Great season, but quite a letdown from the previous seasons. Still, recommended to watch!

This will be a very long review.

In the beginning, it feels so grand. We could see how much the budget was and how big the investment they put into this season. The premise is good. We got updates on how everything is going after 3 years passed. All the surgical scenes are amazing and realistic, even better than in the previous seasons.

Each of the characters is great. The writer really knows how to make each character different and charming. They have their own story too. It's about Doldam, not only Kim Sabu, which I personally liked. However, maybe because now there are so many characters that the writer kinda lost focus on which character should get more screen time and get proper closure.
For a good example, I love how we now know what happened between Dr. Jung Insu with his family. We know since season 1 he lived separately from his family. In Season 2, he even considered the sketchy offer from Seo Woojin's senior who became a broker so he could move to Seoul and go back to his family. So it's very nice to have his full story and even a happy ending in the last episode (I LOVE his daughter. Byul is such a ball ray of happiness).
However, I'm disappointed with Park Euntak's story. I feel like it could have had better progression and closure, but they finished it in only 2 episodes and even we couldn't focus too much because of the soldier shooting story. We didn't get Yoon Ahreum and Bae Moonjung's backstory at all. I also think that Jang Donghwa also has a better development story than Lee Seonung. But the worst part is, Cha Jinman took too much screentime, and then he just disappear? Like... What's the point of building up 12 episodes and then discarding him? Also, Kang Dongju only had 4 episodes and they crammed all the problems??? I know it's not easy to build a good story so I just feel it's a pity...

I like that this season doesn't have a real villain like in the previous seasons. We just see people with clashed opinions and different personalities, which is echoing real life. They have their own reasons to feel a certain way or taking decisions due to their experiences and upbringing. When we think objectively, we could understand why they feel or behave that way. It's more in-depth. Even Kim Sabu really questioned his ideals after seeing Cha Jinman and vice versa. It's a great way to improve for the better. However, I disliked that Assemblywoman Ko became the "villain" because of his son. It's unnecessary and too heartbreaking. I think, even without that plot, the third season is still as good as it is.

Moreover, many problems are too overdramatic, like the soldier who shoots for revenge, hurting Park Euntak's "friends" but then Seo Woojin walked away unscratched like?? fr??? Also when the writer keeps making Seo Woojin in danger I sighed. Even though it's for plot devices, I just wonder why the writer make it that way. I still think the cases in S1 & 2 have better impacts with smaller problems and scales than this season, like the legendary brain death paramedic story. It's simple but very tear-jerking and heart-wrenching.

What I disliked the most is how the writer underutilized the female characters, especially Cha Eunjae. She is shaken due to his father's opinion which leads to almost table death. She need to stay strong when she heard Seo Woojin got hurt and even proceed to make her do surgery. She is just being a saint in the middle of the season when the whole hospital talking bad about his father. Even after everything she went through, she only cried in front of Seo Woojin twice. And when everything starts to become normal, the writer made Cha Eunjae clashes with Kang Dongju which led her character to get hated by the viewers. It's too much. She deserves a better story. I feel sorry for Lee Sungkyung. I also disliked how the writer barely includes Yoon Ahreum in "heroic" scenes. Also the little screentime for Nurse Oh but thankfully she got much screentime at the end of the season.

What makes me give a higher score than it actually is, is due to the execution excellence from the cast and the production team. Even though the story sometimes makes you go "huh?", their acting is convincing you. The actors are so good at their job. I totally forgot that they are actors, not real doctors or nurses. Their acting is even better than the previous season. I cried more in this season compared to the cumulative of S1&2. The cinematography leaves you in awe. The music background elevates the scenes. So it makes me forgive all the shortcomings that came from the lack of the story.

Overall, I feel like the story is inconsistent, unlike the previous season. Sometimes it feels too slow, but then things are solved too quickly. Many parts are broken and don't flow nicely. However, I understand the writer's intention in what messages she wants to convey. Still, compared to other dramas out there, this season is far better. I still recommend people to watch it. Maybe you will like it more than I do. Please give it a try, and enjoy all the romanticism of the Dr. Romantic series!

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My lifetime drama

You don't know how many times I've rewatched this drama. I LOOOOVE IT SO MUCH!

Looking at the reviews from others are quite diverse. Some are loving the first season, the others love the second season. These kinds of different opinions indicate that this series did it right. I think it depends on each preference and that's totally okay. I loved the second season more.

