So, I just finished watching my first Korean drama, Doctor Crush (2016). I picked up the drama on a whim because I saw a clip of the first episode, showcasing Yoo Hye-Jung’s fighting prowess and beauty. Park Shin-Hye and Kim Rae-Won’s performances instantly got me hooked on the series. The 20 episode saga put me through a roller coaster of emotions and now, I’m here to share my take on the drama.
Likes
The lead actors, Rae-Won (who played Hong Ji-Hong) and Shin-Hye (who played Yoo Hye-Jung), were excellent. Ji-Hong’s character flourished with charisma and strength as he protected Hye-Jung from the background. Hye-Jung’s character showcased a headstrong individual who has endured many pains. (She was really really pretty too.) Not only were they strong individual actors, but also, when paired together, they truly were a dynamic duo that demanded your full attention. The two synergized both in the surgery room and out. They grew together and learned from one another. They taught each other the importance of being able to rely on each other; this was a milestone lesson as both characters went through life on their own. The chemistry between them was truly magical.
To put it simply, the relationship between Hye-Jung and Ji-Hong was really cute. I had many fangirl moments as the pair developed feelings for one another. From the time they first held hands to their last kiss, I felt giddy every time I saw them doing romantic gestures on screen. It was endearing how they snuck around the hospital to spend time with one another. I especially love the little montages of them hanging out together as they did in the arcade and the football field. Their relationship is truly one to cherish and wish for.
I really enjoyed the touch of realism the show put in with the arc of Dae and Hal. Up until that point, most characters came into the neurosurgery department for surgeries without a care in the world for money. Surgeries are expensive! (Or maybe I’m just conditioned to believe that because the US has terrible health care systems.) I know that South Korea has some sort of universal health care system, but I’d still imagine that people would still struggle to pay hospital bills for complex surgeries. When the father of Dae and Hal struggled with finances, I felt that the show became more realistic and relatable. To me, it was probably the most touching, realistic arc. The father just wanted the best for his kids; he didn’t have much, but he wanted to give the world to them. He struggled with financial pressures from all angles every day and every night until one day where he just cracked. He was forced into a corner and nearly committed suicide, so that his kids could get the surgeries paid for. This arc contrasted nicely with the arcs where surgeries were performed on the rich and powerful.
The soundtrack for the show was excellent. The same themes were repeated again and again in key moments, so emotional responses were intensified. When something wrong happened in a surgery, a certain track would play. When relief was found, a certain track would play. The music guided me through the intense moments of the episodes.
I liked watching Jung Yoon-Do’s character growth and change as he fell in love with Hye-Jung. To be quite frank, he was initially an asshole. As he fell in love with Hye-Jung, he started going out of his comfort zone in hopes of winning her over. He became more human and learned to treat his colleagues better. I respected how he made sacrifices, such as the time when he became a board member, to help Hye-Jung out. Ultimately, he’s no match for Ji-Hong, but he became a more likable character by the end of the show. He’s still hilariously awkward and the way his “aunt” and uncle treat him was amusing.
Though Seo-Woo’s character sucked for the most the show, her redeeming point was when she stood up to her father and told him off. That was a very powerful moment as Jhin Myung-Hoon never really listens to anyone aside from his precious family members. Hye-Jung and Seo-Woo certainly aren’t best friends again, but their relationship at the end of the show definitely improved; this helped provide closure for their feud.
Myung-Hoon’s illness really showed what was important in life – living. No matter how much wealth you accumulate, you’re still human and are still subject to the limitations of the human body. In this sense, the human body is the ultimate equalizer of the world. Everyone is subject to death and no amount of money can bring back a life. The rich and powerful still can get sick. Myung-Hoon was facing the potential of disability and death and it was only natural for him to be scared. Everything faded away at that point. His ambitions, wealth, and personal feuds with people all diminished in importance as he faced life’s harsh realities. This theme left viewers with a hopeful vibe – that all people are equal in some way, despite their backgrounds.
Everything, as in all the major and minor plotlines, wrapped up in fairly okay ways. I’ll be delving into some of the negatives in how they were resolved. Jin Myung-Hoon and Jhin Sung-Jong got what they deserved. Hye-Jung somewhat made up with her father, learned to let go of her grandmother’s death, and somewhat fixed her relationship with Seo-Woo. Ji-Hong and Hye-Jung got engaged. All’s well that ends well, right?
Dislikes
Disclaimer: Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect going into this drama. Again, I watched it because I thought Hye-Jung was cute and badass. I didn’t really look into the plotline before diving in. This was also my first “medical” drama too.
I didn’t really enjoy seeing the politics behind the hospital. Things didn’t really feel very well-developed or multidimensional. I can enjoy political dramas when they have well-developed plots. For example, I really enjoyed watching House of Cards for this reason. I understand why the politics of the hospital were important, but I’d rather watch Hye-Jung and Ji-Hong flirt with each other than watch old men poorly conspire to get wealthy.
All the episodes felt about the same in terms of pacing. Episodes picked up from previous episodes and ended with dramatic climaxes at the end. I guess, most dramas and TV shows are designed this way to ensure that viewers keep watching.
While some surgeries didn’t go as planned, nearly all of them had a positive result. I wanted to see Hye-Jung deal with a failed surgery and grow from that experience. In this scenario, I could totally see her seeking comfort from Ji-Hong and slowly regaining confidence as a doctor.
Up until the last couple of episodes, Seo-Woo’s character annoyed me to no end. She kept hurting Hye-Jung out of jealousy. I mean, she reported her fellow felllow (Heh. See what I did there?) for getting a car from the gang boss. That was so petty. If Seo-Woo wasn’t so insecure in the beginning, then the story could’ve gone a lot differently.
I didn’t like the whole grandma mystery death thing. It was brought up at random times and really brought out a bad side of Hye-Jung. The whole “revenge” part was weird. I didn’t like the part were Hye-Jung threatened to kill Myung-Hoon. That wasn’t classy at all and felt so out of character.
Sometimes, the conflicts were awkwardly placed. One second, Hye-Jung and Ji-Hong are dealing with the mystery of the grandmother’s death. The next second, they’re in a cute date montage. There needed to be better transitions in between scenes.
I still disliked the 13 year time skip and think that the plot should have been different. I wanted to see Hye-Jung work through medical school and slowly fall for Ji-Hong. The time skip wasn’t as bad as I initially thought of it, however. I wished that I could’ve seen more of the relationship between Hye-Jung and Ji-Hong. I wanted to see them on more dates, getting married, and starting a family. The two are just so cute together!
Overall
I enjoyed watching Doctor Crush and I can now better understand why so many people are into Korean dramas.
tl;dr: Doctor Crush was pretty good.
Until next post!
Always Introspective 
