Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim: Episode 15

69 December 30, 2016December 29, 2016

by tineybeanie

At last, we get some answers about Teacher Kim’s motivations after being shrouded in mystery for such a long time. In addition, more satisfying tidbits reveal that our fledgling doctors are well on their way to maturity. This episode was more about shifting the focus back to our doctors rather than on patient cases, which created a refreshing break from the norm, and the lighthearted cat and mouse dynamic between Ki-tae and the Seo-jung/Dong-joo couple makes for an entertaining watch.

CHAPTER 15: “Cornerstone Syndrome”

A serious conversation between Teacher Kim and CEO Shin takes place, where Teacher Kim tries to find out CEO Shin’s motives for having him perform his surgery. CEO Shin reveals that he trusts Teacher Kim not to be swayed by the monetary interests at stake that depend on his health.

At Geodae Hospital, Dr. Do is in another conversation with CEO Shin’s daughter, SHIN HYUN-JUNG (Kim Hye-eun). As he informs her about CEO Shin’s pending surgery and its head surgeon, Teacher Kim/Dr. Bu Yong-joo, her eyes widen as she remembers the crazy doctor that caused a big scandal at Geodae Hospital years ago.

A flashback takes us to a medical committee hearing, with a younger Teacher Kim on trial. The chief interrogator is shown to be Hyun-jung, and she pointedly questions Teacher Kim on whether he forced his underlings to perform surgeries under his name, which led to two deaths on the operating table by inexperienced, unqualified surgeons. Outraged by these denunciations, Teacher Kim yells at the row of medical fellows behind the interrogation panelists: “Have I ever asked you to operate in my name?” Dr. Song looks down, unable to meet his gaze.

Without even attempting to uncover the truth, Hyun-jung blatantly accuses Teacher Kim of being an irresponsible egotist who uses his students for his own selfish greed, and who takes credit for their work to further his own reputation. On the panel of interrogators, Dr. Do simply nods along smugly and keeps quiet. However, it’s shown that in a previous circumstance, Dr. Do tried to push Teacher Kim to take on a VIP case while Hyun-jung was present, but Teacher Kim refused because he had other patients lined up who had been waiting their turn for surgery.

It seems that Teacher Kim discovered sometime afterwards that Dr. Do had secretly been using Teacher Kim’s name for surgeries he had not participated in so that he could increase hospital profit. When Teacher Kim confronted Dr. Do about the situation, Dr. Do guaranteed that Geodae Hospital would take care of any liabilities or consequences that resulted from any operations performed under Teacher Kim’s name.

Teacher Kim’s answer is not shown, but the scene cuts to a fistfight between Teacher Kim and Dr. Song after the operation and table death of Teacher Kim’s student, Jang Hyun-joo (the one from the 1998 medical ID card in his student files). During the fight, Teacher Kim angrily asks who told Dr. Song to perform this surgery under his name.

At the medical committee hearing, Hyun-jung issues the following judgement on behalf of the Geodae Hospital Board: From this day forward, Dr. Bu Yong-joo will not be permitted to continue practicing medicine in any capacity. Teacher Kim can only sit back disbelievingly, dazed at his sentence.

Dong-joo’s voice-over tides us over to the present:

“An age of hierarchy, when usefulness is valued and judged over personal character or ability. An elite group, and a world that’s controlled by people who know how to effectively manipulate that group. It’s become a strange world, where loyalty to the winning faction becomes the greatest virtue, and principled and skilled people are thrown away, as if they’re valueless.”

In the present day, Hyun-jung’s chauffeur asks if she wants to see CEO Shin because they’re right outside Doldam Hospital, but she refuses, saying that she wants to give him his time to rest. Teacher Kim, who has just found the anomaly in CEO Shin’s CT chart, looks in on his sleeping patient.

The next morning, Dong-joo strides through the halls of Doldam Hospital with a wide grin gracing his face. Seo-jung arrives with a similarly bright smile and an energy-filled greeting. In front of Ki-tae, they greet each other shyly after the remembrance of their second kiss. Seo-jung and Dong-joo both head on their separate ways after complaining of the sudden hotness, while Ki-tae expresses his confusion because the outside temperature is below freezing.

As soon as he gets to the ER, Yeon-hwa follows Dong-joo, reporting to him about a patient with excessive abdominal pain. He looks over her notes, impressed by her fastidiousness. They then find the patient and take down his history together.

Nursing Assistant Park glances over, happy to see Yeon-hwa back at Doldam Hospital. While Dong-joo enters patient data into the computer, Ki-tae sidles up beside him and slyly starts asking whether Dong-joo had any success with the necklace gift. Dong-joo starts smiling again in return, not denying his success.

Establishing his expertise on romantic relationships, Ki-tae explains that a man’s purpose for giving a ring is so that he can touch a lady’s hand one more time, and that the purpose of giving a necklace is to provide a natural excuse for embracing her. He then adds that a woman who doesn’t wear the jewelry item either does not like her gift or does not like the person who gave the gift. This gets Dong-joo wondering whether Seo-jung was wearing his necklace that morning, but he’s soon called away to see a patient.

Suspicious of Ki-tae’s motives, Nurse Oh, who has overheard the entire conversation, asks Ki-tae what he’s up to. He replies that he’s just creating a bit of mischief because he’s jealous of Dong-joo’s romantic success where he failed (and was subsequently rejected by Nurse Oh).

Dong-joo calls Seo-jung to ask whether she is wearing the necklace, but she evades the question and tells him to focus on his work. Seo-jung enters CEO Shin’s room, where she sees an unfamiliar face: Hyun-jung’s. Manager Joo apprises Teacher Kim of Hyun-jung’s arrival, and he’s surprised to learn that Hyun-jung is CEO Shin’s daughter.

Hyun-jung tries to convince CEO Shin to discharge from Doldam Hospital and go to Geodae Hospital. After his daughter mentions that rumors of his mental unfitness will go around if he stays stubborn in his wishes to have his surgery at Doldam, CEO Shin almost seems to relent.

A triumphant Hyun-jung leaves to process the paperwork for his discharge, but Seo-jung stops her at the door, saying that she needs the permission of the attending physician in order for the patient to be discharged. Hyun-jung condescendingly states her superiority, declaring that as a member of the hospital board, she outranks Seo-jung.

Outside the room, she encounters Teacher Kim and asks what he’s doing at Doldam Hospital—and practicing medicine, no less. Teacher Kim responds that he’s continued practicing medicine because he never did anything illegal that would have caused his medical license to be restricted. He continues saying that any wrongdoing found was because Hyun-jung and her group framed him.

She accuses him of trying to use her father to stage a comeback, but he says he was unaware of CEO Shin’s connection to Geodae Hospital when he first decided to take him as a patient. When she replies that she doesn’t want her father to be operated on by the type of doctor Teacher Kim is, he asks her to explain—in detail—what she means.

Her temper starting to rise, Hyun-jung calls him Bu Yong-joo, but he points to his name tag, saying that everyone around here calls him Teacher Kim. She thinks that he’s trying to hide his past and reinvent himself by taking on another name, but he corrects her, saying that he uses the name as a reminder to himself in repentance for believing in the illusions of success propagated by her type of people.

Seo-jung, whose curiosity has been roused after witnessing the entire exchange, takes Nurse Oh to the side to ask her about Teacher Kim’s past. But Nurse Oh firmly denies knowing anything about Teacher Kim before his arrival at Doldam Hospital before surreptitiously checking Seo-jung’s collar to see if she is wearing Dong-joo’s necklace. Then, she asks Seo-jung if they’re dating.

Flustered, Seo-jung starts babbling, “No, never,” and that Nurse Oh has to believe her. The nurse acknowledges Seo-jung’s statement, but winks at her knowingly as she leaves. Immediately, Seo-jung goes to find Dong-joo so that they can come up with a plan.

Dong-joo, In-bum, and Dr. Song carefully examine the CT scan of the abdominal patient. Dong-joo and In-bum have differing opinions on the original cause of the patient’s symptoms – Dong-joo thinks that it’s in the pancreatic tail, while In-bum believes it’s a bowel abscess.

