Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim: Episode 13

43 December 22, 2016December 22, 2016

by murasakimi

With preparations for CEO Shin’s fateful operation in full swing, everyone at Doldam has their hands full trying to juggle new and ever-increasing problems. This being Doldam, things quickly go from bad to worse, until even Teacher Kim starts to feel the pressure as he desperately tries to keep everyone in Doldam safe from an unexpected and potentially dangerous threat.

CHAPTER 13: “The Aesthetics of Chaos”

In-bum asks Teacher Kim to be his main assistant in CEO Shin’s upcoming surgery (under his father’s instruction), even if it means stealing the opportunity from Seo-jung. When Teacher Kim asks after his experience, In-bum inflates the amount of relevant procedures he’s participated in—enough to make even Teacher Kim impressed by his surgical history. Outside the door, Dong-joo watches the exchange, and in voiceover, he narrates as the scene plays:

“In an age of ‘needs.’ An age in which one’s own desires are outranked by the desires of others. An age in which one is forced to live according to the world’s standards before even figuring out what he wants for himself. He adds detail to support his lies and the lies grow larger in size. One sometimes lies to make himself seem better than he is. Eventually he must even render another’s efforts useless and push them down in order to raise himself up. Such is what the world has come to.”

We flash back ten days earlier to Seo-jung eavesdropping on Teacher Kim and Nurse Oh as they discuss the preparations for CEO Shin’s surgery. Teacher Kim expresses concern over the possibility of CEO Shin’s artificial heart being faulty, and thus potentially complicating the procedure further. He adds that he hasn’t yet finalized his surgical team roster and intends to schedule the operation in ten days.

At the mention of the operation date, Seo-jung jumps to her feet and hurries out of the ER with a determined look in her eyes. Adorably, Nurse Oh asks Teacher Kim if he thinks Seo-jung got the hint, and Teacher Kim guesses that she did. So cute.

Seo-jung gets to work studying everything she’ll need to know for CEO Shin’s cardiac surgery, and even practices her stitching. She also seeks out Dong-joo’s advice, who then gives her some private tutoring. Oh, you two.

At last, the day arrives for Teacher Kim to announce his team for CEO Shin’s operation. He explains that the procedure is really a moving target, and although the aim is to replace the artificial heart battery, the plan may change after they receive CEO Shin’s test results.

Teacher Kim adds that he intends to hold a conference every night until the day of the surgery to prepare for the real thing. Regarding his main assistant, Teacher Kim names Seo-jung as his first (woohoo!), and everyone looks elated except for In-bum, who can’t hide his anxiety.

The next day, Seo-jung proclaims herself the cardiothoracic specialist in charge of CEO Shin’s treatment to the nurse team, and they congratulate her on a job well done. Meanwhile, Ki-tae, In-bum, and Dr. Song greet CEO Shin as he settles into his room to try and win some brownie points.

Seo-jung arrives shortly after to introduce herself as the doctor handling his care. Displeased with having a female doctor, CEO Shin begins making a fuss and demands to see Teacher Kim immediately. Ki-tae runs out to retrieve Teacher Kim, but Seo-jung stands her ground and begins explaining to CEO Shin that they will need to do a blood test and an x-ray before they do a CT scan tomorrow. But CEO Shin insists that he needs to talk to Teacher Kim.

Seo-jung continues to talk over him, ensuring that she’s more than qualified to supervise his preliminary tests, until finally CEO Shin breaks it down to her simply—the truth is, he explains, is that he’s uncomfortable having a female doctor. However, Seo-jung tells him that she will be more than willing to listen to any criticism he has regarding the quality of her treatment, but that she will ignore his other complaints.

Before he can argue her point, he lets out a series of coughs. Seo-jung inquires about when his coughs first began, but he plays off her concerns and blames his old age. Having seemingly won his temporary compliance with her moxy, Seo-jung instructs one of the nurses to take CEO Shin’s temperature and proceed with the other tests.

When she steps outside to begin her preparations, she is greeted by a crowd, which includes Teacher Kim and Dr. Song. Dr. Song chides her for disrespecting CEO Shin, while Teacher Kim merely asks if she thinks she can handle CEO Shin without him stepping in. Seo-jung assures Teacher Kim that she has everything under control, and will finish with his preliminary tests in two hours.

After Teacher Kim excuses her, Dr. Song asks Teacher Kim if he’s really going to let her be. He replies that Seo-jung acted exactly as she should have, explaining that if Seo-jung had allowed CEO Shin to boss her around, then she would have lost all credibility as his doctor. As he begins to walk away, Ki-tae asks Teacher Kim why he isn’t going to see CEO Shin, even though they are standing right outside his door. To wit, Teacher Kim answers back that he is busy and will speak with him later.

Unfortunately, Seo-jung is informed that CEO Shin refuses to get his blood drawn without speaking to Teacher Kim first, so she decides to do it herself. When she enters the room, she notices that CEO Shin is still coughing, and helpfully, General Manager Joo tells Seo-jung that his cough has been worsening since the week before.

CEO Shin continues to protest against having Seo-jung treat him until Seo-jung mentions that there is a possibility that he may have pneumonia. And if she fails to catch and treat it before Teacher Kim has to operate, then she’ll be in big trouble—and, she adds, there’s nothing she likes less than being scolded by Teacher Kim. Therefore, she begs CEO Shin to work with her, and thereby finally gains his reluctant acceptance of her care.

Meanwhile, in the ER, Nurse Oh calls an exhausted Dong-joo in to treat a young boy with a large gash across his head. Initially, the patient fusses against Dong-joo’s attempts to clean his bleeding wound, until Nurse Oh swoops in with some all-powerful candy and earns the boy’s cooperation. The patient has come with his older sister, who informs the staff that their mother will be arriving later.

Once Dong-joo is finished with his treatment, Nurse Oh offers to call another doctor to tend the ER after he admits to being a bit tired. He refuses, just as two more patients enter the ER. One comes in from overdosing on her medication, and the other has a high fever.

Seo-jung reports to Teacher Kim regarding the possibility of CEO Shin having pneumonia. Teacher Kim authorizes her to administer some medicine to treat it, then hands her a stack of papers containing information on a different artificial heart model than the one CEO Shin has.

