This review may contain spoilers
The show that wanted to be deep, but tripped over its own punchlines
A show about success, failure, and mental illness—except the mental illness part was mostly sidelined for comedy.
Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
The Side Couple That Saved Me
Honestly, Hong Ran and Dae Yeong carried this show. Their dynamic kept me going through a lot of it and I don’t know if I would’ve made it through the show without them.
Mental Illness Done Right (Mostly)
Jeong Woo’s portrayal of PTSD was done really well. It felt authentic, uncomfortable in the right ways, and was portrayed with strong emotional depth. Ha Neul’s depression arc was also meaningful—though I have a few mixed thoughts on how it played out (we’ll get to that below).
The Rivalry That Was Pure Entertainment
Was their academic rivalry necessary for the plot? No. Was it ridiculously petty and fun to watch? Absolutely. Their competitive antics provided a nice little break from the heavier stuff, and honestly, I appreciated those moments more than I expected.
The Bad
An Obnoxious Amount of Drinking
This show was 90% drinking, and honestly? Why?
I won’t get into the drinking-on-meds situation since that’s been thoroughly dragged elsewhere (lol), but beyond that, it was just too much. The drinking rarely added to the story and eventually felt like filler—like they didn’t know what else to do with a scene, so they tossed in a soju bottle and called it a day. It started off funny but quickly veered into “okay, we get it” territory.
Her Depression Arc Could Have Been Way Stronger
I saw a lot of comments praising Ha Neul’s portrayal of depression, but honestly? I kind of disagree.
While they acknowledged her struggle, the show never fully explored the real depth of depression: things like exhaustion, hopelessness, isolation, difficulty even getting out of bed. They leaned so hard into the comedy that the entire theme of mental illness got pushed to the side.
Sure, Ha Neul had moments where she talked about her struggles, but that was pretty much it. She mostly seemed fine throughout the series—and while I get that depression isn’t always visible, this is a drama.
And then there’s the psychiatrist situation. So she gets taken off meds and told she doesn’t need therapy anymore because she “feels better”? That didn’t sit right. Depression doesn’t magically disappear when your circumstances improve or you start dating someone. It comes in waves and doesn’t always align with external “success.” This show made it seem like all you need is a good man and a less toxic job and voilà, you’re cured.
For a show that marketed itself around two doctors leaning on each other through mental health struggles, it didn’t seem all that interested in actually exploring that theme beyond surface level.
They Should Have Stayed Just Friends
As much as the show wanted us to believe they had chemistry, their interactions screamed friend zone more than romance. The writers should have adjusted the story to make them feel like actual romantic leads instead of just throwing them together because, well… lead characters must date, I guess.
Bada Deserved Actual Development
Bada was basically the “useless younger brother” label personified. Why?
He was treated like the sibling who was always lesser, always the disappointment, and always overlooked. Imagine if he and Ha Neul had a real argument about it. Then, a proper reconciliation where they talked through it, shifting his mindset from “I’ll always be behind her” to “I have my own strengths”.
Instead, we got a guilt-ridden monologue about being a burden, and then nothing. Every side character ended up revolving around Ha Neul, as if their only functions were to orbit her, “fix themselves” for her sake, or support her growth.
His Parents Should Have Stayed a Mystery
There’s nothing more obvious than randomly added storylines, and this show had a lot of them, including the barely-there, cold parents reveal. While Jeong Woo’s mom made sense in relation to Kyung Min’s grudge, her distant, emotionally unavailable persona never actually affected Jeong Woo. Like, when he came in second place, his reaction was shock when it should’ve been fear or something tied to his childhood. Instead, they just tossed the emotionally distant parent subplot into the mix without really doing anything with it. (Sigh)
Kyung Min Deserved a Different Ending
His ending? Disappointing. Instead of facing real consequences or reconciling with Jeong Woo, he just… died.
