Doctor Slump (2024)

A different kind of medical drama

After being a lover of medical dramas I was eager to give Dr. Slump a try. I am not going to lie. It was not my style the first episode. How extreme Haneul was in her teens triggered me so much that I was thinking of dropping the drama. But I gave it another try. It is different then Dr. Romantic and Hospital Playlist which are favourites of mine. Because it is not fully medical, as dumb as it might sound. It is more about overcoming hard times during life - no matter what you work as or what you do. It is about getting back on your feet after one of the many storms of life.
I feel like the drama is definitely more slow-paced than others and there is not as much action, giving it the potential to become a comfort drama to many.
I love the bond between the leads. It is beautiful to watch and you can really see how much they care about each other. It is beautiful.
You should give it a try.

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Fascinating to watch for all the wrong reasons

This drama is so surprisingly bad that it is fascinating to watch for all the wrong reasons. How did this happen? The producers obviously spent a lot of money, because the production value is really quite good. Is it the writing, the directing, the acting, or all of the above? The two leads are A list actors, but their cringey, over the top aegyo is embarrassing. The romantic elements (such as they are) are juxtaposed with occasional slapstick punching and tussling, dark interactions with a sinister colleague, and uncomfortable mental health discussions. I'm 12 episodes in and I have no idea if I'm watching a teen romance between two arrested adolescents, a romantic comedy with infantile aegyo, a medical drama, or a mystery. If the producers had any mercy on the viewers, they would end this one early.

Update: After finishing the remaining episodes I can say the drama pulled up before it hit the ground. And it turns out that I was watching a long PSA on mental health that got distractedly more preachy as the drama drew to a close. The aegyo was a bit less pronounced, but it did not go away unfortunately. The last 4 episodes didn't do much to mitigate my opinion that it is a bad drama, but it did do enough to change my rating from a 4 to a 5. If you haven't watched it yet, pass--unless you are obssessed fan of the two leads.

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Glad is coming to an end….

And that might be an understatement. This series can’t be any more boring. I do love the two main actors in other series, but the plot of Dr. slump just gets stupider by the minute. Can’t get any more bland. It isn’t sexy, it isn’t interesting, it isn't anything really... It is just so blah…. Yoon Park is once again playing a pathetic boring character with a super boring life. Oh my gosh! how many times does he have to grace us with that same stupid character with a pathetic story line? He is definitely not breaking away from those characters any time soon… talk about typecasting!! My advise to you is if you see him in the cast line up of your next kdrama to watch, do yourself a favor and run away.

Ufff... I have nothing good or terribly bad to say about this one except that it is bland to its core….

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Why do you turn intelligent and adult people into immature adolescents?

I think it's time for Korean screenwriters to grow up. They know how to write great action scenes, plots, and moments of surprise, but I don't understand why adult romantic scenes often end up with adolescent behavior. The actors are +-30 years old, and the characters are as well, so it should be age-appropriate, not throwing themselves around on the ground and kicking their feet. I'd like to see a couple confess their love, kiss, sparks fly, fireworks explode, and then look at each other like a holy picture during the next episodes. I wouldn't be afraid to go into bolder scenes. The actors can do it not only here but also in other series. We are in the 21st century. If they can make people go after each other's throats out of hatred, why not something normal, natural? Find a balance somehow. Otherwise, the plot of the series is good. I like the actors, the secondary characters are also great. Just don't turn intelligent and wise adults into immature teenagers.

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Routine Romance : Not bad Not good

This drama was highly anticipated for me in 2024, starring Park Hyung Sik and Park Shin Hye. While they may not be known for versatility, they excel in their respective roles, and this drama falls well within their comfort zone. Moreover, the premise is intriguing, and who could resist a good feel-good drama?

The Plot:
In my opinion, the drama's writing falls short of expectations. While it began strongly and captured my interest for the first six episodes, the following six remained enjoyable with some exceptions. However, the last four episodes were merely passable, detracting from the overall quality of the series. One major issue I found was the excessive portrayal of alcoholism, with the main characters indulging in drinking in nearly every episode, often behaving like high schoolers. Although there were moments of mature conversation and well-executed sequences, much of the content felt repetitive and lacking in novelty. Additionally, a significant portion of the storyline relies on characters overhearing information rather than engaging in open dialogue, making it a recurring trope throughout the drama.
The main focus of the story revolved around the main leads, leaving the rest of the characters feeling one-dimensional with minimal development. Despite their potential for exploration throughout the drama, the writer failed to capitalize on their backgrounds and stories. The second leads, in particular, felt underutilized, merely existing without significantly contributing to the overall plot. While their storyline began with promise, it eventually devolved into a typical second lead plot, lacking any standout moments or special developments.