He explains that the one in CEO Shin’s chest has some reported manufacturing issues, and has the potential to be discontinued. She guesses, a bit surprised, that Teacher Kim plans to replace the entire heart and not just the batteries. Instead of answering, he tells Seo-jung to study the materials, and he’ll tell her more at the conference later that evening.

Seo-jung heads over to the shared office in time to see In-soo rushing out the door to meet with his wife and mother-in-law. She tries to tell him to stay a little longer to help Dong-joo, who has been on duty for the last three days, but he apologizes and says that he can’t, so Seo-jung tries to get In-bum to help out instead. Unfortunately, In-bum isn’t in a very generous mood, and refuses to be a team player.

Disappointed, she warns In-bum not to ask for her help in covering any of his shifts in the future, then she drops the papers given to her by Teacher Kim on her desk before hurrying out to the ER. Once she is gone, In-bum immediately begins flipping through the pages.

He calls his father to relay Teacher Kim’s plan of replacing CEO Shin’s entire artificial heart, much to Dr. Do’s astonishment. In-bum also informs him that CEO Shin may have pneumonia, which he predicts will delay the surgery by a few days. His father instructs him to continue to keep him updated on any changes.

Back in the ER, Dong-joo checks in on the patient who overdosed on her medication. Accompanying the patient is her frantic boyfriend, who confesses to Dong-joo that his girlfriend took a large amount of her pills after they got into a fight. Dong-joo assesses the situation, then tells the boyfriend to wait outside. With the boyfriend out of earshot, Dong-joo tells the patient that the coast is clear, and that she can wake up now.

After a little more encouragement, she eventually opens her eyes and looks up at Dong-joo sheepishly. He asks her to tell him the truth so that he can treat her properly, so she reveals that she took only two of her pills because her stomach really was hurting at the time, but then faked her overdose after her boyfriend began saying they should die together, which made her mad.

Dong-joo scolds her for escalating the situation, but tells her to rest until she calms down. Dong-joo lets the boyfriend back in to let him know that his girlfriend is okay before moving on to his next patient.

The father of the next patient informs Dong-joo that he had a cough for a few days, and instead of getting better, he ended up spreading it to his wife and son. Dong-joo listens to the patient’s lungs and decides that they’ll need to get them scanned. The father is surprised to hear that his son may have more than a simple cold, and that he and his wife will need to get checked out as well.

Dong-joo listens to the father’s lungs before asking if he travelled abroad recently. The father casually says that he was in Saudi Arabia for two months and got home four days ago. Dong-joo looks over in horror to catch the gaze of Nurse Oh, who makes the same connection that he does. He then scans the ER, observing all the patients and employees soon to be trapped inside.

Decisively, Dong-joo gathers his team at the nurses’ station and tells them that they are now in lockdown for a possible case of MERS. Dong-joo tells the team to suit up in protective gear, quarantine the suspected MERS patients into the hybrid room, and close off the ER. They get to work immediately, hoping to minimize any potential damages.

Upstairs, Teacher Kim receives the news and hurries down to help from the outside. He instructs Ki-tae to notify the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, request hazmat suits, and inform nearby hospitals of their situation.

In CEO Shin’s room, Seo-jung is pleased to see that his fever is going down. She tells CEO Shin that they’ve begun administering the antibiotics and will monitor his condition for any changes. CEO Shin continues to complain about being ignored by Teacher Kim, but Seo-jung assures him that Teacher Kim is working very hard to prepare for his operation.

CEO Shin grumpily comments that she talks too much, but she swears that usually she doesn’t. As she defends herself, she accidentally calls him “Grandpa,” then fumbles to try and cover up her mistake with enthusiasm, only to do it again. Ha. She scrambles out of the room, and CEO Shin actually laughs amusedly at her impudence.

In the hall, Deputy Nurse Ji updates Seo-jung on the situation in the ER and warns her to be extra careful given her close proximity to CEO Shin, but all Seo-jung can think about is poor, fatigued Dong-joo. Against Deputy Nurse Ji’s advice, she rushes over to the ER to see Dong-joo through the glass.

She spots him in a weaker moment as he struggles to gather his strength, but once he sees her, he calls her phone and immediately warns her away from the door. She asks if he’s okay, and despite looking the opposite, he lies that he is. It isn’t long before Dong-joo is called away, and Seo-jung is forced to watch him go.

Elsewhere, things are not looking any better on Teacher Kim’s end. Ki-tae informs him that the health center where they get their hazmat suits from is closed, and the CDC has failed to offer any useful advice beyond telling them to move the patients to a designated hospital.

Enraged, Teacher Kim called the CDC again, and this time the agent that answers the phone begins to question if they are positive they actually have a MERS case. Teacher Kim shoots back that they should be the ones determining that. He then gets into a circular argument with the agent, who seems to be set on the being the least helpful person available.

Teacher Kim argues that it is basically a logistical nightmare trying to transfer three patients to the nearest designated hospital without hazmat suits, and with the single ambulance assigned to their area. The agent continues to insist that Teacher Kim send the patients to their designated hospital, because it is fully equipped with all the proper supplies to deal with the situation. Fed up, Teacher Kim hangs up the phone and decides to focus on doing what he can.

He calls Nurse Oh to get the latest on the situation in the ER, and after she informs him that she hasn’t told the other patients about the MERS yet, he encourages her to do so quickly since they will probably need to quarantine the entire ER soon. He also asks that she collect some blood samples from the MERS patients so they can get it tested.

They stare at each other through the glass as they talk, their expressions worried and heavy with fear. Nurse Oh’s eyes water, but she puts on a brave face and manages to tell Teacher Kim not to worry, as if reassuring him might put herself at ease.

Dong-joo and Nurse Assistant Park enter the quarantined hybrid room to collect some fluid samples from the patients and run some tests. Meanwhile, Seo-jung’s calls to Dong-joo continue to go unanswered. In another part of the hospital, the mother of the boy with the laceration on his head arrives and is informed of the situation.

Back inside the ER, the boyfriend of the woman who faked her overdose learns that no one is permitted to leave the ER. He begins causing a scene until the entire room learns of the MERS situation, then he tries to break open the door in order to leave. Using an impressive show of strength, Nurse Assistant Park restrains the man, when suddenly his girlfriend begins to complain of stomach pain.

