I think the headline sums it up pretty well.
MBC’s Monday-Tuesday medical drama Golden Time just aired its 19th episode yesterday, which means that there’s only one more episode left in the initial plan. However, thanks to an episode being pre-empted due to the London Olympics last month, it got off-schedule, putting its finale episode on Monday, September 17. That leaves Tuesday’s broadcast slot up in the air. So will it add a 21st episode to round out the broadcast schedule, or end as planned and let MBC figure out what to air for one night?
According to news reports, Golden Time’s production team will announce its decision later today. Yunno, giving the show just five days to whip up an extra episode, write it, film it, edit it, and air it. Piece of cake, right? Lordy, I know this is an industry where live-shooting is the norm, but that’s live-shooting. Not live-writing and -producing and -broadcasting.
Granted, extension talks have not cropped up overnight; there was some mention of adding an episode as far as a couple weeks ago. GO FIGURE, since they’ve known for a month that they’d be coming up against this issue. And they couldn’t have decided earlier because…? I swear, dramaland. Procrastinating on this doesn’t make the problem go away (I know this, from extensive life experience); it just makes you that dangling chad mucking up an election, kinda making a choice but not enough to do anybody any good.
There has even been some speculation that Golden Time would extend by three episodes, instead of one, out of consideration for its follow-up series Horse Healer (whose premiere is listed merely as October). But that presents more scheduling conflicts, so it seems less likely.
The show has been met with generally favorable reviews, and has led in the ratings with mid-teens numbers. Faith has stayed a few percentage points lower, with Haeundae Lovers just behind in third place. My first impression of Golden Time was: boring story, strong acting. I can see why it’s doing well… but I’d hate for a drama that’s rolling along nicely to suddenly falter in its final lap, just ’cause it had no time to be good. Sigh.
So. As of right now, Golden Time will either end next Monday as planned with Episode 20, or decide to add an hour and magically conjure up said episode by Tuesday, Episode 21.
Via Review Star
RELATED POSTS
- Golden Time holds poster shoots, releases stills
- Medical drama Golden Time begins filming
- Hwang Jung-eum cast in Golden Time
- Lee Seon-kyun returns with new drama
Really, why?
OK, I haven’t read the thread yet, so maybe I should do that first, before I ask questions.
Oh HELL NO! Seriously, this is madness – there’s nothing wrong with ending it with just 20 episodes. Besides, I think it would wrap up quite nicely instead of prolonging it and make people groan because of the half-ass job they’ll be doing…
They should have Uhm Tae Woong guest as a bumbling vet (specialty: dogs) who follows LSK around and calls him Hyung, to the latter’s annoyance.
)
That should be enough for 10 more episodes, right?
and have joowon as tae woong’s sidekick.
they can have it loosely scripted with lots of bokbulbok. why not?
That’s 20 more episodes right there!
Maybe Joowon will play the descendant of Gaksital? And need medical help?
…and it follows that Young Rae will assist Nurse Shin…oy
LOL!! I love how every post I visit, people are still not over Gaksital. Makes me feel much better. I think Gaksital will have to become a pop reference for everything
That makes me happy 
ahaha u guys r funny!
bleh. I know the show has some hardcore fans (and I understand intellectually why you could like the show, it being about personal growth and all) but I got super-bored really quickly, as there seemed to be not much plot or character development for maaaany episodes. And now, hardcore fans, slaughter away!
But let me add this: If they can pull a good 1 episode extension off a few days before its air time, I bow deeply in front of you, show.
omg i thought i was the only one who found the show extremely boring. i even gave it 15 eps before it put in on hold. im so upset because the genre said there will be romance but i havent seen one drop. I agree the acting is top notch but i feel im wasting my time watching this show.
The trend recently is to put “romance” on the identity card of all dramas and not giving you a love line. Pretty vicious promotion…
PS: Didn’t watch this show but for those who like medical dramas, The 3rd Ward/ Hospital had a strong start in my opinion.
PS2: Sending good vibes to the cast and staff. If they do it, it will be crazy.
ya know…SOOOO many of the cast from Golden Times are from PASTA…that it makes me wonder what they were thinking about achieving with this show. to show’s benefit, the surgical/medical side of it is stellar…filming, acting and exacting the surgieries, medical situations, hospital politics and medical terms is spot on. hats off to show for that. and if medical dramas are your thing…you will love this drama.
if you were hoping for a romance similar to PASTA…move on to another drama…ain’t no love here ‘cept the bromance. which is cute.
I’m watching GT and there are several things unsettled. Just saw Ep 19 and wondered how they could possibly end it satisfactorily with 20. I think it needs at least one additional Ep.
I watch it too and was asking the same thing. It would be like -suddenly wrapping everything up- TADAA -The End-
Just watch the last 2 eps, and think the same too. Especially about Jae In’s transitioning period to be the Chairman in charge, I want to see it wrap nicely. Oh, and romance blooming between Prof Choi and Nurse Shin… hmm, it won’t be bad either… ^^
same here.
I was hoping for 2 or more ep to complete the intern’s storyline. I love the characters/actors.
Totally agree.
