148

Emergency Couple: Episodes 1-2

Emergency Couple premiered over the weekend as tvN’s new Friday-Saturday show. I caught the first two episodes to see what it was all about, and as advertised, it’s a lighthearted medical workplace drama about a divorced couple reuniting, and the first episode delivers the expected setup to a tee, while the second episode is probably a better example of what the show will be like in future episodes. Tonally the show is a bit strange, but more on that later.

I’m not in love with it, but I did eventually come to like Song Ji-hyo’s underdog heroine and found myself rooting for her, even if it was to smash Choi Jin-hyuk’s nose into a wall to flatten his giant ego. It’s an understatement to say that he’s a bit of a pill; let’s just say it’s going to take some serious doing to get me to root for them to get back together romantically.

This is just a one-off recap for now, with no immediate plans to continue the rest of the series.

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Rumble Fish – “Falling Out” [ Download ]

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

 
EPISODES 1-2 RECAP

In the middle of a crowded city street, a bride and groom run holding hands, looking at each other in slow motion like they’re in a music video. But we soon find that they’re not frolicking; they’re being chased by a pair of goons.

They run all the way to a church and crash a service in the middle of a sermon, and just walk down the aisle as if all this is normal. The minister is appalled, but clearly friendly with the groom to give him a disgruntled look but proceed with the request to marry them on the spot.

They apologize to the people in the church who cheer them on, and the groom hands the minister a pre-written speech that includes a long segment on how the groom is the handsomest, most wonderful guy ever. They exchange rings, and just like that, they’re married. He dips her for a kiss.

We go from the guerilla wedding to the couple’s happy home, where the faces in a wedding photo go from happy to snarling before our very eyes. We’re introduced to the characters as they confide in the same psychiatrist (separately), about the mounting stress in their marriage.

The once dashing groom, OH CHANG-MIN (Choi Jin-hyuk), is now an overbearing complainer who doesn’t understand why his wife doesn’t even try to get a job. The doc pours water into a glass and he describes it as half-empty, complaining that he can’t even comprehend how someone could see it as half-full, mimicking his wife’s voice and calling her crazy.

He’s given up his dream of becoming a doctor because he was cut off from his family’s money for marrying her, and finds his home life so stressful that he’s having trouble peeing.

His wife, OH JIN-HEE (Song Ji-hyo), has become so hypersensitive due to his family’s rejection (they still treat her like a non-entity) and her husband’s constant belittling (he calls her stupid in almost every other sentence), that she’s losing her hair and having regular panic attacks, on top of which she also thinks her husband might be trying to poison her.

Instead of finishing med school, Chang-min went straight to work for a pharmaceutical company, and now has to suffer the indignity of peddling drugs to med school hoobaes who are now surgeons. He’s too prideful to take rejection cleanly, and instead picks a fight with a doc for not buying the latest drug he’s selling.

Things have gotten bad enough that Jin-hee keeps divorce papers in her dresser drawer that Chang-min has already signed. She considers them for a moment but puts them back and tells herself this is the last chance and she’s going to try to make it work.

While making dinner, her mother-in-law calls, and Jin-hee’s face goes white immediately. She tries and tries to get a word in, but ultimately can’t, and has another panic attack. She tries calling Chang-min but there’s no answer, and she scrambles for the medicine chest but hesitates and can’t take the meds he recommended because she can’t trust him.

Meanwhile, Chang-min gets taken by the med school hoobae to see his hospital’s chief of staff to try and make the sale to her, though she turns out to be a cougar who feels him up the first chance she gets.

He tucks away his pride and parties with the group of senior doctors who feed him drinks and make him sing and dance, and though the chief of staff paws at him and gives him a kiss on the cheek, she doesn’t want to talk business, and he’s left trudging home in defeat, drunk and dejected in the rain.

It’s just one of those days, and he drops his box of medicine only to pick it up and have it collapse from the sopping rain, and he just kicks it in frustration. He’s on his last nerve when he arrives home, and walks in demanding a towel.

Jin-hee ignores him and pretends to be asleep, and when he complains enough she just reminds him that she told him to take an umbrella this morning. They bicker about the usual things, and then Chang-min gasps to see his goldfish floating dead in his aquarium.

He accuses her of killing them on purpose, while she says she couldn’t feed them because she was dying herself, wondering why he keeps giving her different meds and if he’s trying to kill her.

He tells her it’s all in her head, and when she tries again to tell him she almost died tonight, he doesn’t listen and tells her she’s the one who killed his fish. This is getting ugly fast.

He cuts up her dog’s old clothes in retaliation, totally relishing it, and so she goes to the kitchen to grab a knife and tears apart his sound system.

He cuts up her designer purse, she breaks his camera, and then it’s just all-out destruction as they throw and smash everything in sight. Once the damage is done, they stand in the rubble and it sinks in that this is the end.

Six years later, Chang-min is getting dressed in a fancy tux at a wedding hall. He tells his friends that he’s nervous, and then gets raised onto the stage on a fancy lift. Is this how grooms make their entrances now? Like pop stars?

Outside the hall, Jin-hee arrives a little late to play piano for the ceremony, and complains that it’s not even the first time they’re getting married. She sneaks in from behind, too preoccupied to notice that Chang-min is up in front, introducing himself as the groom’s best friend, and the guy who’s about to sing the congratulatory song. Oh, this gonna be bad. At least he’s not the groom?

He asks the pianist for a quick song change, which is when she finally realizes it’s her ex-husband standing on the other side of the piano, and just ducks without thinking. She finally raises her head because she has nowhere to run, and his jaw drops when he sees her face.

They make disgruntled faces at each other and he drops the mic as she slams her hands down on the piano, and then we cut to the reception where Jin-hee stabs a sausage with a fork. Ha.

Chang-min leaves right away, only to find that another car is double-parked behind him. He calls the number on the car, and Jin-hee chokes to hear Chang-min’s voice on the other end.

He still belittles her with every breath, calling her stupid and a terrible driver who shouldn’t be on the road, but now she just bites back that he’s as rude as ever, wondering why he didn’t just stay in the States forever.

But then she loses ground in the argument when he notices that she happens to be wearing her wedding dress, and he laughs that it must be the best thing she owns, and that that day must still be the highlight of her life. Ugh. I want to hit you.

Chang-min goes to a family dinner, and pwaha, Park Joon-geum plays his doting mother, after playing the hateful stepmother he so loathed in Heirs.

It’s not hard to believe that she was the horrible mother-in-law who used to give Jin-hee panic attacks, though it looks like she gets her fair share of ridicule from her own siblings who are all renowned doctors, while she was just married to one.

It’s clear that Chang-min is her pride and joy, and she asks to have him included in family dinners now that he’s a doctor too. They scoff that he’s only an intern, and see through her ploy to get her brother to pass on his hospital to Chang-min someday.