The reasons why I loved the second season sooo much, even declaring it as my lifetime drama are because of these reasons:
1. It's really beautifully written. The story flows really well. Every episode leaves you on the edge of your seat. Nobody is perfect (except Kim Sabu ofc). They have their own struggles like everyone else in real life and the character development makes us rooted for them. I bawled my eyes out for some episodes and I'm someone who rarely cries while watching a drama. It's very inspiring and makes me look back on how I am as a person. I want my own Kim Sabu too...
2. It focuses more on the hospital and medical aspects than the romance part. Many medical dramas are just romance drama with a hospital as a background or doctor as an occupation. I found the first season focus on romance more too. Here, they prioritize their job as a doctor first, to save life first. But they also showcased how doctors are human too. The cases are very very interesting. I even rewatched the surgery scenes only just because I admire them sooo much.
3. The acting. Gosh. At first, I found Cha Eunjae character annoying and started to doubt Lee Sungkyung acting. But as the episode goes, she got better. I understand her better. I sympathized with her character. I think it's a success for Lee Sungkyung. No words are needed for Han Suk-kyu, he deserves all daesangs in the world. Ahn Hyoseop, God... How come he's very good at acting yet SO HANDSOME?!?! In fact, I became his fan and watched almost all his filmography after watching this drama. And other casts too. I really could believe that they are real people, not an actor. They did such a fantastic job.
4. THE CHEMISTRY! I loveee all the Doldam Squad. They are really like a family. I also love how the mentor relationship between Kim Sabu-Woojin and Kim Sabu-Eunjae unfolds. I think their chemistry is better than S1. Well again, Kim Sabu became much softer in S2. And for Woojin-Eunjae, wow. How come they have such overflowing chemistry by only exchanging gaze??? They speak with their eyes... They have a very minimal romance scene, but it's very beautiful. The best slow-burn romance story for me. It's frustrating but understandable? Like I totally understand why Woojin hesitates a lot and Eunjae needs time. Anyway, it's really rare even in real life to fall in love quickly with someone right?
5. The cinematography and the OST are gorgeous. I could feel that the director, writer, and production team really love and have pride in their works. I applaud them soo much for making such a difficult work beautifully. Excellently executed.
6. I am obsessed with their epilogue with the college story of Woojin-Eunjae. I really wished they made a prequel or special episode for their college days only :((

I dislike any slander for my lifetime drama. But again, everyone has their own opinion. Hope you give it a try, and I hope you like it as much as I do.

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The most beautiful, satisfactory and completed kdrama after a looong time

My rating is actually 9.5/10, but I gave inflated ratings to balance the rating from childish fans of the original drama.

As this is a remake, I initially watched it with lowered expectations. Kdramas tend to do bad remakes or adaptations whether originally from webtoons, novels, or other countries' dramas. Moreover, the plot description is sooo complex so I wonder how they would make it consistently good in every episode. I also avoided watching the original before this aired so I could watch it with zero knowledge and get surprised and immersed. But wow, I am completely satisfied and blown away by how excellent it is.

The plot makes sense, the explanations also make sense. It's kinda confusing at the beginning but if you just follow it, then you'll understand. The plot goes back and forth to past and present actually making it exciting and interesting. The plot twist is plot twisting. Not a single minute that I find it boring because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's been a long time since I watched a kdrama that has perfect stories from the beginning till the end, as usually it's amazing at first but got messy later.

The acting!!! gosh... Jeon Yeobeen deserves a Baeksang Best Actress Awards. No words are needed on how cool and amazing she is. Ahn Hyoseop too, he's doing a fantastic job. Kang Hoon too did great. Also!!! The villain is exceptional. I'm reaaaalllyyy scared to watch his scenes because it's sooo disturbing and creepy.

The cinematography is beautiful! The directing is stellar. As expected from kdramas with Netflix budget on top of it. What a masterpiece. But if I have to find a flaw, I find all the scenes in 1998 too modern and not retro enough so it breaks my immersions a bit.

I thought it would be heartwrenching. Not that means the story is not sad. It is incredibly sad and heartbreaking, but I don't cry when I thought I would. I don't know why though. The acting is good, and the story is good, but it lacks something that pulls your heartstrings? I rarely cry for romance drama anyway, but this makes me reduce the 0.5 points for my final rating. However, as I finished the dramas and saw other reactions and easter eggs, I began to appreciate it more and get sadder now. Does it make sense? 😂

Final thoughts! It's an amazing drama. Please don't mind the hate comments and reviews because it is objectively good. I believe with or without watching the original, you'll still find this a great drama. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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