When Dr. Song can’t seem to make up his mind regarding the patient’s diagnosis, Dong-joo suggests that they call Teacher Kim. But that suggestion pricks Dr. Song’s pride, and he assigns In-bum to the surgery despite it being Dong-joo’s patient.

Dong-joo storms out, and In-bum requests that Yeon-hwa assist him in the surgery. In his office, Dong-joo reviews the CT scan again, when Seo-jung comes in to ask whether he said anything to Ki-tae regarding their relationship. He answers that he never said outright to Ki-tae that they were dating, and that maybe Seo-jung was the one being suspicious by giving off the impression that they were romantically involved.

He then surreptitiously looks over to see whether she’s wearing his necklace. When he can’t see it on her, he asks her again if she’s wearing it, in order to ascertain that they are officially dating. She says that it’s exactly this type of behavior that makes him so obvious and what prevents her from starting anything with him.

When he points out that their amorous activities from yesterday should mark today as their first official day of dating, she pretends that she doesn’t remember, and he threatens to kiss her again to remind her. Again, Seo-jung tells him to stop being so obvious and to keep work and personal affairs separate, and in reply, Dong-joo claims that his nickname is “Kang Pokerface.”

When she turns to leave, Dong-joo casually says “I love you,” to which Seo-jung’s hands curl up in embarrassment at the nauseatingly romantic sentiment. Having fun teasing her, he repeats himself in several different languages while she tries to cover his mouth.

Teacher Kim and Hyun-jung continue their meeting in his office. He tries to direct her attention to CEO Shin’s condition. However, only thinking on her own terms, Hyun-jung tells Teacher Kim to release her father because there’s nothing to gain for Teacher Kim back at Geodae Hospital.

When words won’t work, Teacher Kim shows her CEO Shin’s CT results. Hyun-jung, who was trained as a doctor, recognizes the tumors in his lungs, indicating terminal cancer. Teacher Kim has already notified CEO Shin of his diagnosis. During that conversation, Teacher Kim gave CEO Shin his options regarding end-of-life treatment, and gave his professional opinion that CEO Shin had less than three months to live.

Dong-joo waits outside of Teacher Kim’s office to ask him about the abdominal patient’s CT, but he’s still in deep discussion with Hyun-jung when Yeon-hwa walks by on her way to In-bum’s surgery. Dong-joo volunteers to take her place, and enters the In-bum’s operating theater. When they open up the patient, no bowel abscess is found; Dong-joo was right – the origin was in the pancreas.

Yeon-hwa informs Teacher Kim of the situation regarding the abdominal patient, and when he checks the CT scan, he also suspects that it’s the pancreatic tail. He tracks down Dr. Song to reprimand him, when suddenly, In-bum calls Dr. Song to ask about how to proceed with the surgery now that it’s been discovered that the pancreas was the issue.

Dr. Song asks In-bum whether he’s done a distal pancreatectomy before, and in front of Dong-joo, In-bum feels that he has no choice but to lie that he has. However, as he continues to operate, his hands falter enough to reveal his inexperience.

In-bum calls Dr. Song again for reinforcements, and with Teacher Kim goading him on, Dr. Song reluctantly enters the surgery. Initially, when Dr. Song takes over, it seems like everything is going smoothly, and even Dr. Nam compliments him for his skilled movements despite his long absence from the operating theater. But suddenly, the splenic artery ruptures, and blood splatters everywhere.

Seeing the situation intensify, Teacher Kim paces back and forth outside, ready to save the day if the patient goes critical. However, Dong-joo steps up and says that he can patch up the tear in the splenic artery. Dr. Song is only concerned about who will take responsibility if the patient dies, and Dong-joo, while disgusted with his previous mentor, agrees to take responsibility.

Knowing the delicate nature of the artery, Nurse Oh tries to protest, but Teacher Kim gives her the go-ahead sign from outside, and she hands Dong-joo the surgical tool. After a deep breath, Dong-joo starts by imitating Teacher Kim’s self-mantra: “Concentrate.” The surgical team is surprised at Dong-joo’s rapid, sure hand movements that seem to mimic Teacher Kim’s own style.

It’s shown that Dong-joo spent many nights practicing on his own, after first observing Teacher Kim in action. Teacher Kim, who has been watching the entire scene unfold for any sign of emergency, smiles and puts down his readied hands as he sees his student confidently proceed in the operation.

The surgery ends in success, but as they leave the operating room, Dong-joo calls In-bum out on his lies and tells him not to be so irresponsible with patients’ lives. At this didactic display from his peer, In-bum punches Dong-joo, and they engage in a hair-pulling fight with the entire hospital staff watching them. They only stop when the bear-like Mr. Go pulls them apart.

In the ER, Seo-jung is told about the fight and the circumstances that led up to it. She asks for details, wanting to hear more about Dong-joo’s impressive surgical performance.

The two brawling rivals stand in Teacher Kim’s room waiting for a scathing lecture. In-bum tells his side of the story, while Dong-joo stays silent. Teacher Kim releases Dong-joo, but keeps In-bum to question further.

Seo-jung confronts Dong-joo as he leaves Teacher Kim’s office, and chides him to get along with In-bum. He tries to get her to kiss the boo-boo on his forehead to make it feel better, but she just laughs and tells him to put on some ointment. Nonchalantly, he tells her “I love you,” and her hands curl up again.

He flirts, making finger-heart gestures at her until he sees Ki-tae around the corner, watching them with interest. His attitude quickly shifts from lovey-dovey to argumentative, and Seo-jung, catching Ki-tae out of the corner of her eye, takes the hint and ends their conversation with a fierce defense of In-bum and an admonishment to Dong-joo not to fight in the hospital. Ki-tae remarks to himself that they’re both terrible actors.

When Teacher Kim tries to ask In-bum regarding the real cause of the fight, In-bum just passes it off as longstanding antagonism between him and Dong-joo. Because In-bum won’t tell him the truth, Teacher Kim tells him to leave.

As In-bum turns away, Teacher Kim tells him that CEO Shin’s surgery will probably not happen because of his lung cancer, and that In-bum should report that to his father. Teacher Kim has suspected from the beginning that In-bum’s only purpose at Doldam Hospital is to spy on him, but after In-bum’s first unauthorized surgery at Doldam Hospital, Teacher Kim thought that he saw something in him that was worth honing.

However, after experiencing so many of In-bum’s lies and his hazy principles, Teacher Kim says he prefers the “Do” who is clear in his own mind and own objectives (referring to Dr. Do as a cornerstone) rather than the “Do” with unfocused priorities (referring to In-bum as a plain, round stone). Therefore, he adds, In-bum has no further need to be at Doldam Hospital. In-bum’s eyes fill with unshed tears, but he only clenches his jaws and leaves.

He calls his father to report back accordingly and to tentatively ask to go back to Geodae Hospital, but Dr. Do cuts him off, telling him to stay until he says and not to whine. Dr. Do then meets with Hyun-jung to discuss the new development in CEO Shin’s health.

Now that he knows he’s a terminal patient either way, CEO Shin consults with Teacher Kim to ask what his medical opinion is regarding the heart surgery. Trying to lighten the mood of his troubled patient, Teacher Kim jokes that he’s sad that there will be no heart surgery because he wanted CEO Shin as a patient in order to gain his generous contributions.

Regaining a bit of his former spirit, CEO Shin insults Teacher Kim back for his boldness. But then the atmosphere turns serious again when Teacher Kim gently tells CEO Shin of the risks of the surgery, and it seems like the situation is settled.

Seo-jung bumps into Ki-tae and Director Yeo while she gets some coffee. Ki-tae starts spouting praises regarding Dong-joo, laying it on thick as he calls him “best husband material.” They all laugh together, but as Seo-jung walks away, she urgently calls Dong-joo so that they can allay Ki-tae’s suspicions.

She suggests that they have a pretend fight, so they proceed to have a shouting match in the ER. Watching the loud altercation, Nurse Oh and Dr. Nam think that Seo-jung and Dong-joo are fighting way too often recently, but Ki-tae lets them know that it’s a ruse to distract the staff from the strong romantic vibes coming from them. Dr. Nam disagrees, and Ki-tae makes a bet with him regarding Seo-jung and Dong-joo’s relationship.