Mom still complains about the years he wasted with Jin-hee, promising that she’ll let it go now that he’s about to embark on his new career and all is right with the world.

Jin-hee goes drinking with her friends and gets plastered despite the reminders that tomorrow is her first day of work. She swears she’ll be fine and won’t waste all her hard work so easily, but the more she drinks she sees Chang-min’s face floating in her glass and taunting her about the only dress she owns, and downs a shot of something so strong it literally knocks her out.

She gets wheeled away in an ambulance and starts seizing, and the attending physician in the ER is GOOK CHUN-SOO (Lee Pil-mo). He handles the situation calmly, and yanks out a piece of shellfish caught in her throat before intubating.

A few hours later, she stirs awake so he takes the tube out, and in her drunken haze she slaps the doctor across the face and murmurs, “Sonofabitch!”

In the morning, Chun-soo watches as the new interns arrive, among them Chang-min and his med school buddy, who say that they’ll be happy to be assigned anywhere as long as it’s not the ER. Chang-min says they might as well give up on life if they end up in ER, which is where doctors become zombies.

The two boys drool as a woman in a tiny dress walks by, and Chang-min offers to get her number for his buddy, playing the part of the hotshot doctor. Chun-soo watches all of this quietly from the other end of the hallway.

They join the other interns and find that they’re grouped with a newlywed couple that Chang-min knew from med school, and then the girl he just hit on and lied to walks in as a member of their team. Too bad she wasn’t his boss. She introduces herself as HAN AH-REUM (Clara).

They hear that the chief of the ER is famously known at this hospital as The Devil, and that he eats interns for breakfast, making them quit and flee by the droves. Of course The Devil turns out to be Chun-soo, who is every bit the humorless drill sergeant.

He tells them that in the ER, one teammate’s failing grade means they all get Fs, and when they complain he makes it clear that in the ER his word is law. He singles out Chang-min, calling him out for his bravado and girl-chasing.

He says that in the ER an intern is a slave of the lowest birth, known commonly as the “three gods” [god = shin]. At work the deung-shin [idiot], while eating the gul-shin [ravenously hungry], and while sleeping the gwi-shin [ghost].

As they all cringe in horror, Jin-hee stirs awake in her bed, and it takes her a moment to figure out where she is. She gets up groggily and then freaks out to realize how late she is for her first day of work.

Chun-soo tells his new slaves that he hates interns who have their feet planted on the ground, interns who know nothing but talk like they do, and interns who are late. Uh-oh. Jin-hee is close enough that she can hear every word he’s saying, and her ears perk up curiously at words like “emergency room” and “intern.”

He then takes out his chart for roll call and then calls out: “Oh Jin-hee.” Chang-min freezes and then shakes the thought out of his head that it could be his Jin-hee, but from her hospital bed, Jin-hee gapes to hear her name and just about dies when she sees the hospital’s name on the sheets.

Chun-soo crosses her name off ready to fire her on the spot, which is when she scrambles to try and sneak out undetected… and trips and falls, just on the other side of a curtain from where they’re all standing.

She stumbles out, hungover and wearing one shoe, and announces to Chun-soo that she’s Oh Jin-hee. She adds under her breath that technically she was here first, and bows over and over again in apology.

She’s so busy bowing that she doesn’t even register Chang-min’s frozen gaze, and then finally locks eyes with him. Gah, and she’s still wearing that wedding dress, go figure.

As Episode 2 opens, Jin-hee and Chang-min are both willing themselves to wake up from this horrible nightmare. Jin-hee at least has the chance to shower the smell of alcohol and vomit off of her if not the shame, and lights up at the white lab coat hanging in her locker with her name stitched in it.

She takes a moment to relish it and kisses her nametag, before it settles in that she has nothing to wear under the coat. Thankfully Ah-reum has an entire suitcase full of clothes and lets her borrow something.

The Devil calls her into his office to yell at her some more, and he quizzes her on what to do with a patient and asks why she became a doctor. She stammers under pressure and he just tells her to quit right now.

Chang-min finds the rest of the interns eavesdropping, calling the ajumma a blight on their team. He shoos them away but continues listening in, and cricks the door open just in time to see her get on her knees.

She can’t fight the tears, and begs for another chance. He tells her that she doesn’t have the right to become a doctor, which is something he just tends to say generically, but she takes it personally and literally—so much so that he’s taken aback by her flood of tears.

She asks through tears if it’s because she’s older than everyone, got lower grades, and went to school for four years instead of six. She sighs that she thought even without the prestigious schooling, if she just worked hard enough, she would endure and make it. “Am I wrong? Was I wrong to think that?”

She refuses to quit after working so hard to get here and just now finding her life, and asks him to go through official channels to fire her if he must, after which she’ll just re-test and re-apply here all over again.

He softens at her determination to see this through, and tells her to get up. But her legs give out halfway up, and she hilariously grabs the first thing in sight: his pants. Falling would’ve been better, I think. He gives her one last chance.

Chang-min drags her into the stairwell so they can finally talk, and he asks how on earth she’s here, still refusing to acknowledge that she could have become a doctor with her rocks for brains.

He tells her to get out because she’ll never make it here, while she just scoffs that he’s no one to her and she’ll do as she pleases. She tells him to get out if he’s so bothered by her.

He spits that a patient would be crazy to trust her, wondering how a person who couldn’t wield a kitchen knife properly is going to handle a scalpel. He tells her to quit now for the good of mankind, and she just screams back that she’ll make it and he can see for himself.

The whole team suddenly gets paged, and they run in to that slow-motion shot in eeeeevery hospital show, where the emergency room is a disaster zone teeming with activity, and Jin-hee stands in the middle of it, taking it all in as people zoom past her.

A patient gets wheeled in, and Chang-min and Jin-hee are the only interns who assert themselves without being prodded.

On their way back from the lab, Chang-min flails frantically when he sees Mom approaching from one end of the hall just as Jin-hee is walking up from the other end, and without warning just grabs Jin-hee and stuffs her into the nearest supply closet.

He clamps a hand over her mouth and tells Mom over the phone that he’s too busy to see her, sighing in relief that he dodged a bullet. Jin-hee takes him to task, wondering why she has to hide at all from his mother, because they’re strangers now and this is her workplace.

He counters that this is his workplace which she inserted herself into like a chili flake stuck between teeth, and tells her she’s better off quitting than suffering his mother finding out and getting her ousted.

At that, she throws the bag of urine in her hand right in his face. Ugh. Gross. They run back to the ER and get chewed out again—she pulled the wrong fluids and he didn’t check the test.

The rest of the interns grumble over their potential F because of Jin-hee, and Chang-min vows to make her leave. He flirts with Ah-reum in the lunch line, who takes a direct approach with Jin-hee and tells her to get her act together for the sake of the team.

Chang-min goes to The Devil to ask for Jin-hee to get transferred to a different department, which he refuses. So then he asks if he can get transferred, and Chun-soo wonders why—did they date or something?