The extension could allow the romance storyline a decent sense completion. [Brain was a great medical drama, but the romance wrap up was just ghastly]
I totally agree!!! I was pretty disappointed with the ending of Brain as well. I was hoping to see GT but now with all these comments, I’m not so sure.
WHat the heck?. I want my Horse Healer damn it.
Why don’t they just have a couple or three of those drama specials? Sheesh. Who knows, maybe the viewers will (re-)discover some really nice shorter dramas thus breaking the horrible cycle of overly doting the viewers. Because the last thing anyone wants are viewers on a temper tantrum. But ya know, the production people don’t learn. No they don’t.
I do love this drama; however it is very flawed. Unfortunately, the story is the week part. It got off to a good start with LSK’s story and he did an excellent job acting as a doctor going from a selfish attitude to one more concerned about patients. However, every other story line lacks true tension because they are so drawn out without much happening in each episode. It’s as though the writers could not decide whether the story would focus on patients or the lives of the doctors. And now one episode is going to wrap things up? I don’t see how.
I watch and do not want a 21st ep! Wrap it up and end at 20!
i am in awe of your extensive life experience, sound life advice and headline-making skills, oh wise one!
Oh wow, I can’t imagine how they could pull off another episode well in such a short time.
On another note, I have appreciated this drama more than I thought I would. It’s not exciting, melodramatic, action packed, romantic… but it wasn’t a bad show either. I’d describe is as a nice smooth thoughtful show. I watch a lot of tv while I work, so I had room for this show, but if I only had time to watch one or two drama series this probably wouldn’t be one of them (it would be something like Gaskital).
I love this drama due to the genre..I don’t see firework in romance here ..just love for the profession and passion to save their patients..especially from the professor in charge of trauma unit..and the male lead intern..but I can’t wait for Horse Healer..please come quick..Thanks for this posting just watching it to see what happen to Jae In’s decision and will the Nurse coordinator leave for Canada when her heart is with the professor..so any medical genre is my cup of tea indeed plus my favorite actors..so Horse Healer impatiently waiting.
I don’t know about you but I enjoyed this drama more than Faith. Maybe due to the fact that I studied nursing in college so everything is really familiar to me and I can relate with all the characters.
They definitely could have decided this weeks ago. It’s funny, I actually marathoned episodes 1-13 several weeks ago (mainly for The Voice) and I couldn’t find episode 14 until I realized it wouldn’t air until the next week.
I can see why it’s doing pretty good. I think the strong acting makes the story 10x better to be honest. It’s interesting to see the difference in Lee Sung-min’s doctor characters in this drama and in Brain. He’s great!
Wait. It’s not confirmed yet? ARGH!!!!
Yah…. how can the MBC announced that Horse Healer is starting 8th Oct and have Golden Time end next week?
Excuse me while I tear my hair out considering I am on viki working on Golden Time and managing Horse Healer. I don’t even know whether to put subbers on standby. Thought we’re having a break post Gaksital till Oct
Ergh!!!!
ck10z–
dude! i SOOO love you subbers at viki.com. /hands virtual cup of ohngam tea to viki subbers. (faith doctor bang says its a calming tea-lol)
hang in there and pass on the love to your sub-team. you guys are awesome sauce!!!!
I hear you, dear. But, unlike you, I’m fine with only 1 episode extension. I came to watch MEDICAL drama, with or without love line and I got intense scenes, great acting (I’m TOTALLY in love with ahjussi – Lee Sung Min) and even gastric ulcer from running medical drama at viki. Well, let the show end with 21 episodes and let us rest two weeks before Horse Healer start.
Viki subbers are the best! Thanks so much for all you do! I wish I knew enough Korean to help.
Thank you so much for subbing!
i thought it was extended to 23 episodes..
A little off topic, but, does anyone know if Haeundae Lovers only had one episode this week, and if so, why?
They broadcast a football match between S.Korea and Uzbekistan instead of HL.
I think it’s because KBS2 aired a soccer match instead of it.
I’m watching the drama b/c I was asked to help sub on Viki. As much as I really like LSK, I wouldn’t have kept up with this drama otherwise b/c really it is very, very slow. So slow that with only one more episode to go, I can’t imagine how it can end well without at least another episode. The pace of this drama is such that without the extension, Ep. 20 being the last one will feel very slap-dash.
On the other hand, this is the hardest drama to sub… omg between the medical lingo and the Busan accent, it takes me 3 or 4 times as long to get through an episode so I’m really ready for it to be done!
There. There. Soyonb. I hear you. I am on ep 18 and I was thinking… omg. That woman needs to have a left lateral tilt. No wonder her blood pressure was dropping you dolts!!
And we have so many episodes to go. No way we can end at ep 20 and have a coherent ending.
VIKI.COM SUBBERS FTW!!!!!
FIGHTING!
guys–this drama must be a frickin’ beee-otch to sub.
the subtitles are so thorough—not only does the Nurse Team Subbers translate the medical jargon AND procedures–but you guys have even gone BEYOND the call of duty to explain medical jargon AND procedures with translation. i am so SUPER amazed by your team. /deep bow to Nurse Team.
and your turn around time is well within the acceptable 24-36 hour time frame. i wish there was something i could do to ease your pain.
do they give out awards for subbers? if not, here’s mine to you. /hands Nurse Team and 4ft gold dragon!
thanks so much for your efforts.