Dr. Do, who still believes CEO Shin will not go through with the surgery, urges Hyun-jung to take her father’s place as the chairman of the hospital’s board of directors.

Teacher Kim calls for a team meeting to announce that they will not be proceeding with CEO Shin’s artificial heart surgery because of his terminal stage lung carcinoma. But CEO Shin rolls in on his wheelchair to tell them that he wants to go ahead with it, saying that he wants to live his last few days with a healthy heart.

Epilogue. Yeon-hwa tiredly wakes up to another morning at Doldam Hospital. She exits the ER and runs into a bright and cheerful Seo-jung in the hallway, underneath the big Christmas tree.

Seo-jung hands Yeon-hwa a drink, which she gulps down gratefully. While thanking Seo-jung, Yeon-hwa notices a snowflake necklace sparkling on Seo-jung’s collar and asks if it was a gift from someone. Seo-jung bashfully mumbles noncommittally and tucks the necklace back inside her sweater.

COMMENTS

Finally, we gained some understanding about Teacher Kim’s past, and through it, we learned that the greater the pain, the greater the lesson. Although he only succumbed to ambition halfway (by not saying no to Dr. Do) and very momentarily, he lost his reputation and status for that brief lapse in judgement. Now, we know the root cause of his antagonism toward Geodae Hospital and its proprietors, which drives him to steer his students away from the deceptively glittering path. It’s a testament to the endurance of his mental spirit that he rose from the ashes of his downfall to become a wiser, better doctor.

At this point, I know Dr. Do is firmly entrenched on the dark side, and all I want to confirm is whether Hyun-jung is so far gone that she will sacrifice her own father to gain what she wants. I think Hyun-jung and CEO Shin provide an interesting foil for In-bum and Dr. Do. We know that despite CEO Shin’s support of Teacher Kim, he is a ruthless businessman at heart, and his daughter seems to be the same way. If In-bum continues on the path that Dr. Do has set him on, it looks like he could end up like Hyun-jung, hardened with greed and willing to sacrifice his loved ones in order to secure his own future.

But poor baby In-bum! Lying never ends well, but I can understand his feelings, trapped between his need to win his father’s approval and the Doldam’s strangely appealing, ethically righteous ways. Just seeing his tearful sad eyes after Teacher Kim’s lecture was painful, but it was his father’s rejection after their call that made me actually cry. It’s not his fault that Dr. Do is an amoral megalomaniac, but unless In-bum grows a spine soon, he’ll be helplessly swept away by his father’s machinations.

Love is in the air for Dong-joo and Seo-jung. I agree with Ki-tae that Seo-jung and Dong-joo are hopeless at hiding their feelings for each other, and can’t wait to watch their coming-out to the rest of the Doldam staff. How could Dr. Nam bet against their relationship, even after seeing Dong-joo’s drunken confession last time? I’m pretty sure Nurse Oh suspects something, and even Teacher Kim knows there’s something going on between them. But I don’t mind their failed attempts at discretion, as long as it leads to more adorable mushy moments.

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1 Ed

December 30, 2016 at 9:12 AM

Seo-jung rocks!

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jooheejoo

December 30, 2016 at 10:07 AM

+100000000000000000000000000

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2 Kiara

December 30, 2016 at 9:20 AM

I love this show but can we stop fist fighting inside the hospital? It's getting old children....

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nchoe

December 30, 2016 at 6:14 PM

Exactly.

I don't know how hospital in South Korea, but in my country it's common sense to stay quiet inside the hospital, you'd even be glared at for closing doors loudly.

In this show, doctors even fake a fight, in front of patients on top of that, only to hide the fact that they're dating... LOL.

Thankfully, Seo-joong and Dong-joo are so cute together so I can overlook this nonsense. I hope it won't happen again in the future though.

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Ally

December 30, 2016 at 9:02 PM

RIDICULOUS!!! was what I yelled at the screen when they started fighting. Surgeons, as hot headed as they are known to be, would NEVER be caught fist fighting, especially in the OR. They would be too afraid of hurting the hands that keep their livelihood. I had a urologist colleague whose wife wouldn't even let him mow the lawn, trim his hedges, hang Christmas lights, etc. because his hands were worth too much!!! The insane amount of chemistry between our lovebirds makes everything forgivable though. I laughed out loud when Seo Jung said that Im Bum has never touched dirt, why would he get his hands dirty in a fight? Awesome.

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3 azzo

December 30, 2016 at 9:34 AM

How adorable is Dong-joo in glasses? But I have to say Kang PokerFace beats him,LOL!

I just loved every scene that had Dong-joo with Seo-jung, all the fake fights were hilarious, I died laughing when he actually got jealous of her defending In-bum.

In-bum really needed to hear that from Kim Sabu, I've been rooting for him to turn to the good side and wanted him to be all what Kim Sabu said, my heart broke for him a little but then he had to call his dad to report?! I just don't want him turning bad like his father, I'll root for him a little more!

Thanks tineybeanie for the recap.

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 12:59 AM

Unless I were willing to lose my shirt, I would never play five card stud against Pokerface Kang. His ability to remain deadpan is amazing. LOL!

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4 kdramaanalysis

December 30, 2016 at 9:40 AM

I found this episode light hearted and a refreshing break from the usual intense and frenetic feel of the series. We only had 1 case in addition to CEO Shin's surgery but it was well utilized to illustrate both Dong Joo's growth and In-Bum's continued faltering. I loved the parallel sequences of Dong joo's surgical skills which brought back memories of Master Kim's surgery as early as episode 2.

I also found the teasing between Dong joo and seo Jung very fun and it's so rare that we see Dong Joo smiling and laughing. I did hope we got to see more of his fun side earlier on in the series because I always found his character too serious. I found it so funny when he referred to himself as Poker face Kang :)

Have shared more on this episode on my blog: http://wp.me/p7U37n-1tg

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5 crazyahjummafan

December 30, 2016 at 9:51 AM

I love the exchange between YJ and DJ! They are too cute for words! I love how YJ pretended that she didn't know/couldn't remember what they did the day before, and how DJ says that he'll just have to show her again! And he said it with a poker-face! He is Kang Poker-face, while YJ is just too cute for words! I love how he teases her by saying "I love you" repeatedly, just to get her flustered.

And their pretend quarrelling...so funny. I love how this show laces the serious topics and themes with humour.

But on a more serious note, can doctors quarrel so loudly in the ER? Won't they be hauled up for inappropriate behaviour?

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6 faith

December 30, 2016 at 9:59 AM

how did Kim Sabu managed to continue his practice? geodae managed to destroyed his reputation already, assuming that they did submit the paperwork to barred his license?

and the two lovebirds... LOL. They got caught the moment they walk through the front door^^

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7 loveblossom🌸

December 30, 2016 at 10:47 AM

It was sooooo awesome watching Dong Joo doing the rapid artery repair just like Teacher Kim! I liked the flashbacks showing all the times he practiced. I felt like a proud mama! :) It was great seeing Teacher Kim being impressed by Dong Joo too.

I'm also glad Dong Joo confronted In Bum about his lies yet again. IB keeps lying and putting patients' lives at risk. He really needs a wake-up call. He's a gray character. Not clearly on the good or the bad side. I hope he learns from his mistakes and that speech from Teacher Kim.

That epilogue had some PPL right? That drink? But at least it was at the end. xD And I KNEW IT! Seo Jung was just being a tease about her necklace. She and Dong Joo were adorable. I liked his cute teasing too. Ki Tae's line about them being bad actors cracked me up! :P

It's inspiring seeing that Teacher Kim overcame his past. Dr. Do is the villain, but he hasn't really been pressured yet or face major trouble. I guess I want him to face some repercussions for all the manipulative things he has done.

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Rose

December 30, 2016 at 4:53 PM

Compleltely agree with you!! Hands down my favorite part was Dong Joo taking over and with such skill? Dr. Kim has proven a great teacher!