Chang-min jumps to say no way, not with someone below his level like her, and gets told to suck it up. His last-ditch effort is to describe Jin-hee as a ticking time bomb of clumsy idiotic mistakes, and Chun-soo’s response is for Chang-min to stick close and keep an eye on her then. So much for that.

Jin-hee takes the long subway ride home exhausted, only to find her mom in the middle of a party celebrating her doctor daughter’s first day with her ajumma friends. One of them wants to set her up with a man, but when Mom hears he has a child, she takes offense.

At the same time, Chang-min’s mom is telling her friends that she plans to erase his one-year marriage from his past, as if she can just strike it from the record. She’s perfectly serious about it too, and plans to marry him off as a bachelor.

The next morning at the hospital, Chang-min treats a curious patient named SHIM JI-HYE (Choi Yeo-jin), who says she’s allergic to most pain meds and just asks for Demerol. Uh, red flag? He hedges, but she basically argues and asks for his superiors until he agrees. Uh-oh.

Jin-hee assists Chun-soo with a patient and does well today with a diagnosis, and though she worries about the patient’s residual pain, Chun-soo gets called away with another emergency.

Jin-hee’s patient gets worse, so she runs out but no one else but Chang-min is around. Oh, simultaneous medical emergencies. Where would dramas be without you? Chang-min’s Demerol junkie Ji-hye overhears them, and runs in to take charge while they’re arguing.

She’s obviously a doctor, but doesn’t stop to explain herself and just demands a scalpel. Lady, you can’t just do that. Both Chang-min and Jin-hee try to stop her, especially because she wants to cut into the guy without anesthesia, but Ji-hye is apparently Dr. House and doesn’t give a crap about ethics, and just digs the scalpel into the man’s chest. Aaaaack.

She saves him, and greets a very shocked Chun-soo in a soft, familiar tone: “It’s been a while.” After getting over his initial shock, they sit down for coffee, and she explains that she was recruited by the hospital. The chief asked her to go undercover as a patient to get a feel for their emergency room, which she couldn’t manage when she saw the interns about to lose a patient.

She’s a surgeon, but has agreed to work in the ER starting tomorrow. Chun-soo’s face freezes all over again, and she asks, “Sunbae, do I still make you uncomfortable?” He doesn’t answer.

Later that night, a crazed suicidal man gets dragged in by two cops, one of whom is bleeding from his gut. They stopped the crazy man from trying to kill himself over a broken heart, but he just takes the opportunity to grab the cop’s gun and hold the whole ER hostage, demanding that they bring him his girlfriend.

Chun-soo runs in with security guards (because he’s Super Doc, naturally), and tries to talk the man down. But when Jin-hee accidentally drops a tray, the gunman notices them and takes Chang-min as a hostage. (What is this music?? It’s so jarring.)

Jin-hee sees the defibrillator nearby and inches the cart closer and closer to the gunman, and charges it up…

Uh… doesn’t this seem like a dangerous plan when he’s holding a gun to Chang-min’s temple?

When he’s busy waving his gun at Chang-min and making threats to Chun-soo, she grabs the paddles and jolts him. Both men go down.

 
COMMENTS

That wasn’t the zippiest opening, considering that it takes the full first episode to set us up for the basic premise. But taken as a pair of episodes, it makes for a more complete premiere. Tonally, the show is strange, in that it feels a little like it’s still trying to decide what it is. It’s wildly extreme from one end of the spectrum to the other, with a rather dark set of characters who then suddenly act farcically over-the-top and maniacal at the drop of a hat.

That’s not always a bad thing, since the broad comedy can have its place in the right moments. There’s just a bit of smoothing that needs to happen in the execution, because right now it hasn’t quite gelled and I’m left wondering if a scene is meant to be funny or not. I think it wants to be Scrubs—funny and at times poignant and thoughtful—but both the humor and the poignancy fall a bit short of the mark, and you can see what the show is aiming for but not quite mastering. I like that they’re shooting for something different, but it does end up leaving me a little detached, thinking about the strangely happy score meant to tell me that the gunman isn’t an actual threat (because boppy music does that?) or the leads’ consistent mugging for the camera, which can’t go on for twenty episodes, right?

At first I didn’t really connect with the leads, though Choi Jin-hyuk seems meant to be hateful and petty from the outset (at least he’s going for it with gusto?) and I didn’t really buy Song Ji-hyo as the scared bird-like version of her character, but things clicked into place belatedly when we got to them six years after the divorce. That character felt MUCH more organic to her, and changed how I was watching the show. This girl I could understand and root for, mortifying drunken trip to the emergency room and all, because she was played more believably. So far Lee Pil-mo is my favorite thing about the show, because he seems to be the only one who’s got a handle on the comic tone without going overboard. It’s probably due to the fact that his character gets to be the least ridiculous, which means he has the advantage of subtlety.

There’s promise in the setup, more so as a workplace drama than anything else. Right now I don’t feel sparks between the leads—oh, there are plenty of antagonistic sparks, but as of yet they don’t have that underlying sizzle subtext that I was envisioning for the romance. No doubt the drama will work its way up to showing us why they were also good for each other as much as they were bad for each other, but they went so far to sell the divorce initially that I find myself rooting for the heroine to survive the internship and get as far away from her ex-husband as possible. I’m sure he’ll be redeemed eventually, but by the end of the second episode, I buy them as enemy combatants, but not as former lovers. Workplace shenanigans alone aren’t enough for me, but once the show can manage to set up the romance in an engaging way, I might feel more compelled to reach for the next episode.

 
RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , , , , , ,

148

Required fields are marked *

OMG I'm so excited for this drama. I can't wait for next week omg.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually really loved the first two episodes. I felt like Ji Hyo looked really natural in her role and she was in the zone. She should stick to rom coms more and not sageuks.
Also, I agree, the music at the gunman threat was kind of odd. I don't know what the drama was trying to make us feel. Hopefully this changes soon because I really enjoyed these episodes.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am weirdly invested in this drama. I really do not think it had a good start, and I want it to sort out with its theme as well.

But god I'd be lying if I said I am not biting my nails waiting for the next episodes!

P.S. I did not feel the chemistry yet and am really hoping there won't be any issues with that ;//

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

about the chemistry, i seriously think that they need to either show us flashbacks of how they met/fell in love, or make them kiss soon, cause even the people that liked the show find it difficult to like the leads.. i'm still wondering though if there will be a third/forth side to the leads, i mean clara's character seems harmless so far, and pil mo has that female doctor..

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually LOVE it.

Honestly, I don't think CJH is not doing good here. Since this is a romcom, he did those overly acted gestures to look funny. I find it effective though.

I also understand his character. Though he has that so much ego within him, I understand where he's coming from. He came from a rich family, right? He's not used to the hardships inorder to earn money. I somehow pity him when he was selling those medicines to his former junior. He even swallowed his pride at that scene.

