Dumplin360
High promises, dire results
I hate to leave bad reviews....so let's start positively.
First, I love the two main leads. Seen them both in several dramas, and have always enjoyed the performances, particularly Ji Sung's. His performance in 'Kill Me, Heal Me' was truly spectacular. They are just as good here and the chemistry between them is great. The supporting cast is also good.
The story covers a sensitive subject quite thoroughly and lots of philosophical questions, issues and viewpoints are raised and discussed. I love that too.
However. Oh dear. However, having watched well over 150 dramas in the past year, this is one of the very few (less than 10) that I have given up on before the end. I'm a real fan of kdramas. I like their quirkiness, their corniness, their fun, their cleverness. I really admire the ability that actors, directors, scriptwriters and producers of kdramas have to consistently give us high-quality entertaining, thought-provoking dramas which charm us into full forgiveness for their cliches. I am frequently charmed into forgiving those horribly-done trip-ups so the lead lady can fall into the lead guy's arms, and all that cheese. I'm frequently brought to tears by the more real and emotional dramas, and I frequently laugh loudly at the comedy. I honestly love kdramas. But not this one. I have watched up to Episode 6 and I feel so completely dispirited that I have to stop. Not even these two great leads nor their potential as a possible future couple can keep me here. Why?
The series thus far has had a number of medical life-or-death "emergency" situations. What happens during those situations in this drama? One or other of the main leads is needed but not around, there follows a ridiculous amount of running by one lead to go find the missing lead...then the two leads have a nice calm little philosophical discussion. The "eureka" moments at these times were more like "hm, okay" moments. They are followed by some very painfully extended meaningful gazes and a totally unrealistic 180-degree change of mood and motivation once the right thing has been said. Only then can our two leads 'rush' to go and successfully help the patient when all the other doctors (who have now spent the last 'critical' 6 or 7 minutes at the patient's bedside) have failed to do. And if that isn't stretching reality enough, there is one point in the drama where a hospital VIP has a resus emergency....where no less than 22 doctors (that's twenty-two, and yes, I counted them) are stood spectating outside the patient's room while five more are carrying out the resus attempt. And our lovely leading lady arrives AFTER all those other white coats because she's been philosophising elsewhere. I know, I know, it's a kdrama. But really??
Just four minutes into Episode 1 it really had me hooked. The setting and basic character intro was just oozing potential. I really thought this was going to be amazing. Fast forward to the end of Episode 2. A couple of slow-moving situations didn't bother me at this point - those I can forgive. But honestly, from there.....most of that grand promise just dribbled away like the scriptwriter's sleepdrool. When Episode 3 finished, my interest was really fading but sometimes that happens with kdramas and things pick up.....so I still watched on. By the end of Ep 4 I found myself wondering how many Episodes there were - always a bad sign - and (key point) before I checked, found myself hoping it would be only 12. Not 16. I found out there are 20 episodes.
I did try. I managed to push through two more episodes hoping something might improve and keep me here, but absolutely nothing improved. Nothing. Really.
Sadly, the horribly random script-writing, patchy direction and the ridiculously long periods between the moments of emergency and their required actions is (to Ep 6 at least) an ongoing formula for the show.
I think this high-quality cast was badly let down by this drama. Ironically, it's almost painful to watch. For me this is a DNR.
First, I love the two main leads. Seen them both in several dramas, and have always enjoyed the performances, particularly Ji Sung's. His performance in 'Kill Me, Heal Me' was truly spectacular. They are just as good here and the chemistry between them is great. The supporting cast is also good.
The story covers a sensitive subject quite thoroughly and lots of philosophical questions, issues and viewpoints are raised and discussed. I love that too.
However. Oh dear. However, having watched well over 150 dramas in the past year, this is one of the very few (less than 10) that I have given up on before the end. I'm a real fan of kdramas. I like their quirkiness, their corniness, their fun, their cleverness. I really admire the ability that actors, directors, scriptwriters and producers of kdramas have to consistently give us high-quality entertaining, thought-provoking dramas which charm us into full forgiveness for their cliches. I am frequently charmed into forgiving those horribly-done trip-ups so the lead lady can fall into the lead guy's arms, and all that cheese. I'm frequently brought to tears by the more real and emotional dramas, and I frequently laugh loudly at the comedy. I honestly love kdramas. But not this one. I have watched up to Episode 6 and I feel so completely dispirited that I have to stop. Not even these two great leads nor their potential as a possible future couple can keep me here. Why?
The series thus far has had a number of medical life-or-death "emergency" situations. What happens during those situations in this drama? One or other of the main leads is needed but not around, there follows a ridiculous amount of running by one lead to go find the missing lead...then the two leads have a nice calm little philosophical discussion. The "eureka" moments at these times were more like "hm, okay" moments. They are followed by some very painfully extended meaningful gazes and a totally unrealistic 180-degree change of mood and motivation once the right thing has been said. Only then can our two leads 'rush' to go and successfully help the patient when all the other doctors (who have now spent the last 'critical' 6 or 7 minutes at the patient's bedside) have failed to do. And if that isn't stretching reality enough, there is one point in the drama where a hospital VIP has a resus emergency....where no less than 22 doctors (that's twenty-two, and yes, I counted them) are stood spectating outside the patient's room while five more are carrying out the resus attempt. And our lovely leading lady arrives AFTER all those other white coats because she's been philosophising elsewhere. I know, I know, it's a kdrama. But really??
Just four minutes into Episode 1 it really had me hooked. The setting and basic character intro was just oozing potential. I really thought this was going to be amazing. Fast forward to the end of Episode 2. A couple of slow-moving situations didn't bother me at this point - those I can forgive. But honestly, from there.....most of that grand promise just dribbled away like the scriptwriter's sleepdrool. When Episode 3 finished, my interest was really fading but sometimes that happens with kdramas and things pick up.....so I still watched on. By the end of Ep 4 I found myself wondering how many Episodes there were - always a bad sign - and (key point) before I checked, found myself hoping it would be only 12. Not 16. I found out there are 20 episodes.
I did try. I managed to push through two more episodes hoping something might improve and keep me here, but absolutely nothing improved. Nothing. Really.
Sadly, the horribly random script-writing, patchy direction and the ridiculously long periods between the moments of emergency and their required actions is (to Ep 6 at least) an ongoing formula for the show.
I think this high-quality cast was badly let down by this drama. Ironically, it's almost painful to watch. For me this is a DNR.
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