He had moments where he genuinely cared for Jeong Woo—he was there at his graduation, he had their shared history, and yet? The writers didn’t give him the chance to actually make amends before his death. They had no problem adding drunk scenes every episode and dragging them out, yet they were so quick to wrap up the storyline that actually mattered to the plot…?
The Ending Was a Mess
I’ve said this before, but let me say it louder: the ending made no sense. The therapist tells Ha Neul she’s healed, but how? When did we ever see her actually build coping mechanisms or face her depression head-on? All we saw was her vibe better because she got a boyfriend and a new job. What happens when life gets hard again? What happens if they break up? Instead of making it seem like they were each other’s only saving grace, they should have learned real ways to cope together.
Depression doesn’t just vanish when things start looking up—and especially not when your coping method is “have fun with your new man.” The way they handled mental illness felt more like a plot tool for romance rather than something they actually wanted to explore. Don’t centre your plot around two doctors (hello??) dealing with mental health and then make them behave like they know nothing about it.
Why is the woman who reads dissertations for fun not reading a single one on depression? Why are two literal doctors drinking heavily on meds and making wildly irresponsible decisions like they’re in college? It just didn’t line up.
Final Thoughts
I feel like I’ve made my stance pretty clear throughout, but here’s the nice little bow on top. This show was disappointing, to say the least. It started off promising and had me intrigued with its setup, the trauma, the mystery. But it went downhill fast. I originally rated this a 6/10, but honestly? No clue why I was feeling so generous. Maybe I had emotions back then that I just don’t have now.
The biggest issue? This drama wanted to be a comedy so badly that it completely sidelined its serious themes for cheap laughs. Worse, it forgot that its characters were supposed to be doctors. So things that might be a bit more understandable for the average person made zero sense when professionals were making the same bad choices. I guess it was my fault for expecting this to be a drama highlighting the struggles of success and mental illness. But hey, that’s exactly how they marketed it. Lesson learned: next time, I won’t believe the trailer or any overly promising descriptions.
~~~
What were your thoughts on this drama? Did you enjoy it like a lot of people or did you agree with some of the points I mentioned??
This didn’t even include everything 😂😂. But I still hope you got what I meant.
Disclaimer: This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
The Side Couple That Saved Me
Honestly, Hong Ran and Dae Yeong carried this show. Their dynamic kept me going through a lot of it and I don’t know if I would’ve made it through the show without them.
Mental Illness Done Right (Mostly)
Jeong Woo’s portrayal of PTSD was done really well. It felt authentic, uncomfortable in the right ways, and was portrayed with strong emotional depth. Ha Neul’s depression arc was also meaningful—though I have a few mixed thoughts on how it played out (we’ll get to that below).
The Rivalry That Was Pure Entertainment
Was their academic rivalry necessary for the plot? No. Was it ridiculously petty and fun to watch? Absolutely. Their competitive antics provided a nice little break from the heavier stuff, and honestly, I appreciated those moments more than I expected.
The Bad
An Obnoxious Amount of Drinking
This show was 90% drinking, and honestly? Why?
I won’t get into the drinking-on-meds situation since that’s been thoroughly dragged elsewhere (lol), but beyond that, it was just too much. The drinking rarely added to the story and eventually felt like filler—like they didn’t know what else to do with a scene, so they tossed in a soju bottle and called it a day. It started off funny but quickly veered into “okay, we get it” territory.
Her Depression Arc Could Have Been Way Stronger
I saw a lot of comments praising Ha Neul’s portrayal of depression, but honestly? I kind of disagree.
While they acknowledged her struggle, the show never fully explored the real depth of depression: things like exhaustion, hopelessness, isolation, difficulty even getting out of bed. They leaned so hard into the comedy that the entire theme of mental illness got pushed to the side.
Sure, Ha Neul had moments where she talked about her struggles, but that was pretty much it. She mostly seemed fine throughout the series—and while I get that depression isn’t always visible, this is a drama.
