Title: Good Doctor 굿 닥터
Genre: Romance, Life, Medical
Release: 2013
Starring (Main Cast):
Joo Won as Park Shi On
Moon Chae Won as Cha Yoon Su
Joo Sang Wook as Kim Do Han
Kim Min Seo as Yoo Chae Kyung
Director: Kim Jin Woo, Ki Min Soo
Writer: Park Jae Bum
Rakuten Viki Rating: 9.6/10
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Audience Rating: 4.9/5
MyDramaList Rating: 8.3/10
Rakuten Viki Synopsis: Click Here
Watch with free on Kocowa: Good Doctor
Episodes: 20 (abt. 1 hour each)
Content Rating: PG-13
Violence: Hitting, yelling, blood, surgery scenes
Sexual Content: kissing, hugging, mild verbal references
Language: Mild (may depend on where you watch)
Ending: Happy, satisfying
My Synopsis
Surviving an abusive childhood and the death of his brother, Dr. Park Shi On has only dreamed of one thing... Being a surgeon that gives children the opportunity to become adults. However, he has a huge obstacle to overcome. Born with autism and savant syndrome he must overcome society's view of what he is capable of. With a photographic memory and the ability to mentally visualize the internal workings of the body in 3D he graduates at the top of his class. But, now he must prove that his abilities are far more than just memorizing a text book and a production of a mechanical performance. That behind the social awkwardness and autistic behavior is a compassionate, competent individual with an almost supernatural ability to save lives.
Trailer
My Review: 10/10
This drama struck close to home for me. I also had a preconceived idea of autism way back in the day. And then my son was born and shortly before he turned two he was diagnosed with it. I would love him no matter what it was, but my society-instilled notions made me believe that basically what they were telling me was that my son would not have a life. He would live in a world where no one else existed. But, that was FAR from true. Having now worked with many autistic children I have come to believe they actually have a better understanding of the world than us "normal" people do. They are people with supernatural abilities and they merely struggle to communicate it. My son receives input that I can't even fathom. His enhanced autistic senses gives him perfect pitch and the ability to hear changes in sound that I can't even wrap my mind around. I could go on and on about the gifts I have noted in these children, but I will stop there since this is supposed to be a drama review.
I was excited to see this drama because of the subject matter and also having found out that it was the drama that inspired the US version. It did not disappointment me at all! I couldn't help but cheer for Park Shi On the moment he was introduced through the very end. NOBODY could know how hard it is to fight through a society's preconceived expectations like someone in his position and I am so thankful to the writer of this film for showing the world that you cannot judge a book by its cover or someone's diagnosis because people are more than that. This will always be one of my favorite dramas.
Dr. Park Shi On is played by the talented actor Joo Won. I can't imagine anyone filling this role as well has he has. His portrayal was spot on and the awards he won as a result were well deserved. I had seen him before in My Sassy Girl and already had a great deal of respect for him from that drama, but this put him over the top in my book. It isn't easy to play a role like this, but not once does he fall out of character and it was hard for me to believe that he wasn't the real Shi On and the act was not an act. It is hard not to love Dr. Park Shi On as you watch him grow out of his natural impulsions to really mature socially. He must learn that not everything is text-book and sometimes you must make choices that don't always have a clear-cut answer. Yet as difficult as this is, he rises to the challenge and seeks to prove himself. And, he does.
Dr. Cha Yoon Su, played by Moon Chae Won, is one of the first to see Dr. Park for his potential. She is a compassionate doctor who is quickly drawn to him as the underdog and genuinely wants him to succeed. They develop a close friendship as she takes him under her wing, helps him grow and becomes a force on his behalf. She is also the love interest as their closeness sparks some deeper feelings... first for him and eventually for her. Moon Chae Won did an incredible job with this role. She has a naturally kind appearance that feels comfortable and it suited the spirit she had to portray. I couldn't help but cheer her on as well.
The playful relationship these two had was super sweet. I loved that Dr. Cha was never put off by Dr. Park's lack of expression. She just loved him for who he was and enjoyed the fun she had with him. Her character was refreshing.
They also had there serious moments and it was easy to see these two were meant for each other. I was soooo happy that Dr. Park was able to experience what it was like to love someone like this, and to also receive that love in return.
There are lot of different characters I could mention in this review, but for the sake of space I will mention only this one more. Dr. Kim Do Han, played by Joo Sang Wook, was a character that had a lot of dynamic. And because of this it was hard for me to decide how I felt about him. I liked him, and yet I didn't... this was how I felt for the majority of the drama. He was a good man with a lot of abilities, yet he was very hard on Dr. Park. However, though he didn't believe Dr. Park could succeed, it did seem that deep down he wished that he could believe it. Probably a result of the deeper past that you will uncover as this drama unfolds. The actor did a great job. I have yet to see him in anything else, but he for sure played this role well.
There is so much to unpack in this drama. It is full of heart-wrenching and heart-warming moments. I loved every bit of it, even in the frustration of the earlier episodes, I knew that these were the growing moments for Shi On and I loved watching him rise to the challenge and never lose sight of his dream. I highly recommend watching this, if only for a better understanding and insight into autism and the people who wear the label. It is a beautiful story.
OST
"If I Were"/"If I Could"
Here is his version of the song above as if sung by Dr. Park Shi On. Incredible talent that he can sing it both of these ways!
"Love Medicine"
Awards Won
Good Doctor - 2013 - Best Drama (26th Grimae Awards); 2014 - Best Drama (Korea Producers & Directors' (PD) Awards); Best Drama (Baeksang Arts Awards); Best Serial Drama (Banff World Media Festival); Best Drama (Korea Broadcasting Awards); Best Mini-Series [runner up] (Seoul International Drama Awards)
Park Jae Bum - 2013 - Best Writer (Korea Drama Awards)
Joo Won - 2013 - Top Excellence Award - Actor (KBS Drama Awards); Actor of the Year [selected by directors] (KBS Drama Awards); Netizen Award - Actor (KBS Drama Awards) - 2014 - Best Performer (Korea Producers & Directors' (PD) Awards)
Moon Chae Won - 2013 - Excellence Award- Actress in a Mid-length Drama (KBS Drama Awards); Popularity Award - Actress (KBS Drama Awards)
Joo Won and Moon Chae Won - 2013 - Best Couple Award (KBS Drama Awards)
Joo Sang Wook - 2013 - Excellence Award - Actor in a Mid-length Drama (KBS Drama Awards)
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