The acting, cinematography etc:
I had no complaints about the performances of the actors; they all delivered commendable in their respective roles. As for the costumes and cinematography, they adhered to the standard expectations of a typical K-Drama.

In my opinion, the drama could have benefitted from being condensed into 12-14 episodes. By trimming unnecessary scenes and filler content, the screenplay could have been made more tightly woven. This would have allowed for greater emphasis on and development of the supporting characters, enhancing the overall depth of the narrative.

In conclusion, this rom-com or slice-of-life drama isn't among the best offerings in its genre. For newcomers to K-dramas or fans of either lead actor, it could still provide enjoyment. However, for seasoned viewers who've watched numerous K-dramas, the plot may feel overly familiar, lacking in novelty. While it's a decent option for passing time, skipping it wouldn't result in missing out on anything significant.

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Take a step back, breathe and come back strong as a log.

This theme is well suited to many of us. Everyone of us could use a little break from our hectic life and this drama delivers such a refreshing take on mental illness; its taboo and aftermath. I love the premise of it although some may find it as another cliche.

Story
It’s a simple story but it is told to invite us in to love all the characters and how the story will takes us. The setup was done way back from school years to adulthood. The dynamic is pretty consistent throughout the first two episodes. I didn't even notice how fluid it is as time passed by and now I can't wait for the upcoming episode.

In a nutshell, it's about two rival ex-schoolmates, Ha neul and Jeong-woo, who are momentarily in the 'slump' of their life somehow destined to be entangled in a web of affection. I'm eagerly anticipating how their relationship will unfold as the setup is pretty solid. This duo has incredible chemistry in my opinion. From rival to ally which would blossomed into love. Such a classic trope but well executed.

Cast
Park Hyung-sik as Jeong-woo is such a class act. His fall from grace and how he copes with it were handled effortlessly. His carefree persona resonates well as to adapt with the difficult situation he's in. As for his childlike behaviour is such a charmed pleaser. And when Ha neul starts to awaken his dormant competitiveness, I naturally shift on to his side and began to root for him all the way (no offence to Ha neul, I still think you're amazing).

Park Shin-hye as Ha neul is amazing in this. For the first time she is not acting as a ‘damsel in distress’ in a romance drama. The moment when she stood up for herself on her own terms was pretty satisfying. I was never really fond of her works in this genre before but now I'm her new fan. She is killing this character. Her antics and comic expressions really convince me as this 'manic' Ha neul. She really is the weirdly-ignorant-study-holic gal who will stop at nothing to reach her goal.

The rest of the cast are great as well; Ha neul's family is on crack. Her best-friend is pretty good and I can't wait for her story to unfold with Jeong-woo's ‘frenemy’. This second lead couple looks promising as well.

Edited (After finish the series)
Dr Slump sums up in a slow and great ending. It kinda loses some gas and angst towards the end, but the gist of the story is what really shines here. How the characters overcome their mishaps or tragedy in life. I really like the message.

" Life is not about being happy all the time. It's about how we might fall; how we care for the wounds; and continue to live on and be ready for another fall,"

Music
It's pretty good.

Will I watch this again?
Yes, definitely.

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A conversation from the drama "What does is it mean to be better ? Does it mean we become happy? "

To all the future viewers, this drama has been an incredibly heartwarming experience for me, akin to the warmth of the sun on winter days. It has served as a healing journey for both the characters and myself.

Rest assured, you will find a little bit of everything you desire in this drama, be it the intense reactions of Park Hyung Sik or the exceptional acting skills of Park Shin Hye. Throughout this entire journey, you will experience a range of emotions, including happiness, sadness, anger, and laughter, as you form a deep connection with these characters.

The OSTs are truly remarkable, and it's not just the main leads who deliver outstanding performances, but also the supporting cast. The story not only revolves around the main characters but also explores the lives of those around them.

While the plot does contain elements of mystery and hardship, it may be somewhat predictable. Nevertheless, this drama has been an extraordinary experience for me, surpassing all expectations.

Apart from all this, the main thing the drama does best , which i havent even seen even touched by other dramas , is how it handles depression .

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Reasonably good narrative, until halfway through, then “meh”.

Up to episode 8 I thought the show was really good, I liked the “suspense” and the narrative was somewhat good (mainly in the aspect of problems with depression and PTSD), but at the end of EP 8 I confess that I almost gave up on the show, I only convinced myself to continue after reading the next chapters synopses (which I hate doing, ever) and skipping episode 9. I'm currently on episode 11, but I'm tired. This shouldn't be such a long story, especially with all this random drama after the main plot was wrapped up (in a very rushed way) in EP 7.
P.s. After writing this “review” while I was still watching the series, I thought it best to drop it, 5 more hours of this is too much.

