Soula
Great drama initially as a binge-watch, but it just doesn't hold up as a rewatch
So I originally watched this drama shortly after it was all released (maybe early 2017?) and adored it (I will admit it was one of my first K-dramas soooo). I binge-watched it - I, in particular, remember crying a lot and loving the emotional rollercoaster this drama sent me on. I binge-rewatched maybe a year later with my mom and loved it still. But here we are, 2021, many many MANY Asian-dramas later, and rewatched it with some other family members and just didn't love it as much? Which devastated me. HOW?! WHY?! Well, honestly, I think it's because this third time rewatching it, we watched it slow (maybe 1 or 2 episodes a night over the course of a week).
DOTS is a drama you MUST binge watch. By breaking up the episodes, you lose the emotional impact needed to truly be moved by the drama between episodes as the story progresses. To ride the emotional rollercoaster I rode while watching it the first (and second time), you've got to let yourself be complete immersed without interruption to let the impact of the story hit you hard (which, as sadistic as it sounds, is what makes it so good in the end sooo ^-^').
Anyways, what I didn't like about DOTS the third time around was the pacing - I found the boring parts to be extra boring and kind of drag the overall story (it was mainly the slice-of-life moments in between the exciting action stuff). I also found that I really didn't like Dr. Kang - everything about her relationship with the Captain seemed rather self-centered, which made their romance unenjoyable for me.
BUT what I still loved about the drama is extensive:
-- The OST is great! There's one or two songs I'm not a huge fan of, but for the most part, I adore all the songs (even the instrumentals pack a punch!).
-- The romance between the Sergeant and Army Surgeon Yoon was still really sweet and I could totally relate to it.
-- The romance between Dr. Song and Nurse Ha was absolutely adorable and I loved watching it again!
-- The relationship between the Sergeant and Private Kim - I bawled at the end when Private Kim cried (*even* on the third rewatch ^^)
-- The intense action and "bigger-than-you" plot was great! The natural disaster was the perfect vehicle to grip your heart on top of all the other variables and stressors in this drama to keep me watching.
Overall, I don't think I want to rewatch this again. At least not for a really long time. And I've learned my lesson - it will need to be binged for sure. DOTS *is* a good drama, but it does have it's flaws.
DOTS is a drama you MUST binge watch. By breaking up the episodes, you lose the emotional impact needed to truly be moved by the drama between episodes as the story progresses. To ride the emotional rollercoaster I rode while watching it the first (and second time), you've got to let yourself be complete immersed without interruption to let the impact of the story hit you hard (which, as sadistic as it sounds, is what makes it so good in the end sooo ^-^').
Anyways, what I didn't like about DOTS the third time around was the pacing - I found the boring parts to be extra boring and kind of drag the overall story (it was mainly the slice-of-life moments in between the exciting action stuff). I also found that I really didn't like Dr. Kang - everything about her relationship with the Captain seemed rather self-centered, which made their romance unenjoyable for me.
BUT what I still loved about the drama is extensive:
-- The OST is great! There's one or two songs I'm not a huge fan of, but for the most part, I adore all the songs (even the instrumentals pack a punch!).
-- The romance between the Sergeant and Army Surgeon Yoon was still really sweet and I could totally relate to it.
-- The romance between Dr. Song and Nurse Ha was absolutely adorable and I loved watching it again!
-- The relationship between the Sergeant and Private Kim - I bawled at the end when Private Kim cried (*even* on the third rewatch ^^)
-- The intense action and "bigger-than-you" plot was great! The natural disaster was the perfect vehicle to grip your heart on top of all the other variables and stressors in this drama to keep me watching.
Overall, I don't think I want to rewatch this again. At least not for a really long time. And I've learned my lesson - it will need to be binged for sure. DOTS *is* a good drama, but it does have it's flaws.
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