you (actually more than that). It’s worth watching.
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I wanted to leave here a piece of my thoughts of this drama. I have to say that when I started watching it I had very high expectations as Ji Sung was the protagonist. Well when I finished it passed over my expectations, it was so insanely great, the story was well written and the dialogues were very good nothing to complex nor simple.
The acting was SPECTACULARLY AWESOME from Ji Sung's part as always but the other junior actors also did an amazing job, Se Yojng the most noted one from my part, she is evolving in such a great actress that those two together just blowed up my mind. It is my favourite drama from all the hundreds that I have seen and such saying that I watched it 6 times in a row.
I really loved.
Also the music or ost were freaking good it stocked on my mind for days my favourite one is Way Back and Pain and Death.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
I RATED IT A 10 AND REALLY DESERVED.
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Let's talk about pain, death, rare and terminal diseases in a lighter way
This medical drama is intriguing, emotional and sweet.The storyline of the drama is very intriguing because it touched some sensitive topics about deaths and even euthanasia. Also the characters' story is very interesting that you'll find yourself really invested in knowing them more. I also loved that this drama begged to differ from most medical drama that deals with power and position struggle. Instead, they focused on the patient's stories making it truly heartfelt. Although, I admit the plot isn't perfect. There were parts that I felt irrelevant and that wasn't justified but it's minor issue that didn't affect the overall picture that the story is trying to paint.
The cinematography and the way the scenes are executed is really outstanding. I love it whenever the casts are having serious talk that they were being placed in some sort of different dimension to emphasize focus. (My description scks but when you watch it you'll get what I mean)
The casts also made the story more interesting. Everyone has their own attitude and way of portrayal giving variations throughout the series. Also, I can't help but really notice how charismatic JiSung portrayed Dr. YoHan. It was beyond expectations. (I find myself literally gasping for air and also my heart skipped a bit a lot of times because of JiSung. Okay, enough fangirling now.) The female lead, Lee SeYeong is a new face to me but I see that she acted really well. I just felt like her character ShiYeong is too linear that I wasn't able to see more sides to her (I guess I'll try watching her other dramas and see more for myself.) The Pain Management team also had the chemistry together making the story more convincing. The villains have also interesting stories in them and I'm glad that their characters were given depth.
Overall, even though it did not exceeded my expectations, it met most of them and I really had fun watching this medical drama. I also love the OST by the way. I keep singing it in my head. I hope you watch them too and have your pains treated by the Pain Management Department.
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This review may contain spoilers
Definitely my favourite drama of all time ! I started watch this because of Ji Sung, but in the end, all the casting is so talented, they put emotions on every scene, like reality. The alchemy between the two leads, is growing slowly, making the show more realistic by their sentiments. There is something about Ji Sung's acting that is just like dream, he is so professional and totally immersed in his role, it's so wonderful to watch. I only disliked some little error about medicine's basics like putting ALL your hair under a cotton hat for operation. But in the end, I do not mind that because it's a serie. The plot is very interesting and refreshing so I was not annoyed even for a second while watching this, the waiting for update on episode seemed like eternity lol. I highly recommend you to watch this with tissues because you will surely cry. Was this review helpful to you?
Near flawless execution of the age-old Korean drama formula
I was hesitant to watch Doctor John for two main reasons: the medical genre and the actor Ji Sung, but the positive online comments and strong viewership ratings made me reconsider. I am delighted to report that this drama is well-worth a watch. Doctor John tastefully navigates the familiar kdrama plot line and accurately nails each and every emotional delivery, leaving viewers connecting and empathizing just like our main leads.Story:
Although the pace and structure of the story follows the familiar formula, there is just enough flavor and twist to keep viewers engaged throughout the plot. Doctor John also balances this with a healthy dose of foreshadowing while not making the plot boring and obvious. I’m not very familiar with the Screenwriter (Kim Jiwoon), but the director (Jo Soowon) has an impressive resume of tightly directed stories.
This brings me to my first hesitation with Doctor John, the hospital setting. My favorite “medical” drama is Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim, and that drama relies less on medical complications than Doctor John. The cases in Doctor John are more severe and less believable to me, but when I do buy into the story, the cases are surprising charming. On top of this, Doctor John does not lack in connecting the patient cases to the leads’ lives, which is the strength of RDTK. Though it requires some imagination and suspension of disbelief, the medical plot of Doctor John is engaging, contrary to my expectations.
The other major component of the story is the character designs. On the surface, the designs pretty much cover all the different types of characters we expect in kdrama, and that means that viewers can relate to and root for many characters for varying reasons. I think that’s a key of why kdrama is popular with global audiences, so I can’t knock Doctor John for sticking to stereotypical character designs.
Overall, Doctor John encapsulates the things we love about Korean dramas, suspenseful cliffhangers, loveable characters, and awkward product placement (PPL). After Doctor John, I am less hesitant to watch another Korean medical drama.
Acting:
My second major hesitation for not watching this drama is Ji Sung, and that’s because of how poorly I rated him in Kill Me, Heal Me. I cannot agree with the prevailing sentiment on KMHM. However, Ji Sung outperforms my misconception and cleanly executed his role, and I can now confidently use Ji Sung as an example of an actor that meets “Main Role” expectations, especially amidst the crop of rookie actors of the past few years.