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ap

January 3, 2017 at 12:12 PM

i kept on replaying that scene where he was actually wearing a glasses while practicing the rapid repair artery. oh demn boy, he is just so hot wearing glasses i wanna kiss the screen because of his pouty lips. he is just so adorable and i am also proud of my boy there! hah!

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8 Bazu

December 30, 2016 at 10:59 AM

Ki Tae cracks me up. He's the MVP in this episode!

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9 immawish

December 30, 2016 at 11:23 AM

After all these 15 episodes, this one is s far my favorite after 2nd episode. Because so many things happened in the 2nd one I couldn't ignore that (Don't argue with me about Seojung's seizure scene, nothing tops it tbvh).

Dongjoo and Seojung being idiots of love? Check. Nurse Oh once again showing her one and only person she trust? Check. Dongjoo being badass with all the hand thingy and "focus..."? Teacher Kim being proud of his kids? Inbum being fluffy, mushy, hug-attracting softie? Check. Damn this episode is satisfying

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ap

January 3, 2017 at 12:13 PM

soooooo satisfying!

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10 lunatic4kd

December 30, 2016 at 1:08 PM

Can't say enough about how much I love this drama...and so proud and relieved that the love started for me right from episode 1 has continued. There's been no need for criticism after 15 episodes - just pure love. I've only done that for Jealousy Incarnate, Signal, Healer and Misaeng over four years! Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo is approaching a perfect record too!

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daydreamer11

December 30, 2016 at 6:01 PM

Can’t say enough about how much I love this drama…and so proud and relieved that the love started for me right from episode 1 has continued.

This! And I'm so happy that this show has made me, someone who is so not into medical dramas, fall in love head over heels with it and even having to eat a lot of my words before it airs :P I love it when I've been proving wrong like this.

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11 Sinta

December 30, 2016 at 2:45 PM

Yoo yeon seok in glasses is so good. Way too handsome.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:52 AM

Is it possible to have Yoo Yeon Seok with his glasses on and his shirt off, show? ?

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12 Anjelikaeyes

December 30, 2016 at 3:24 PM

Thanks for the recap. I watched the episode before reading and yet team DB is making it so alive in words.

There's a lot of no-nos here but for humour and exaggeration side they did it and it's really funny but many are asking can't really happen? No. They just got to show it (but it can happen inside the mind) ---- fight scene of DJ and IB, DJ-SJ fake fighting in ER, discussions in operating room, doctors not wearing mask during a procedure, etc --- all has a purpose for the show.

Really enjoying RDTK. A real gem! Thanks that HSK comeback to dramaland is so best and what more he introduced me to these two cute couple Barley. I really do not know them until I made 3 days worth search and watched all their past work drama and portions of their personal life both completed their formal studies, into charity, they love music, etc. :)

Thanks for the recap!

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13 Le__Ssy

December 30, 2016 at 3:30 PM

"Don't you remember?! Well, I guess I'll have to do it again!"

OMGYESPLEASEREPEATREWINDAGAINAGAINAGAIN ?????

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Ally

December 30, 2016 at 9:09 PM

Guilty as charged!!!! I may have watched episode 14's kiss more than once as well. I just saw "The beauty inside" which is very interesting. Yeo yoon seuk makes his appearance at the very end and kisses the heroine in the story there as well. His chemistry is just good with anyone. He only has like five minutes worth with her, but does a great job. I didn't think he was that attractive initially but he's definitely growing on me!

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 2:29 AM

@Ally,

Thanks for mentioning that YYS is in THE BEAUTY INSIDE. I watched it last spring before I'd seen him in any other shows, so just went back and took a peek. He did a nice job in that role.

I did a double take as the cast credits rolled because Kim Min-jae was listed, but it's not our Nurse Park. It's the late-30s KMJ who was in ARANG AND THE MAGISTRATE.

Within the past couple of months I've seen YYS in ARCHITECTURE 101 and TWO WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL. He's also in LATE NIGHT HOSPITAL with Yoon Tae-Young, who was terrific in THE KING'S DAUGHTER, SU BAEK-HYANG; it has been on my to-watch list for a while.

He's growing on me, too. I think it might have to do with certain camera angles. I also think the stylist has been fiddling with his hair. It seems his bangs are now a bit shorter or trimmed/combed more asymmetrically so his forehead and eyes are more visible, perhaps. I can't put my finger on it. It's subtle. Or maybe that rest in the ER last week did him some good. ;-)

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Ally

December 31, 2016 at 4:50 AM

And lighting too! Something about natural light streaming in windows does him a world of good!

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 12:31 AM

Have you seen The Mood of that Day? His chemistry with Moon Chae Won was also off the charts, as well as his cuteness in that movie.

I've found him attractive since Reply 1994 but dear God his A Werewolf Boy character is immensely infuriating.

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starswillshine

December 31, 2016 at 3:03 AM

THE BEAUTY INSIDE is about what love is entirely about. If the person whom you love does not fit the societal ideals, does it mean that he/she is not worth loving? Loving a person is more than accepting the appearance. It really makes people think about whether age gap, gender, fat, skinny, tall, short etc. really matters in love.

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14 shalini

December 30, 2016 at 3:39 PM

Han Seok Kyu is so ridiculously hot in that first screencap. Like how?

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Bazu

December 30, 2016 at 10:37 PM

I was staring at that screencap, trying to figure that out too.

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15 Le__Ssy

December 30, 2016 at 3:52 PM

Soo.... how can u operate using Teacher Kim's name, without him ever knowing anything about the patient/s? Like, did Dr Song go for rounds and say "hi, I work for Teacher Kim and he will just go in during OR"?

And then ALL the OR staff and medical charts will put his name on it? Well, I thought ONE fake operation was bad, but damn, I underestimate THIS level of Do-Evilness.

Can I call Chairman Shin's daughter, Mrs Do? She seems evil enough. ?

Still scratching my head on that Lung Cancer being completely missed out on pre-operative diagnostics... But fine, I will bite. (and of course, for drama purposes, they HAVE to operate even with those risks because, otherwise.... no drama.) ?

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16 PakalanaPikake

December 30, 2016 at 4:55 PM

For the first time since the drama started, Billy Joel's "The Stranger" is NOT the outro that plays during the next episode's preview. It has been replaced by a Korean song that I think I kind of recognize. Interesting.

By any chance, does anyone know if the singer is Shin Joong Hyun? I went totally ga-ga over his "I'm Yours," which was reworked into "I Will Forget You" for the SIGNAL OST.

신중현 - 나는 너를
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYSrnrINOj8

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Kamil

December 30, 2016 at 8:17 PM

The outro song is walking, walking by Jeon In Kwon. https://youtu.be/AuIHhmj5meM

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 6:02 AM

@Kamil,

Many thanks! I wasn't aware another part of the RDTK OST was issued.

English lyrics for "Walking, Walking"

https://popgasa.com/2016/12/29/jeon-in-kwon-walking-walking-%EA%B1%B7%EA%B3%A0-%EA%B1%B7%EA%B3%A0-romantic-doctor-teacher-kim-ost/

I think I may have heard some of Wild Chamomile's music a while ago... Not sure.

Thanks again for your help. Happy New Year!

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17 PakalanaPikake

December 30, 2016 at 5:06 PM

Man, this background music gets me where I live. As much as it fits Kim Sa Bu, it could just as well stand for his dead student, or even Chairman Shin.

Alan Parsons Project: "Old and Wise" - Lyrics on screen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4HI1_LTWIk

Alan Parsons Project: "Old and Wise" from LP "Eye in the Sky", 1982 -- Lyrics:

As far as my eyes can see
There are shadows approaching me
And to those I left behind
I wanted you to know
You've always shared my deepest thoughts
You follow where I go

[CHORUS]
And, oh, when I'm old and wise
Bitter words mean little to me
Autumn winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they asked me if I knew you
I'd smile and say you were a friend of mine
And the sadness would be lifted from my eyes
Oh, when I'm old and wise

As far as my eyes can see
There are shadows surrounding me
And to those I leave behind
I want you all to know
You've always shared my darkest hours
I'll miss you when I go

[CHORUS]
And, oh, when I'm old and wise
Heavy words that tossed and blew me
Like autumn winds will blow right through me
And someday in the mist of time
When they ask you if you knew me
Remember that you were a friend of mine
As the final curtain falls before my eyes
Oh, when I'm old and wise...