I also think he's still in love with SJH's character. He still care for her when his mother came to the hospital. He's afraid that his mother might do something to SJH.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks GF for the first impressions....I'm not watching it though as already I have soooo many shows in my plan and so many are premiering soon!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Mong Jiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

thank you :)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was hoping someone would at least recap the first episode. Thank you girlfriday!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm kind of afraid that the show would take the couples too far apart the way "oh la la couple" did. To the point where I can't, in no way imaginable, root for the couple to get back together. And I so, so, so want this drama to be good...because I love SJH (due to runningman). I love seeing her outside of RM, cause it's like watching an old friend acting or something, thus I'm excited for her. Weird, I know. I don't know the girl, it's not like we're ever going to be friends either. Anyhooo...please make it good, all PDs and writer-nims!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

You said it! That's the way I feel as well. It's so wonderful seeing her outside of RM and she's so familiar, as you said, like a friend. I love her to smithereens, so I am hoping fervently that this drama does well.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree. I watch running man regularly since last year and I feel like I know her even though I don't. And that also gives me a feeling of rooting for a friend to have success.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually was really impressed with Song Ji Hyo's acting here.

I wonder how they got her head to have a bald spot. Pulled out hairs?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think they used a wig, cause her hair was so short during that scene. And it was brown too, compared to the red hair she has now.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually thought it was really obvious song ji hyo was wearing a wig.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Watched ep 1. Don't like the premise, nor the set up, nor the plot. So glad here's another drama I don't have to watch.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I get you, there's something off about this drama. I can't put my finger on it but while I was watching it I wasn't fully invested in it.
But I will continue watching this cause it's SJH, like she's not the greatest actress but I love her in RM so AHHH... guess I'm going down with this ship :/

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I didn't even make it through the end of ep. 1. :(

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Mongji's eyes popped out a lot here...

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, her shocked expressions are a bit over-the-top, weren't they? Reminds me of Lee Dong-wook in Mandate of Heaven.

Other than that, I'm happy with her character. She makes the whole "Fine, I'm not a genius, not young anymore, divorced, and apparently my asshole of a husband is working with me too but please don't pity me because I WILL GET THROUGH THIS" character really works.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was excited during the promos but the first episode left me so dizzy because it zoomed by the set up so quickly. I feel like they should have spent more time to establish that ChangMin and JinHee loved each other when they got married (or something to that effect) because right now it feels like they never had chemistry. I dont think i will be following this as closely as I had wanted to.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree!
I think the intro of Lee Pil Mo was the only thing that saved me closing that window. And the ending of episode 1 made me laugh.
They're trying to emphasize how much these 2 hate each other so much so that they failed to show us what they saw in each other in the first place. Like they moved into the marriage collapsing so fast I got whiplash.

I did enjoy bits of episode two more. But they need to tone it down on the hate and bring in some more balance. Also wtf scalpel lady?! You don't start working til the next day but you think it's okay to just barge in scalpel happy? She calls one idiot out on nearly prescribing her a narcotic but goes in a cuts a patient illegally. Cringe.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

i also thought pil mo was the thing that made me stay. i'm still not sure about this show, but that guy was so cool, like those guys that don't give a fuck, maybe a little like trash in reply 94.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I hope this drama will be good. I really like them both as actors

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

On one hand, I really like the "heartfelt" moments… such as in the first episode whenever they showed the inner turmoil/angst of the characters dealing with the struggles of daily life. Then, realistically (unfortunately, all too commonly) they mistakenly take their anger and frustrations at life on each other, instead of supporting each other. I think that (as an old ajumma, myself! Ha!) *that* made for a more tangible and realistic start. On the other hand, I DO like the funny parts. I think that it is rather hilarious whenever our leads throw themselves into a scene. It *is* meant to be a little over-the-top in some places…just like "Scrubs" is endlessly funny in its over-the-top moments. I just hope that the series will find its rhythm and that the writing and acting will find a nice pacing. Overall, not a horrible start. I am willing to watch a few more episodes to see if it will make it.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well, I don't dislike it right now. It is quite bipolar, with the serious moments being way too heavy in the midst of all the lightheartedness. I hope it smooths out later, but I fear I'll be disappointed in that regard.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really hope there are some flashbacks (judiciously used) to sort of back fill the story on why Chang Min and Jin Hee got married. If all we get is what was in the first episode, its going to be really hard to buy that there's anything left to salvage out of their relationship, even just friendship.
On another note, this drama just seems to be a reunion for Choi Jin Hyuk lol. Not only is his Heirs stepmom here, but so is one of the co stars from the drama that got everyone riled up on his behalf, I Need Romance.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Me, too. There's got to be some more explanation of why Oh Chang-min says, "Sorry" as he slips the ring on her finger, and then "Thank you." The rest of the two episodes left me wondering if he was actually capable of feeling sorry for anything! (But as long as I get to look at him onscreen, I'm okay with that. :P )

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Unfortunately choi jin hyuk's character is somewhat of an ass (for now) and the fact that he was her husband and treated her that way made me dislike him even more than your typical arrogant male lead. Sometimes i felt like CJH was overacting a bit, but i'll leave some room for him to settle into his character.

Song Ji Hyo's character received my pity in the first episode but i was practically yelling at her to put her husband in his rightful place. Episode 2 showed some more fighting power out of her so I am rooting for her, esp when everyone keeps telling her she can't make it & should give up. I think song ji hyo is doing good here, but for some reason i never felt that "spark" that i feel when i watch my favorite actresses onscreen, like a warmth/charisma.

I got quite a few laughs out, but then realized that there were times where it was rather gloomy/depressing what with Jin Hee's panic attacks and lying meekly on the couch while her husband acted like a degrading jerk.
Im with you on the last scene of episode 2. I didn't know whether or not to take the threat seriously considering the bgm is telling me i should be taking it lightly.

That said, i hope this show doesn't go the Ohlala route. I'm more invested in the heroine's journey than the hero's journey (yet another drama in which that holds true), but it'd be pointless if this show doesn't give us enough reasons to start rooting for them again.
Overall, i enjoyed the first two episodes, caution attached.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think song ji hyo is used to playing sad character and I have also have gotten used to seeing her sad all the time with her projects outside running man. So when she plays a rom-com then there's a bit of a sad scene it makes the sad scene more gloomy probably more than what the writer wants to portray.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

This was one of my anticipated dramas for 2014. So far, I like it. It's fun, zippy, and no-nonsense, and funny (I chuckled over the peeing scene in the first episode). Tonally, I don't have a problem with it at all, although I get what you mean (Seriously, happy music during a shooting? They should've just done none at all), but it's not so off that it feels awkward. The acting is not that bad, and I find both CJH and SJH very endearing, even though Chang-min is a jackass and I am all for Jin-hee to the core. I gotta admit, I stared and drooled at CJH most of the time (a man that hot should be illegal), but I think he will do fine. Chemistry wise, it's very early, but it definitely has potential. Both of them are good kissers, so I don't think it will be a problem (even though kissing doesn't make up all of chemistry, but you get the idea). But hey, the drama promised sexy, cute, and romantic, and I'm all for it. I'm definitely continuing with this series.

