I think this show is perfectly paced. I mean, it's not a romcom. Kdramas usually have a 4 act structure, so a 16 episode series has pivotal plot points at the end of episodes 4, 8, and 12. In a romcom, episodes 1-4 are the set up and episode 4 is when we get the first hint that they might think of each other romantically, episodes 5-8 they build romantic tension (and possibly toy with the 2nd male lead) culminating in a kiss in episode 8 (unless it's slow burn, then a fake or accidental kiss probably happened earlier), episodes 9-12 are them figuring out if and how they will be together with episode 12 being them happy together, then episodes 13-16 test their relationship (sometimes with a breakup at the end of episode 14, unless they were a slowburn then there's usually no break up). And episode 16 is our happy ending.
But with Dr Cha, it's not a romcom, but it's still following the traditional Korean 4 act structure. However the end goal is Dr Cha's divorce. Episode 1-4 set up the characters motivations with her revelation at the end of episode 4 being the first hint of suspicion about her husband's affair. Episodes 5-8 built tension around her finding out the affair was real, culminating in her learning that the affair was real at the end of episode 8. Episodes 9-12 were her deciding what to do about it, culminating with her asking for a divorce in episode 12. Episodes 13-16 are meant to test that resolve, with her happy ending being a divorce in episode 16.
Because it's not a romcom, you can tell she's not really thinking about Dr Roy at all. She's thinking about her family and the cost of all her decisions and weighing her own happiness against that. We like Roy, but he mostly seems to be a foil to her husband's character, to show her that not all men are assholes. He may also serve as a necessary confidence boost. But if he's ever going to be a romantic interest, that's something we're only going to see after some kind of time skip at the very end. He may be her epilogue, or he may not. But the point and pacing of this drama has always been about getting Dr Cha her independence.
As such, it's doing a fantastic job staying on point and developing the characters accordingly!
But with Dr Cha, it's not a romcom, but it's still following the traditional Korean 4 act structure. However the end goal is Dr Cha's divorce. Episode 1-4 set up the characters motivations with her revelation at the end of episode 4 being the first hint of suspicion about her husband's affair. Episodes 5-8 built tension around her finding out the affair was real, culminating in her learning that the affair was real at the end of episode 8. Episodes 9-12 were her deciding what to do about it, culminating with her asking for a divorce in episode 12. Episodes 13-16 are meant to test that resolve, with her happy ending being a divorce in episode 16.
Because it's not a romcom, you can tell she's not really thinking about Dr Roy at all. She's thinking about her family and the cost of all her decisions and weighing her own happiness against that. We like Roy, but he mostly seems to be a foil to her husband's character, to show her that not all men are assholes. He may also serve as a necessary confidence boost. But if he's ever going to be a romantic interest, that's something we're only going to see after some kind of time skip at the very end. He may be her epilogue, or he may not. But the point and pacing of this drama has always been about getting Dr Cha her independence.
As such, it's doing a fantastic job staying on point and developing the characters accordingly!