Tanya: I really want to start off talking about Dr. Oh. I’m happy this show has more than one strong female lead and I’m particularly fond of how Dr. Oh’s brother’s constant attempts to irk her always fail miserably.
Zombie: I really want to know what the back-story is between these two. I know that we were given a glimpse into Dr. Oh’s past this week and we now know what her relationship is with her father and how she came to live in his house but we know nothing else. It’s obvious that her step-brother is not fond of her, at all, but has he always been that way? Was there a time that they actually got along but as time has passed, they’ve had a falling out? At this point I’m most inclined to believe that he’s always been a spoiled brat and he’s never liked the fact that Dr. Oh ruined his happy home life and invaded his territory but I can’t say that with any sort of certainty.
Tanya: I think that his attitude towards his sister is a product of his mother’s hatred, not so much his own; he’s probably been manipulated by her his entire life.
Zombie: That’s a very good point and one I hadn’t actually considered before, though it makes perfect sense. Whatever the reason behind his malice, it’s very obvious that he lives to make Dr. Oh miserable and I really hope that someday soon Hoon has the opportunity to step in and come to Dr. Oh’s rescue. (Not that she actually needs saving, it would just be fun to watch Hoon punch Oh Sang Jin in the face.)
Tanya: Speaking of Hoon, he does like to get himself in trouble; though, thankfully, this time he didn’t actually lose his license, instead he walked out with a job! Although he has an ulterior motive, trying to find Jae Hee, after seeing her doppelganger, I think the responsibility of having this position is going to be good for Hoon in the long run.
Zombie: I think that stepping back into the role of a “real” doctor is going to do wonders for Hoon physically but I think it’s going to wreck havoc with his emotional state as he’s haunted by visions of Jae Hee. I’m not really sure how long they’re going to drag out this “see Jae Hee here, see Jae Hee there” thing before they actually let the two meet but my guess is it’s going to be for a while which means Hoon is in for some serious mental draining. What I’m really worried about is what Jae Hee is going to be like once the two do actually meet. I’m pretty sure she’s being manipulated by Cha Jin Soo so when she and Hoon do meet, Hoon may come to find that the girl he’s loved for all these years isn’t the same as she once was and that’s going to kill him.
Tanya: I agree that she’s being manipulated but part of me wonders if she even remembers the past, after what happened on the bridge. It’s entirely possible that she’s been brainwashed, this is North Korea we’re talking about (figurative North Korea, that is).
Zombie: True. I suppose only time will tell what Jae Hee’s story actually is but I still have this horrible feeling that she isn’t going to be the same lovely person she once was.
Tanya: If she ever really was at all. It could have all been an act from the beginning as a play to keep Hoon under control since they weren’t sure how he and his father would respond to being forced into the North. I wouldn’t doubt that actually…
Zombie: Oh man! Why did you have to say that? Now I’m beginning to question her motives from the very beginning! Her family’s arrest and all that… It’s all starting to look very suspicious now… Thanks for that! I’m going to be heartbroken if she turns out to be evil and Hoon’s wasted his entire life loving her.
Tanya: I wouldn’t put it past some evil general to force a little girl to become a keeper of some rebellious South Korean boy. After all, boys can be managed because of hormones. I am just saying that it’s a definite possibility. Not one I like, but I still can’t get the nagging thought out of my head. Further, I’ve been questioning why she was at that ceremony if she’s from the North and the ceremony was in the South. That NEVER made sense in my head. EVER.
Zombie: I must have overlooked that detail somehow because I thought that ceremony took place in the North… Anyway, wherever it was, it sealed the deal for Hoon and now I’m seriously beginning to wonder if everything he’s believed about Jae Hee is actually a lie. If it were, it would leave Hoon heartbroken, which would be awful but at the same time, it would make him appear vulnerable and needy in the eyes of Dr. Oh which could be a very powerful persuader of her feelings for him. The way these two squabble all. the. time. makes me think that they’re actually the main love interest in this story and Han Jae Joon is going to become the evil, vindictive ex-love interest who is going to make life miserable for Hoon. He already had “that look” on his face when he walked into the OR and saw Dr. Oh and Hoon hugging, which makes me even more convinced that things could end up going this way.
Tanya: Park Hae Jin, the actor who’s playing Han Jae Joon, really loves second male leads, doesn’t he? At least this time he isn’t second fiddle in the family as well. That killed me in My Love From Another Star, honestly. I think he does have evil potential, but he also has bromance potential just from sheer competition with Hoon. They are both extremely skilled surgeons and the girl doesn’t ALWAYS have to be in the way.
Zombie: I’m still up in the air about Han Jae Joon, really. I can’t decide if he’s good or evil. He’s got the potential to go either way but, at this point, I can’t tell which way he’ll swing. He’s demonstrated his darker side by letting us know he’s bribed Dr. Yang Jung Han into sabotaging Dr. Moon Hyung Wook but he’s also demonstrated his good in that he’s dedicated to saving lives.
Tanya: He knows what he wants and he’s going to make sure he gets it one way or another. I can see that and respect it in an odd way… as long as he doesn’t turn into a psychopath.
Zombie: Hmmm… I suppose this is where I fall back on my old stand-by and say, “I guess only time will tell…”
So what are your thoughts on this past week’s developments of Doctor Stranger? Where do you see this story and its characters going? What do you think of Dr. Oh and her family life? What do you think of her as an individual? Do you think she’s going to end up being the real love interest of Hoon or is she simply going to be a used to bring all kinds of misunderstanding and strife to Hoon and Dr. Han Jae Joon? What about Jae Hee? We’ve thrown out all kinds of theories on her this week? Which are you most likely to believe? Do you have any theories of your own? As always, we’d love to hear what you’re thinking so be sure to leave us a comment below!
You can also tweet at us @Hallyu_Tanya and @TheZombieMamma or find us talking about all manner of Hallyu goodness on our blogs:cHallyuKnow and ZombieMamma
Catch up on all of our previous Doctor Stranger reviews here:
Episodes 1-2: [Part 1] [Part 2]
Episodes 3-4: [Part 1] [Part 2]