1
2
3GGG
Mexico
A good show that unfortunately felt drawn out...
PLOT: Interesting, but lost steam towards the latter half
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I'm writing this knowing that I'm playing the role of devil's advocate with a less glowing review than other users, but which I hope offers a different perspective to help you make a decision on whether to give this show a chance.
First of all, I want to applaud the intention of the story. With mental illness losing some of its stigmas worldwide, it's great to see dramas including said conditions as the focus of their stories, rather than just part of them. Having said that, the episodic style of the narrative (a condition/illness being dealt with in a per-episode basis) was off-putting for me. The reason why I'm not a fan of these types of "monster/case of the week" type of shows is that they can turn quite preachy and, as a result, lose the organic feeling of a story that evolves and develops with each episode.
So rather than discovering alongside the characters all the different layers and facets of the FL's condition, we get short lessons on different types of mental conditions and addictions. And because you only get one episode per condition, there's a lot of exposition done through dialogue and fewer discoveries done through scene development. As a result, things feel quite controlled and are easily and cleanly wrapped up at the expense of heart or creating something to be emotionally invested in.
The other consequence this had was the dilution of the Female Lead's arc. This means that important aspects of her arc which the narrative built up at the beginning got forgotten midway through the drama and then dealt with in a very anti-climactic way. Even her prognosis lacked impact since her story got wrapped up so neatly. In that regard, I would've traded some episodes dedicated to minor characters and cases, in favor of getting more development for the Female Lead's condition and how that affected those close to her (especially her best friend).
For this reason, the story was the weakest part of the drama for me which made me dropped the rating to a 7. To be honest, I got a little bored towards the end. This might've been stronger had they kept it at 12 episodes rather than stretch it into 16.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Simple but Likeable
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Han Woo Joo [FL played by Jung So Min] is a rising star who loses everything in the wink of an eye and must start over while learning to lover and value herself more. I've got to handed it Jung So Min, she managed to portray a very complex character excellently. She went from laughing to crying in a single scene, so smoothly, that I forgot she was acting at all! Having said that, I wished Han Woo Joo had a better heart-to-heart conversation with her best friend, as their conflict was dealt with very off-handedly. I also wished her arc had been given more time to develop and that the resolution of her conflict had been "messier" in order for it to feel more realistic.
Doctor Lee Shi Joon [ ML played by Shin Ha Kyun] is an eccentric psychiatric who's trying to get over his own trauma while using unorthodox tactics to help his patients. Dr. Joon gets introduced as a round-go-lucky guy with a hidden tragedy looming just below the surface, peeking out every now and then. For the most part, I liked his character and found Shin Ha Kyun's portrayal very charismatic. However, there were certain things regarding his story (like his trauma with his ex) which I wish had been given more weight and time to explore. As it stands, the whole thing felt a bit convenient and then quite irrelevant, as it didn't deter him from pursuing Han Woo Joo quite early in the show.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Colorful but Irrelevant
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Although I liked the support characters, there were way too many to properly develop and thus they ended up becoming cluttery. Don't get me wrong, there was an attempt to develop them and dedicate some air-time, but by splitting that time between so many, we ended up with filler scenes that didn't add anything relevant to the main plot. I wished there had been fewer characters and better developed.
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Healthy & Nurturing, but Disbalanced
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K-dramas seem to love the scenario of the FL falling on hard times and having this result in the meeting of our leads. In so doing, the ML gets introduced at the peak of his power (success, financial stability, fame) while the FL is at her weakest (financial insecurity, shame, uncertainty). This scenario thus introduces a disbalance of power which is hard to get rid of. And because the ML starts off as the FL's doctor, that disbalance plays a major role in the early development of their relationship.
Fortunately, the FL ends up breaking off her role of patient and, in so doing, manages to even the odds a little bit. However, I would be lying if I said it wasn't disappointing that we didn't see her climb back up towards stardom. I would've loved to see her cling to her dream and recover some of what she'd lost. Of course, you could argue that some of that is hinted by the end, but I would've preferred to see it's development. I think it would've given a great message of hope (that she can achieve and maintain her dreams) despite suffering and/or dealing with a mental illness.
OVERALL: Recommended as a one-time watch
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Despite my rating and my inclination to write about some of the show's flaws, I still think it's a good one-time watch if you're in the mood for a show that explores mental illness. Understand that this show can feel more educational than immersive.
As a result, you get a lot of information spoon-fed through exposition (character dialogue) rather than exploration (scene development). Even so, some of the cases were well-executed and heartfelt. Not to mention that for a show that deals with such a heavy subject, it somehow managed to feel lighthearted and maintain a good pace. Just keep in mind that, like with many k-dramas, the first half is stronger than the second.
It also goes without saying that Jung So Min's acting is the major pull and highlight of the show. So if you happen to be a fan of the actress, then this is a show you shouldn't miss.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I'm writing this knowing that I'm playing the role of devil's advocate with a less glowing review than other users, but which I hope offers a different perspective to help you make a decision on whether to give this show a chance.