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It Didn't Get Me Out Of My Drama Slump

My 4 categories are Acting/Cast, Writing, Direction/SFX/Music, Entertainment Value.

I usually avoid medical dramas and healing dramas, but I decided to give this one a shot in hopes that it'd be a different kind of medical drama. It is...but I still didn't like it. I've come to find that 'healing' tends to be synonymous with 'boring'.

Acting/Cast: This is easily the best thing about this drama. It has a very likeable cast who play very likeable characters. Even Park Shin Hye (박신혜) did a decent job, which surprised me. I love the main family as well as the two best friends. Regarding the chemistry of the leads, I've seen reviews that say they have amazing chemistry and others that say that their chemistry is terrible. I'm a bit in the middle. I think they had decent chemistry, but maybe they were better suited as best friends or brother and sister. Wait...I just had a thought...If they took out the romance and made it a family healing drama...that could've worked really well. Anyway, their chemistry actually kind of reminds me of how I felt about the leads in Welcome to Samdal-ri. Maybe it's because of the over-the-top cutesy behavior. To me, it comes across as childish and not romantic at all. I think the secondary couple in this drama has much more romantic chemistry. 7/10

Writing : The drama started strong. It definitely isn't your typical medical drama, which is nice. The focus is on the issues that the leads are going through and how to overcome them and heal together. I also like the premise of the leads being rivals in the past and the idea of how enemies can actually be friends and friends can actually be enemies. I really like the female lead's family, as well. They feel realistic - they're not overly critical or controlling or overly dramatic, but supportive and level-headed. Regarding the mystery aspect of the drama, I liked it. It added some drama to the plot to keep me interested. However, it ended abruptly and too soon. By the time I got through the drama (which took a long time because it had become so boring), the mystery plot seemed like a distant memory. On another note, I liked how depression and PTSD is represented in the drama. However, I found it ridiculous that a super smart doctor, who reads medical dissertations as their only source of fun, seemed to have no idea what depression is. That was very strange to me. It made the psychiatrist visits feel a bit condescending. Regarding the use of alcohol in this drama, I guess it is strange for a medical drama to promote drinking like it did. However, while watching, I didn't think twice about it. Even though I personally hate alcohol, I guess it's just something I've become accustomed to seeing in Korean dramas. So, it didn't bother me, but it is odd...especially when the leads are taking meds. They put the drinking scenes in there, I think, in order to give the characters reasons to act 'cute' (especially the mom). It's not something I find cute, but I get why it's there. 4/10

Direction/SFX/Music: The biggest problem I had with this drama is the pacing. This is probably a combination of a writing and directing issue. The mystery plot and any other conflicts that the characters were dealing with should have extended throughout more of the drama because once everything was resolved, it became incredibly boring. Episode 13 is when the dragging starts. It shouldn't take 3 episodes to wrap up a drama. Maybe this drama would have done better with a 12 episode length. Too many flashbacks also. It wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't flashbacking to the same scenes repeatedly. On a more positive note, this drama does have decent camera work and music. 1.5/10

Entertainment Value: The first half of the drama was decently entertaining, especially for a healing drama. However, towards the end, I thought I was going to end up dropping it because it was dragging so much. Actually, the reason I didn't was due to the side love story. I keep thinking of how I felt about Hello, It's Me!; It's also a healing drama with a lot of similar issues. I ended up giving it the same overall score as this drama. Comparing them, I think they both conveyed good messages. I think Hello, It's Me! has a more moving message and is a bit more entertaining, whereas Doctor Slump has more likeable characters and better chemistry between them. Both dramas I struggled to get through - this one slightly more. 2/10

Overall, I gave this drama a 3.5/10 mainly due to the pacing issues and the lack of romantic chemistry between the leads.

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Loved a lot about it but pick a genre!!