Dong-joo rushes over to check on her, and his face whitens as he realizes that she is exhibiting signs of acute appendicitis. He reports the news to Teacher Kim, who instructs him to prepare for an emergency surgery. Oh dear. After Dong-joo hangs up the phone he stumbles over and coughs. Oh no!

Teacher Kim hunts down Dr. Song and tells him to prepare to operate on the patient with appendicitis. Dr. Song tries to weasel out of it, but Teacher Kim doesn’t let him and shouts back, “We don’t have the hazmat suits yet so nobody else can do anything and you have no chance of getting MERS!”

Teacher Kim grabs Dr. Song by the collar, but Dr. Song jerks out of his grasp and yells, “Doctors are people too. Doctors can get sick and get MERS, too! And I don’t want to say this, but doctors can die, too! You know that? I have the right to want to protect my own life!”

Teacher Kim replies that everything Dr. Song said is right, but then suddenly he growls, “So hurry up and get ready, bastard!”

The nurses in the ER crowd around a weak Dong-joo, who valiantly tries to dismiss their concerns. He manages to walk a few steps away before his eyes begin to blur, and he collapses to the ground. Dong-joo looks up, and through the haze he sees Teacher Kim through the glass calling out his name, then passes out. Gah!

Teacher Kim resolves to enter the ER, but Ki-tae stops him in time. The nurse teams moves Dong-joo to a bed as Teacher Kim sighs in distress. Dr. Song enters the lobby and provokingly says aloud, “I knew you would send another one to the afterlife.” Unable to stand by, Teacher Kim asks for a surgical mask and gown. Meanwhile, In-bum informs Seo-jung on the second floor that Dong-joo fainted, causing her to rush downstairs.

Director Yeo tries to stop Teacher Kim from making a rash decision, but he just ignores him. Ki-tae informs Teacher Kim that one of their employees is on their way to get the hazmat suits, so Teacher Kim tells Dr. Song to be prepared to operate the moment those arrive. Ki-tae makes his attempt to dissuade Teacher Kim from going into the ER by mentioning CEO Shin’s upcoming surgery.

However, Teacher Kim quotes a saying: “Patients need to be treated based on how much they need attention, not in the order that they showed up.” With that said, he walks toward the ER door, only to be stopped by Seo-jung as she steps into his path.

She asks that she be allowed to go in Teacher Kim’s stead, arguing that she is the ER specialist, and therefore she’s best suited to help the patients inside. Regarding CEO Shin, she explains that she has already handed off her duties to In-bum, and is fully aware that this may mean her giving up her place in his surgery. Conflicted, Teacher Kim stares back at her, feeling helpless.

COMMENTS

Seo-jung has come a long way from groveling in front of Teacher Kim to sticking to her guns and being her old ballsy self. Even though Teacher Kim doesn’t want her to sacrifice herself by going into the ER, he doesn’t stop her, and that’s what I like about Teacher Kim. He’ll scream your ear off into next Tuesday if you’re acting like a coward or if you’re being an idiot, but when you decide to be brave, and you fight for what you believe in, then he respect your decision, even if it hurts him a little. All because Teacher Kim is a giving guy, and one who will willingly give up everything he has to save someone else who needs it or deserves it.

I’m sure Seo-jung’s affection/concern for Dong-joo factored into her decision to enter the ER, but I think ultimately it’s because she feels a sense of responsibility, and is willing to put aside her ambition in order to do the right thing and be a team player, which says a lot about her personality. It makes me think of an earlier episode when Seo-jung was disappointed that Teacher Kim didn’t pay attention to her like he did with Dong-joo, even if that attention was negative.

Morally, Seo-jung is most like Teacher Kim by nature, so it probably was because he trusts her to make the most compassionate and righteous choice in the end, enough to where he didn’t have to keep correcting her moral compass. Teacher Kim always acts like he doesn’t care if his doctors rise or fall, but in truth, it seems like he is the one cheering them on the hardest. I usually don’t really like these kind of setups because I always feel like I’m being pushed a little too hard to be convinced that one character is noble, but in this episode, it felt like everything was well-earned, and that was a long time coming.

Speaking of cheerleaders, Teacher Kim and Nurse Oh were so cute when they not-so-subtly nudged Seo-jung along without trying to show any favoritism in the selection process. But that aside, there was a lot going on with them in this episode. I’ve been doing my best to put away the thought, because I really don’t want to trivialize Teacher Kim and Nurse Oh’s relationship by assuming there may be some kind of romantic undercurrent there between them—but, seriously, is there? I honestly blame the show for leading me on if there isn’t. All kidding aside, I’m kind of torn between really wanting it to happen and loving the way things are now, because no matter how cute they are together, I love the idea of them being colleagues who care deeply about one another, but ones who never cross that threshold. It’s like the camaraderie they’ve built over the years is somehow sacred.

That being said, I hope Seo-jung finally realizes through this incident that she can’t ignore her feelings for Dong-joo any longer. And honestly, I don’t think she’s done a great job verbalizing the reasons she feels like she needs to push Dong-joo away all the time. It has been a while since she heard Dr. Moon’s voice when Dong-joo is around, and even if she isn’t totally ready to be in a relationship (which I would totally understand), I wish she would have an honest conversation with him soon. Dong-joo is doing a great job standing by and allowing her to define the relationship on her own, but I think it’s right for him to know where he stands in her heart, even if it means that she can never give him what he wants.

In this episode, we saw Teacher Kim feel more lost and out of control than we ever have before, but because he couldn’t solve everything himself like he normally can, he had the opportunity to see both Dong-joo and Seo-jung step up and show how far they are willing to go for the Doldam team, as well as each other. You can see from Teacher Kim’s reaction that he isn’t used to standing by and being forced to stay out of the fight. He wants more than anything to jump in, but it’s a new lesson for him to sit back and watch his birds take flight.

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1 Nikilann

December 22, 2016 at 4:26 PM

This drama keeps being a blast each week that passes. It's amazing how I love it because the characters are so flawed... but also lovable.
One thing's for sure : first GOOD medical drama for me ! This calls for a celebration =)

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Nikilann

December 22, 2016 at 4:28 PM

And seriously Dong Joo and Seo Joon : get it on already ! Give us some more hot and steamy kisses :3

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1tea1

December 22, 2016 at 4:29 PM

The bts was too much to handle. Director please, more of that.