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18 pyromaniac

December 30, 2016 at 5:19 PM

why~~~~~ why there only one episode this week????

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19 daydreamer11

December 30, 2016 at 6:33 PM

Just like every other RDTK episode, ep. 15 is filled with lots of great scenes -

• revelation about KSB past.
• Dong Joo ♡ Seo Jung vs Mr. Jang (I laughed hard when he admitted to Nurse Oh that he just want to mess around a bit since he's jealous of DJ's success in love unlike him lol).
• stupid in love Dong Joo ♡ Seo Jung and their stupid cute faces and embarrassing acts.
• Dong Joo vs In Beom & Dr. Song. Seriously Dr. Song that dude, he cared more on taking sides than being more thorough and careful for the matter when two fellows were having different views.
• In Beom oh In Beom. I'm mad at him for still bluffing his ways with his experiences although KSB already reprimanded him about it, but I feel so sad when KSB told him to leave Doldam. The kid belongs to Doldam as well and hopefully he'll come around soon and be a man on his own, free from his dad's claws.
• I want Chairman Shin to survive :( I understand now that him insisting on having KSB as his surgeon is not a silly plot, like how I thought before. With lots of people eyeing his position and wealth like hawkeyes and perhaps want him dead, he knows that KSB would genuinely do his best to save him in the surgery and not be swayed with bribes and outside influences.

Next Monday, come sooner!

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20 PeepsLeAwesomePotato

December 30, 2016 at 6:37 PM

1. Without his specs, I have realised that Kim SaBu/ Boo YongJu/ Han SeokKyu's eyes are REALLY beautiful and mesmerising. It's the shape of his eyes.

2. DongJu/ Yoo YeonSeok in specs is the best. DongJu knowing his crush returns his feelings is the best. DongJu having mastered one of Kim SaBu's skills is awesome. DongJu fighting with InBum is childish.

3. I was so scared when Dr Song went into the operating theatre. Because I was sure that he'd mess up. And he did. He was playing with the patient's organs like he was playing play-doh. So scary.

4. I liked the way InBum couldn't hold his tears back. So raw, so inmediate, so much like a child's. And poor puppy needs to stop letting himself be used and think real hard about what he wants to become.

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21 PakalanaPikake

December 30, 2016 at 7:31 PM

I'm not sure how the episode's title fits with the animation of a solitary crocodilian (dragonet?!) hatching amidst a square of chicks, other than a warning not to count your chickens before they hatch. The reptilian looks as if it's considering devouring its nest mates.

The title of the episode, "Cornerstone Syndrome" / "Syndrome of Being the Rough-edged Stone" / "The Cornered [dressed?] Stone Syndrome" -- depending on which subtitles you read -- intrigues me. When I think of a cornerstone, it is something that provides a solid, immovable foundation.

A rock in its natural state is transformed into a building stone through the process of cutting perpendicular faces into it -- by removing everything that is not fair and square, as it were. It feels analogous to a teacher's role in shaping "foursquare" individuals who are solid and upright. I can't help but notice connections with Freemasonry and sacred geometry.

KSB: "You know what? I prefer a cornered [faced/dressed?] stone to a round one. If you are a cornered stone, it means you have your own style and your own thoughts. I like to see a cornered stone being faced with the mason's chisel. I don't like anything roundish and lukewarm. Rubbing the corners off me, I'd like to make myself better with my philosophy and belief. I may have thought that you were one of those people. You did something you didn't have to do that day. I don't think it was just your sheer bravado on your father's coattails. I thought you did it only for the endangered patient. And you were not that bad. So I tried to get you on my side... Maybe I was wrong about that. Go tell your father about that [Chairman Shin's terminal lung cancer]. Chairman Shin won't have surgery in our hospital, so he need not be anxious about it any longer. And I guess you should leave Doldam Hospital."

Omo! Doldam's name means "Stone Walls," which has conjured the image of a protective fortress in my mind. Kim Sa Bu, master architect of a hospital that truly ministers to the body, mind, and spirit of patients and staff alike, has rejected a stone. And In-bum looks like he's about to cry. Kim Sa Bu himself is a prophet who was without honor in his own land, but has quietly been pursuing his own healing away from the limelight.

This is getting downright Biblical. When I googled the phrase "stone the builders rejected" I got four hits: Psalm 118, Matthew 21, Luke 20, Acts 4. Hmm. Sometimes cornerstone is translated as capstone or copestone, which protects the top course of masonry. When I think of a cornerstone, it's just above the foundation. Nowadays cornerstones are often ceremonial rather structural, and are inscribed with the year or date a building is erected or dedicated. Often they serve as time capsules.

To be continued

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PakalanaPikake

December 30, 2016 at 7:33 PM

Continued

In ancient times, human sacrifices were sometimes buried in the foundations of buildings under construction to propitiate the local spirits. An old tradition from the Isle of Iona on the west coast of Scotland, site of St. Columba's Celtic Christian community, relates that when the walls of a new chapel kept falling down, his friend, St. Oran, a native of the island, volunteered to be buried in the foundations to placate the spirits of the place. The walls stood. Given how many standing stones, dolmens, and labyrinths the Celts built all over the place, and the intimate connection the Irish and Scots shared with nature spirits and elemental beings, Oran's sojourn makes perfect sense. Three days later, Columba, aka Colum Cille, had him dug out, and found his friend alive and well.

In the interim, Oran had paid a visit to the Other Side. He reported on the fantastical things he saw, and dispensed some advice to Columba with the warning "The way you think it is may not be the way it is at all."

That about sums up what's been going on at Doldam Hospital. Many situations and people are not what they appear to be on the surface. Sometimes things are developing out of sight in ways that just might come back to bite you -- like a hatchling crocodilian among the chicks. In other instances, people work up the courage to take a leap of faith, or let go of old habits of thought that hold them back. In In-bum's case, his next step is individuation and breaking free of his father's tradition of powermongering. Kim Sa Bu has gotten under his skin. Now it's up to him to wrestle with his demons the way the master, Seo-jung, Dong-joo, and Yeon-hwa have done battle with their own.

As for Chairman Shin, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that before surgery, he'll do the right thing and spin Doldam off as an independent entity with its own foundation to get it out from under Dr. D'oh's thumb, while endowing it with a lucrative casino to fund it into perpetuity. In your faces, D'oh and Colluding Administrator Daughter. Go back to Florida!

*blows bangs out of face a la Dr. Yoon*

For the rest of Oran's story (with a tip of the hat to the late Paul Harvey), see:
St. Oran's Legend
http://www.columcille.org/inspirations.htm

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michykdrama

December 30, 2016 at 9:28 PM

Very interesting PakalanaPikake! your insight and thoughts into the title of the episode are very intriguing!

I must admit I still don't fully grasp the analogy of a cornered stone when referring to In Bum, but maybe my rant on him (see below) was a bit harsh? He is quite pitiful since he can't seem to grow out from under his father's shadow (and an evil shadow no less!). And now he is rejected by both sides. I hope though that he can gain some self confidence and make some proper decisions on his own, without fear of being overshadowed by DJ.

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 10:28 PM

@Michykdrama,

I know what you mean about that passage where Kim Sa Bu is talking about rounded stones versus ones with edges. Tonight I watched the Drama Love and rewatched the On Demand Korea subtitles, and still feel like a lot gets lost in translation. I can only conclude that tineybeanie is a lot better at reading between the lines than I am. Thank goodness! ;-)

Maybe a helpful image is that of a boulder in a stream that has been rounded and abraded by water, blasted with sediment, and bashed against other rocks tumbling in the stream bed. It eventually becomes a rolling rock (insert PPL here for a brew from Pennsylvania -- I've got acute S**way Syndrome now) impelled by forces outside itself (e.g., wind, water, gravity, frost heave). But a rock that has been squared off isn't going to roll easily, especially if it is supporting the corner of a building.

