Doctor Slump (2024)

it wasn’t bad it just wasn’t amazing

The quality and story was too nice to give it a 7.5 but multiple things just didn’t hit. I wouldn’t say it was boring like some people are saying it’s just not super climatic.
Mental health issues were displayed so badly on this drama. I forgot the FL had depression basically the whole show and it was a big part of the plot. It felt like it was more focused on taking a break from a stressful life rather than going through life with depression. This drama barely held any weight or emotion
I feel like the series concluded around the 11-12 episode mark which is where I think they should’ve left it. I had no desire to continue any further and I still don’t.

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Great Heartwarming and Healing Rom-Com

The premise of this show is annoyingly relates to me: someone who has been pressured all their live to achieve all of the expectations set by others. Then when they fail, everyone just run and leave them without any shoulder to lean. After we fail we may become hesitant: "if I choose this next, will I become happy?" But life is all about choices. We are bound to go through sadness and happiness. If you can't take it no more, just quit, does not matter what other people think. Thanks to this show to again raising mental health awareness. The story is not just good, but also heartwarming and healing-some. It shows that even you are a successful person, doesn't always mean that you will be happy. We should know that the "perfect life" that we picture in other people may not be really perfect, or we maybe will not fit in that kind of life! Yes there is a lot of misunderstandings in the relationship, but thanks to the writer that the characters always trying to resolve everything rather than putting everything into more convoluted tensions. The sudden breakup is not neccessary, but I think this can be forgiven since the both are not in a good mental state. Comedies seem to be in the right place. I also really like the narrative style. It somewhat shows that everyone has overcome their pains already.

Park Shin-Hye again does an excellent job. However, I really feel bad to the character of Jeong-Woo. His personality is too childish to his age, and he mostly overreacts at everything. Annoyingly, his appearance also looks somewhat much younger than other lead characters, even though they are all should be nearly in the same age. He looks as young as Ba-Da. On the other hand, Nam Ba-Da character is a bit cringe. At first I thought he just jealous with his more successful sister's job, but he is a total asshole. He is heartless and keeps trash talking even when he knows that everyone around him is hurting and in a depression. I always thought that the background for killing someone as "I want them to feel the same pain" is a dumb reason. Especially in this show when Kyu-Min is a doctor with such knowledge, power and money, it will be more reasonable for him to try killing Jeong-Woo in more vicious ways. Even "making him feel worse pain than me" will seems better and more reasonable.

This show most likely has already prepared to end at 12. The premises after their reconciliation are most likely a filler. The pace is slow and the level of importance does not similar with first half of the show. The second lead couple does not get a fair treatment. They get less screentime during the first half, and suddenly increase just when the writer needs some fillers. It neither bad nor destroying though, but it is quite noticable that they intent to add something to fulfill the episode number requirements. They should instead write about Ha-Neul backstory. She was a cheerful person prior to her father's death, but the writer never shows the turning point or why she chose to live an ambitious-autonomous studying life. I was going to mad when they want to send Ha-Neul abroad in the last episode but thankfully it is a twist.

To me, this is a good healing rom-com. I don't really understand why people rarely mention this show when it comes to best K-Dramas of 2024, it's better than some of the shows that they usually mention! You will learn a lot through this show, especially about giving your shoulder to someone struggling and most importantly, FIGHTING!!

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A captivating drama with resilience and hope.

I started watching this drama hoping to break out of a slump I was going through. While it was interesting, it didn’t fully meet my expectations. Having already seen many of Park Hyung-sik’s works and Park Shin-hye in The Heirs, I was drawn to this show. The story starts off well, with humor and engaging moments, but takes a strange turn around the 8th episode, which made it drag for me. I even debated whether to continue or drop it and ended up putting it on hold for three days. It was a YouTube reel from an upcoming episode that convinced me to keep going, and thankfully, things picked up significantly from episode 12 onward.

The portrayal of the doctors' struggles was, ironically, a bit of a slump to watch. However, the initial episodes were enjoyable, especially with the school rivalry and relatable workplace dynamics through Ha Neul’s character. Up to episode 7, the storyline felt solid with its focus on the leads’ careers, school flashbacks, and the family dynamic of the female lead. Ha Neul’s mom, portrayed with exceptional skill, was a standout. Her reaction to her daughter’s resignation was realistic and relatable, echoing a situation from Eomma Chingu Adil, where Bae Seok Ryu’s mother reacts similarly when her daughter leaves a prestigious job to follow her passion. The way Ha Neul’s mom evolved after understanding her daughter’s struggles was beautifully done. Her character captured the essence of a mother’s unconditional love and concern, especially during moments when she could do little but offer support in her own way—like googling ways to help her daughter recover after an accident. This scene perfectly encapsulated a mother’s innocent and sincere love.

Ha Neul’s brother added a refreshing touch to the show. His humorous presence and subtle character development, especially after his sister’s accident, were commendable. His growth and commitment to supporting her were heartwarming.

As for the leads, their relationship had a certain disconnect that’s hard to pinpoint. Their chemistry was fine but occasionally became frustrating, which thankfully improved by the end. The growth of their relationship from episode 7 or 8 to episode 16 showed significant progress, becoming healthier and more supportive.

