KevinToronto

Fear not, there many who like this programme, and they represent the large majority.

I think it is better chracterised as "love overcomes PTSD". In this case, the presence of Ha Neul in the OR helps Jeong Woo operate. It has not shown how he would react if she is not there at some point in the future. If you know a doctor or surgeon well enough to ask the question, I suspect you be told that most all suffer a level of PTSD but they work through it.

I completely agree that it is good to see single parents being shown in a positive light. Compare this series to One Spring Night and Fan letter, Please, where being a single parent is presented as major problem by some of the characters.

However, I would characterise the relationship as being more mature rather than more natural. These two characters have been through the relationship building and ending wringer, and the resultant maturity is being shown, IMO.

By contrast, it is strongly hinted that neither of the main couple has been anywhere near a relationship, let alone a serious one. Therefore, again IMO, it is quite natural for them to exhibit a level of immaturity normally seen in teenager relationships. Yes, there are times when their age does intrude to make their interactions more adult-like. But, personally, I like that the characters have been written in such a way as to allow for some immaturity.

This is fairly common in Kdramas. I believe that this is an inevitable consequence of the broadcasting legislation in Korea. Unlike North America and Europe, programmes cannot be interrupted by advertising. Many older dramas would actually have two 30 minute blocks between which ads were shown. These days, programmes get the advertising and marketing money through product placement and things like the ads during the credits.

While it might seem jarring (and perhaps a mistake), I prefer this to the incessant breaks in the programme flow every 5 minutes or so to allow for ads seen in North America.

There are a couple of instances where Jeong Woo's mother phones him to "order" him to end the table death controversy as his father is about to become the President of the American Cardiothoracic Association. You will find out that Jeong Woo does not have a good relationship with his parents, in part because he went into plastic surgery rather than cardiothoracic surgery like them (and did not go to the States?). My comment was a tongue-in-cheek family reunion plot suggestion.

I will fully endorse @bloomingtide's characterisation of Hyo Shin and Tae Ho's relationship. From the start there is respect, as shown in their banter. Hyo Shin is not cowed by Tae Ho, and puts him in his place when necessary. Tae ho is bratty, but knows it and acknowledges it/apologises for it. Importantly, he recognises that she needs encouragement to start living her own life. He is there to give her the support to take that step.

Thank you for checking that out. So it could argued that it is not product placement per se. Rather, it might be a reflection of the excessive drinking culture in Korean society.

Is the soju brand real or fictional? Genuinely asking.

While it is not white, the truck of doom is an important cast member in "Live your own life".

Hop over to "Welcome to Samdal-ri" and check out the beer cans, especially as they are thrown out of various windows.

He would fly in because this is Dramaland and his agent told him to do so.

And long may it stay that way. I do not watch dramas to see reality.

Wild (cynical) speculation about the crash and Ha-Neul's resultant injuries/coma. Will her injuries be so serious as to require a pre-eminent cardiothoracic surgeon, who is President of the American Cardiothoracic Association, to fly in and save her life? 😉

In all honesty, almost every car driving scene in dramas around the world is unbelievable. How many people would be able to avoid crashing while driving and looking for a long time at their passenger? Most of these scenes involve long conversations and/or looks rather than a quick glance which is what happens in the real world.

There have been a few complaints about the arrival of the white truck of doom (WTOD), and even more about the level of product placements. I am surprised that people have not put it together. The WTOD Motor Corp. is the third largest vehicle manufacturer in Korea, after Hyundai and Kia, They have regularly shown that their frontal collision driver protection system is amongst the best, including many product placements in dramas. Unfortunately, these efforts have not translated in sales outside of Korea. 😉

Ending the series at episode 10 would most definitely not be a popular opinion. There is more of the story to tell.

It is safe to say that there have been some differing views over this programme. However, overall there has been a positive response to it. In my view, this is a story of two people re-discovering themselves and each other after very, very low points in their respective lives. It takes it time and lets the discovery unfold in a slow and unhurried fashion, which is refreshing.

No certain if this is a rhetorical observation, but the issue of excessive drinking has been very extensively discussed here. [Possibly more than there is drinking in the show.😂]

Anyway, some believe that this is just the result of product placement by the beer and soju companies. I do not think that many would disagree that there is product placement taking place. However, others (me, included) believe that this a relatively accurate reflection of Korean societal norms. I have previously posted links to peer-reviewed medical papers that indicate the increasing alcohol consumption in Korea, as well reports regarding binge drinking.

With regard to the characters being doctors, and thus should know better, again you are correct. However, the reality is that doctors are human and do not always follow the rules. Earlier, I posted a note that in Canada, doctors have some of the highest rates of depression and alcoholism amongst the professions, and I posited that Korea is not going to be significantly different.

Bottom line, you will have to decide whether the drinking is merely a cynical business ploy to promote specific products or companies or if it is an attempt to reflect the reality in Korean society.

You are absolutely right that the absence of HS's father is the reason for the family's dysfunction, along with her mother's retreat from the reality of being an adult and parent. I really hope that it is not explained by amnesia or dementia because it would be totally implausible. How will they explain the frequent moves and his use of intermediaries when renting properties?

At the risk of being accused of flogging the proverbial "dead horse", I came across this in an article about the Korean national football (soccer) team.
"The organisation [KFA] has long been controlled by Hyundai, a company that, even in a country known for a punishing work culture, traditionally prided itself on long hours bookended by early-morning breakfasts and late-night drinking. Past foreign coaches had always been based in Seoul; it was a requirement of the job. Demands on Korean managers had been higher still and their wives had, in the past, been known to complain to the KFA that the constant drinking with officials, journalists and sponsors that was expected was detrimental to their husbands’ health."
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/feb/28/jurgen-klinsmann-could-be-unwitting-agent-for-change-in-korean-football

I do not think that TS Fitness fits within the story line now, especially as Hyo-Shim no longer is employed there. Its purpose was to be location where she met Tae-ho.

However, I was really happy to see her own apartment, and the comment that she had to come home to tidy up.

While Hyo-Shim's father is a very minor character, I do get the impression that there is a plot thread/twist involving him to come. Unless, of course, the photo is a red herring.