It has more to do with their culture. In Korea, many people become doctors simply because it's a white collar job and considered one of the top professions, so it's not impossible for some doctors to just treat their jobs as a source of income and social status, nothing more. Also, sometimes hospital politics and disillusionment in the system make them lose interest in their jobs and just go with the flow, just like what happened with their hospital director, who actually happened to be Dr. Baek's hero and a hardworking doctor who refused to give up on his patients when he was younger. As for the egotistic doctors in this drama (there are a lot of them), I don't find it unrealistic either. Korea is a patriarchal society where men are considered superior and there's a specific hierarchy that people follow. Older generations, especially their Gen X'ers and boomers are quite conservative and very demanding. I know because I've been working for Korean companies for 15 years and I've had typical ajusshi bosses that would literally force you to go out and drink with them after work and refusing to do so was considered insubordination and could cost you your job. They were often loud, crass, and extremely rude, especially when drunk or angry. I'm not saying all Koreans are like this because I have many Korean friends who aren't like that, but this is the reality that they have to live with. It's not uncommon for someone to encounter an awfully rude and bossy (and even racist) ajusshi/ajumma or haraboji/harmeoni.
I just came here to check up on how this drama is going so far by reading the early reviews and comments. This is on my to-watch list but I haven't gotten to it yet as I've been busy with work and juggling a couple of dramas right now. I am shocked to read these negative comments. What's going on?! Why is this being compared to Descendants of the Sun?
this is why i'm hesitant to watch medical shows in kdrama. the scenes are more often so far from reality and may…
Actually, one of the commenters here is a trauma surgeon and they said that it's pretty close to reality. There are probably some fantastical elements for theatrical and comedic purposes but the cases are plausible and some trauma surgeons have indeed performed those feats. The author of the webtoon from which this drama was based on is a medical practitioner himself. His main character, Dr. Baek, is based on a real-life trauma surgeon who championed trauma centers in South Korea. His name is Dr. Lee and he's considered a legend in his field according to my Korean friend who's an ER nurse in Seoul. Most of the major plot points featured in the drama actually happened in real life. As for the mercenary doctors angle, it's also possible since many of these doctors are deployed overseas to work in military zones. And the fact that Korean males usually undergo mandatory military training for three years, they're already skilled in weaponry and war tactics so it's not improbable for Korean male doctors to work as medics for mercenary organizations abroad. I suppose they could've toned down the comedic and comic book aspects to make the drama more believable but that's most likely a stylistic choice so I don't mind it so much.
I am also half asleep answering this. If anyone thinks they are more specific then they can answer it. Providing…
So my friend was right. Interesting. I think the real-life trauma surgeon's last name is Lee. Forgot his first name. Apparently, he accomplished all this more than ten years ago back when helicopters were not as common and trauma centers weren't seen as vital in Korea as they are now.
Girl, I tried many times but failed each time. I also chose photos of him when he still had long hair. I'm glad…
I meant the photo. They have strict requirements on this site if you want to change the actors' profile pictures. My submissions kept getting rejected because the photos didn't meet their standards in terms of size, clarity, appearance, etc. I'm glad they finally approved a new one after so long.
I am also half asleep answering this. If anyone thinks they are more specific then they can answer it. Providing…
Good to know that it's as realistic as they could make it. It doesn't really matter to me whether it is or not, though. This is still one of the best K-dramas I've seen. I heard from a Korean friend, who happens to be an ER nurse working in Seoul, the author of the webtoon actually worked in the medical field. I have yet to check whether that's true. But I'm inclined to believe it because the story centers around a real-life hero who fought to prioritize trauma centers instead of treating them as deficits. This trauma surgeon, like Dr. Baek, was also the one who convinced hospitals to procure helicopters and have helipads built for emergency cases. He was responsible for the advancement of trauma centers in Korea. He also saved a Korean soldier deployed in Somalia and had to operate on him under unfavorable conditions. So the writer did do his research at least.
No wonder it has anime-ish vibes and the Black Wings subplot just screamed very comic book to me, it's based on a webtoon that was inspired by the accomplishments of a real-life trauma surgeon. Apparently, it was published in 2019 and the real-life counterpart of Baek Gang Hyeok accomplished these feats back in 2013-2016, so the drama follows that timeline. Someone here probably already mentioned that because the actors use old iPhone models in the drama, but I just think that's an interesting tidbit.
I read a review earlier that says this is as formulaic as it gets and it follows pretty much the same plot as every other medical K-drama there is. But if you think about the fact that this is actually based on a real person's accomplishments, which was immortalized in a memoir and a webtoon published many years ago, one would wonder if it really is just a copy of previous medical K-dramas or perhaps it's actually the basis of those dramas. Either way, it's still a damn good drama and I don't say that very often.
am I the only one who thinks that he looks like Shun Oguri or P'Mark?
Oguri Shun is one of my favorite actors ever and he looks nothing like Ao Ruipeng. Ruipeng looks a lot like Dylan Wang as @BubbleNSqueak mentioned. I also think he resembles two Japanese stage actors I know: Naoki Takeshi (who kinda looks like Dylan Wang) and Akihisa Shiono.
This reminds me of an angry girlfriend chasing after her boyfriend as he drives away in his motorcycle to escape her nagging. lol https://x.com/i/status/1886076371224674351
I'm taking a break from C-drama. I'm watching anime right now and then maybe start a J-drama. I tried Blossom…
Dandadan. It's just 12 episodes. And I'm currently watching the new seasons of The Apothecary Diaries, Solo Leveling, and My Happy Marriage. If you haven't watched The Apothecary Diaries yet, I highly recommend it. It's very much like a historical C-drama and the characters are Chinese. My Happy Marriage is a good watch too. Which reminds me, I actually pictured Ao Ruipeng for the male lead if they ever do a C-drama version of it. His Fox Clan look made me think he would be perfect for Kudo. lol
I'm taking a break from C-drama. I'm watching anime right now and then maybe start a J-drama. I tried Blossom but the family melodrama, downright despicable relatives, and convoluted political intrigue plotline left me stressed and annoyed. lol So I decided to take a break from it. I'm not sure if I'm going to pick it up again or drop it.
I read a review earlier that says this is as formulaic as it gets and it follows pretty much the same plot as every other medical K-drama there is. But if you think about the fact that this is actually based on a real person's accomplishments, which was immortalized in a memoir and a webtoon published many years ago, one would wonder if it really is just a copy of previous medical K-dramas or perhaps it's actually the basis of those dramas. Either way, it's still a damn good drama and I don't say that very often.
https://x.com/i/status/1886076371224674351