The drama addresses workplace issues such as stress and bullying quite well, though I wish Ha Neul’s depression had been resolved sooner. The male lead’s career storyline introduced a crime-thriller aspect, which extended over much of the show but was executed effectively.

Overall, it’s a good drama that may have moments where you feel the urge to fast-forward, especially during scenes that overly emphasize mental health discussions. Despite this, it’s a story with charming leads from contrasting backgrounds who face career challenges and personal lows, only to find hope and resilience. It teaches that endings can be new beginnings and reminds us that life’s toughest moments are temporary.

I'd like to end this review with this meaningful quote I read somewhere : “One year from now, this won’t even matter.” No matter what you’re facing, remember that this too shall pass. This drama is a comforting watch, especially if you’re going through a tough patch.

Hwaiting!!

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A serious drama turns light and fluffy in a blink

To be honest, this show does tick a lot of boxes if you are looking for a sweet rom com/healing drama. It also have a nice looking OTP that can work magic when the condition is right. However, this is also where things can get a little awkward.

Let's backtrack a bit. Both leads have suffer major setbacks in their career and their lives are spiralling ever downwards. It is into this maelstrom that they rediscovered each other and supported each other through thick and thin. Once a bit of historical misunderstanding is cleared up, they realised that they are each other's first love in high school. Yes, very tropey.

Nevertheless, these are solid foundations so let's roll with it. I do appreciate that the show put some mental conditions front and centre. Bullying, overwork and PTSD are just some of the challenges our leads have to face. They are serious conditions but the show doesn't do a deep dive into them. It is a little light on diagnosis and treatment. Cough, the self assessment questionnaire is ... interesting. I suppose we should be thankful that at least those conditions are acknowledged rather than just sweep under the carpet.

This light touch extends to the main plot as well. While the initial set up and execution was very impactful, once the major hurdle has been cleared, the plot took the easy way out. The main plot literally died. What is left is your standard rom com trope.

There is nothing wrong with a good rom com. The problem here is the interaction between the leads. On paper, they are well matched and look lovely together. While the FL has a mature/straight-laced demeanor, the ML is prone to exaggeration once he is in love. He goes full aegyo to get her attention. It is cute and sweet but it can feel like a noona romance at times. This is awkward because they are the same age and both are doctors.

How much you'll enjoy this show will depend on how well you can handle sugar hits. It gets sweeter and sweeter as the show progress until it is pretty much sugar overload by the end of the show.

Acting is fine from the ensemble. There is a fair amount of overacting from the support cast. There are heartfelt and emotional scenes which showcase our leads' talent.

The series ran through a number of serious societal issues but none of them are given in-depth treatments. It is better than nothing but you can sense that nothing is going to get in the way of a HEA ending. Once you get past the confronting plot, it is angst lite and sweet but it can also give you a toothache.

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Yay!, OK, Meh, and Boo

My theory, based on doctors I have known: medical students spend so much time in school and internships that they miss normal adult social interactions, and consequently suffer from arrested emotional development. I submit "Doctor Slump" as a case study. The maturity of the main characters wasn't what one would expect of people their age.

This series suffers from trying to be too many things: drama, romance, and comedy; the first two worked well, if inconsistently, but the third came off as juvenile and misplaced. Whether the attempted comedy was a script choice or a directing choice, it was so off pitch and over-acted that it made me want to throw things at my TV, and is primarily why I didn't rate the show higher.

A couple of things I found baffling:
1) Ha Neul's wardrobe seemed chosen to have her fade into the wallpaper - neutral on neutral. For a while I thought it was a visual reflection of the character and would perk up as her personality evolved, but nope, stayed boring and unflattering throughout.
2) How did these characters last 16 episodes without dying of cirrhosis? I'm honestly worried about the health of the script writer if she thinks this level of consumption is normal or healthy.

On the pro side: based on my personal experience, the script's treatment of depression, its manifestations, effects, and recovery hit all the right notes, particularly in presenting Ha Neul's unresolved anger from the violence and mistreatment at work as manifesting as helplessness, defeat, and demoralization. The development of her character and behavioral responses during treatment was also realistic and well handled. The development and clarity of Yeo Jeong Woo's character was a little more murky to me, but I did like that solving his business problem didn't magically solve his personal problems.

In contrast to other viewers, I thought the story was sluggish in the beginning but really picked up in the last eight episodes. The plot lines and character arcs set up in the first half of the series began playing out and resolving and that was a lot more satisfying for me than the build up. I also liked that we finally got to see a more holistic picture of Nam Ha Neul after eight episodes of more than I ever wanted to know about Yeo Jeong Woo.

I loved the gradual reveal of the family dynamics and IMO the characters were perfectly cast. Park Shin Hye is compelling in everything she does, Jang Hye Jin was the perfect Mom for this story, Yoon Sang Hyeon really grew on me as the series progressed, and I want Hyun Bong Sik's Tae Seon as my real life uncle and Kong Seong Ha's Lee Hong Ran as my real life best friend.

I won't rewatch it, but I mostly enjoyed it the first time around.