I want to clear up a small point about the “Strong Female Lead” tag; the female lead actually cries a lot. She cries because her strength is empathy (react how you will). I just wish that she could convey her “empathy” in more ways than crying. In a similar vein, many of the supporting actors only play their stereotypical characters when I would have liked to see more risk-taking acting. The caveat is that the director has shown a tendency to do this to side characters based on his past works.
Still, I found the acting in Doctor John above expectations and look forward to all the actors’ next works. Specifically, Ji Sung’s performance convinced me to go back and watch Familiar Wife, another drama I put off due to his involvement.
Music:
2019 has been an amazing year for drama OSTs, but the music of Doctor John rates average at best. In some ways, the music is an accurate representation of the drama as a whole. There is a well-planned mix of music that is carefully crafted to fit various scenes. The music always adds and does not detract from what is happening on screen. However, it does not stand out on its own and leaves no lasting impact when the scene ends.
Rewatch Value:
The only drawback to such a well executed drama is that it executed the standard kdrama formula, which is relatively safe. It is as if this drama was conceived from a focus group of veteran drama watchers listing the things that they enjoy, and the result is a mashup of ideas that are all a little too familiar. I’m sure more dramas will continue to attempt the same, and I will continue to watch them, instead of circling back and rewatching Doctor John. I can only imagine how amazing this drama could have been had it executed a more risky and daring concept.
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♡This drama had brought me to a new perspective about doctors, specifically in anesthesiology department and pain department center. It gave me a lot of motivation especially to strive hard and do the best in my study. This drama did not only gave me entertainment, but the most important part is I've learned a lot from this drama. It was also very overwhelming for Dr. Cha and his team whom don't give up easily to their patients and want those patients to live longer. ?? I've also got to learn about how and what a doctor really is. ??⚕️??⚕️??⚕️??⚕️
♡The background song of this drama should also need to be given a huge compliment and praise. I'm really obsessed with this lovely song. ??
♡Ji Sung and Se Young have worked very hard to adapt to their character. Both of them did a great job. I've saw so much chemistry between Dr. Cha Yo Han and Dr. Kang Si Young although they have a huge age gap. They were both amazing and gives off a real vibe. I'm really really fond of them and sincerely wish them winning the Best Couple Awards. ??♀️??♀️??⚕️??⚕️
♡
Love from,
Malaysia ??
♡
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Unfortunately this great start came soon to an abruptly end, the show change environment and explain in a rushed way what happened, at this point you ask your self “now what?”
I stick around to see where the plot line wanted to go but nothing major happened, they start adding sub-plots after sub-plots. There are so many that is hard to get attached to one of them, because the show switch constantly between them. Each sub plot is moving slowly making very little progress, I dropped this half way and I still can’t tell you what the drama is trying to tell us. It’s a romance? It’s a medical? It’s a legal?
The writer try to fit too many elements and this create an unbalanced story where one of the main lead is almost relegated to a supportive role because there is no time for him.
The various sub plots steal tons of screen time, therefore there is no space to develop any of the other character involved in the story, specially the other main lead. Definitely a huge mistake made by the writer.
Another problem is that, as always happens with kdrama, they forced the romance and they use it as a bait to grab the viewers, in fact many viewers are over hyped about it. I watched half drama and there isn’t actually a romance plot-line, there are sweet moments here and there but that’s it. The FL has a crush on the ML and follow him around like a puppy, this is the extension of the romance during this 16 episodes. Besides considering she is a trainee much more younger than him, I find the romance very forced whereas a doctor/trainee relationship where she respect her mentor without falling in love would have be more realistic. The FL is also one of those doctor that feels empathy and for this reason her character came out as one of those kdrama girl who cry a lot.
Nothing to tell about the acting that is superb like always when Ji Sung is involved, but unfortunately the plot is a mess.
Overall this drama has a great concept but it is obvious that the writer didn’t know how to fill the plot and end up adding too much stuff without being able to control it.
Dropped at ep 16 out of 32.
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The story plot was well-written and the music is on point! Though I understand some people doesn't like romance tied into it, but this is a kdrama, what's a kdrama without romance :p I don't mind it but I do hope they will focus more on euthanasia plot line.
This is one of my top favorite drama even though I didn't finish it yet. Cannot wait for the next episode!
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Rewatching it again for the 3rd or 4th time
As someone who loves medical drama, this hands down to be in my top 3 best medical drama I’ve ever watched.No matter how many times I rewatch this drama, I absolutely enjoy every minute of it.
I have no complain about the plot, nor the pace of this drama.
The love story between the 2 main lead is BEAUTIFUL.
I’m a big fan of Ji-Sung and he portrays Cha Yo Han as someone who’s a bit mysterious, crazy, genius and all that really good. How he carry himself portraying his character shows that he is indeed deserved all the love and the support from everyone who enjoys seeing him as an actor.
Lee Se Young, well she’s been acting since she was a child. So, i like her here. Though sometimes I think that she might be a little dramatic at some point, but it’s just my opinion.
No complain whatsoever about the side characters.
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