Doctor Cha (2023)

Amazing until you get to the end...

I have been let down so severely by what was a fantastic drama. Let's highlight the reasons why this drama is a 9 first.

The story is about a dedicated wife-mother-daughter-daughter-in-law who is encouraged to find more meaning to her existence beyond living for her family by once again working as a doctor. When she discovers that she needs a liver transplant, her husband of 20 years, further discouraged by his mother, is unwilling to save her life by giving her a part of his liver. Luckily she finds a donor just in time and becomes determined to live her life for herself for once.

Through the plot is quite serious, especially considering the fact that the wife is unaware that her husband is in fact cheating on her, the show managed to evoke a lot of laughter. The comedy is fantastic and I am never getting over the line, "My husband is dead".

The cast are incredible. You completely empathise with Doctor Cha and are made to root for her through each of her troubles. She has a good head on her shoulders. Her husband Doctor Seo is as pathetic as a cheating man could possibly be and the actor has not only managed to get you mad at him but is also much of the butt of the jokes in the show. His expressions add to the hilarity. Doctor Roy Kim is Doctor Cha's friend in need. He supports her exactly when she needs it. He cares for her and was the ray of light she needed during her dark times. Without him, her husband would never have realised what he was discarding. Doctor Roy is also the complete opposite of what the husband is. An upright man and a gentleman. The mistress and her daughter added the much needed drama for a proper cheating scandal and the entanglement that required Doctor Cha to wake up from what she thought was a perfect life. Doctor Cha's children had their own stories going and even though the daughter was annoying at first, both her kids were sympathetic to their mother's situation which also added to her courage.

Now coming to the let down.
Throughout the show, they teased a possibility of Doctor Cha leaving her cheating husband and moving on with Doctor Roy. If the writers wanted to show her happy on her own, this angle for this character was not at all needed. He could have just been a friend from the beginning. Yes, it's true that she never showed interest in Doctor Roy because she was still in love with her husband and reeling from the shock of his affair. Yet the writers continued to tease this love triangle that never would be. It feels like the writers are telling the audience that it is not appropriate for a woman in her 40s who is divorced with two kids and health issues to have a chance at real love. She should continue her life in service of others but this time as a doctor. At least that is what much of the audience has taken away from this decision where people are writing - "yes, she had too much BAGGAGE". Only men are allowed "baggage" even today and be considered worthy of a second, third, xth chance at love. Not women. And despite being a cheater and an incompetent partner in general, the husband gets to stay friends with his wife and his ex. It was unclear if he got back with his ex. Furthermore, they practically removed traces of Doctor Roy from her life. Thus my disappointment is in what the writers inadvertently ended up pushing.

For the finale alone, I wanted to give this show an 8.5 (it was also quite dull compared to the rest of the episodes) which otherwise was a 10 but I have decided to leave it at a 9 because at least the writers didn't force her to forgive her husband and allowed her to get divorced and live for herself for a change. Coz that would have been the absolute worst.

I wanted to remember this show fondly. It's sad this finale won't let me do that.

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What an Emotional Rollercoaster. SO worth it.

Please don't skip this drama when you're scrolling through your list of next dramas to watch because this is a brilliant one. Yes, the characters are old and it may not be your cheesy romance story you're looking for, but trust me, this is worth every second of your time. It easily became one of my top dramas just after the first few episodes. I've laughed, cried, and gone through more emotions than I would on my period watching this haha. It was so beautiful to see the relationship of the mother to everyone around her and it made me think of my own mom. I feel like this drama makes you love and respect your mother more and just reminds you to show the care you should to them because you never know when something will happen. Better to say what you want now, than never. I really enjoyed watching the actors, their portrayal of every character was great, and these last two episodes were beautiful. I was a sucker for this drama and I'm sure you will be too. ENJOY!!

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A Lesson in Self-Prioritization

I don't know why there are so many negative reviews, but in my opinion, 'Doctor Cha' was a decent watch. Despite the cliche elements, like cheating and others, what really caught my attention was the integration of comedy elements. It added a light-hearted and enjoyable aspect to the show, making it binge-worthy.

The acting was also satisfying, with all the actors delivering great performances. Especially, Kim Byung Chul. He played his character so convincingly that I found myself genuinely disliking him, even amidst the comedic elements.

Regarding the ending
Despite all the bad reviews, I found it to be satisfying and well-executed. While I initially hoped for Doctor Cha to end up with Roy Kim, I came to understand and appreciate her decision not to pursue a romantic relationship with him. Instead, it was refreshing to witness her embark on a new journey of self-discovery, focusing solely on herself. I was impressed by the transformation she underwent, breaking free from her old mindset of constantly sacrificing herself for the happiness of others. She embraced self-prioritization, dedicated herself to her career, and ultimately found true fulfillment in her life, exceeding her initial expectations. Personally, I am genuinely content with how her story concluded.