And then there’s the psychiatrist situation. So she gets taken off meds and told she doesn’t need therapy anymore because she “feels better”? That didn’t sit right. Depression doesn’t magically disappear when your circumstances improve or you start dating someone. It comes in waves and doesn’t always align with external “success.” This show made it seem like all you need is a good man and a less toxic job and voilà, you’re cured.
For a show that marketed itself around two doctors leaning on each other through mental health struggles, it didn’t seem all that interested in actually exploring that theme beyond surface level.
They Should Have Stayed Just Friends
As much as the show wanted us to believe they had chemistry, their interactions screamed friend zone more than romance. The writers should have adjusted the story to make them feel like actual romantic leads instead of just throwing them together because, well… lead characters must date, I guess.
Bada Deserved Actual Development
Bada was basically the “useless younger brother” label personified. Why?
He was treated like the sibling who was always lesser, always the disappointment, and always overlooked. Imagine if he and Ha Neul had a real argument about it. Then, a proper reconciliation where they talked through it, shifting his mindset from “I’ll always be behind her” to “I have my own strengths”.
Instead, we got a guilt-ridden monologue about being a burden, and then nothing. Every side character ended up revolving around Ha Neul, as if their only functions were to orbit her, “fix themselves” for her sake, or support her growth.
His Parents Should Have Stayed a Mystery
There’s nothing more obvious than randomly added storylines, and this show had a lot of them, including the barely-there, cold parents reveal. While Jeong Woo’s mom made sense in relation to Kyung Min’s grudge, her distant, emotionally unavailable persona never actually affected Jeong Woo. Like, when he came in second place, his reaction was shock when it should’ve been fear or something tied to his childhood. Instead, they just tossed the emotionally distant parent subplot into the mix without really doing anything with it. (Sigh)
Kyung Min Deserved a Different Ending
His ending? Disappointing. Instead of facing real consequences or reconciling with Jeong Woo, he just… died.
He had moments where he genuinely cared for Jeong Woo—he was there at his graduation, he had their shared history, and yet? The writers didn’t give him the chance to actually make amends before his death. They had no problem adding drunk scenes every episode and dragging them out, yet they were so quick to wrap up the storyline that actually mattered to the plot…?
The Ending Was a Mess
I’ve said this before, but let me say it louder: the ending made no sense. The therapist tells Ha Neul she’s healed, but how? When did we ever see her actually build coping mechanisms or face her depression head-on? All we saw was her vibe better because she got a boyfriend and a new job. What happens when life gets hard again? What happens if they break up? Instead of making it seem like they were each other’s only saving grace, they should have learned real ways to cope together.
Depression doesn’t just vanish when things start looking up—and especially not when your coping method is “have fun with your new man.” The way they handled mental illness felt more like a plot tool for romance rather than something they actually wanted to explore. Don’t centre your plot around two doctors (hello??) dealing with mental health and then make them behave like they know nothing about it.
Why is the woman who reads dissertations for fun not reading a single one on depression? Why are two literal doctors drinking heavily on meds and making wildly irresponsible decisions like they’re in college? It just didn’t line up.
Final Thoughts
I feel like I’ve made my stance pretty clear throughout, but here’s the nice little bow on top. This show was disappointing, to say the least. It started off promising and had me intrigued with its setup, the trauma, the mystery. But it went downhill fast. I originally rated this a 6/10, but honestly? No clue why I was feeling so generous. Maybe I had emotions back then that I just don’t have now.
The biggest issue? This drama wanted to be a comedy so badly that it completely sidelined its serious themes for cheap laughs. Worse, it forgot that its characters were supposed to be doctors. So things that might be a bit more understandable for the average person made zero sense when professionals were making the same bad choices. I guess it was my fault for expecting this to be a drama highlighting the struggles of success and mental illness. But hey, that’s exactly how they marketed it. Lesson learned: next time, I won’t believe the trailer or any overly promising descriptions.
~~~
What were your thoughts on this drama? Did you enjoy it like a lot of people or did you agree with some of the points I mentioned??
This didn’t even include everything 😂😂. But I still hope you got what I meant.
Was this review helpful to you?
