Doctor Slump (2024) 닥터슬럼프
Directed by Oh Hyun-jong, starring Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye.
Watched 27 January - 19 March 2024 — 16 episodes (NETFLIX)
In this healing rom-com, two successful doctors hit rock bottom in their personal lives and careers. Though the two used to be enemies back in high school, when they reconnect as adults, they strike up a friendship that will give them both a way to heal. And who knows, maybe they'll even fall in love in the process. (Synopsis: Dramabeans)
*The final episode just aired last weekend and I watched it yesterday.
*Though this show doesn't continuously deliver and has its share of flaws, it has many good things to offer. Best thing is our main couple Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye. They have great chemistry, their pairing feels very natural, and they are often adorable and sweet together. It's particularly heartwarming to see how they are looking out for one another and want what's best for the other. I did like their fun moments together but I preferred them being more serious. Around episode 11, the third act slump hit us viewers, and the lovey-dovey moments between the main couple, often behaving childishly, became a bit too much. Fortunately this slump didn't last too long.
*This series is at times very funny — I was even laughing out loud now and then; think: ring and cockroaches — but where it truly shines is in its endearing and touching moments between Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye, and also with Park Shin-hye's family.
*I didn't really care for the supporting characters at first. Park Shin-hye's mother and brother were plain annoying. Luckily their characters become more likeable. It actually didn't take long for me to like the mother who despite her flaws loves her daughter and wants whatever makes her happy. Mother and daughter share some great heartfelt scenes. The brother is more tolerable as he gets more serious and stops acting like a useless money-loving idiot. He's like a different person towards the end of the show. I also grew to like the 2nd romantic couple, Yoon Park and Kong Seong-ha. At times they're really cute together, even though I didn't like Kong Seong-ha very much.
*Lots of drinking and being drunk. I was thinking .... really, seriously, again?! Lots of eating too, of course.
*I love the professional relationship of Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye and the final operation they performed together. Also love the reason why Park Shin-hye decided to become an anaesthesiologist.
*I like the sessions with Park Shin-hye's therapist (I like that actor, by the way) and how the show handles depression and healing. Coming out of depression doesn't mean you won't experience failure anymore, it's how you deal with it.
*The series wrapped up everything nicely, even giving the uncle a romantic interest, and our main couple gets married. Overall I had a good time with the show and enjoyed seeing Park Hyung-sik and Park Shin-hye together. It would be great if they would be paired romantically in another drama.
"When we first experienced despair, everything was out of control. We thought our lives were over. We thought we wouldn't be able to get out of our slumps for a long time. However, our slumps weren't as deep as we had originally thought."
"He and I cried together that night. We endured pain together, overcame our fears, and finally recovered."
"We learned to be in pain for a moment and to cherish memories for a while. In the end, we were able to escape our slumps."
"I could be happy today and suddenly sad tomorrow."
"But it's okay. If there's sadness, there will always be happiness as well. We have the strength now to endure sadness and misfortunes. And that's enough."