Acting: All good and seasoned actors and actresses - no complains in this department. Certainly a plus watching Choi Jin Hyuk as the lead actor in a romance drama after capturing so many hearts worldwide as the mysteriously handsome and dashing 'Father Gumiho' in Gu Family Book.
Music: Ok but nothing to go gushing about.
Rewatch value: Personally for me, this drama has a low rewatch value simply because of its mediocre storyline.
Overall: If you do not have an "OMG! You gotta watch this or you are missing out bigtime" drama to watch, this drama is a sufficient offering to while the time away. It is a safe bet for debuting Jin Hyuk's career as lead actor but it is no where near the "OMG!" worthiness of dramas that had carved legendary status such as Secret Garden and the like. So while Emergency Couple is good, it is not excellent. Certainly worth watching if you are Choi Jin Hyuk or/and Song Ji Hyo (of Running Man fame)'s fan.
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In case you haven’t heard, the story centers around Oh Chang Min (chaebol heir to a doctor family) and Oh Jin Hee (poor working class older woman). They marry without their families’ consent or permission. They are blissfully in love for a short while and then they fall out of love because they stop communicating and the stress of being cast out on their own is too much… not to mention the fighting, they fight about everything. Six years later they meet up again as Doctors and interns at the same hospital. Hijinks ensue. This review will be talking about story plot points that helped or degraded the story as a whole, not walking through the series of events.
The fight that ended it all and in a way started it all over again… Omo, that is one of the scenes that I have watched a ton of times. It was amazingly comical and yet blistering in its savagery. In that moment in time Chang Min and Jin Hee hated one another so desperately they were willing to cause physical damage to one another and their belongings. It worked for me because it had enough comedy that it wasn’t too dark. However, we weren’t given much evidence of why their marriage fell apart in the beginning. It would have been nice to have their history fleshed out a bit more right from the get go. But with the light rom-com way the show started out with, it worked well.
Throughout the first third of the show it was light, uncomplicated, hilarious, and wonderfully juxtaposed against the medical traumas they were fighting to mend in the Emergency Room. For me that was one of the things that I really loved. It was upbeat and energetic and such a good time. Chang Min and Jin Hee’s bickering made my day every time. It was just enough to make a spark in their chemistry while not making it overly evident that they had ended things so horribly. With each episode the bickering was less harsh and more playful, and I loved it so much. I honestly could have watched an entire show of Jin Hee and Chang Min bickering and bonding, it was just that good for me.
Now, let’s take a moment to bemoan the fact that for a third of the show we lost any trace of the rom-com that I fell in love with at the beginning. Some very serious things happened, which had me crying and broken on the floor. Honestly, this is the saddest show I have ever watched. Hands down, the most melodrama show I’ve ever seen. I avoid melodramas, I hate them with the passion of a thousand fiery suns. I’ve endured and lived through enough travesty and sad times that when I sit down to watch a show I want to giggle and laugh and be happy. So after one episode which made me shed a bucket of tears, I was prepared to forgive the show because I loved it so much. But… then episode after episode after episode of sadness weighed me down. If they had wanted to do a melodrama it should have been billed as a melodrama. I admit that I had a fit and was angry with my love and might have yelled at the screen a time or two.
So when in the last third of the show we got out rom-com back there might have been a party here. I can understand why the writers did what they did, but why did they need to drag it out for so long? It was painful, the subject matter was so sad, but for me I wanted that story point to be resolved more quickly. But then again, because of that intense melodrama there was so much character growth. Character growth that absolutely needed to happen, and without it the show would have tanked. But man do I dislike melodramas!
Speaking of characters, I want to spend a few moments on the cast.
Oh Jin Hee starts off in the past as a cutesy and happy girl. The breakup of the marriage and the way Chang Min treated her there at the end destroyed her. In those six years she struggled and worked to the bone to become a doctor. When we meet her present day she’s stuck in her hate for Chang Min, stuck in the past, and afraid of herself because of the hardships that she’s endured. For the greater part of the series she remains in this mindset, though it becomes less intense. But it felt like she didn’t grow soon enough. Granted, she nearly became less than human because of the emotional torment she lived through and that would be really hard to overcome. But for the sake of the story I wanted to see movement in her views of her past, her abilities, and love sooner. Regardless of that I adored her as a lead. She had spunk when the moment called for it, she was smart, she was sweet, and she was just fun to watch.