At first I couldn't wrap my head around Kim Sa Bu telling In-bum that he prefers to deal with someone like Dr. D'oh, who has his own agenda and cleaves to it. He's talking about strength of conviction versus going wherever the wind blows. Part of what threw me is that Dr. D'oh is his nemesis -- but he's a predictably opportunistic opponent. The son, however, is totally wishy-washy, and parallels Dr. Song. That's who In-bum is going to grow up to be unless he develops a distinct sense of self. Right now, he is still literally a "chip off the old block." But a namby-pamby chip.

Now off to re-read your rant. -- Happy New Year!

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Peony

December 24, 2018 at 4:25 AM

I don't think there was a translation to "Doldam" in any of the recaps. But then again, I don't remember seeing this "stone analogy" thread before, so it's possible I missed/skipped over the exact important details I've been searching. ;-)
.
I remember thinking of this episode title and Teach Kim's lecture were bit ambiguous. In my country, a water-rolled smooth,round stone means a good thing, because it means that person is very experienced and "tempered", so at 1st I had a bit of a hard time understanding why did he say he dislikes roundstones. Then I understood he was approaching the issue with quite a different and fresh way. I was awed, like; AH-HA! It had been a pleasant polish-up for the way I viewed the world, I remember.😃

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 12:52 AM

Thanks, tineybeanie, for your recap and commentary!

I'm beginning to wonder if D'oh purposely drove KSB out of Geosan so he could amass power, with Chairman Shin's death his endgame. Then again, D'oh's machinations might simply have blown up in his face when he swapped another surgeon for KSB when the Chairman initially needed lung surgery 20 years earlier. That's a happy thought. Or maybe Geosan found itself up a creek after KSB left and his expertise was really needed. It seems to me D'oh did a crappy job of overseeing the Chairman's health and thus committed malpractice if the lung cancer had already advanced to stage three. Shouldn't someone have been paying attention?

The scale of D'oh's bait-and-switch surgical fraud took my breath away. Toss him in jail and throw away the key already. This guy is beyond redemption. Revoke the licenses of everyone who colluded with him. And make them all pay restitution to the patients they defrauded.

As for Dr. Song, I honestly wouldn't want him to operate on me. Said dork is apparently not in practice, and probably never was good at anything but kissing up, anyway. He's a walking, talking poster child for the Peter Principle.

*shudder*

After watching him botch the spleen surgery, I have the uncomfortable sensation that Dr. Song learned to do surgery by playing the original 1964 Milton-Bradley board game "Operation" with a pair of heavy-duty zircon-encrusted tweezers...

I totally cracked up when the surgical nurses gave Seo-jung the play-by-play on Dong-joo's stitch-witchery. Nurse Park took the cake as he impersonated Dong-joo centering himself by breathing deeply and intoning KSB's mantra "Concentrate" in a low voice, and then demonstrated "air suturing" and Dong-joo's fingers flying through the master's trademark cats's cradles before intoning, "Cut," in a voice that seemed to emanate from his feet. Eun-tak channeling Dong-joo channeling Kim Sa Bu was eerily and hilariously on the money.

Why do I have the feeling that Dong-joo may be the designated hitter when it's time for Seo-jung to close up Chairman Shin? Between him and Kim Sa Bu, they may be able to shave significant time off the operation. It remains to be seen whether Seo-jung has enough time or flexibility in her hand and wrist to master the technique in time for the surgery.

The look on Nurse Park's face after In-bum sucker punched Dong-joo outside the OR was deer-in-the-headlights priceless. Although it's really bad form to engage in shouting and fisticuffs in the hospital, I was glad to see that Dong-joo has gotten better at fighting back.

During the flashback to the drumhead trial of Dr. Bu Yong-joo, I wondered if Administrator Shin Hyun-Jung were completely in the dark about Dr. D'oh's forged records.

After seeing their conversation outside her father's room, I wonder if there might have been some personal history between them that D'oh sabotaged.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:12 AM

Insightful! Awesome blow by blow you got there.

I do think In Beom is still in the running for the Doldam cornerstone competition though. Your analogy on Doldam as a stone wall hospital added so much aesthetic to Dr. Kim's collection of surgery pupils. First of the bunch is SJ of course who displays so much versatility especially during emergencies. Then came DJ, persistent and battle sharpened especially after he was able to allign his priorities. For In Beom, I am intrigued by his earnest need to compete especially with Dong Joo. They're not in Godae anymore and Dong Joo never has been and never will be President Do's favorite, so why is he competing against him so badly? In Beom has always struck me as a character in need of his father's validation so I understood why the always-number-one DJ had been his nemesis in Go Dae. Now, however IB is at Doldam and DJ is categorically on Master's Kim side. If IB were as rotten a doctor as Dr. Song, he would not have given a damn about DJ assuming a Pancreas Tail diagnosis whether or not it was correctly done especially since that was DJ's patient in the first place. And yet he insisted on his version of a diagnosis possibly because (1) he believed he could help the patient better and (2) that he was better than DJ, at least by his own assessment. The kiss-ass Dr. song totally aggravated the situation and no such misdiagnosis would have ooccurred if In Beom weren't the president's son. In Beom's mistake is definitely in lying about his experiences, which doesn't necessarily mean he's completely rotten just misguided as DJ had been. Once IB realligns his priorities, figures out the impact of his misguided earnestness on patients lives, I'm expecting him to submit a resignation letter-- the certificate of a Kim Sabu style rite of passage, which the Master apparently fondly collects. IB will officially be a Kim Sabu pupil. Three is always a charm so I kind of expect there to be another case of a patient significant to In Beom whose life will be damned for ever because of his poor "surgical" decisions. Sure his dad will cover for it but if he's even half as good as what Master Kim thought he could be, his guilt will consume him---a story arc not unlike that of the DUI culprit. Who knows, the DUi story loop might just be ominous of DIB grand failure.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:22 AM

I also have this distinct perception that Master Kim, whether rashly or inadvertently, gives In Beom the validation that he hungers for from his father. Master Kim sees him in the way he wishes his father would see him so i wouldn't be surprised if his feeling competitive over DJ nowadays is because the latter is swiftly earning a Kim-Sabu-Protege title, a title he wouldn't mind having what with Master Kim being the legend that he is.

IB is intricately weaving a delicate relationship with everyone over at Doldam and the situation is ripe for him to switch sides. He is critical in this story as one of President Do's breaking points. Unless of course we're expecting a second season where a deeply embittered In Beom would make for a perfect new villain.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:28 AM

on second thought, I don't think I'd mind for In Beom to continue to make the wrong choices so that his character can become the perfect antithesis to DJ's character. You know, the krap we ultimately become if we make wrong choices over and over again, i.e. In Beom vs. handsome glorification if we shed our pride and choose well i.e Dong Joo (with a love life as a bonus too).

But since In Beom is so gorgeous, I hope we can leave all that ugly demise krap covered by President Do and Dr. Song.

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PakalanaPikake

January 2, 2017 at 8:41 AM

I absolutely agree that Kim Sa Bu has validated In-bum the way he wishes his own father would. But the joke is on him if he thinks KSB treats Dong-joo like some kind of protege. In-bum had not yet arrived at Doldam when Dong-joo embarked upon his own painful learning curve, with KSB repeatedly taking him down a couple of notches. That first meeting at the casino was just about the most inauspicious start Dong-joo could have had, and his breakdown in the OR was excrutiating to watch. Now, after months of locking horns, the two of them are on the same page, and Dong-joo has turned into a great team player to boot.

As I see it, In-bum is now where Dong-joo was when he first arrived at Doldam. Because he has never been openly confrontational with KSB the way Dong-joo has, he's only now encountering the master's true lessons. If he rises to the occasion the way I hope he does (because I'm always a sucker for redemption), I agree that In-bum has a crucial role to play in socking it to Dr. D'oh. I'm looking forward to his refusing to return to Geosan after he cleans up his act at Doldam.

It would be a pity if he went down a Songian road to perdition.

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PakalanaPikake

January 2, 2017 at 7:58 AM

@riarallahssi,

Aw, shucks. Glad you found it interesting. They were the high points that rang my chimes.

