QAS
Los Angeles, CA
This review may contain spoilers
Legend of Doctor Cha
This was an average drama with saccharine acting and dialog; two reasons why I have stayed away from K-Dramas for many years. The plot had potential as a drama about infidelity and character growth. What we saw, was compromise, mistrust and miscommunication within the family unit, and narrow-mindedness.
Parent and child communication is flawed. Yes, the ingrates, Seo In Ho and Mother Kwak, did confide in each other, but they had an ulterior motive; to use and denigrate the passive FL. The two most ethical characters, Dr Cha and Mother Oh also kept secrets and sweet-talked each other, instead of trusting each other with their problems. In fact, the Seo family was deliberately undermining the mother, and enabling the father, by keeping Dr Seo’s illicit affair from Cha. Ms Oh thought her son-in-law was a saint and paragon of virtue for twenty-five years. The moral of the plot was that one should turn a blind eye, and obey the husband and mother-in-law.
Thank God, Cha rejected Seo's last ditch attempts to lure her back to the family. The husband, daughter and son, and MIL needed to appreciate the good life they had with the servile wife, mother and daughter-in-law at their beck and call.
I can't imagine the females' attraction to Seo in Ho. Why did two women with some higher education, cling to him? He had no charm or good looks. Did he throw all his money at the Mistress and Lovechild? He certainly treated the legitimate wife as a servant. He stopped having sex with the wife for ten years. After Eunsoo’s birth, did he travel to USA frequently, to be with his second family? They only returned to Korea three years ago.
Most of the characters were pathetic, with the exception of Dr Roy Kim. A shame that he did not wait for the three years’ time jump, and romance Doctor Cha. I understand Cha’s reluctance because of her illness that could end her life at any time, but Kim and she had a connection. He was the only one who was looking out for her wellbeing and happiness.
Uhm Jung Hwa was credible as Doctor Cha, the passive wife and mother and daughter-in-law, who would not challenge the manipulative, ungrateful husband and MIL, and the pampered children. One wonders if they will turn eventually into carbon copies of the father and grandmother. Cha found her identity and self-worth when she resumed her medical profession.
Kim Byung Chu as Seo in Ho; a brilliant surgeon and lying, cheating husband! Seo’s slapstick comedy act was overdone and tedious. The facial quirks, pratfalls and outbursts diminished Seo's professionalism as a topnotch surgeon and department head. He should have been in showbiz. Seo was duplicitous, verbally abusive, manipulative, and belligerent. In the end, he was promoted to Hospital Director. WTF! It would not surprise me if he preyed on another woman after his divorce.
Myung Se Bin as Choi Seung Hee; an entitled mistress! I finally understood her behavior when it was revealed that she was from a rich family, and inherited half of the father’s estate. No wonder, Ms Kwak was bitter that her son had not married Choi.
Min Woo Hyuk as Roy Kim; a knight in shining armor! It is disappointing that he did not end up with Dr Cha.
This drama had too much filler and comedic moments. The drunk sequences were excessive. It should have been trimmed to twelve episodes. The final episode was boring. Dr Kim should have waited for the three years' time jump, and wooed Dr Cha. That was enough time for Cha to find her identity and purpose in life. Most of the final episode was filler.
Story: 7.0: The drama plot was average, but it portrayed the bias against females in the family unit, except for the female hierarch.
Acting: 7.5: The actors are seasoned drama performers.
Makeup Rating 6.5: The actresses wore whiter than white foundation that made them look ghostly and ghastly. Isn't cosmetology a big industry in Korea?
Costume Rating 6.5: Some of Cha's outfits were dowdy, and Ms Kwak shopped at the Fugly Fashion House. Kwak's outfits were ugly.
Writing Rating 6: Too much filler and inane dialog
Directing and Editing Rating 7: Too much filler scenes stretching the drama.
Music Rating: 6.5
Rewatch Value: 1: Husband and MIL killed the vibes.
Overall Rating 6.5
Parent and child communication is flawed. Yes, the ingrates, Seo In Ho and Mother Kwak, did confide in each other, but they had an ulterior motive; to use and denigrate the passive FL. The two most ethical characters, Dr Cha and Mother Oh also kept secrets and sweet-talked each other, instead of trusting each other with their problems. In fact, the Seo family was deliberately undermining the mother, and enabling the father, by keeping Dr Seo’s illicit affair from Cha. Ms Oh thought her son-in-law was a saint and paragon of virtue for twenty-five years. The moral of the plot was that one should turn a blind eye, and obey the husband and mother-in-law.
Thank God, Cha rejected Seo's last ditch attempts to lure her back to the family. The husband, daughter and son, and MIL needed to appreciate the good life they had with the servile wife, mother and daughter-in-law at their beck and call.
I can't imagine the females' attraction to Seo in Ho. Why did two women with some higher education, cling to him? He had no charm or good looks. Did he throw all his money at the Mistress and Lovechild? He certainly treated the legitimate wife as a servant. He stopped having sex with the wife for ten years. After Eunsoo’s birth, did he travel to USA frequently, to be with his second family? They only returned to Korea three years ago.
Most of the characters were pathetic, with the exception of Dr Roy Kim. A shame that he did not wait for the three years’ time jump, and romance Doctor Cha. I understand Cha’s reluctance because of her illness that could end her life at any time, but Kim and she had a connection. He was the only one who was looking out for her wellbeing and happiness.
Uhm Jung Hwa was credible as Doctor Cha, the passive wife and mother and daughter-in-law, who would not challenge the manipulative, ungrateful husband and MIL, and the pampered children. One wonders if they will turn eventually into carbon copies of the father and grandmother. Cha found her identity and self-worth when she resumed her medical profession.
Kim Byung Chu as Seo in Ho; a brilliant surgeon and lying, cheating husband! Seo’s slapstick comedy act was overdone and tedious. The facial quirks, pratfalls and outbursts diminished Seo's professionalism as a topnotch surgeon and department head. He should have been in showbiz. Seo was duplicitous, verbally abusive, manipulative, and belligerent. In the end, he was promoted to Hospital Director. WTF! It would not surprise me if he preyed on another woman after his divorce.
Myung Se Bin as Choi Seung Hee; an entitled mistress! I finally understood her behavior when it was revealed that she was from a rich family, and inherited half of the father’s estate. No wonder, Ms Kwak was bitter that her son had not married Choi.
Min Woo Hyuk as Roy Kim; a knight in shining armor! It is disappointing that he did not end up with Dr Cha.
This drama had too much filler and comedic moments. The drunk sequences were excessive. It should have been trimmed to twelve episodes. The final episode was boring. Dr Kim should have waited for the three years' time jump, and wooed Dr Cha. That was enough time for Cha to find her identity and purpose in life. Most of the final episode was filler.
Story: 7.0: The drama plot was average, but it portrayed the bias against females in the family unit, except for the female hierarch.
Acting: 7.5: The actors are seasoned drama performers.
Makeup Rating 6.5: The actresses wore whiter than white foundation that made them look ghostly and ghastly. Isn't cosmetology a big industry in Korea?
Costume Rating 6.5: Some of Cha's outfits were dowdy, and Ms Kwak shopped at the Fugly Fashion House. Kwak's outfits were ugly.
Writing Rating 6: Too much filler and inane dialog
Directing and Editing Rating 7: Too much filler scenes stretching the drama.
Music Rating: 6.5
Rewatch Value: 1: Husband and MIL killed the vibes.
Overall Rating 6.5
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