P. S. By the way, I wonder if GF will do a halftime report or end review, like she did with Ojjakyo Brothers.

P. P. S. Also, a few commenters are expressing concern over the show potentially veering towards Oh La La route. I never watched the drama, so what the heck happened that makes it so bad?

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ohlala spouses -- about a married couple that got divorced. A show that started off promising with plenty of laughs, but started to pile on with the melo. In the end, the show failed to prove to us that the female lead would have been happy with the male lead. I didn't buy any of it. Plus they started that too late in the game imo. It was basically sugarcoated. I would have been happier had the female lead found her own happiness and lived her own life, no need for the cheating husband.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Agreed whole-heartedly. I watched the whole thing EXCEPT the final episode because I was too angry to think that the heroine is getting back to her husband. If this show doesn't show any nuances and reasons why these two are better off together, I'm sure I'd do the exact thing I did with ohlala, except smarter, like dropping the show ASAP.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thought the music was used to highlight how ridiculous the entire thing is. Just like in that scene when Jin-hee was kneeling and the scene was all sad and serious but she tried to get up and almost pantsed Dr. Gook.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

As a loyal Ace Ji-hyo fan, I'm with it 'til the end. GirlFriday, you are right that Ji-hyo as the meek bride wasn't all that convincing. Ji-hyo as the six-years-later scrappy intern who's pulled herself up from divorce and misery? I like.

The set-up should allow for a lot of antics, even if Choi Jin-hyuk's character is too much of an ass right now to see as dating material, much less marriage-worthy. If the show has set up his character as the one to experience huge growth, well, he's got a LOT of growing to do to be worthy of Ji-hyo's Jin-hee. The previews for this were soooo cute, but I worry there isn't enough material to sustain an entire series. (Then again, that's often true of most of the dramas I watch. 5-episodes' worth of material stretched out to 20.)

I like Clara's straight-talking character, even if at first appearance I thought she was going to be the one to hate. I'm not so sure about Choi Yeo-jin's entry as the sexy surgeon disguised as a patient. But Lee Pil-mo can have lots more screen time, as far as I'm concerned. I'd like to see him soften up a wee bit, but not on Oh Chang-min!

Speaking of Oh Chang-min, I wonder if his spare pharmaceuticals in the kitchen first aid kit will be followed up on at all. Was there something more to Oh Jin-hee's poor health besides her mother-in-law induced panic attacks? I also hope we get some background info on how she finally grew a spine and turned her life around.

Thanks for giving this drama some attention, even if it was just for the first two episodes. I'll be watching 'til the end. Song Ji-hyo, hwaiting!

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Please, please let it be better! I lubbb SJH.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm totally with you. I am definitely a SJH fangirl and I love her to bits. I definitely feel like the role was written for her.

As the divorcee, her mannerisms and actions do seem quite natural. Her character is definitely a fighter, but still vulnerable a bit, and I'm waiting to see her gain even more courage against all these odds.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree about it being weird tonally. I would have really liked to see (and still would like to see) their motivation behind getting married in the first place. You don't get disowned by your family for just anyone. A ten second wedding and then a total disaster doesn't really make me root for them to get back together. Why on earth would they be better off with each other? Show me. It really seems like one of those shows that gets miles better after the whole we-hate-each-other bit (which hopefully turns into the we-make-each-other-better bit), so it's kind of unfortunate they seem determined to stick to that for the time being, as I'm already tired of it.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am a huge fan of Ji Hyo and watched both episodes and loved it. I am totally rooting for Jin-hee that I careless about her ex-husband. Her acting is very refreshing from Mandate of Heaven and it would be great to read girlfriday's thoughts on this drama if not every episode recap, atleast during the mid-point of the drama. Thank you.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

...it's weird, lol
I can't take it seriously...it's hard for me because I love Song Ji Hyo, but it seems too silly

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Weird tone is right.

There are these times when the tone is super light and breezy and you just have Choi Jinhyuk and Song Jihyo bickering with each other.

And then you have these SUPER SERIOUS MOMENTS where SOMEONE IS ABOUT TO DIE or NONSTOP BLOOD SQUIRTING. It's just too much.

Two episodes in and this show has me confused. I want to like it more than I am.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

You hit the nail right on the head with your observations! I feel the same. Hope it gets better with future episodes.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

First two episodes are still rolling around in my brain pan awaiting analysis, but LEE PIL-MO, welcome back to Dramaland, sweetie -- "Lights and Shadows" felt like it ended AGES ago! Just as long as you don't lapse into Song Dae-pung Territory again, this new show should work out just fine for my purposes. :P

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was cleaning and watching this until LPM came on, then I was like, ooooh, who is this new scene stealer man?

Totally totally totally totally should be him with SJH, even though Teacher/Student is not what this show is about.

Man, he is riveting.

Can't stand the Mean Dr. Oh right now, but I get that is where I should be with his character.

1
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I enjoy ji hyo's and lee pil mo's scene too (remind me of 'brain'). Right now I'm starting to root for him.
I hope they'll show some happy moments of her and chang min because I want to see how in love they were with each other.
Anybody else saw the moment jin hee kinda froze after chang min removes his hand from her mouth? Like she's affected by it?

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, I noticed that. She's obviously still affected by him.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Could have been the urine smell. Yergh.

0

I like it! The tone is super weird, but I still like it! I think I'm such a Song Jihyo biased that I find her good and cute all the time :D
I'm looking forward to the next episode.

And thank you so much girlfriday for recapping the show (even though you might not continue the trend), but I appreciate it for now. Hope you like the show enough to keep recapping it!

Can't wait for next week!! hee ^^

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What hospital are they working at again? Because I will NEVER visit that place (or the WE, at least) while the two are there. When the two ex-lovers meet, it's like an explosion of childishess of epic proportion which effects reaches even the passing patient. And I'm not too confident in their professionals too. Who the hell just stabs a patient like that?! And how can the intern allow a 'non-doctor' hold a scapel?

Too much childishness and OTT for me. I don't know why, but the hospital is where I really cannot accept such horrifying shenanigans.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Im glad i wasn't the only one freaking out when ex husband/wife started another one of their arguments/fighting in front of the patient that was about to die. And the fact that they might be risking their patients lives over something as little as pride got me worried.
It'd take alot of maturity for both to be professional in this kind of setting, and knowing Chang Min he'd be the last to back down from a fight.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

She wasn't stabbing randomly. It's a perfectly correct management for subcutaneous emphysema. But I think Jin Hee was right trying to stop her because she never bothered to introduce herself as a doctor ...like how much time would that take. She was being too condescending to the interns.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

CJH was such a turn off. He's overacting like his life depended on it and on top of that, his character is a dick. I definitely agree that its weird tonally. I couldn't quite get a feel for it, but then again, I don't think I'll bother sticking long enough for it to hopefully get better.