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CrimeFighter

December 22, 2016 at 7:53 PM

+10000
????

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daydreamer11

December 22, 2016 at 7:31 PM

This drama keeps being a blast each week that passes. It’s amazing how I love it because the characters are so flawed… but also lovable.

This! Indeed. The characters are flawed and frustrating at times but also lovable! It makes me so interested in their growth and wanting to see how they'll grow in Doldam (heck I even wish to see the detestable Dr. Song stay in Doldam because he cutely call KSB as "hyung" in ep 14. Lol)

I am so happy that every week I feel like I love the new episodes better than the previous ones. The momentum the show is going is so great. Now after week 7 and 14 episodes in, I think I like ep. 13 and 14 best and have been rewatching them.

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loveblossom

December 22, 2016 at 8:49 PM

I'm the same. Every week, this show has been wonderful. It really warms my heart. I feel like savoring every scene, lol. None of the episodes have been disappointing.

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2 1tea1

December 22, 2016 at 4:28 PM

Best drama decision I've made in a long time is watching this drama. I can't beleive that I was going to miss out on this gem.

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CrimeFighter

December 22, 2016 at 7:55 PM

Me too. When I was thinking whether to start on this show when it just premiered that time, I thought it was another normal medical drama but I was bored so I started on it. Glad that I did !! :)

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3 H

December 22, 2016 at 4:30 PM

A lot happened in this episode, all good.
A bit conflicted that there may be one episode extra; but hope this means we will have more romantic scenes between our loving couple!

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4 Lessa

December 22, 2016 at 4:30 PM

I've decided I'm going to make Dr Song punching bags next to my President Do-do dartboards. LOL.

Chairman Shin's sexist discrimination of SJ was annoying and nothing new. (Ive seen worse). But he has a point in his discomfort/distrust. I think Teacher Kim should have at least done rounds, yah know. He is still the main attending physician. Whether he's a VVIP or not, the least the attending physician can do is rounds on admission, and introduce his first assistant. Chairman has never met SJ before, then suddenly she's going to poke around? Of course he's not going to feel comfortable.

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michykdrama

December 22, 2016 at 5:37 PM

Ah but Teacher Kim has this anti authoritarian streak that I actually think the Chairman secretly enjoys. Because he is tired of everyone fawning over him all the time (like Dr Song!).

I thought they handled the female vs male Doctor prejudice quite well actually. (And agree that we've seen worse in real life- so sad right!). But Seo Jung handled herself perfectly in my opinion, because this is just another form of bullying, and when you give in to them they just proceed to feel justified and walk all over you. She wasn't rude or belligerent, just very matter of fact and objective. She didn't let his prejudice affect her at all or make her feel insecure in her decisions.

You go girl! I don't think I could have been so level headed in real life, and she has really come a long way from the beginninng of the show.

Teacher Kim's "babies" are growing up! *proud tears*

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PakalanaPikake

December 23, 2016 at 2:00 AM

Ah but Teacher Kim has this anti authoritarian streak that I actually think the Chairman secretly enjoys. Because he is tired of everyone fawning over him all the time (like Dr Song!).

I absolutely agree re: Kim Sa Bu's antiauthoritarianism -- and Chairman Shin's surreptitious enjoyment of dealing with people who are not afraid to express differing views as long as they can make a good case. He's probably sick to death of being surrounded with bobble-headed yes-men. Like his surgeon, he doesn't suffer fools gladly.

As for Dr. Yoon's way of dealing with him: stone, meet water. ;-)

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Lessa

December 23, 2016 at 6:46 AM

I also like the way SJ handled herself. Very professional. I think even Chairman was kinda impressed, if not comfortable after a while. >_<

I think most elderly patients have this ...initial discrimination when it comes to young doctors. I had a classmate who actually asks for a physicians GRADES during medschool. Liek WUT. I've experience really bad discrimination with residency, but it wasnt that bad in fellowship. I guess that means, I look older now? OMG.

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Ally

December 26, 2016 at 4:24 AM

I get this being Asian and a woman. Some, not many, rude patients actually ask me how old I am when they see me which I always reply honestly and have them shower me with "you look 10 years younger than that!" I admit that it's fun and feeds my vanity. I work in outpatient as a subspecialist so my secretaries also do a great job talking me up when patients call to set up appointments and that helps as well. More often though, I've seen the exact opposite where patients prefer woman doctors because of the perception we listen better and have a better bedside manner. I'm the only woman in my clinic besides for our nurse practitioner, and I think I'm a little busier than my colleagues because of this.

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PakalanaPikake

December 23, 2016 at 1:35 AM

@Lessa,

I’ve decided I’m going to make Dr Song punching bags next to my President Do-do dartboards. LOL.

ROFL! You've seen so many PPLs, you're now doing a product line extension of your own! ;-)

And I totally agree that KSB could have introduced her to the Chairman... I voice a few other thoughts on the matter in #15.

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knewbie

December 23, 2016 at 5:26 AM

Maybe it's just me and my low expectations, but I've always thought that most hospital patients have a pretty good chance of being poked at by complete strangers before their own doctors show up.

Also, while I agree that Teacher Kim loves nothing more than cocking a snook at The Man, he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who would make a professional decision for non-professional reasons (e.g. anti-authoritarianism) . In other words, if he sent only Seo-jung to take care of the Chairman, then he might really have thought that his own presence wasn't necessary. After all, he wasn't lying when he said he had a lot of research to do. He was still hard at it by the end of episode 14.

But whatever his reasons for keeping away, it was great to see Seo-jung taking charge, and so calmly and skilfully too.

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Lessa

December 23, 2016 at 6:27 AM

normally that is true, ive even done my own script on how i introduce myself as the resident in charge of the floor/ward, i work with dr blahblah and i will be taking care of him for a specific shift. I do that without the attending. But sometimes i take extra precaution and wait for the attending if the patient is what we term "Complain Prec(aution)"

But as an attending myself, whats five minutes anyway just to say hey yo this is my assistant and your surgery is really really hard so i gotta study so she's in charge for now, k, byeee!!