I think that we've just seen In-bum hit his bottom -- or he's going to do so in the next episode. I think you're onto something re: a forthcoming letter of resignation, real soon now. Maybe after he loses his first patient. I think you've had a couple of excellent premonitions. ;-)

In-bum is even more of a loner than Dong-joo used to be, and I truly doubt he has anyone he can talk to. Maybe Crazy Whale. I was really surprised that he reached out to her when she ran away from Doldam, so he might seek out noona. Or she might seek him out if she hears from Kim Sa Bu that he's sending him back to Geosan. If anyone could get through to him, it might be her.

Like you, I do not think that In-bum is totally beyond the pale -- yet. He could still straighten up and fly right. In fact, I think that is exactly what KSB was trying to do with a well-aimed warning shot across the bow. He sees In-bum headed for a cliff, and is trying to get him to change course. The way he went about it was noteworthy. He told him he has the potential to be a good doctor, and told him what he needs to do to achieve that. He quietly spoke to In-bum in a manner that was diametrically opposed to the way his own father mistreats him. KSB didn't holler at him the way he has ripped into Dong-joo in the past, either. Different strokes for different folks.

After seeing how Dr. Boo came to rue his failure to stick to his principles at Geosan, I now understand why KSB jumped all over Dong-joo when he saw his junior had sold out to the system in a misguided attempt to amass enough power to buck it. He also challenged Dong-joo's perfectionism as an end in itself rather than a means to becoming the doctor his patients need. KSB knew there was a decent person lurking in there somewhere -- and whacked him upside the head until Dong-joo remembered that himself. I credit his mom with helping him keep his head on relatively straight. It's obvious that his parents loved him. It has been lovely to see his warmth and caring emerging in dealing with his patients.

In-bum is a very different personality. I used to refer to him as Dr. Avis ("We Try Harder") because he always played second fiddle to Dong-joo in school. It wouldn't surprise me if he went into medicine because his father demanded it of him, or he was trying to get a modicum of attention from him. The father wound is deep in this one. Maybe IB would be a lot happier in a completely different field, or as a medical researcher. There's no mention of his mother or other siblings, so he's likely grown up isolated in an emotionally toxic environment with a father who's a lying liar who lies. Is it any wonder that he lies, too? For him, it's a survival mechanism. Now he has to leave the false protection of falsehood and learn to tell the truth -- especially to himself.

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22 madqueen

December 30, 2016 at 7:50 PM

Love the scenes between SJ and DJ. Cuteness to the max without being cheesy. Though I hope drama will address her guilt about Dr. Moon's death soon. She may be medically certified to have recovered from PTSD but just last episode she expressed reservation about starting with DJ. It seems abit jarring to me that she is so at ease and flirty with DJ when emotionally she is not completely ready to forget the accident.

So many sides of DJ presented in this episode in his various scenes. I like him silly in love and equally serious and highly competent in his work. Great to see the proud smile on Kim Sabu's face when he saw DJ in the operation. Before the fight, DJ warned IB that he will give him a last chance before reporting on his lies, and true to his words, he said nothing about IB's lies when Master Kim asked him if he had anything to say during the post op interrogation.
This episode rounds off DJ's growth over the last few episodes and highlighted his maturity and skills as a surgeon, especially in contrast of IB's character trajectory in the opposing direction.

Hope to see more depth in SJ's story in the coming eps.

Also good to finally see the unrevealing of Kim Sabu's story... it's about time.

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23 michykdrama

December 30, 2016 at 8:01 PM

Enjoyed this episode! The fun teasing banter was Adork-able! These two made me grin after a long day. It's also refreshing because there is no second love interest at all anymore, and while the PTSD SJ suffered was sort of brushed under the mat (it just... went away?), I'm enjoying the new romance between them too much to complain too much about it.

I have a few thoughts about Teacher Kim's past that defers from Tineybeanie- I don't think he condoned Dr Do's actions out of greed when his juniors operated in his name, rather, he was stuck because it was done without his permission. And what is done is done, and if he were to blow the whistle it would be the end of his career in that hospital and his reputation because he would be effectively saying the hospital was corrupt.

So if anything he was greedy, not for the fame, but for the continued opportunity to operate, and to not rock the boat as it were, so he didn't put his foot down and stop these unethical practices.

And later, when the hospital decided to turn against him, he was left with no option to get out of it as the junior doctors that operated on the patients in his name would not want to admit to it as they would be at fault, and by not protesting, Teacher Kim would have been seen as giving silent consent.

So all in all a very clever devious plan by Dr Do, who continues to dig a deeper grave for himself in my eyes. I hope the show has a painful ending for him in store. I shall unabashedly enjoy him suffering.

Finally, DJ is all grown up! And if In Bum was my colleague I'd have been the one to punch him first, because what he is doing is unethical- you DO NOT lie about your experience in operations and use patients as PRACTICE without supervision. Everyone has a first time naturally, but doing it without supervision is tantamount to treason in my eyes. If I were his senior I'd have grilled him so hard his head would spin. If any of my juniors pull a stunt like that on me, you can bet I'd be frog marching them immediately to my head of department, esp if something goes wrong.

Patients deserve our best, they aren't meant to be practiced on, because they only have one life, one spleen, one chance to get it right the first go. You can't help it if it's your first time doing a procedure, but you CAN make sure that you are guided and taught properly from the start so that the patient still gets the best possible care, and you can look him in the eye later and say confidently that you did your best. Because they deserve no less! #rantover

Grow up In Bum! Time to grow up!

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 8:55 AM

Aloha, Michykdrama!

I have a theory or three re: Seo-jung's miraculous PTSD remission. First, Dong-joo assured her that it doesn't bother him if she's reminded of the accident or her dead fiance. That ought to have relieved her anxiety and sense of disloyalty.

Second, she's likely been touch-deprived for five years, like Harry Harlow's monkeys. They should hold hands while taking nice long walks or hikes outdoors in the fresh air -- away from Cupid Jang. Hugs are therapeutic, and a lot more fun than running as a means of triggering endorphins. I'm sure Dr. Kang would be willing to sacrifice some of his suturing practice time for such a worthy cause.

Third, there's nothing like a good platonic relationship to overwrite old memories and put a spring in one's step. As one of my college dorm mates used to define platonic, "play for him, tonic for her." ;-)

I stayed up all night and am just about cross-eyed. Will sign off for now, and return to comment some more later. Just to be on the safe side, I'll wish you and the rest of the Beanies a Happy New Year now, shortly before the crack of noon in New Jersey.

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 11:36 PM

@Michykdrama,

Back again at last.

I really appreciate your interpretation of Dr. D'oh's clever long-term method of entrapping Dr. Boo. Dang, was that ever diabolical. Using the surgeon's desire to save his patients against him. Talk about falling into the La Brea Tar Pits.

Since the forged surgery records were already a big, fat fait accompli, how much of a fuss could Dr. Boo have kicked up? Was he really in a position to force D'oh & Co-Conspirators to cease and desist? I get the impression that Boo's only other option might have been to quietly resign from Geosan and practice elsewhere. Not that I think D'oh would ever allow his cash cow to leave, other than feet first. Knowing him, he would have put out a contract on Boo with a Truck of Doom.

That flashback where Drs. Boo and D'oh are in the presence of Administrator Shin now makes sense to me. I think there was a close-up of a lab report that said something about Lt. Inguinal Mass-like Lesion, and, recalling the Chairman's test result that showed PSA of 5.5, I couldn't help but wonder whether, 20 years earlier, he'd had a bout of prostate cancer that Kim Sa Bu told D'oh to have someone else operate on. (It confused me because the various subtitles referred to the patient as she as well as he! And one of them described the patient as a second choice for the chairmanship, I think.) My theory has been that Chairman Shin had had prostate cancer, had surgery performed by someone other than Dr. Boo, and that it returned or metastasized as lung cancer. Did you catch that drift?

I don't doubt for one second that you would fix In-bum's wagon but good if he were one of your juniors. I just hope you're tall enough to make him frog march. Otherwise, you might have to borrow a forklift or something. ;-)

The rub comes in when colleagues are at the same level, as Dong-joo and In-bum are.