SJH wasn't bad at all, and I liked her a lot at moments. Her character makes me want to root for her getting a guy that's worth her. But since this is dramaland, that'll probably not happen.

Thanks for the recap GF!

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Glad I am not the only one who cannot stand his acting, I will not be able to watch him for 18 more episodes. I always liked him enough, just do not think he is an actor ready for lead role.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think Choi Jin-hyuk is not as well trained as an actor as he needs to be. His role as Daddy Gumiho played to all his strengths, not a lot of dialog. mythical beast expected to be overly dramatic also the guy rocks the moody silent scenes, he was well cast for that role. I thought Heirs plumbed the depths of his training. Since the guy cannot run out and get training in the middle of this drama perhaps he can ask for advice from the more experienced actors on the set.

I imagine if he turns in a good performance in this drama it would lead to more work, all the more reason to work hard and stretch as an actor. Fighting!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

for some reasons females got all goo goo eyed for him in GFB, but the critics said he had a long way to go, and have not been overly impressed by him. temporary fandom has helped throw him in the spotlight too fast,too soon. It may cost him future roles especially as lead.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was a little mystified by GF's description of this as a "lighthearted" comedy. I found it to be as dark a premise, in its own, personal way, as 'Age of Feeling'. The detailed description of a doomed marriage was painful to watch, at some points, and sadly realistic.

Jin Hee's character was more tragic than Chang-Min's, of course, but there was enough substance in the scenes involving him and his mother to show how he is also scarred by their past.

Jin Hee, however, had the worst of it, lacking the cushion of money and social class and the confidence that comes with both. When Chang-Min comes home and screams at her, that isn't stress she's showing, that is crippling depression, which he simply isn't capable of understanding.

That makes Jin Hee's success in coming back to finish medical school far more heroic than his, even if she is unlikely to ever be as good a doctor. I didn't see Song Ji Hyo's acting as over the top. The burden of Jin Hee crawling out of that pit she was left in after the divorce makes the tears and the fury pretty real. I wanted to cheer for her when she refused to be shamed into quitting the hospital. Like the Richard Gere character in 'An Officer and a Gentleman', she has no place else to go. I liked the incidentally dropped reference to her having slogged through the medical school in four years instead of six, and I was especially moved by the scene with the medical text book. All those hundreds of footnotes and that quiet smile as she reminded herself that she loved the idea of being a doctor, and also of how hard she'd worked and how far she'd come to get to this internship.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

From the teasers and stills, it was advertised as a lighthearted drama, so many many people thought they were signing up for something more fun. The melo undertones were unexpected, but not unwelcome since we got some realistic portrayals of a deteriorating marriage.

I agree with you on your analysis of Jin Hee and those are the reasons why i find myself rooting for her so much.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I liked it. I didn't love it, but I liked it. Normally this wouldn't be enough for me to watch consistently, but what can I say, Lee Pil-Mo is damnnn sexy in this role. Like really, I didn't think he was that attractive and then he came on screen and started talking and I was swooning. I'll be watching for him and a little bit for Ji-Hyo until Jin-Hyuk gets his act together!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well...i saw for the first time, this two episodes with someone else who isnt relate with korean culture or kpop or anything LOL and this is what they said to me: "good lord...they are such a bad actors...why do they always deliver this same freaking face: "O_O""...

I, again, watched alone and i enjoyed it XD

I dont know, maybe because i was on thirst on Choi jin hyuk to have a lead role since i saw I need romance (and those steamy scenes...and that voice saying "can i?" "do you want to go somewhere else?" UFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) or because i have sympathy with the actress because she is nice and clever on running man.

Either way, i want more episodes hehehehe

I can predict now, why she became a doctor: probably because of him or be accepted to his family, specially the mom(since is a doctor's family) and she still has feeling for him (when they were on the closet...), but Choi jin hyuk caracter...don't....

They better make RAZONABLE reasons to us, as a viewers, why they should get back together, because two episodes, he is A COMPLETE ASS towards him. a better reason that he is hot and he was her husband....

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Well...i saw for the first time, this two episodes with someone else who isnt relate with korean culture or kpop or anything LOL and this is what they said to me: "good lord...they are such a bad actors...why do they always deliver this same freaking face: "O_O""...
I, again, watched alone and i enjoyed it XD
I dont know, maybe because i was on thirst on Choi jin hyuk to have a lead role since i saw I need romance (and those steamy scenes...and that voice saying "can i?" "do you want to go somewhere else?" UFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF) or because i have sympathy with the actress because she is nice and clever on running man.
Either way, i want more episodes hehehehe
I can predict now, why she became a doctor: probably because of him or be accepted to his family, specially the mom(since is a doctor's family) and she still has feeling for him (when they were on the closet...), but Choi jin hyuk caracter...don't....
They better make RAZONABLE reasons to us, as a viewers, why they should get back together, because two episodes, he is A COMPLETE ASS towards him. a better reason that he is hot and he was her husband....

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

But she divorced him. Why would she become a doctor because of him or to be accepted by his family, if she has severed ties with them and been out of touch for six years?

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

To prove something. That she is not as incapable and a nobody as he and his family made her feel.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

IMO why she became a doctor is probably linked to the real illness her stress caused her and the help she got after her marriage. With a little bit of In Ya Face towards her ex-husband and his family. She never expected to see him again so I really doubt her career path was motivated the idea of reuniting with her twu wov.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Maybe they'll show flashbacks to happier times in their relationship when the characters remember that there were actually happy times.

So far I'm rooting for Jin Hee, all the things for Jin Hee!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Song Ji-hyo really looks like Felicia Day here.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I do love Song Ji Hyo's red hair color here, though.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

At least they showed most of the medical equipment being used properly; i.e., I didn't catch any upside down oxygen masks, like I see in almost every drama; (the latest being ep 12 of PM&I). Except for the obvious "don't ever shock a patient while he's holding a loaded pistol to someone's head' mistake.
As for the rest, I'm just meh about it. Yes, we do need to see some flashbacks with a lot of cuteness to root for this couple. I would rather see Jin-hee and Chun-soo fall for each other, with the ex looking on jealously from the sidelines at this point.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes I like your comment about Jin-Hee and Chun-soo. I suspect the show may try to pair Chang-min and Han Ah Reum together as well, ending up with a lot of cross over jealousy. I think that will make interesting viewing.

I was impressed that they shocked the VFib (when nearly every other drama shocks the asystole [the flat line] which doesn't work), though with the way doc Chun-soo did it, he would have ended up needing resus too, ha.

