Watching this drama was the equivalent of walking along a very thin length of tightrope over churning waters while balancing a fragile egg in a spoon in one hand. When I completed the first episode, I knew that there would be no looking back after this.

There was a certain surgical precision to Life. Intense moments that explored corporate politics and the dark underbelly of the healthcare system were delivered with all the exactness of a knife against flesh, all the while remaining clean precise. There was a nice balance, too, between moments of sadness and happiness. Dark waters and clear skies. Life and death. All integral parts of a working hospital, and all part of why this drama was just so damn good.

The study of corruption within the healthcare system and how bureaucracies operate within hospitals was probably one of my favorite aspects of the show. In fact, I almost wish we got to see more of this but I am still satisfied with how the show was wrapped up! This show is primarily dialogue-driven, so there isn't a lot of action scenes, but I personally found the conflict between management and the doctors just as thrilling as any action sequence. I also really enjoyed how some scenes explored the technical side of what it's like working in a hospital and the kinds of experiences that employees working in different departments go through. It really shows all different kinds of aspects of hospital life.

Another thing that I thought was really well-done was the casting of the main roles and the acting! The veteran actors really did carry the show. I especially enjoyed watching Lee Dong Wook, Jo Seung Woo, and Moon So Ri at work. They did a spectacular job!

And finally, the characters and the relationships between characters were. So. Freaking. Good!!! All the characters were dynamic and interesting to watch - I never got bored for a single second when the focus shifted from one character to another. The relationships, too, were extremely organic and a lot of them had such great chemistry with each other as well. I didn't think the romance was overdone at all and it added such a nice touch to the overall story.

I suppose my only complaint is that I wish we could have gotten to see Dr. Ye and Mr. Gu butt heads more, seeing as if I thought they would have more of a rivalry between them, but I still really like how the show left things between them. I also wish the ending hadn't been left so open-ended, but I still liked the overall feeling of hope it left within me as I was watching those final moments, and I'm sure I had such a goofy grin plastered on my face by the time the final credits were rolling.

Overall, I do not think this is your typical hospital drama, but I still consider it a masterpiece.