I once talked with an administrator PR staff who deals with whiny VVIPs. He said most of these "complaints" arent really vindictive in nature. They just want someone to listen to them and they feel "betrayed" if their doctor doesnt do rounds often. Even if they are fully aware that the doctor is busy. He said the mind is more powerful than we think. The doctor could be doing absolutely nothing medically impressive and yet because the patient was given a good amount of "attention", the patient got better & doctor was given so much praise. I found our talk really interesting like some sort of psych lesson. Hehe.

However. I still maintain there are ridiculously stupid VVIPs & people who think theyre VVVIPs when theyre not! #EvilExists! ?

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knewbie

December 23, 2016 at 7:19 AM

@Lessa: I don't think it's ever any fun being in hospital, so I agree that patients should receive as much reassurance as the staff can afford. (Ironically it's the non-VIP patients who feel the most stress yet probably get the least attention.)

Still speculating here: since Seo-jung is the main assistant, maybe Teacher Kim wanted her to handle the Chairman on her own during their first (?) meeting, so that she would henceforth be comfortable with doing so, rather than letting her mentor take the reins all the time?

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Lessa

December 23, 2016 at 11:23 AM

True, it does fit with Teacher Kim's personality and sometimes there are indeed situations when our mentors just drop us like a hot potato.

But IMO still, a proper, (less than a minute, even) introduction to ease transitioning of patient care / comfort is just simple manners between patient & doctor.

anyway, its a drama, there wouldnt be any impact if Chairman Shin liked Sj immediately.

5 Heroonthebeach

December 22, 2016 at 4:34 PM

Seo Jung was thoroughly enjoyable to watch in this episode and I was so proud of her when she stood up to chairman Shin and then teacher Kim. She has really grown up so much and is the bright spark of the show for me now. I do feel the other characters are being rather sidelined though but the next episode more than makes up for it! It's been a great week for the series and I thoroughly enjoyed both episodes! More thoughts shared on my blog: http://wp.me/p7U37n-1ju

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6 okiejune

December 22, 2016 at 4:43 PM

Thanks fot the recap! I can't bear to watch the episodes until after reading about them!

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7 michykdrama

December 22, 2016 at 5:27 PM

A nice, fairly politics-free pair of episodes- Yay! Less Dr Do is good, and Teacher Kim roaring at Dr Song made me feel better. Haha.

They managed to keep the excitement and character growth going though so kudos to the writer who thought to bring in both female workplace prejudice and MERS as topics! Why do you need politics when real life medical situations are interesting enough? ?

Did you all know Korea really faced a MERS outbreak in 2015 and it was the biggest outbreak outside of the Middle East? And it all started from 1 person who travelled back from the Middle East to Korea and ended up infecting almost 200 people, with over 30 dying. So this topic will resonate with the Korean people a lot I think because the hospitals faced a lot of initial criticism on how they handled the outbreak. (Stupid administrators in their glass towers. *grumble grumble*)

And because murasakimi said everything I could have wanted to about the episode, I did a Medicap instead for both this episode and the next on my blog- on MERS and some of the other medical conditions and terminology they used, for better appreciation of what the doctors were doing. (Throwback to Beautiful Mind Medicaps! Made me all nostalgic ?)

Naturally there are HUGE SPOILERS for the next episode, so read at your own risk.

https://mydramalesslife.wordpress.com/2016/12/22/medicap-romantic-doctor-teacher-kim-episode-13-14%ef%bb%bf/

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KpopKitty

December 22, 2016 at 5:50 PM

Completely agree with your comment! I remember reading all the articles on the rising MERs numbers in Korea and the failed attempts in being able to contain it properly when it first came about. I absolutely loved the incorporation of it since it was absolutely an issue that brought fear into those who could only sit back and watch.

And I appreciate Seojung sticking to her grounds a lot more now - I love her much more now that she isn't kissing Teacher Kim's feet 24/7. And I really do appreciate the Doldam team, they never fail to make me feel great things inside when they all band with one another. It just really upsets me knowing that people like Dr. Do and Dr. Song do exist, and that there's so many things wrong with healthcare systems around the world. These systems are supposed to be there to help each other and help everyone gain access to better healthcare, but it's often with dire costs that a lot of people can't afford.

I realize I'm going on a bit of a tangent haha - I usually never follow medical dramas because there's only so much political drama and sometimes extremely obvious flaws in the portrayal of medical situations/treatments, but I really love this one. As an aspiring physician, it's people like Teacher Kim that I wish to have guiding me one day. He's harsh, but hey - tough love helps build up some tough skin, and it's not like he's saying it out of pure malice. Everything critique he has is on point and to help better his team, but we see that he really cares about each and every one of his little ducklings, and just wants them to lead their careers as they are supposed to - without prejudice, discrimination, or favoritism. Their job is to help the patient, and anything that deviates from that line of thinking is unacceptable. It doesn't seem like it should be that hard to swallow, but it is with all the controversies there are in how healthcare works nowadays.

I'm glad the hospital politics is at a bearable level too. I mean I've hated Dr. Song since a long while back, and I'm quite disappointed with Inbum, but I know he has the right mindset hiding somewhere within him. If we could just extract the father's 24/7 looming presence on him, there would be a greater chance of seeing a better character growth to Inbum. We see he has the skills and learns immensely well from his studies, and that he has he compassion, but he didn't have the greatest influences to guide him. But, with the way things are going, I'm hoping he'll be just like another lovable Doldam family resident by the time we hit the end. But, I always fear for the worse when politics are brought in, so I'm glad it hasn't been 4-6 straight episodes of "Outdated passionate hospital vs. modern corrupt hospital"

And Nurse Park is just...lovable. Someone promise me that he gets his loveline established before the series ends hahaha! I wouldn't mind a Nurse Oh and Teacher Kim ship either, but I wouldn't mind if they didn't as I...

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KpopKitty

December 22, 2016 at 5:52 PM

Apologies for anyone who reads this and notices the few grammar errors/word choice blunders - I forgot to reread before I posted haha

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PakalanaPikake

December 23, 2016 at 6:40 AM

@Michykdrama,

Thanks for your comments and Medicap(TM)! Informative reading, as always. And a pleasant reminder of your contributions to BEAUTIFUL MIND discussions. ;-)

I didn't know that such a serious MERS outbreak had occurred in Korea in 2015. According to the figures in the Medicap, 36 out of 186 infected patient died, hence a mortality rate of 19.35%? How does that compare to something like influenza?