When we meet Chang Min he’s good natured and happy. Then he turns spiteful and somewhat hateful towards the end of the marriage. In present day he is the epitome of a chaebol. He’s snarky, arrogant, stuck up… you get the picture. As things progress and grow stagnant with Jin Hee at the hospital Chang Min does a lot of evolving as a man and character. It was really great. Then the melodrama hit and all we saw was Chang Min with a beleaguered and depressed expression for a great many episodes. Finally through he found himself again and found the right path for himself. Let me just say his smile… Omo… his smile is something that makes my day brighter. By the end of the show he was a well-rounded guy and I loved him so much.
Dr. Gook… oh Dr. Gook! Adorable, awkward, devilishly handsome, and all wanted to do was snuggle him and pinch his cheeks. He’s gruff and scruffy and stuck in his ways. Those ways are less than open minded and a little harsh. As a second male lead he was amazing! Dr. Gook was the perfect balance to Chang Min. Throughout the story I really flip-flopped so many times between wanting Jin Hee ending up with Dr. Gook or Chang Min. He was that good. But, he was also unforgiving in a lot of things and did not grow as a character until the very end of the show. That was frustrating. There were plenty of places for him to discover himself and evolve and yet it all seemed to happen for him at the very end.
There are few strong women in K-Dramas and even fewer who are strong outside of a tough girl role. Dr. Shim is probably in my top three favorite female K-Drama characters. I absolutely adore her. She was a single mother who proudly spoke of her daughter and her single motherhood despite the stigma that placed on her. She loved who she was, enjoyed her work, and was damn good at her job. Dr. Shim loved Dr. Gook, and at first I was in awe of that love. She openly welcomed his crush on Jin Hee and even encouraged them both to date. But, as time wore on it became a love of noble selflessness, the kind that drives me crazy. I wanted her to stop putting Dr. Gook first and put herself first. Beyond that, she was utterly amazing!
There was more than one love triangle in the show. Oh Jin Hee and Chang Min with their on/off/on relationship. Jin Hee and Dr. Gook were attracted. Dr. Shim was in love with Dr. Gook and he still harbored feelings for her. Then bring in Ah Reum, she was beginning to fall in love with Chang Min. She wasn’t my least favorite of all second lead females, but she was right up there with characters that I truly do not like. It wasn’t that she was necessarily that Ah Reum was a bad person, but she was inconsistently written. At first she was going to fight for Chang Min, but when she sees Chang Min head over heels back in love… she gives up and supports the divorced couple. Not only that, seemingly out of nowhere begins to fall in love with Yong Kyu who she summarily dismissed early on as not her type, ever. I just could not invest in her character.
Speaking of Yong Kyu, Omo he was just the most adorable cutie-pie ever!!! Seriously every time he was on the screen it was like watching puppies and kittens frolic on a rainbow. Ok, so I’m exaggerating and getting a little crazy, but I cannot even accurately describe how happy his character made me. Though his story felt off at the end, but I think he was just the most loveable drama characters of all time. I wish that we would have seen more of his story, I wanted him to be a little more fleshed out.
Even with the flaws and some story aspects that I didn’t like, I loved-loved-loved this show. As if having Choi Jin Hyuk as the lead wasn’t enough, it was also a Noona Romance!!! I mean come on, this show was tailor made for me!
If you are interested I recapped/reviewed each episode on my blog
http://thedramanoona.wordpress.com/2014/04/20/emergency-couple/
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It took a little while for Choi Jin Hyuk and Song Ji Hyo to grow on me, but once they did I loved their banter and chemistry. Like most divorce plots, there is a lot of pettiness, jealousy, and bickering, with some cute moments thrown in too. There's also a healthy dose of second lead syndrome thanks to Lee Pil Mo, who I totally empathized with and rooted for. Then Choi Yeo Jin adds to this great love triangle while not playing into the stereotypical role that's expected, and being the most likable of the four for me.
The supporting cast is great too. The emergency room staff was entertaining, and had interesting backstories and plots of their own. The patient stories also weren't too annoying, which it my pet peeve with these type of dramas. Some situations were a little over the top, but most were interesting, and I liked watching the characters work through solving the emergencies they were faced with, especially with their personal tension. However, even with all of this, the plot is super basic, and I just couldn't give it more than a mediocre score.
This drama is long, 21 episodes, and although I was never bored, the story didn't really justify that many episodes. One thing that I did hate was how things were so drawn out, and how many flashbacks happened in every single episode. A scene would end and then literally repeat, or the same scene would be repeated over and over again. It felt a little like deja vu while watching. Then literal actions would seem to happen in slow motion, and maybe that was a choice to add to the suspense of the moment, but it just felt like a way to waste time. Also beware of fantasy scenes, some were hilarious, but they also felt like time fillers.
The music was Ok, but I can barely remember any of the songs, which isn't a good sign.
