3
2
A rather solid story until you catch the SLS
Oh, Dr. Stranger! Where do I even begin?
I've certainly felt my fair share of Second Lead Syndrome (SLS) from the male perspective,Start-Up, anyone? but I'd never before experienced the pure, unadulterated agony of SLS from a second female lead point of view. And let me tell you, this drama absolutely served it on a shinny silverware
I was having a grand old time, thoroughly enjoying the ride, and then the spoilers came crashing down. "Don't even bother shipping," they whispered. My heart, already fragile, shattered into a million pieces.
So why did I stick around?
Well, for starters, there's Park Hae Jin's visual feast. Then there's Lee Jong Suk's mesmerizing tapestry of nonchalance mixed with a dose of madness and since this was my first drama of his, I now have his whole filmography waiting in the PWL wings. And who could forget Dr. Moon Hyung's the MVP, with his never-ending comedy sessions? Or Dr. Kim Chi Gyu. He was making out with practically everyone in a skirt, even accidentally "sleeping" with a mannequin at one time Honestly, that man is beyond help. 😂
I was committed, truly. The overall story had a solid foundation. It's just... why?
The Descent into Drama Despair
Okay, scratch that. Around Episode 14, I completely ran out of steam. This is the first time in eight years of drama watching ,I've actually jumped straight to the last episode.Let's just say I've now accepted that SLS is terrifyingly real, and it's a hundred times worse when the female lead isn't exactly the sharpest spoon in the drawer when it comes to acting. Her entire character arc felt like a massive miscast. The second female lead, on the other hand, had such a strong presence, both artistically and in terms of raw talent. Even her character was incredibly well-written!
Jumping to the end felt like running from the rain straight into the sea. It wasn't a bed of roses, because it seemed like the writer had a little too much soju and completely forgot the plot's original point. You could even say they had no idea what to do with the story they'd created. The villain got their just desserts, sure, but the leads seemed to get lost on a bus to Busan.
This drama had such a grand mission, aiming to give you everything you could ever want: history, politics, education, medicine, second chances, revenge, romance, friendship, workplace drama, and a whole lot more...which it absolutely gave us. But then they stumbled when it came to tackling the very problem that makes the DMZ exist. It's a thin line between upsetting the higher-ups and the censor bureau, and that, my friends, is where they completely lost the bet.
If you're in the mood to revisit some old "bangers" and you're feeling brave, by all means, proceed with Dr. Stranger. But consider yourself warned!
I've certainly felt my fair share of Second Lead Syndrome (SLS) from the male perspective,Start-Up, anyone? but I'd never before experienced the pure, unadulterated agony of SLS from a second female lead point of view. And let me tell you, this drama absolutely served it on a shinny silverware
I was having a grand old time, thoroughly enjoying the ride, and then the spoilers came crashing down. "Don't even bother shipping," they whispered. My heart, already fragile, shattered into a million pieces.
So why did I stick around?
Well, for starters, there's Park Hae Jin's visual feast. Then there's Lee Jong Suk's mesmerizing tapestry of nonchalance mixed with a dose of madness and since this was my first drama of his, I now have his whole filmography waiting in the PWL wings. And who could forget Dr. Moon Hyung's the MVP, with his never-ending comedy sessions? Or Dr. Kim Chi Gyu. He was making out with practically everyone in a skirt, even accidentally "sleeping" with a mannequin at one time Honestly, that man is beyond help. 😂
I was committed, truly. The overall story had a solid foundation. It's just... why?
The Descent into Drama Despair
Okay, scratch that. Around Episode 14, I completely ran out of steam. This is the first time in eight years of drama watching ,I've actually jumped straight to the last episode.Let's just say I've now accepted that SLS is terrifyingly real, and it's a hundred times worse when the female lead isn't exactly the sharpest spoon in the drawer when it comes to acting. Her entire character arc felt like a massive miscast. The second female lead, on the other hand, had such a strong presence, both artistically and in terms of raw talent. Even her character was incredibly well-written!
Jumping to the end felt like running from the rain straight into the sea. It wasn't a bed of roses, because it seemed like the writer had a little too much soju and completely forgot the plot's original point. You could even say they had no idea what to do with the story they'd created. The villain got their just desserts, sure, but the leads seemed to get lost on a bus to Busan.
This drama had such a grand mission, aiming to give you everything you could ever want: history, politics, education, medicine, second chances, revenge, romance, friendship, workplace drama, and a whole lot more...which it absolutely gave us. But then they stumbled when it came to tackling the very problem that makes the DMZ exist. It's a thin line between upsetting the higher-ups and the censor bureau, and that, my friends, is where they completely lost the bet.
If you're in the mood to revisit some old "bangers" and you're feeling brave, by all means, proceed with Dr. Stranger. But consider yourself warned!
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