My disclaimer - this is only my opinion! I have to admit that there was something that bothered me while watching the show - the humor was more on the slapstick side of life and then it would suddenly turn into a mystery, then slice of life, then healing. It never stuck with one thing for long, so I found myself not being able to totally be invested in the show. But the things I liked:
1) My number one favorite thing about this show was Yoon Park. When he first appears, you think he's just going to be an obnoxious character, but he quickly became my favorite. Warm, caring, nerdy, out of his element - he went through so much and I was all in whenever he was involved.
2) Park Hyung Sik has the PERFECT facial expressions and body movements for this type of comedy. His comedy timing is spot on.
3) Main couple - very cute. When they initially got together, their immaturity relationship-wise was so cute, but that wore out for me pretty quickly. I understand their actions initially because they'd never been in a relationship. However, I've read this word in a lot of people's reviews, and I never quite got it, but now I do "cringe".
4) FL's family toward the end. 3/4 of the way through I found them very over-the-top, and the mom constantly hitting and kicking her brother bothered me. But how they assimilated the ML into their family (his parents were the worst!) was just lovely.
5) The scenery and architecture were good.

Things I didn't care for:
1) The drinking. Oh, my gosh, I think there were only two conversations in the whole show that didn't involve drinking! This was especially problematic for me because a) she was depressed (alcohol is a central nervous system depressant); b) she was taking psychiatric medications (any responsible doctor would have told her not to drink while on psych meds). They went to drink when they had a bad day, they went to drink when they had a good day. Messy drunks are not funny to me at all. And, if someone has drugged your drink at some point in the past, I think I'd at least to try to keep some sense about me.
2) Park Shin Hye. She is absolutely beautiful, but to me she is the same in every show she is in. And I can't stand that loud crying she does. To her credit, someone has been working with her on how to do a kissing scene.
3) The wardrobe. It sounds strange, but everything was so "match-y match-y". It was like the characters discussed what they were going to wear every day and dressed in similar colors/styles. Lots of beige and brown. Boxy, oversized jackets.
4) Do they not have a medical consultant when there are people supposedly in the medical field?! Putting a bandage on a wound that hasn't been completely cleaned. After her accident, the doctor said she had heart rupture, but that happens after heart attacks. And the worst, was when they were talking about removing part of her lung, "but don't worry it will grow back to its original size". WRONG! Lungs do not regrow or regenerate like the liver does.
6) The mystery aspects. One mystery is solved, we have part of an episode of happiness and then we have a new mystery. It felt like a ploy to make more episodes. Granted, they were related, but very confusing and unnecessary.
7) The character of Nurse Doh. Was it the character or the acting? She never seemed to be looking a whoever was talking, her expression never changed, and it seemed like she was TRYING to look like a robot.
8) Let's be honest, they looked exactly the same in their teenage years and they didn't mature emotionally over the years.
9) The depression aspect could have been handled so much better. Her deciding on her own to stop taking her meds, the psychiatrist saying basically that she was cured. She was fine because everything was suddenly rosy, but I wasn't convinced that she had learned how to deal with problems.
10) There is no way the ML's new clinic toward the end is in that rundown building.
11) So much eavesdropping. A large percentage of issues started because someone overheard something and felt they needed to share the information.
12) I am getting so tired of the Kopiko product placement!

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"Laughing Through Flaws: Unpacking [Doctor Slump] with PSH & PHS"

I'm glad it happened, and I watched it.
TBH, when PSH got married, I was worried if she'd ever come back to acting.
But when I heard she was returning, I was too excited to even check what type of show it was. Later, when I found out it was exactly the kind of drama I like, I was relieved I wouldn't have to step out of my comfort zone just for PSH.
Plus, with PHS as the male lead, their chemistry was hot chemical.

Was it a long-lasting, memorable drama?
A Nah, there are definitely more memorable ones out there, whether it's rom-coms or medical dramas.

Was it a flawless project?
A. Nope. There were quite a few flaws (I'm not going into those details, as it'll be very long by then), but the lead's chemistry and PHS's comedic role made me overlook them.

Were all the characters well-written and bearable?
A Nope. Some characters annoyed me from start to finish. (Spoiler Alert: Hong Ran, Ba Da, and Wol Seon)

Is it worth a re-watch?
A In my opinion, nope. Once is enough.

Is the plot perfectly written?
A. Nope,the plot is full of plot holes.

Firstly,

I still have several questions unanswered in my mind regarding this drama. We'll never know the answers to it, as they were literally buried towards the end.

Secondly,

The overly drunken plot was cringe-worthy, to be honest! Like in the past, they tended to create side character stories much more detailedly to fill the gaps for fillers, but nowadays they use drunken plots as fillers.

Atlast,

The character development of the obnoxious characters felt suddenly unbelievable to grasp.

How was the acting?
A. I believe every single one of them did a tremendous job portraying their roles. I loved, admired, and sometimes loathed them.

Overall value?
A. It's not perfect, but it's enjoyable for a chill time. The comedy helps forget the bad stuff, making it an easy watch. So, I'd give it a solid 8.5.

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