First of all, I want to applaud the intention of the story. With mental illness losing some of its stigmas worldwide, it's great to see dramas including said conditions as the focus of their stories, rather than just part of them. Having said that, the episodic style of the narrative (a condition/illness being dealt with in a per-episode basis) was off-putting for me. The reason why I'm not a fan of these types of "monster/case of the week" type of shows is that they can turn quite preachy and, as a result, lose the organic feeling of a story that evolves and develops with each episode.
So rather than discovering alongside the characters all the different layers and facets of the FL's condition, we get short lessons on different types of mental conditions and addictions. And because you only get one episode per condition, there's a lot of exposition done through dialogue and fewer discoveries done through scene development. As a result, things feel quite controlled and are easily and cleanly wrapped up at the expense of heart or creating something to be emotionally invested in.
The other consequence this had was the dilution of the Female Lead's arc. This means that important aspects of her arc which the narrative built up at the beginning got forgotten midway through the drama and then dealt with in a very anti-climactic way. Even her prognosis lacked impact since her story got wrapped up so neatly. In that regard, I would've traded some episodes dedicated to minor characters and cases, in favor of getting more development for the Female Lead's condition and how that affected those close to her (especially her best friend).
For this reason, the story was the weakest part of the drama for me which made me dropped the rating to a 7. To be honest, I got a little bored towards the end. This might've been stronger had they kept it at 12 episodes rather than stretch it into 16.
MAIN CHARACTERS: Simple but Likeable
--------------------------------------------------------------
Han Woo Joo [FL played by Jung So Min] is a rising star who loses everything in the wink of an eye and must start over while learning to lover and value herself more. I've got to handed it Jung So Min, she managed to portray a very complex character excellently. She went from laughing to crying in a single scene, so smoothly, that I forgot she was acting at all! Having said that, I wished Han Woo Joo had a better heart-to-heart conversation with her best friend, as their conflict was dealt with very off-handedly. I also wished her arc had been given more time to develop and that the resolution of her conflict had been "messier" in order for it to feel more realistic.
Doctor Lee Shi Joon [ ML played by Shin Ha Kyun] is an eccentric psychiatric who's trying to get over his own trauma while using unorthodox tactics to help his patients. Dr. Joon gets introduced as a round-go-lucky guy with a hidden tragedy looming just below the surface, peeking out every now and then. For the most part, I liked his character and found Shin Ha Kyun's portrayal very charismatic. However, there were certain things regarding his story (like his trauma with his ex) which I wish had been given more weight and time to explore. As it stands, the whole thing felt a bit convenient and then quite irrelevant, as it didn't deter him from pursuing Han Woo Joo quite early in the show.
SUPPORT CHARACTERS: Colorful but Irrelevant
--------------------------------------------------------------
Although I liked the support characters, there were way too many to properly develop and thus they ended up becoming cluttery. Don't get me wrong, there was an attempt to develop them and dedicate some air-time, but by splitting that time between so many, we ended up with filler scenes that didn't add anything relevant to the main plot. I wished there had been fewer characters and better developed.
PORTRAYAL OF ROMANCE: Healthy & Nurturing, but Disbalanced
--------------------------------------------------------------
K-dramas seem to love the scenario of the FL falling on hard times and having this result in the meeting of our leads. In so doing, the ML gets introduced at the peak of his power (success, financial stability, fame) while the FL is at her weakest (financial insecurity, shame, uncertainty). This scenario thus introduces a disbalance of power which is hard to get rid of. And because the ML starts off as the FL's doctor, that disbalance plays a major role in the early development of their relationship.
Fortunately, the FL ends up breaking off her role of patient and, in so doing, manages to even the odds a little bit. However, I would be lying if I said it wasn't disappointing that we didn't see her climb back up towards stardom. I would've loved to see her cling to her dream and recover some of what she'd lost. Of course, you could argue that some of that is hinted by the end, but I would've preferred to see it's development. I think it would've given a great message of hope (that she can achieve and maintain her dreams) despite suffering and/or dealing with a mental illness.
OVERALL: Recommended as a one-time watch
--------------------------------------------------------------
Despite my rating and my inclination to write about some of the show's flaws, I still think it's a good one-time watch if you're in the mood for a show that explores mental illness. Understand that this show can feel more educational than immersive.
As a result, you get a lot of information spoon-fed through exposition (character dialogue) rather than exploration (scene development). Even so, some of the cases were well-executed and heartfelt. Not to mention that for a show that deals with such a heavy subject, it somehow managed to feel lighthearted and maintain a good pace. Just keep in mind that, like with many k-dramas, the first half is stronger than the second.
It also goes without saying that Jung So Min's acting is the major pull and highlight of the show. So if you happen to be a fan of the actress, then this is a show you shouldn't miss.
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