Overall I'm glad I finally watched this drama, and it was an easy one to binge through while waiting for currently airing dramas to air new episode (watching took me about 4 days... so perfect!). The rewatch score is pretty high, because of the characters, but I doubt I would watch it so many times like others have claimed.
At the end I really felt like I went on a journey with these characters, and the ending was a nice way of implying what would happen in the future without feeling like a sequel was necessary, or that things were left unresolved.
I would definitely recommend this as a binge-worthy rom com, that exceeded my expectations. If it's been lingering on your plan to watch list too, maybe it's time to finally upgrade it to "currently watching".
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I have to admit, there were times where I wanted to skip or even drop this, but I'm glad I'm didn't and stuck with it until the end ^^ (the last ep was a bit disappointing. I felt like the writer's rushed to end it.. there were too many unanswered questions... DON'T LET THIS STOP YOU FROM WATCHING THE DRAMA THOUGH! You're missing out!)
ACTING/CAST: Let me start off by saying a job well done to the cast. Like, the chemistry between the two main leads made me very happy. I'm not sure if it's bc I adore Song Ji Hyo or if I just like the whole 'I hate you, but still love you' kind of relationship haha.. Despite the drama being centered around the two divorcees, I couldn't help but adore the minor couples thrown into the mix too. There wasn't a single character that I hated with a burning passion which was refreshing bc there usually is that ONE you want to strangle. you get me?
MUSIC: A great selection. Keep a box of tissues handy. Choi Jin Hyuk can sing!
REWATCH: Despite being a great drama, I don't think I'd watch this again. Why? Because, I've got other dramas I need to watch lol. But if I'm ever in the mood for a good medical drama, I would probably go back to watching this. ^^
ASKDJAKSD. I'm going to miss 2OH so much ; ^ ;
Why can't they be a rl life couple? lol...
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The ending was pretty meaningful too.. there was something to learn in this drama.
Overall, THIS IS A GREAT SHOW!! Guys, please watch. There's never a dull moment from watching Emergency Couple!
Enjoy!
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I wouldn't call the story of this drama a work of a genius but it was a fresh concept for me and worked really well on screen too. The characters were quite realistic and believable. I had fun following all the stories that were strung together in an enjoyable manner. The thing I loved about the drama was that even though there were many cameos and supporting casts that appeared infrequently, nobody seemed like an extra piece. I especially enjoyed the ER scenes. Though I couldn't understand more than half of medical conditions and treatments they spoke about, I could really feel the tension and the panic they tried to show. It was completely natural and effortless on the writers' part.
The actors did a splendid job in my opinion. They practically didn't look like actors to me but rather as actual doctors/interns. They must have worked their asses off to get the right feel for their characters. Kudos to them. Much of the credit for the love I have for this show goes to the actors because they made me fall in love with the drama in the first place. The chemistry between all the couples(and also almost-couples) was great, nothing seemed out of place. The baby who plays the character of Gook deserves a special mention because he was absolutely adorable in whatever shot he gave! :D
Honestly, during the first few episodes the music almost ticked me off because I couldn't connect with it at all. Especially when they played the songs at the end of the episode. Those songs were frankly VERY misplaced. The end of the episode would be on a mellow or sad note and then suddenly you'd have this super peppy song as an end theme. But as the show progressed they rectified that I guess because even the songs got better and felt more natural. By the end of the show I was in love with the OST track 'Scent of a Flower'. Both the male and female versions were beautiful. Choi Jin Hyuk has a knee-wobbling voice. Worth a listen!
I could definitely watch this drama again in a while. Not in the immediate future but maybe in a few months. A well acted and executed drama that I really like surprisingly. The finale of the drama was a treat to watch as well. Nothing felt rushed, everybody got their ends properly. The reason I have given the show a 9/10 rather than a 10/10 despite liking it so much is because although I really appreciate the fact that they gave a good end, it felt a little incomplete for my taste. This is not a flaw, mind you. Maybe the writers left the rest for us to imagine but in my personal opinion I'd have liked it more if they could have wrapped it up in a more definitive manner.
I have absolutely no other complains with the show, it was a delight to watch! Don't miss it :)
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Emergency Couple was fresh, funny, and I grew to like every character on this show. Anybody can relate to the main protagonist and this is important because a drama isn't that meaningful if it isn't a bit "real".
I don't want to complain. This drama made me excited every week but I thought that after episode 16 the story dragged too much. We had already understood who was gonna end up with whom, or what they would choose to do in the future. They should had wrapped things sooner than they did, and I was getting annoyed that they would not decide on something already. When there isn't much storytelling to do, you should end your show at 16 or 17 episodes, not 21.