The depiction of quarantining the people in the emergency room made for a great public service announcement. As long as there are communicable diseases, isolation and quarantine are necessities. Air travel has enabled all kinds of global development, including the spread of exotic diseases and pests/vectors.

Here in the US in 2007, there was the case of a lawyer with a highly drug-resistant form of tuberculosis who flew from Atlanta (home of the CDC!!) to Paris for his wedding after public health officials told him they "preferred" (hello?!) he not fly internationally. When he was told by the CDC days later to report to Italian health authorities when tests confirmed he had a rare and potentially virulent form of TB, he went on the lam, and snuck back to the US via Montreal. If I had been a passenger on one of those transatlantic flights, I'd have gone ballistic. Maybe because my great-grandfather and two of my grandpa's siblings died of TB.

That same grandpa was in an army camp in Kentucky when he contracted "Spanish flu" during WWI... and the bodies were stacked up like cord wood. I read on a genealogy website that mortality at some camps was 80%. There was no room in the hospital, so Gramps ended up on the verandah. Being out in the fresh air might have saved his life. I can't help but think that his immune system got supercharged, too, because he not only survived colon cancer in his early 60s, he lived to be 102. Not bad for a guy who was told by the army doctors that he had a "narrow heart valve."

On the other hand, my father-in-law was not so fortunate, and died of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) after breaking his hip and being hospitalized -- and breaking it again. I could appreciate the precautions taken by the ER staff in the show as my husband and I had to don gloves, gowns, and masks when we visited him. And there wasn't anything that could be done for him back in 2003. I don't know if the situation has improved at all since then.

Dr. Song's bellyaching was so pathetic. It stands in stark contrast to the heroism of people such as nurse and New Jersey native Clara L. Maass, a yellow fever research subject who succumbed to her second intentional mosquito bite at age 25, following service in US Army hospitals in Cuba and the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. Two other yellow fever volunteers died with her.

FWIW, yellow fever used to be endemic in parts of New Jersey, as evidenced by Shades Of Death Road in Warren County.

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murasakimi

December 23, 2016 at 7:01 PM

Beautiful Mind! <3

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8 loveblossom

December 22, 2016 at 6:17 PM

Yayyyy I've been waiting for this recap! :)

That first photo. ♥♥♥ I loved that scene.
I like that Seo Jung didn't mind asking Dong Joo for help. I liked that the tutoring didn't turn into a kiss/couple scene. I wouldn't mind seeing actual romantic scenes from these two later, but I'm pleased that in this moment, they were sincerely helping each other improve. Working together like real colleagues.

Seo Jung was so awesome when she handled the CEO like a pro.

I liked that this show makes me google different medical terms and encourages me to learn new things like Rovsing's sign and Dunphy sign. LOL
I was pretty sure that patient was going to have appendicitis or some stomach issue, but I wasn't sure about her actual signs.

The sight of Teacher Kim being worried for his staff makes me tense for all of them. He hasn't looked like this before.

I've heard of MERS and read about it briefly before, but it didn't really hit me until now what the patients and the hospitals have to go through. I didn't know the largest outbreak of it actually happened in South Korea last year.

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9 shalini

December 22, 2016 at 6:30 PM

You're totally not alone in feeling something between Kim Sabu and Nurse Oh, murasakimi! There were some pretty intense emotions between the two at the end of that first phone call. He seemed like he was about to say something right at the end but she just hung up and gazed at him.

I agree that we don't need a second romantic relationship. But I want to see Kim Sabu getting some happily-ever-after as well. His proteges are falling in love and leaving the past behind, and I hope that a 1 episode extension means that we'll see him do the same.

Oh who am I kidding, I just want to see Kim Sabu in full-on romance mode. Winks and smiles and all <3

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10 immawish

December 22, 2016 at 6:36 PM

This episode waa such an amazing one. And honestly I've been asking myself about teacher kim and nurse oh since day one. They are like Harvey and Donna tbvh (SCREAMS SUITS FOLLOWER CMERE). But then I would choose not to make myself disappointed. While Dongjoo and Seojung being cuter and cuter by the day.

This drama is like the best medical drama in years. The other one which was good enough to be called great was Good Doctor and it feels like eons ago. And the way every character is flawed and there to be developed by each other and each patient that came is amazing. And the most thing I love.... Is how they makes gradual character development. Most of dramas I watched has that one-night personality change when you even have to replayed when did you miss it. But this one is amazing and real (although so many classical dramas for the plot). And lastly, kudos to Seo Hyunjin for bringing Seo Jung her own way but still stick to the character (I saw Oh Haeyoung being doctor and not hyped also not overthinking and not obsessed about love--- I guess she is Yoon Seojung. HA.). AND THE SEOJUNG FROM EONS AGO IS BACK AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH

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11 lunatic4kd

December 22, 2016 at 6:58 PM

I have to jump in here with a comment on how much I'm appreciating the relative subtlety of the PPLs in this drama. The products are worked seamlessly and realistically into scenes, to the point where I breathe a sigh of relief and think favorably about the product. It shows in the next episode too, when Papa John's pizzas are delivered for the crew. Well done, director and producers, well done! I will NEVER recover from the horror of the Subway dream in The K2. It basically ruined the drama for me.

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loveblossom

December 22, 2016 at 7:41 PM

Hahaha! I'm watching the next episode right now and just passed this part. Seeing the Papa John's logo cracked me up, but I'm glad it was naturally presented in the scene lol.

Still need to look up that Subway dream... It sounds ridiculous. xD;;;

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12 CrimeFighter

December 22, 2016 at 7:01 PM

The most hated character in this episode is Dr Song the irresponsible doctor who only know how to kiss the higher-ups' asses and Dr Do In Bum the sly fellow. Since we already know how bad ass is Dr Song, this is nothing new to us. But frankly I kinda disappointed in the latter one. I wish he would turn his wrong way back somehow soon.

