Slowly Reaching for It

Everything at once? That'd be quite a lifestyle...sometimes, poco a poco is the way to go.

So many months ago, I planned a bloated comparison post for a couple of medical dramas, from the East, West, and in-between. This weekend deserved to be eventful and I missed out. (Missed yesterday's NLL stream-dammit!) I said the wrong things, I've been untimely, and don't get me started on a reality check.

Alas, I'll check off that comparison post one day, but for now, what can I take care of? Living in the moment, the present, I'm gradually adjusting to live like that. In the meantime, May is the month for dropping banger albums from rising and hiatus artists(Wale, Logic, Seether, Snoop), pretty flowers, and brightly colored sundresses.


Doctor Stranger (kdrama)
20x1hr
2014 SBS
Medical, Romance, Melodrama


Park Hoon, a North Korean defector, performs impeccable surgeries at Myeongwoo Hospital, while searching for his true love, believed to be dead. He falls for anesthesiologist, Han Seung Hee, who uncannily resembles her, while catching the eye of Dr. Oh Soon Hyeon ("Quack"). Surgical competitions ensue as the Korean president has an urgent need for cardiovascular surgery.

AED on chest and stomach.. is that even plausible?

This series did not need 20 episodes- 16 would suffice. Moreso, my Preferred Watching Sequence (PWS): 1-6, 8, 10- 14, (12 and 14 optional), 16-19

An enthralling first two episodes- as they take place in North Korea, setting the scene for protagonist's exposition and putting down that the death of a father is heartaching. Though the actors of the ensemble are superb in their performances, the nuances of miscasted characters and out-of-place standouts clash to lack of chemistry and chumminess between them all.

As for shipping, to those who actually supported "Quack" and Dr. Hoon or Dr. Hoon and his North Korean girl, that's one door I was not willing to walk through. Speaking of couples, the show has numerous moments that may challenge Korean depiction of 'intimacy'- the things people assume after red herring hints! Very chaste quality- only one or two kissing scenes (Lee Jong Suk may falter with his poor CPR pumping, but seems more willing to kiss anybody).

The first half of the series kept itself together than the latter half, which was saturated with filler derived from melodramatic elements. "The juicy bit" like cameras that follow reality stars around; they keep secrets from each other, right? Well, in Doctor Stranger (kdrama), all the characters keep a little too much to themselves and the bad news is received [intentionally] too late. At least there's safety for those confidential bits.

Additionally, everything ties back to those cumbersome years in the past. That's motive right there.

Corrupt hospital politics are covered extensively. Hospitals competing to have the honor to perform surgery on their nation's president- to create a dream team, the competitions sounded like legitimate motivation. But lasting for a quarter of the total episodes? All the while, executives voraciously vying for ultimatum in power, money, and elite titles. And, increased product placement--whoo

Rating: 6.4/10
Instead: Doctor-X (Japan), another Korean medical drama, as for American recommendations, I lack watching experience to do that

Find a new way to present it--
Keep those creative juices flowing.. don't dwindle into "average,"

Cheers,