This fact made the ending a little blah. They didn't have time to let the viewers see a development of certain relationships. This made it seem as if the ending was open, and ugh, I am not fond of open endings. I felt the ending of this drama had meaning but at the same time it didn't. I have mixed feelings!
Anyway, with this I'm not saying not to watch this drama. You should watch this drama. You won't regret it. Maybe just skip to the end after episode 16. :P
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Let's start off with Chang Min. He treats his ex wife (I repeat, ex wife) as if she's his property even though she clearly has no intention of getting back together (yet). And don't give me this "But he still has feelings for her, that's why!" shiet. Just don't. At some point of the plot, she wants to have a more serious relationship with Chief, move on and start a new life. But guess what? Her ex husband-maniac decides to do anything it takes to ruin her good relationship with Chief. Dude, get your shiet together. You're both divorced, you have no right to tell her what to do, who to date or not. Well, even when you were married you had no right to order her around, but that's just by the way.
Jin Hui. Oh, dear. Another character who gives a guy hopes only to run into other guy's arms later on. But I have to admit that surprisingly she isn't as annoying as I thought she'd be. Well, I'm impressed, and that's rare.
Moving on to the whole concept of marriage. I don't know if it's a cultural thing or not, but people in this drama treat divorced couples as if they're toxic or something. Generally they treat divorce as a thing from hell that should never happen. Jesus, people, get your shiet together. Love sometimes fades away, so it's normal that two married people who don't love each other anymore want to get divorced. Why would they keep on living together and suffer? Seriosuly, if it's a cultural thing then Korea needs to do something about it instead of putting down divorced couples.
Also, oh my fcking God. There's this scene when Chang Min says that one of them has to leave the hospital because a divorced couple working together is not okay. When I watched it, I wanted to continuously slam my head on the wall. Jesus Christ, you're almost 30 yet you act like teenagers. You're both adults, so act like ones. So what that you're divorced? Can't you keep it professional? You're divorced, there's nothing that connects you together anymore except for memories. And if you still have some feelings for your ex, then talk it over with them because maybe they still have feelings for you too. And if not, then move on.
Overall, it's not a bad drama, but before watching it you'll have to prepare yourself for some irrational scenes.
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The cast they have chosen for the drama is very good as well. The reason for this is because they are very experienced and performed very well. The age group they are playing as are very convincing even when they are acting young, viewers will disregard their original age due to their acting skills. The casting is properly looks over by the director because they want to make sure that the cast they will get for the drama is very good and will get people’s attention. So, the casting and acting values of this drama is very good. However, there are some extras that kind of ruin some scenes. I will not say who they are and which parts they are in.
The music complication used in the drama is also quite good and sync in the scenes. I would not make a lot of comment with the music used. This is because if you watch the entire drama, it fits and suited to the drama scenes. The moment of sadness, the music they have used have a vulnerability and mellow effect sound tracks. This gives emphasis on the whole scenes. Therefore, the music they have used are very effective and well managed.
Furthermore, I would recommend to watch the drama again. This is because the storyline is very addictive. It is very easy to catch up and understand even if you miss one bit. However, I will not miss any bits in the drama for every bits have links to the past or future of the drama. I like to watch this drama again because it shows how the world is so small that even the person you used to hate the most, you will still see them around. Therefore, this drama is very good to watch when you want to laugh while having the love thrills.
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My Rating: 8.5
In Short: I really enjoyed this drama. For me, Song Ji Hyo makes a winning heroine, and I was glad to see the main characters grow throughout the drama. Dramalands most adorable baby warrants extra points.
Pros: It felt like they took medicine as a discipline seriously. The main couple were cute, even though I'm thoroughly against reuniting exes. Kang Gary cameo Daebak!
Cons: The exes reunite trope is uncomfortable for me. Also, the side characters could have been a little cuter/funnier to make this more of a comedy.
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This review may contain spoilers
At first I wasn't going to watch this. It looked like it was going to be another boring and cliched love story. I watched the first episode and was caught. Even though the title said "emergency couple," especially with the way it started, I wasn't expecting the medical drama aspect. This kept my attention and made the show more enjoyable. There was only one "potential" couple from the supporting cast that wasn't quite believable, they could have left out. There were a few slow portions towards the end but overall, I was happy. Yes, it had the same character types that every Kromance has, like the mom, who hates the love interest, but it had aspects that didn't fit the "norm," and that's what had me till the end. One more key item....I haven't laughed out loud at a show in a while, but this had me laughing several times. No other comedy/romance had done that for me previously. I think that made it stand out more for me.
spoiler: I'm still waiting for Dr. Ang to get punched 5 more times.
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