I just finished watching Dr. Romantic and was looking through a bunch of medical dramas, and chose this one at random, and boy am I glad that I came across it. I was instantly addicted to the storyline and the characters were amazing and constantly walking on the grey line. There's one line that mentioned that whatever someone thinks is right is justice for them- but it's different depending in your perspective- and it really permeated throughout this entire drama!

STORY
I had no idea what to expect coming in, and was shrugging to myself thinking it's your typical revenge drama- well it was a revenge drama but also so much more. Firstly, Na Yi Je is insanely smart. Like someone mentioned "Na Einstein" and you're not wrong. This man is smart, takes challenges as they come and outsmarts everyone while going with the flow. At the beginning, he was clearly a talented doctor with a compassionate heart, but a single incident spiralled and broke him- turning him into something else entirely three years later. I like how he is always on the grey line, and even exhibits the tendencies of a supervillain really. I also really like how no one was really "right" or "wrong" all the time- it was just their ideas of "justice" and what lines they'd cross for survival. It was truly centered around Na Yi Je, and it's very clear on that aspect. People mention things like characters seem to kind of lose their senses of who they are and it seems like there is no high stakes that keep you guessing because of how smart NYJ is that he can always get past what's in front of him, as well as comedic moments that seemed out of place. For me, I think that the plot wants to highlight how the flow of events can really change a person. In terms of the stakes- the stakes are always high and it still keeps me guessing. Even though I knew he'd solve it all, I was still scared on how it would turn out. For me, yes he's smart, but it kept me on my toes because I always wondered when and if he'd cross his bottom line and if he'd sacrifice more values for his goal. I binge watched this in two days because of that. I do agree with the fact that the female characters had a lot of wasted potential though. There's a lot of character development that could have happened, and the writers could have utilized the females to have more of an active part- for example, LJI was insanely smart, but she could have had a more active role, along with HSG- she did do some work and flipped a few minor people over, but not much. Then again, we can always argue that the plot was focused on NYJ, so it makes sense that it was very focused on his fight with SMS and LJJ. I also really appreciated the character development of LJH- I hated him sm at first but I acc almost cried when we found out he was safe at the end- he wormed his way into my heart.

CAST
For me, it was mostly Namgoong Min, Kim Byung Chul and Choi Won Young that really stood out to me in this aspect. All the actors were fairly consistent and well-acted, but I just loved how Namgoong Min completely embodied NYJ and I thought it was a very strong performance. Kim Byung Chul was just as good as SMS, and I really liked his chemistry with NYJ. Their banter at the second half and the fact that they cared for each other just a little to joke around and be concerned was quite cute. However, no matter how much I loved Namgoong Min's acting, I really gotta give it to Choi Won Young here. This was the second drama of his I've seen and I've gotta give it to him. He really plays psychopathic roles very well. He had psychopathic tendencies here and in Hello Monster he was the psychopathic murderer- and I noticed that he played crazy killers yet managed to make them distinguished within their own personalities. None of the performances lose out and he was perfect for LJJ.

MUSIC
I didn't pay much attention to the music but generally it was pretty good. No huge lasting impressions except maybe the OST "Fearless" but the music was utilized pretty well in the plot. This isn't music but the monitor that would come up during conflicts really elevated the mood and raised the stakes and I loved the addition!

THEMES
I love the theme of the large grey between good and evil, and how justice is seen as objective but actually becomes subjective in each person's eyes. No one was truly evil, but rather a product of circumstances and how they learned how to deal with their situations- things could have gone so differently if someone just made a different choice. I also love how NYJ, SMS and LJJ were constantly put in situations where they were foils of each other, and it showed how different people deal with similar situations in different ways. Everyone was constantly being paralleled in their own circumstances and it really added to the beauty of the drama.

REWATCH VALUE
I loved it! But it's an 8 for me because I really need to breathe and be in the right state of mind to watch this again haha. I'd totally binge it, but of course I would put time between the times I've watched it. As much as I loved it, I know that the stakes aren't as high as the first watch because I know how it will end.

CONCLUSION
The premise of being a doctor in prison was a very unique premise, and opened my eyes to at least some of how it's like and the politics that seem to permeate even prison. I was worried at first because of all the deaths, and I'm glad it didn't become a killing spree of characters needlessly. I completely loved this drama and for once I was really glad there was no romance- usually I like just a lil sprinkled in but for sure romance would have ruined it for me. Honestly, the great plot made me forget all about romance which is pretty cool. This series was very plot focused and really focused on the power struggle of the three main males, and it really left me in complete awe at their intelligence. While I do wish they portrayed more medical prowess, it wasn't the main focus and had enough sprinkled here and there- though I do have one complaint- I get potassium is a common way to kill but legit it was used every few episodes and I wanted to know more interesting ways that they'd try and kill each other haha. I wish this was more known! I wouldn't have heard of it if I didn't go looking for it honestly, and it deserves so much more attention.