The most pitiful character is DJ. How could they let him one sole doctor to handle the ER for a straight 3 days without any proper rest/sleep/food ?! The most admirable scene is how SJ handle Chairman Shin's prejudice on female doctor being his doctor etc. The most swooning scene is when DJ coached SJ. Finally a hoobae had a chance to coach his sunbae n being near to her !! ❤?

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13 Martin J Simwaba

December 22, 2016 at 9:35 PM

“So hurry up and get ready, bastard!” how cute is that?
Well some people are too much. In Dr Song's case, he had too many excuses for a Doctor.
I liked the interactions between Seo Jung and CEO Shin. So cute.

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CrimeFighter

December 23, 2016 at 4:59 AM

I always think that Dr Song (with his mindset and attitude), he should be better off and more suitable to be a businessman than a doctor. The latter one need care, empathy and regard patients' lives above all others which he seriously does not have. He basically is just like President Do, both do not have the right personality to be doctors.

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14 leila

December 22, 2016 at 9:47 PM

lol the recaps for this show tend to be a lil slower than currently airing dramas?

but OMGGG I LOVED THIS EPISODE AND THE FOLLOWING EPISODE! they were so good! i know the whole like "extremely contagious highly disease" has been played out before, but i think that is exactly what we needed at this moment in this drama to really highlight seo jung and bring back the strong, intelligent and gutsy leader we all fell in love with in episode 1!!!! i've been waiting for "her" episode since then and this was definitely it

i really like how she kinda "sacrificed" herself by volunteering to be in the ER room. like as mentioned, she probably did that for dong joo (well definitely played a part in it) but i also think she did that because she realizes that she was the emergency specialist and it's her responsibility to be there in that room in this critical moment, and knowing theres no other doctors there right now and it wouldnt make sense for doctor kim to risk himself by going in there, she stepped up to the plate and did what was best for the hospital

and also this really speeds up her and dong joo's relationship and really gave it that angst and confrontation with her emotions that we all really (and they too) needed

ugh so good, i watched these 2 episodes back to back and i regret it because i WANT MOREEEE

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CrimeFighter

December 23, 2016 at 8:37 AM

Every episode just gets better and better. Hope that their ratings will soar even higher. And yes, the recaps is a little slower than recaps of other current airing dramas I think. I'm still waiting for recaps of epi 14 too. :)

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15 daydreamer11

December 22, 2016 at 10:22 PM

That tutoring scene is so precious I really love it. And Kim Sa Bu watching his kids from behind the door ♡

Last week it was very tense to see Dong Joo struggling and contemplating about doing things he shouldn't do and how he finally overcame it. This week it feels so warm to seeing how he looks happy despite his fatigue condition when treating his patient (that scene with the little boy and Nurse Oh came over helping with the lollipop is so so precious). And he also obediently taking orders from KSB about the surgery preparations. Dong Joo has grown so much ?♡

I love Seo Jung and how she handled CEO Shin sexist behaviour. You go girl! And she too has grown so much from grovelling at KSB to standing firm with her decision.

These precious ones have grown so much I feel so warm and fuzzy inside. And now it's In Beom's turn to go on a journey to be a man on his own, free from his father's influence in Doldam. Go In Beom!

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16 PakalanaPikake

December 22, 2016 at 11:48 PM

Thanks, murasakimi, for another terrific recap and commentary.

RDTK has been getting better and better each week. What a trajectory! I hope the momentum keeps up in spite of episode 15's preemption next Monday. Airing a single episode next week will make for a heck of a long cliff-hanger. Having noticed a one-two punch from each pair of weekly episodes, I just hope the schedule change doesn't derail the rhythm of the remainder of the show, which is chugging along in a fantastically satisfying groove.

It does my heart good to see Dr. Yoon back in the saddle as Crazy Whale. I love how she very professionally stands her ground against ~~Grandpa~~ Chairman Shin's sexism... but I'm willing to cut the old boy some slack: part of it may be generational. I must point out that he tried to get her fired for purported PTSD, so that may be a factor that he was unwilling to admit. Before, he only knew her as a name. Now he has to deal with her as a living, breathing person. As Lessa pointed out above, Kim Sa Bu could have formally introduced her when he was first admitted, but I think he actually threw both of them into the deep end of the pool. It reminded me of tossing wolf-dog Wang-So into the pack of hunting dogs and letting them sort out their pecking order.

Being a "doctor who is needed" is the name of the game in this episode. Seo-jung steps up to the plate admirably, as does team player Dong-joo, who regrettably knocks himself out in the process.

Seo-jung prepares by researching the surgery and the medical devices involved, and hits the books hard. She does physical therapy to strengthen and limber up her injured hand. She enlists Dong-joo's aid in learning and perfecting the necessary suturing technique. He coaches her on doing it correctly, and shows her the snap of the wrist that is needed to prevent the stitches from being too deep when suturing a blood vessel. When she still can't quite perform the flick of the wrist, he stands behind her and guides her hands so she can feel the motion -- and compliments her on getting it right. No hocus pocus, no flirting -- they are both laser-focused on her learning to sew properly. KSB, observing through the window, notes the seriousness of their teamwork. It is like a replay of the exhilaratingly successful ECMO surgery he assisted her on five years earlier -- but this time, he is all business.

Dong-joo's bedside manner with the little boy is wonderful. Despite being tired, he is patient and calm. I got such a kick out of the warm little looks of admiration he gives Nurse Oh as she expertly finagles cooperation from the tyke who drives a hard bargain. Later, his diplomatic way of interviewing the young woman playing possum cracked me up. And then there was his grave concern for every soul in the ER when the possibility of MERS arose... Yoo Yeon-Seok's acting has really been growing on me.

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PakalanaPikake

December 23, 2016 at 1:21 AM

-- Cont'd. --

It honestly looked to me as if Kim Sa Bu were about to cry at Seo-jung's passing up the opportunity to operate on Chairman Shin. I'm not sure whether he's sad for her potentially missing the boat if she gets exposed to MERS... or whether he's proud that she is willing to be the doctor who is needed. When she tells him that the patients in the ER need an Emergency Medicine specialist, not a surgeon, there is no way he can argue. Sparring with the Chairman was a good warm-up.

In contrast, Chief of Surgery Song continues his 9-to-5 clock-punching and goldbricking. Truth to tell, I feel sorry for anyone unlucky enough to get this guy for a surgeon. I get the distinct impression that he doesn't get much practice -- and likes it that way. Paint him Dr. Unneeded.

In-bum attempts to fib his way into being needed on Chairman Shin's surgical team. In some respects, he's like Dong-joo used to be in that he's still grabbing for the brass ring, but wasn't as good a student as his colleague who was driven by desperation. He's been willing to lie about his experience and take risks, whereas Dong-joo admitted when he lacked experience, and then had to be prodded out of his perfectionistic comfort zone.

I've been thinking about In-bum's Paul Revere act of informing Seo-jung that Dong-joo has keeled over in the ER. I think there's more to it than his simply trying to weasel onto the surgical team. He's the one who came right out and asked her if she and Dong-joo were dating a couple of episodes ago. He knows she cares about him... Given the gravity of the MERS situation, I think he did the right thing...

I couldn't help but notice significant eye contact through the locked ER doors when Kim Sa Bu was on the phone with Nurse Oh. What appear to be tender looks pass between them, and Nurse Oh blinks repeatedly while reassuring him that they will be okay, while he looks away after having gazed steadily at her. I could have sworn he was about to say something (personal?) to her when she hung up... as if he waited just one beat too long. It's as if he's the opposite of Dong-joo, who wore his heart on his sleeve five years earlier with his shocking declaration to Seo-jung. I picked up a vibe long ago that Doc Nam really admires Nurse Oh, and maybe not just in a professional capacity.

Once again, I was impressed with Nurse Park's ability to deal with unruly customers. When the boyfriend of the woman with appendicitis scuffles with Dong-joo at the ER doors for the second time, Nurse Park comes close to putting him in a full-nelson. Yay for badass Nurse Park!

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PakalanaPikake

December 23, 2016 at 7:14 AM

— Cont’d. —

It honestly looked to me as if Kim Sa Bu were about to cry at Seo-jung’s passing up the opportunity to operate on Chairman Shin. I’m not sure whether he’s sad for her potentially missing the boat if she gets exposed to MERS... or whether he’s proud that she is willing to be the doctor who is needed. When she tells him that the patients in the ER need an Emergency Medicine specialist, not a surgeon, there is no way he can argue. Sparring with the Chairman was a good warm-up.

In contrast, Chief of Surgery Song continues his 9-to-5 clock-punching and goldbricking. Truth to tell, I feel sorry for anyone unlucky enough to get this guy for a surgeon. I get the distinct impression that he doesn’t get much practice — and likes it that way. Paint him Dr. Unneeded.

In-bum attempts to fib his way into being needed on Chairman Shin’s surgical team. In some respects, he’s like Dong-joo used to be in that he’s still grabbing for the brass ring, but wasn’t as good a student as his colleague who was driven by desperation. He’s been willing to lie about his experience and take risks, whereas Dong-joo admitted when he lacked experience, and then had to be prodded out of his perfectionistic comfort zone.

I’ve been thinking about In-bum’s Paul Revere act of informing Seo-jung that Dong-joo has keeled over in the ER. I think there’s more to it than his simply trying to weasel onto the surgical team. He’s the one who came right out and asked her if she and Dong-joo were dating a
couple of episodes ago. He knows she cares about him... Given the gravity of the MERS situation, I think he did the right thing... while possibly exaggerating DJ's condition.

I couldn’t help but notice significant eye contact through the locked ER doors when Kim Sa Bu was on the phone with Nurse Oh. What appear to be tender looks pass between them, and Nurse Oh blinks repeatedly while reassuring him that the crew inside will be okay, while he looks away after having gazed steadily at her. I could have sworn he was about to say something (personal?) to her when she hung up... as if he waited just one beat too long. It’s as if he’s the opposite of Dong-joo, who wore his heart on his sleeve five years earlier with his shocking declaration to Seo-jung. I picked up a vibe long ago that Doc Nam really admires Nurse Oh, and maybe not just in a
professional capacity.

Once again, I was impressed with Nurse Park’s ability to deal with unruly customers. When the boyfriend of the woman with appendicitis scuffles with Dong-joo at the ER doors for the second time, he comes close to putting the would-be absconder in a full-nelson. Yay for Nurse Park! He's a lot more wiry than he appears at first glance.

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17 Bazu

December 23, 2016 at 5:29 AM

Thanks Murasakimi for the wonderful recap! :)

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18 whatis

January 3, 2017 at 11:17 PM

Even though this recap is weeks old, I just watched it now, and I just want to say that In-bum is such a horrible human being. Like father, like son. Actually, I think the son surpassed the father. I hope he gets some major karma served right back at him.

He 100% did it for his own selfish gains. He didn't offer himself up to go into the emergency room. He beelined straight Seo Jung with a sad face and a sob story about Dong joo collapsing, knowing seojung would volunteer herself. Like... that's just horrible. I feel like it's the worst anyone has done in the drama so far. He's not even taking advantage of humanity's vices such as greed like his father. Instead, he's using seo jung's immense COMPASSION to put her into potential death to allow himself one step closer to being on a surgical team.

An evil mastermind, he defeats a foe without using their own weapon... he's not stained at all - there's no trace. He didn't even have to provide the weapon.

He's worse than his father. That joy in his face when he walked into Chairman's room. maaaaan. I can't wait for his justice.

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19 somegirl

April 15, 2017 at 7:22 AM

"He’ll scream your ear off into next Tuesday if you’re acting like a coward or if you’re being an idiot, but when you decide to be brave, and you fight for what you believe in, then he respect your decision, even if it hurts him a little." - This is so true. I just really love Teacher Kim. I mean, I wish there were more people like him in different kinds of industries because we all need people who will push us to grow and be better people, not only better in doing our jobs.

I'm also so very proud of Seo-jung and how she became that "Crazy Whale" again, learning to be brave and courageous. I'm even proud of her for stepping up to be in the Emergency Room. I mean, I'm sure she'd love to be in the team that will operate the VIP and assist Teacher Kim but this really showed her quality as a doctor. Ugh. I love her and this episode because somehow, this higlights her the same way that the last episode made Dong-joo shine.

I still can't believe I didn't live watch this but I'm so happy I decided to finish this.

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