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Enjoyable

Park Shin-Hye's return to the screen in this captivating Kdrama is nothing short of a triumphant comeback. Paired alongside the esteemed Park Hyun-sik, the chemistry between the two actors is palpable, adding depth and authenticity to the storyline. With just two episodes in, it's evident that this series has the potential to etch its name in the annals of Kdrama history as one of the finest. For those on the fence about giving it a chance, fear not; the magnetic performances and engrossing plot make it a must-watch. So, without further hesitation, dive into this mesmerizing tale and witness the magic unfold!

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A warm hug. My comfort couple.

where to start? I have been watching kdramas for a long long time. so, now, the people who just started watching kdramas during pandemic don’t come at me. I have watched these two from the heirs, I watched them grow, oh it was lovely. Fans like me knew what these two used to be. PHS? he was always like this. charming, funny. Though I wasn’t his huge fan, I watched his dramas. He was this cute since he was in ZE:A band. He is sweet to his all leading ladies. Lots of people complained that he lost weight, he looked better when he gained weight. it’s annoying yk. I mean can’t we let them do whatever they want? I am used to seeing him like how he is now, slim. but I liked him when he gained some weight too. Since he joined the industry, he has been always like this. now let’s talk about PSH? Hands down. She is a queen. she was the first one who made me love kdramas. She was cute in he is beautiful and then the heirs, she made me fall in love with LMH. It’s funny these actors get hates these days. Seriously kids these days don’t know them properly. Literally these people took kdramas to the international level. -,- anyways back to the drama, I won’t say that it has the best plot. but the dialogues? you will love it. it calms your heart. few years back, even when the story wasn’t good, the actors’ acting was something that hooked the audiences like me. this one is literally like that to me. even if they just bicker and do nothing, it will excite me. this is how Rom-com used to be in kdramas. If you are not looking for something too serious, I swear you will love it. life doesn’t go as planned. it gets messed up when you least expected it to. this drama isn’t perfect and that’s what it makes it perfect to me. you will notice little details such as I watched today that Ha neul has her charger charging her phone while talking to Jeong Woo. I immediately got flashbacks of those days. I mean, we shouldn’t do it but we still do it, right? It’s so relatable and so funny at the same time. And I said this before too that if this drama has anything that’s top notch it’s their chemistry. I seriously never thought that Myungsoo (PHS’s character in the heirs) and she will be in romcom and they will have so much chemistry that will made giggle like a mad. Anyways, I have been here for a while, I mean in Mdl. It’s really sad to see people hating others for no reasons. My humble request is that, if you can’t say something good, don’t say something bad either. Your opinion matters, of course give opinions but stop with the unnecessary hate.

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A Healing Journey

I loved the main point that this drama sends to its viewers...

It’s okay to fall down, it’s okay to take time and heal, it’s okay not to be okay, but it’s also important to know when it’s time to start again and to accept that starting again means starting slow and starting from within.

The romance was a great added bonus to the storyline, especially because the leads have great chemistry. But even without the added romance, they were able to portray and send the message properly- it was still a win.

I would say that everything about this drama was well executed. The support system of fmc is just top notch. I think that the mother and uncles role in this drama should also be given a proper salute. The way they tried is enough to help a person. It’s enough to let the fmc know she’s not alone and she has her family to help her through.

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Good beginning but then...

I wonder if there had been another female protagonist if the series would have been different and better.
I don't particularly like the actress Park Shin Hye because in every series I've seen (for example The Heirs or Memories of Alhambra), in which she stars, she weighs down the story. Monothematic in her sadness, with this idiotic look with his mouth ajar, in the long run she makes me nervous.
On the other hand, I liked Park Hyung Sik. Always elegant and gentleman, I especially like to remember the scene in which he looks in the mirror.
While the scenes in which they pretend to be drunk I found them not very credible.
But I was a super fan of the couple of their friends. So cute.

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Doctor Slump is giving me many butterflies while watching it

It's a very normal story about two people who share pain and disappointment about their life and the unexpected path it took.

After long years of hard work to be a doctor Ha Neul (Park Shin Hye) requit her job after knowing that she is depressed to take a break to think and take care of herself. In the other hand we have Yeo Jeong Woo (Park Hyung Sik) who is a very popular Plastic surgeon, but loses everything after a terrible surgery. So he moves on the roof in the house of Neul.
Then we got to know that were classmates in the high school, not a normal classmates but a very competitive ones, so we got to see many and many funny moments between them and also flashbacks when they were just students and believe me they competit about everything like : "let's find out who has the worst life !?" Hehe .

And i loved how they support each other when they're at their worst, and how she believed he was innocent from the first moment.
i loved the chemistry between Shin Hye & Hyung Sik ( something i wanted to watch since the Heirs).
And how warm and cozy is the dialogue in the drama! I cried in many scenes with them ㅠㅠ
I loved many supporting characters too like Nam Ba Da ( God, the sister brother interactions are so natural and funny),
And i liked Dae Young ( a true friend trusts in you even when everyone claims you are guilty).
I never wrote a review before watching the whole drama BUT this one is special!!! Can't wait to see more :)

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