FYI – Golden Time’s Team name is Just in Time…
Agreed. They’ve been doing an excellent job. *thumbs up*
The Nurse Team is the team’s name for Dr. Jin, instead of GT… ^^
Thanks for your work at Viki.
It’s a weird drama.
I watch Golden Time faithfully but I don’t find the medical element interesting at all.
I watch for the relationship between the staff.
I think the Korean version of the AMA and the nurses union, should entities like that exist should sue for maligning of reputation.
I am used to Korean dramas depicting doctors as dangerously political but I’ve never seen doctors shown and ridiculously incompetent and craven.
I actually really like this show and it’s my favorite in the timeslot, so I’m sad to see it go.
i actually love this drama..maybe because i feel in love with medical dramas when i started to watch New Heart..secondly, i really like the way LSK acts..he’s a great actor..i just miss the way he yells just like in Pasta (lol)..there’s only one thing that i am quite disappointed with, it’s the romance between the two interns..it would be great if they also focused on them since there would be a conflict since the lady intern is an heiress..
Golden time is one of those that is good but because of its genre its not that popular. I like the show and its perspectives – you also learn how important that “golden time is” in terms of emergency care.
The show at this moment is unfinished and I really doubt it can finish off in 20 episodes as there are at least 3 major things to resolve in the show. (1) will the hospital get its trauma center (2) who will be on that team and will that nurse stay (3) what will be Jae In’s final decision once her grandfather wakes up/is there a possible romance between her and Min Woo in the future.
Therefore to tie all things properly and have a decent conclusion, to me those 3 episodes are necessary. For them to still contemplate a decision of this magnitude at this juncture is just SLOPPY thereby creating a domino effect.
Why? They should have planned a extension weeks ago instead of now.
I tried watching it, the cast is really strong but the weakest link is definitely HJE.
I so wanted to watch it but somehow it could just not keep me interested.
I love Golden Time. Its nice to have a drama without the theatrics and I like the slice-of-life jdrama style of dealing with a case each episode and there’s no upfront romance. I look forward to it every Monday.
Dr. Choi <3
I am with you on this. It’s slow but interesting. I also look forward to this drama every monday. And I also agree that one episode just will not do justify for Golden time. . .I can’t imagine how it can just tie all loose ends in one more to go. So the extension by one or 2 episode is what I recommend.
But the big four that I have been following faithfully are: Golden time, Arang and the Magistrate, May flower, and five finger.
Third that. I even considering Golden time should became a serial just like Grey’s Anatomy. so we can have our romance build little by little through time.
I’m so with you on that, i know other’s find it slow but i love the pace and feel like its never going to end, and not in bad way. I guess without the obvious romance and all the hospital politics few people are willing to recap and review it, i find this show fascinating. Although i’ve been watching for the Voice, i have stayed because the hospital and its insanity are just captivating.
I’ve been watching faithfully.
Love Dr. Choi, Nurse Shin, Min Wo, Jae In.
But what I think this show really loves is blood!!
I don’t think a 100 episode series about Jack the Ripper would use as much blood as this series does. Bags and bags of blood splattered all over the doctor/actors from head to toe.
Sometimes i wonder what they are suppose to be operating on because no human being could have that much blood.
WHAT ? gosh how can end in 1 or 2 episodes more? Seems so not possible with the storyline that’s coming along!! I’m enjoying the drama albeit the “romance” is not clearly evident, but for me the feelings are there solid – more of a strong friendship, colleague respect, a strong foundation to blossom to a lot more that would last
the leads depend on each other professionally and personally – I love it 
– also the Trauma Professor and the head nurse..!
The story line can be draggy sometimes but interesting at the same time, the acting stellar all round – It’s my fav Mon-Tue drama, although I do love the 1997 one too
Thanks so much ck1Oz viki subbers!! Hwaitin’ !
Though I’m not from medical background, still like this show more than Faith or other Mon-Tues day dramas airing currently. Happy to watch more episodes if extended.
It’s finally confirmed! 3 more episodes to tie all the loose ends.
Source: http://koreandrama.com/golden-time-confirms-its-extension-by-three-episodes/
Thanks. So glad for the 3 episode extension. I hope there are no plans for a second season–because that would require them to leave storylines unfinished.
perhaps im a fan of medical dramas thats why I looooove this drama so much and i find it awesome, plus im not focusing on their romance part that much thats why i was as disappointed as some of u. its the stupid politics in the hospital that makes the drama exciting, plus how intern Lee Min Woo struggled thru his learning in the hospital? I told myself, i will go “arrrrrrrrgggggghhhh” if Lee Min Woo doesnt become a successful doctor at the end of the show ^^.
otherwise, i hv the same concerns as some of u here – 1) trauma center, 2) Jae In’s decision on inheriting her harabeoji’s hospitals?
Omg they are seriously gonna ask a writer to write 70 pages more of material??? 70 mins = 70 pages