As for the husband, I agree that he should have faced more significant consequences for his actions towards both women and his children. However, the portrayal of both women leaving him behind and moving forward with their lives, finding greater contentment in their lives was a good revenge for me. Also, the scene where he sits alone in his new room after his promotion, with no one to share the news, was a powerful reminder of the consequences of his actions.

Additionally, I appreciated the portrayal of the children no longer being at odds with each other. As Cha Jung Sook pointed out, none of the unfortunate circumstances was their fault, yet they were deeply affected by them. It was important to remind them that the responsibility lay with the adults, not with them.

Overall, Doctor Cha was a good watch for me, and I recommend it to those looking for an easy-to-watch drama with some fun and inspirational elements!

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A realistic drama with a realistic ending.

This drama beautifully showcases the hardships Dr.Cha went through her life. It shows her journey of taking care of herself, loving herself and finally putting herself first - before others. I think this is a drama all women should see and remind themselves the importance of putting themselves first.

Although there were many infuriating scenes , they were necessary in order to show how Dr, Cha's lack of self-love led to her being unable to sense the disrespect and mistreatment she was given.

The growth of Dr. Cha is beautiful to watch and the character development was nice as well.

The ending was realistic and I honestly loved it. It showed that Jeong-suk only needed herself to live a happy life and that was a really meaningful ending message from the drama.

Give this drama a try! You never know!

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A perspective on DOCTOR CHA from a mother, retired doctor, and connoisseur of medical dramas

The "mother, retired doctor, and connoisseur of medical dramas" is my mother, not me, but she isn't on MDL and her life experience means she has a much more interesting take on this drama than probably 90% of the people who have seen it, including me.

My mom spent almost 4 decades working in hospitals, managed care facilities, outpatient clinics, you name it. She also raised multiple kids! She gave birth to her first child during her residency. Mom has also watched every American medical show ever produced in its entirety from E.R. to SCRUBS to GREY'S ANATOMY.

She really loves DOCTOR CHA. First she says that the show got the technical/medical details right (hats off to not just the writer and actors but also the Netflix subtitler for nailing it). The depictions of pressures on doctors and residents, the messiness of their lives, the "old boys' network," and the ageism towards Cha Jeong-suk really resonated with her (my mother really felt that later on in her career).

Mom also appreciated how nobody in the drama was one-dimensional: Choi Seung-hee wasn't just some homewrecker, she was trying to "have it all" when that option wasn't available to her because of the man she got involved with, the society she lived in, or both. Roy Kim is not a straight-up hero, he has some of the same Main Character Syndrome as Seo In-ho and has to work on it. Seo In-ho is essentially the villain of the narrative but he's still a person, just a person who's 70-90% of everyone else's problems including his own because of his arrogance and poor choices. He's a pitiable and often laughable hot mess of a person - which comes across because of Kim Byung-chul's skills as a physical comedian (my mother found him very funny).

So what did mom think of the ending, which so many people didn't like? Well, in the end, Cha Jeong-suk is doing the work she wants to do. Her kids are thriving and she has a good relationship with them. She's in reasonably good health after an organ transplant and two brushes with death. My mom thought that was a pretty satisfying ending, all things considered.

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An excellent Drama!

I was surprised to see negative reviews about this drama, and I believe they are mainly from young women who have never been married or haven't had anyone close to them get divorced. The FL character was reprimanded in these reviews for being a pushover etc. but her character is that of a good person. People often mistake kindness for weakness. The FL actually proved to be a very strong character, who ended up creating a fulfilling life. The ML was played by an excellent actor - he played out his character so well. He was more often despicable, but the actor managed to make him Human and understandable even though he was despicable.

The cast was outstanding! The Mother and Mother-in-Law are amazing veteran actresses and they were wonderful in their roles. I loved the whole storyline. I'm a Doctor and it was refreshing to watch a Medical based drama that focused on the personal lives of the Doctors and their families. Their lives were messy and complicated. just like life can be messy and complicated. Kudos to the screenwriters for writing such a rich drama. They created good character development and showed a lovely view of being Human, with strengths and weaknesses that made the characters who they are. . This is an excellent drama!

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An affair drama unlike any other

It is a delightful drama that, despite not featuring A-list actors, managed to captivate audiences and garnered high ratings. Dr. Cha is a remarkable drama that successfully blends drama and comedy while tackling the sensitive theme of infidelity. It stands out from other dramas with similar themes by providing a refreshing and enjoyable narrative.
Although the ending may not have satisfied everyone, its realistic approach serves as a reminder that finding peace and acceptance is often more important than melodrama. Dr. Cha is a must-watch for those seeking a lighthearted yet thought-provoking series that focuses on the pursuit of happiness.