The other thing that I thought was neat was how quickly the nurse got out of the way for the shock... the same nurse also inflated the endotracheal tube cuff... which made me wonder if she had some real ED nurse experience.

However, I reserve my judgement about the upside down mask... its usually the 'bag and mask' mask that gets put upside down, and they haven't cracked it out yet...

(the normal oxygen mask doesn't count - its nearly impossible to put that one on upside down)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thank you so much for recapping episodes 1 and 2! I am rooting for Oh Jin-Hee to succeed and become an awesome doctor. I like how she's very smart and full of knowledge to diagnose issues, but the practical skills are not there. That's how interns should be! Kudos to the writer on that detail.

I thought the ER boss, Gook Chun-soo, started to like Oh Jin-hee, but now I'm not so sure with the Shim Ji-Hye entering the picture. Given that Gook Chun-soo is the better character, why not change it to him being the lead and his dilemma of having to choose between the two leading ladies? haha

Clara's character, Han Ah-reum, was alright. I didn't have high expectations. Of course it was expected there would be some references to her figure. I laughed at the scene when Oh Jin-hee described it with arm gestures. From the one scene so far, Han Ah-reum seems like an honest character. Maybe she'll be a friend to Oh Jin-hee.

The hostile takeover of the ER felt really out of place. Like girlfriday said, the tone of the drama seems varied. I'll continue to watch to see how it develops.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recap, GF!

I really wanted to watch this, but it's a little weirder than what I would've expected. They seem to have taken the comedy aspect too far out for us to connect with any of the leads, which I find slightly disappointing. Please, let us feel some sparks between Choi Jin-hyuk and Song Ji-hyo, at least. I don't think I could watch this if I can't even buy that they were lovers to begin with. But because the second episode sounds more promising than the first, hopefully we'll be hearing more about this drama in the coming weeks!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I watched the first two episodes yesterday and it was not too bad. I actually thought Clara's acting was not bad considering I always hear unpleasant things about her. I really dislike the choice of music in this drama though. It really bothers me for some reason. There are a few funny scenes which were enjoyable :) I might watch this slowly instead of following it closely.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with girlfriday that the tone was uneven. I am hoping they will deliver backstory for what appears to be BOTH pairs of exes.

Side note, wasn't that surgeon (aka fake Demerol feign) one of the trio from the original *I Need Romance*? I think it is if I am recalling one of the casting blurbs on dramabeans. Also, is the gunman Abe? Gah.

My problem with the show is that I can see it get really melodramatic with the doctoring like Good Doctor or Golden Time (neither of which I bothered to finish). I hope it gets better, Scrubs was a good comparison.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, she was. She was the overly-sexed Samantha type character out of the three. I've not finished that I need romance till this day, it was so boring.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I really loved it. I definitely felt that the over the top bits had my eyes rolling. But maybe it's Song Ji Hyo's character? I'm already rooting for her. While the end of ep 2 was ridiculous, it had me laugh out loud. Choi Jin Hyuk's face was hilarity! I also love that it feels different from other med dramas. Top medical Team... Snooze... I think it's ok thay it's "cute". I can't wait for the next episodes!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I should add that the drama for the subcutaneous emphysema was odd. Typically it's not life-threatening.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think it wasn't the subcutaneous emphysema that was the emergency rather than the fact that his vitals were dropping...

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with what everyone has said about the ambiguity of tone of the show so far. Parts of it were fun and had me fully on board, and others had me scratching my head in confusion and incredulity. Concerning our heroine's drunken trip to the emergency room, I was more than a bit taken aback by her "seizures" every five minutes, and subsequent cardiac arrest. Is that kind of thing common with simply having drunk way too much? Somehow, I doubt it. It made me wonder if she might have an underlying medical condition that is yet to be uncovered. No way should she have been out of bed and getting dressed down as an intern on the morning following such a scary medical episode. I would think medical tests would be called for along with a period of rest and observation. The Chief Resident who treated her (Dr. Scary), more than anyone, should have known what shape she had been in only hours earlier, and insisted that she be admitted for follow up. But, what am I thinking....This is a Korean medical drama (of sorts). Medical facts, if inconvenient, are simply disregarded.

I hope this show and its actors will soon settle down into something more coherent and worthy of the time invested in watching it. For now, I'm still invested. Fingers crossed.

0
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think she may have something medically wrong, like a weak heart, or like girlfriday mentioned, panic attacks. I am in no way an expert or even a novice when it comes to medical concerns, but I'm guessing based on what I saw that extreme stress triggers it. She may not have to actually worry too much about drinking but having that sudden encounter with her ex might have put her right back in a bad spot and as much as she drank on top of it probably triggered it hard.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Suspension of logic is a viewing requirement for most dramas. This is particularly true when it comes to medical logic in medical dramas.

In some cases, this can break the drama, especially if a large proportion of the focus is on the medicine (ie House - I simply cannot watch it).

However, when the focus in on something else, like relationships and romance, and it is done well, then I am happy take what the show says at face value, overlook the illogic, and enjoy the show (which I have so far).

Specifically though, in response to Valleydale's query, yes, severe alcoholic intoxication can cause seizures even in healthy adults, though obviously it would be extremely unlikely for her to be discharged and out and about within a day... especially if she received the 1 litre of 30% dextrose (as per the English sub), she might not have survived at all.

Although the funniest bit of medical illogic was when the doctor picked a subarachnoid (brain bleed) by auscultating the chest, hahaha.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Alcohol poisoning and alcohol intoxication actually exist. I don't know if jinhee have a heart condition but I have a friend who has a heart condition and one day he was drinking too much and we had to rush him to the er and he ended up in the icu (don't worry he survived)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I honestly enjoy the fact that the show goes from comedy moments to dramatic to almost slice of life. That's the reality for people, and in this hyper reality the doctors aren't just living as doctors or as just players in a melodramatic relationship. Could the music cues be better placed/used? Yes. Could the writing tighten up a bit so that things aren't always zooming from extreme to extreme? Yes. But I enjoy that we see not only the bad things Chang Min and Jin Hee bring out in one another, but the good there, too. While not as effective as showing us what happened, its nice to know that they can work together in a crisis, and that buried under all that resentment is some form of care. Like Oh Se Ryung in INR3, "you can't hate me so much if you didn't still love me." All the bad thing they say/do, brings up the point that I don't think they really got to know one another before they got married. Like, they fell in love and wanted to get married, so they did, full stop. No plan for afterwards or any understanding of what it means to live with someone, whether or not you're in love with them.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I disagree. I really like the opening two episodes. Not too much dragging, straight to the point. We can see both character flaw. We cannot blame either ChangMin or JinHee, because they got married at such young age. They cannot express their feelings honestly because of their ego.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, I was a little thrown at some of the split personality tonal shifts too, but so far I'm going to stick with it.