The truly pathetic one is Dr. Song, who initially agreed with DJ about infection in the pancreas tail, and then started agreeing with IB -- because he always defers to a D'oh, and was too prideful to even consider conferring with Kim Sa Bu on the CT scan. When he co-opted DJ's patient -- and then repeated DJ's orders to Nurse Park nearly verbatim -- I was about ready to scream. And then he turned the poor soul over to IB for surgery because he couldn't be bothered to do it himself.

Dr. Song is such a waste of oxygen, the only thing he's good for is serving as a bad example. I feel like shaking IB and telling him that if he doesn't clean up his act, he can look forward to becoming Dr. Song 2.0.

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Ally

January 2, 2017 at 5:05 AM

When my husband and I first saw the labs and CT scan, we thought it was metastasized prostate cancer as well. We also thought it was an old scan and old labs because he had just told the chairman that they would run tests the next day? However, after this past episode, our timeline must have been off. Why have they not mentioned the original source the cancer? Your theory is good about a botched surgery. I think Dr. Do might be going down with the entire ship at Geodan hospital and Kim Sabu will somehow take over there, leaving Drs. Kang and SJ to implement his "master plan" at Doldham. Oh, how I wish there would be another season! More hoobaes to mentor. I agree with In Boem being entrenched in jealousy and lies and would prefer him to stay that way; I prefer an older looking, more conflicted IB as we saw this episode. He needs to grow up indeed!

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:32 AM

On President Do: "I hope the show has a painful ending for him in store. I shall unabashedly enjoy him suffering."

Yes please. And Dr. Song too. That good for nothing sahnuhvabee. Grrrr.

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24 starswillshine

December 30, 2016 at 9:23 PM

How many of us have gradually became a round stone without edges due to the circumstances we faced in life? I really like what Teacher Kim told Do In Bum that he appreciated cornerstone more. I think that's what everyone wants to hear at some point of our lives. Perhaps we should be firm about our principles and dreams even though it's gonna be hard. Dong Joo almost became a round stone but Teacher Kim made him retain his edges. I will like to have a Teacher Kim in my life who appreciates my 'edges'.

I also appreciate the fact that Dong Joo achieved a skill through hard work and countless hours of practice instead of attributing it to him simply being a genius or simply under Teacher Kim's teaching. It's something dramas don't often show - males leads are male leads because they work hard to get to where they are for that honorable 'hero' role instead of relying on their background (chaebol), extremely high IQ, a significantly bad event which changed their lives. I like the fact that Dong Joo is someone who puts in effort to improve and that he is not perfect but that's alright.

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PakalanaPikake

January 1, 2017 at 12:00 AM

@starswillshine,

I agree! I really appreciated the flashback of Dong-joo honing his suturing skills and diligently practicing Kim Sa Bu's technique so that he'd be able to quickly repair an artery if a patient needed that. Then he went the extra mile and practiced against a timer until he succeeded in meeting KSB's target for completing Chairman Shin's surgery.

Q: How do you get to Carnegie Hall?
A: Practice, practice, practice.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:47 AM

I wish In Beom would learn a thing or two from Dong Joo on hard work.
That's really where he comes second. In fairness, that was also Dong Joo's first time performing that surgery but it was his invested effort that gave him a better cut.

As for IB, watching simulation videos and counting them as practice, really? He couldn't even remember the steps. I wish he had watched simulation videos with better bgm so he could remember instead. *rolls eyes*

I can also use some bromance from these two.

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25 Ally

December 30, 2016 at 9:37 PM

I want to bring some added recognition and KUDOS to the scene in the OR where YYS is doing those perfect one handed square knots. I know they probably have an actual surgeon performing the hand work, but it's beautiful and in the flashbacks of him practicing, I can't help but think that YYS learned how to tie as well, which makes me swoon a little harder for him.

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26 razzledazzle

December 30, 2016 at 11:06 PM

I was totally expecting the DJ-SJ moments to be cheesy on watching the trailer. Count me impressed because those scenes turned out to be hugely enjoyable and funny without being over the top.

This episode didn't have a medical situation focus like the previous ones. But there were plenty of memorable scenes including DJ's unforgettable "jeep jong" moment and In Beom's exchange with Teacher Kim after the surgery.

I am guessing this might be the reason DJ insists on staying over in the staff room instead of the dorm house like SJ and In Beom. So he can spend those extra waking hours on his needlework. All those moments we were lambasting him for being a moron in those earlier episodes when he was in fact quietly playing catch up on his own. This was probably the first time I could envision DJ being the top student in the country... For him, it's not just talent but long hours of sheer hard work.

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PakalanaPikake

December 31, 2016 at 7:13 AM

@JustSaying,

I am guessing this might be the reason DJ insists on staying over in the staff room instead of the dorm house like SJ and In Beom. So he can spend those extra waking hours on his needlework.

Great hypothesis! There is a method to his madness after all. He gets to have peace and quiet and the place all to himself, with a nice big work surface. Plus a very short commute. ;-)

SHJ cracks me up every time she blows her bangs. I guess it's a novelty to me because my hair is so curly I've never been able to have bangs. It looks like fun... and reminds me of a whale spouting. Is that how she got her nickname?!

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27 hyanggi

December 31, 2016 at 9:29 AM

They have crazy chemistry together, and sooo cute I cannot! It makes me think that Seo Hyun Jin can make it work with everybody, or is it that she just has insanely attractive partners that she might has a crush on them every single time, I know I would lol.

In this episode, Dr Song is ticking me off big time! URGH! He's so disgustingly spineless that I pray to God I'd never have to meet someone like him in real life, he's willing to sacrifice a surgery under Do In Bum's inexperienced hands, just to get into his good books? Ew. He's consistently making my blood boil, I'd give him that.

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riarallahssi

January 1, 2017 at 1:57 AM

I really like Seo Hyun jin. She's a delightful discovery for me. I saw her first on Let's Eat 2 where she surprisingly had better chemistry with the second lead than her otp. kkkk. But Another Oh Hae Young though, she owned that show. Eric mun was the perfect hanger to the beautiful dress that she was in that show. The other OHY was quite a beauty but she really put up a fight on the attractiveness scale. Her spunk was really adorable.

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Ally

January 2, 2017 at 5:11 AM

I'm so impressed and proud of her. She's a "friend of a friend" and I only started watching this show because of her! So happy she won and excellence award for her role in this series at the SBS awards and also the fun couple and kissing awards she won with YYS! Although, that wouldn't surprise any of us on the feed!

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28 JJM

January 1, 2017 at 5:59 AM

How come I would think that Yeon-Hwa will be the one to betray the team (at Chairman Shin's surgery)? I think her jealousy will cloud her judgments and she may be used by Dr. Do in his machinations. Has anyone thought about this?

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29 somegirl

April 16, 2017 at 12:01 PM

I truly enjoyed this episode, with Seo-jung and Dong-joo trying to hard to hide their feelings and failing to do so, Dong-joo growing in his skills, and everything in between but my heart truly goes out to baby In-beom! I agree that his desire to gain his dad's approval is what's keeping him do what he's doing now and teacher Kim's words hurt but that's what tough love is. It's gonna hurt you but sooner or later you'll realize that it's for you and it will help you grow. I hope he realizes that he needs to learn to make hard decisions and stick to it even when it's difficult and painful if it means he gets to keep his integrity both as a doctor and a human being. I hope he stops lying about his experiences and realizes that life is what's at stake whenever he does. What his dad did was painful but I hope he finds comfort soon, and I hope he finds it in the team that he has at Doldam.

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30 Kim Clover

November 6, 2017 at 5:55 AM

anyone tell me the song played when teacher kim asked in bum abot the fight and told him that he wasnt different from his father ??? I'm sure it's Western song, but didnt know the title. Please, tell me the song. Thanks

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31 Chuchay

February 10, 2018 at 10:52 AM

Can someone tell me the titles of all english songs that master kim played in his office

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32 Yana

July 3, 2020 at 5:54 PM

Can anyone tell me the title of the instrumental song that played on the background while teacher Kim talked / called out In Bum's lies?
Thanks in advance.

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33 Mamas Boy

June 10, 2023 at 5:14 AM

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