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Sora was the best
It did save me a heavy mom binge? though each week came way too fast and she did enjoy it enough

Basically this revolved around 3 what if’s: what if he didn’t hookup with another girl (were they on a break?) and he stayed with his gf,
what if he gave her his kidney
And what if he didn’t cheat
The 1st part would’ve lead him to a happy life with his mistress while she would’ve became the housewife maid
And the 2nd well it’d have put fl in a fake relationship
And the 3rd would’ve been the best for him but in all parts his cheating and lying was the best thing that happened to the fl
She didn’t continue her life devoting her whole existence to her kids and husband and his mom

To me the saddest part was living with her MIL but leaving her mom alone?
The best part was sora and MLs acting
Redemption, well he didn’t deserve it, even having 2 one night stands, it led to something he chose to stay through
Shutgun weddings and hookups?‍♀️ both came from his desire to have more than one life
He ruined fls life by making her a housemaid and he ruined the mistress life by making her a mistress

Getting back together with her and getting a divorce, it just shows the 1st move was the wrong one

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Not for me

I didn't like that they used things that were happening in her mind and not for real to promote the show.
I find it so sad. The whole thing is just a story of abouse that goes on for 15 episode. The ending is lukewarm and i think is an insult to women that are cheated and abused...
She seems to be so accepting of her ex.... is sad.
The whole thing is a repetition of the same 3 concept for 16 episodes.
They gave us a love triangle for sh*t and giggle but it was useless. I would have prefered to not have it at all. They used the actor that plqyed dr. Roy to have an eye candy to attract spectator.

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Dr Cha made this drama! Well constructed characters but the storyline felt short in the 2nd half

This drama was a real roller coaster. I’m sure many woman can sympathize with our Female lead. She’s at times strong and other times very emotional, is an amazing mother, friend and loving wife that sadly gets ignore and push back by her family all the time. Despite the heavy topic the drama uses many times comedy relief, they don’t pretend all problems will be solved or all characters are perfect. You hate them but find yourself laughing with them at times, so I enjoyed watching it.

I think the writer grew out of plot lines in the middle and started going back and forth with the story, but at that point I was too attached to the characters, specially I was rooting for the FL happy ending, so Indecided to finished it anyways and I wasn’t disappointed!

*ABOUT THE ENDING* (Spoilers)

I know people wanted for the ML to have a very bad ending and the divorce alone wasn’t enough but anyone saw how lonely he was? There was more than just a divorce, he was left alone and even though his position in the hospital as a director is a great achievement he mentioned many people look down on him or doubted him so we never know how he’s actually doing. Besides, he needs to repay all his moms debt and his connection with his children was shattered. I know people wanted something worse but in most real life cases a narsicist man like him can walk away easily from a divorce like nothing happened. On the other hand, the mistress was kind of a victim in the situation in my opinion, she later on apologize for being such a bitch and she did horrible things but I dont hate her. From my perspective she was manipulated most of the time by the ML and thought her situation was worse than the FL or that she deserved him for being the gf first? Anyways, she never got herself the happy family she wanted so I’m okay with her ending.

Most importantly, about Dr Cha, the message that you as a woman can get divorce in your 30s, get back on the workforce and live a happy life for yourself -despite not being so realistic- is an amazing set up in Korean drama land. Did anyone forgot the toxic storyline in The world of married? Most of those women stayed in crappy marriages or else their life would be miserable. At least here Dr Cha is much more happy and in peace, her peace included forgiving his ex husband despite everything and actually I respect that. I was also fine with her not choosing Roy since I never though she loved him.

All good but I was mad at Dr Cha for not taking care of her health well! Finding a donor is very hard and many people die because of that. At the end we saw her living a more honest life so that means she at least learned the hard way.

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Hard choices to pursue your dream and happiness

The Dr. Cha series was good. The drama revolves around the life of Dr. Cha, a talented and dedicated doctor who faces numerous personal and professional challenges.

One of the highlights of this drama is the exceptional cast acting. The lead actor portrays Dr. Cha (Uhm Jung Hwa) with such conviction and depth that you can't help but empathize with her struggles and root for her success. Her husband (Byung Chul) plays the typical insensitive and non-supportive spouse. All of this pushes you to empathize with her cause and to hope she chooses the right path for herself. The supporting cast also delivers commendable performances, adding layers of complexity to the overall narrative.

Dr. Cha's writing was well done. The pacing is engaging, but the story was somewhat predictable. However, adding additional potential interest kept me engaged. (remember that empathy build up) Perhaps to break up that predictability. The blend of melodrama, romance, and medical themes creates a perfect balance, making the storyline both intriguing and relatable.
The drama's production quality is good. The set designs, costumes, and cinematography transport you into Dr. Cha's world. Attention to detail is evident.

Furthermore, Dr. Cha tackles various societal issues, shedding light on the challenges faced by medical professionals and the ethical dilemmas they encounter. It beautifully explores themes of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, and redemption.
I enjoyed Dr. Cha, but I just found it a little above average. It was the acting and the intrigue of what may happen next that kept me attracted to the show despite the predictability.

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