I had to keep reminding myself that we haven't seen the whole story and don't know if Jin-hee also gave some bad contributions to that marriage cause man was Chang-min being a super big jerk. I will say this, they probably both went into that marriage immature, but so far it only looks like one of them has done any maturing since. Jin-hee was shocked and not thrilled to see Chang-min at the hospital with her but at least she was willing to try to make it work.

I did not AT ALL expect this going into this show, but I kept
thinking to myself that maybe they both would be better off with other people. I am hoping this show will give me a reason to think otherwise soon :)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

the marriage is classic Korea drama really. It failed becuse they didnt get family approval..now when was the last time you see a marriage without the family agreeing? Heck whole dramas are built around that idea! So here we have rich guy gives it all up, few month later love faded and he is cut off and has to try and do things without family support...blames the wife rather than take responsibility and man up and starts to demean her so he can feel important again.
Right now Chun-soo is a totaly jerk who seems to have ran straight back to his old life under his family protection, that is he not moved on at all, while Jin-hee has changed her life and made something, without the safety net that Chun-soo had, out of her life on her own efforts

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

this drama seems japanese with the violent habits and a psycho vibe. weird to think a kdrama is like this. but I like that! I hope they continue the jdorama vibe

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I liked it! I thought it was funny but I can understand what you were saying about it being the tone of the show being off. And because the ex-husband is such a pill I cant like him yet either. But the show had me laughing several time and mouth hanging open in shock others so at least its not boring!

Also I don't feel the chemistry between the leads either. Actually i felt more chemistry between Chun-soo and Jin-hee. I could totally see them getting together! The tough but caring "boss" who helps her get over he ex-husband as well as her complexes! I mean with the slap and the almost pantsing its a pretty good start! But alas we already know that it wont happen so heres to hoping for chemistry between the leads and to a relationship I can believe in!! Because I think the show does have potential and will keep watching it and hoping!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I thought it was funny but I can understand what you were saying about it being the tone of the show being off. And because the ex-husband is such a pill I cant like him yet either. But the show had me laughing several times and mouth hanging open in shock others so at least its not boring!

I also don't feel the chemistry between the leads either. Actually i felt more chemistry between Chun-soo and Jin-hee. I could totally see them getting together! The tough but caring "boss" who helps her get over he ex-husband as well as her complexes! I mean with the slap and the almost pantsing its a pretty good start! But alas we already know that it wont happen so heres to hoping for chemistry between the leads and to a relationship I can believe in!! Because I think the show does have potential and will keep watching it and hoping!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i'm willing to accept this drama for all its flaws as long as it does not go makjang on me. (makjang is not the right word but you get what i mean)

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't see a reason why these two should ever get back together so I have a hard time watching it. Not to mention weird tone you mention, the overacting and overall silliness of everything. Well, one less drama to watch is all right with me.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Pretty much agree with girlfriday's comments. Weird tonally indeed. Comic music while a guy is holding a gun to another person's temple? Ummm....

I am pretty much on board with Jin-hee, especially in episode 2. She was very right to say to her ex "Why should I bother about running into your mother". If Chang-min's mother can't handle running into her son's ex-wife in a hospital and behave like a normal human being (and even more so being from a family of doctors), I'm sorry, that's just ridiculous. As is the sparring over the patient's failing body – it's just so unprofessional and I find it hard to believe that two people would stand there and get so hung up about their own petty issues and just leave the patient to die. And the-doctor-pretend-patient? Goodness gracious! Was not happy with that scene at all.

I confess I'm also bothered about everyone looking down on Jin-hee for being "old". Isn't Chang-min just as old as her? And how much younger are the other interns? They certainly don't look significantly younger, and it's not like they are 20 either. Plus, as a graduate student, my own experience (though I'm not in medical sciences) is that it is so, so common for people to be studying/training at all ages. And I'm not talking just talking 30 year olds studying, but 40, 50 year olds going back. There's nothing wrong with that at all, and often those students are way more dedicated then some 22 year olds doing doctorates (medical or otherwise). In the UK no one blinks an eye about that (and there I thought Korea had more respect for 'elders').

Can't say that I understood the nurses gossiping about Jin-hee to the interns either – she might be a intern now, but Jin-hee was a patient the night before, in other words, what happened to patient confidentiality?

Not a fan of the two superior women characters either (the super-sexy intern and the doctor-pretend-patient). So they are perfect, beautiful, brainy, amazing, sexy, whatever. Jin-hee is a much more interesting character already.

Okay, I'll stop complaining and still give this a few more episodes since I do think there is potential.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

You bring up some very good points. I attend a university in the city (in the US) and it's alot more common these days to see 30-50 year olds going back to school. You see people from all walks of life.
My sister who's currently in pharmacy school says there are some students who are already married with kids and have gone back to school to get their degree. These people are the respected/admired ones.

Jin hee is only 3 years older from Chang-min, if i remember correctly from character descriptions. So why he'd even call her an ahjumma beats me. And what with the emphasis on being old in the workplace is upsetting. You have to be old and experienced(sunbae) to respected in the workplace, otherwise you're young and inexperienced(hoobae) so they cut you some slack. Jin-hee doesn't fall into that category -- she's "old" (says chang min) and inxperienced and treated like she doesn't belong.. Which is why i want her to succeed so much.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

What would bring two people back from being divorced to each other? With the bickering and childishness we have seen, the pathways are likely love triangle or in the face of death realisation. Doesn't seem interesting. So, the writers are going to do this caricature-ish. Not for everyone, then. So peeps, tone down your expectations.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't feel any chemistry between Chan Min and Jin Hee.
i think the chemistry between Mr. Sexy Evil doctor and Jin Hee more believable. but the again, when i watch mandate of heaven, as much as lee dong wook being my first crush actor on k-drama, i don't feel his chemistry with song ji hyo.

actually, i root song ji hyo and the king. even with little scene together, i feel spark of chemistry between them.

whether song ji hyo always better chemistry with second lead in her drama way before?? because i don't see lots of her drama.

actually i like the tone, but feel there is a few lacking in some scene. anyway, i still stick with the drama because Lee Pil Mo and Song Ji Hyo.. :D

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

I haven't seen mandate of heaven but I saw the recent running man episode where jihyo and dong wook got paired up and they were so close even there were caption that said they were best of friends I was rooting they would date in real life.lol . I saw her in goong and jumong and frozen flower. She was the second lead in princess hours and she had great chemistry with the main lead probably because there were rumors they were dating. In frozen flower ji hyo and in sung had amazing chemistry.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm with you regarding lee pil mo and song ji hyo character. They seem to have more chemistry maybe because ji hyo and jin hyuk have only those bickering scenes like anytime they would kill each other. At the back of my mind I'm thinking maybe choi jin hyuk is not yet ready for a lead. I hope I am wrong. I want this drama to be a success because I am a song ji hyo fan.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Please change yr mind n continue to write reviews for this one. Pretty please.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *