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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In a nutshell - lame
After having completed watching all the episodes I've been wondering what on earth I would say is my opinion about this series. The only thing that comes to mind is "oh, goodness". Unfortunately, that is neither particularly eloquent nor descriptive. However, it is what it is. "Oh, goodness" in all the exasperating and disappointing forms of meaning.That I finished watching all the episodes is an accomplishment of sorts. The initial episodes at the prison are intriguing and the storyline is different enough to capture attention. However, as the plot progresses to the hospital setting it is where things become lame, and frequently exasperating.
Let's start with the characters: my "favourite" was the mother and chief of the anaesthesiology department. You couldn't pick a worse character, casting and combination of the two. Cast a young person to play a stiff 50-year-old with fake grey hair, expressionless and stern in a dumb way - and all you get is a big fat fail. The nurse and the prosecutor fail in their own ways as well. The female lead - well, I still can't make up my mind if the issue was the actress, the storyline or the direction because crying at everything and nothing was just lame and frequently cringe-inducing.
The male lead was good, surprisingly so for such a mediocre cast and plot. He carried the show and made going through the episodes bearable. However, the ending was quite a disappointment and in many ways far removed from the reality of how actual humans would react in the same circumstances.
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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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This review may contain spoilers
Surprisingly disappointing. Good story though the logic is super off. Terrible character design.
Story Plot [+]It's a very good story - good plot on the ML's life, quite a few of thought-provoking/impressive/inspiring moments, but the character design on the villain side is the worst. It's a story full of clever people who are intentionally unprofessional and prejudiced.
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Logic of the story [-]
I don't understand why so many people in the story try to say that a person who can't feel physical pain due to an illness isn't approved to be a doctor as well as put all the blames on the person. This logic comes out so forcefully. The series tries super hard to make this claim valid, but it still feels super off.
I don't understand either why people like the prosecutor take the idea of euthanasia of consent, terminally ill patients as something to be so vengeful toward the doctor who is willing to help the patients. It's to the point that he wants to destroy the doctor's life and career as well as put him into jail even though the action of the doctor complies with the patient's desire. This topic of euthanasia is surely a socially debatable topic. But the opposing side in this series takes this issue very personally to the point of personal grudge and vengeance. It's so extreme without a proper root or cause that would help the viewers to understand and empathize with, thus their actions feel very off. It's like this series has devalued this social issue by portraying the opinions from the opposing side as illogical to the point of absurd and psychopathic. This topic that is worth being discussed has become some nonsense, personal issue of the irrational villains.
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Character Design [-]
The first one is the prosecutor who is competent but blindsided and has the habit of rushing to a conclusion. I don't understand his competence at all. These traits of his must prevent him from being clearheaded enough to be able to have an objective analysis on his cases. Not to talk about his vengefulness in destroying an ex-verdict without a proper cause. I don't understand his long-term vengeance towards the ML who has no personal issue with him. He often blames the ML that the ML euthanized his patient to make his own mind feel at ease by not having to see the patient being tortured from the terminal illness, but he also says the ML doesn't have the right to treat patients because ML has an illness that makes him not able to feel pain thus he wouldn't understand patients' pain and just does the scientific experiment on human's bodies due to curiosity via medical treatment. Is this kind of contradictory logic supposed to come from a character who is a competent prosecutor?
The second is the hospital-management-team doctor who openly attacks the ML on all sorts of unreasonable issues no matter how nonsense the issue is to start with. It's like he is clouded by a kind of hatred that doesn't have a cause, either. The ML isn't even a threat to his position. I don't understand his stupidity at all. In reality, all the blames he openly puts on the ML would normally harm himself back as a high-level doctor. It would easily cause people to be skeptical about his qualification in his position that needs objectivity and analytical skills. I don't understand at all how he's in the hospital management team with this kind of intelligence.
The third person is the female villain of the story. She's designed to be an extreme emo. She is a stalker who is vengeful towards a murderer who killed her daughter, but later shifts all the hatred and vengefulness to the ML who put the murderer to death. I understand her upset, but this vengefulness is so offset. I don't understand how it is shifted to the ML and even after the ML was imprisoned for 3 years, she still stalks him and is willing to destroy his career and his life after he was released - all of this because he killed the murderer who had killed her daughter?! I don't understand even more when the prosecutor agrees with this person's perspective (though his son was also killed together with the daughter, his character is positioned to be highly rational.) The prosecutor always believes that he is righteous in what he does, but all his actions contradict what he thinks he is. This female villain and the prosecutor make this series super absurd and drag the overall score of the series down immensely.
With this kind of character design, this story becomes too unreasonable, excessively absurd and overly melodramatic.
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Acting [~]
I would say the acting of the ML carries the whole series. I watch this series till the end only because of him and the struggle in his life with his illness and his profession's experience. The FL's acting is off from time to time. I watched her in Red Sleeve before this one and let me say her acting doesn't improve as the years passed. The second ML's character design contradicts itself at the beginning of the story and that contradiction makes me feel off about him for the whole series. The second FL's acting and expression are not good enough to be a second FL. All other supporting roles' actings are just so-so.
By the way, I don't feel any connection in the FL's family at all. They all work at the same hospital, see one another very often, and always have interactions, but these people who are FL's mother, uncle, aunt and sister don't look like they're related at all -- not related to the FL and not to one another. There's zero family relationship among them even when they're in the same scene talking face-to-face to each other.
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Dr cha is really charismatic and oozes sexiness without trying. he was so much fun to watch. And i cant really think of any other actor that would have fit this role.... his acting was really perfect and he deserves some awards for this.
Se young chased after dr cha first but it wasnt cringey puppy eyed love at all. i really loved her character and cried with her every "tear" of the way (lol).
Her sister was annoying at first but it was understandable why... her character growth was one of the best in the drama.
Their mum the director was quite an interesting character.... she loves her daughters but is very strict with them and doesnt try to over familiarize with them at work. the girls are more comfortable around their dr aunt who is more jovial with them.
Dr Lee is literally a clown.... he made up the comedic part of the show alongside the other two male residents and the nurses in their team. (and i may be tripping but he looks so much like goblin imo)
weird nurse; i had a hard time understanding her transfer of aggression to dr cha..... or her relationship to the prosecutor... were they married or just friends because their kids were victims. As for the prosecutor i m pretty sure stalking dr cha was illegal or something. his redemption was satisfying though.
i could feel all the emotions of all the actors, the stories of the patients really touched me.... especially the CIPA boy. i learnt a couple of medical stuffs lol.
the music was beautiful, even the english pop songs played i the bar were so nice and up to date.
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