“Dr. Romantic 3” wrote a new history for the seasonal system and came to an end.
SBS’ Friday-Saturday drama “Dr. Romantic 3” (written by Kang Eun Kyung, Lim Hye Min/directed by Yoo In Shik and Kang Bo Seung) broke its own highest rating in the final episode, which conveyed the dreams and romance of Doldam people.
The final episode recorded 16.8% for households nationwide, 16.8% for households in the metropolitan area and the highest rating of 19.3%, ranking first in the same time zone and among all Saturday miniseries. The 2049 rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness and topicality, was 6.1%, ranking first among all programs broadcast for the past week. (Based on Nielsen Korea)
The images of Doldam people and Teacher Kim preparing to receive patients in their respective positions completed the “romantic” ending. The epilogue showed the back view of season 1 Yoon Seo Jung (Seo Hyun Jin), who returned from the U.S., making viewers imagine a meeting between Teacher Kim and his outstanding disciples.
Season 3 with an expanded worldview set a new milestone for Korean seasonal dramas
Despite various limitations, the “Dr. Romantic” series has written a new history for Korean seasonal dramas by completing Season 1 (2016), Season 2 (2020), and Season 3 (2023). Since it is rare for a K-drama to be produced until the third season, the seven-year journey of “Dr. Romantic” has become even more meaningful. Above all, the production team even attempted to evolve and expand their stories throughout the seasons.
Continuing the “romantic” belief of Kim Sa Bu, who never loses his sense of mission and humanity in saving his patients, Season 3 expanded its worldview with the establishment of Doldam Trauma Center and introduced deeper stories and larger-scale incidents. Set against the backdrop of the trauma center, “Dr. Romantic 3” captivated viewers by portraying the reality of the medical community and the relationships of Doldam members that have been strengthened through three seasons.
By connecting the basic worldview they created since Season 1, the production team showcased the unique charm of “Dr. Romantic” as a seasonal drama. The special appearance of Yoo Yeon Seok as Season 1’s male lead Kang Dong Joo when returning as the Trauma Center director added more fun to the latter part of Season 3. The synergy of writer Kang Eun Kyung and director Yoo In Sik in completing a high-quality series also shone brightly.
Doldam cast’s excellent performances confuse viewers whether they are actors or doctors
Perfectly portraying Doldam Hospital medical staff, who do their best in their respective roles, the actors increased the audience’s immersion with their solid acting skills. Some viewers even wondered if they are actors or real doctors. What’s interesting is that even real doctors acknowledged how the surgical scenes were performed in such a realistic way.
Han Suk Kyu proves himself as a veteran by expressing the unchanging romance of Kim Sa By with his unrivaled acting. Ahn Hyo Seop and Lee Sung Kyung showed the growth of their characters with deeper emotions compared to Season 2. Kim Min Jae, Jin Kyung, Lim Won Hee, Byun Woo Min, Kim Joo Heon, Yoon Na Moo, Shin Dong Wook, So Joo Yeon, Go Sang Ho, Yoon Bo Ra, and Jung Ji An also impressed viewers with their explosive chemistry.
Adding social messages to the reality of the medical field and disaster scenes
Unlike Season 1 and Season 2, Cha Jin Man (Lee Kyung Young), who confronts Kim Sa Bu in Season 3, was portrayed as a person who has different values and beliefs from Kim Sa Bu, rather than a villain, The two contrasting characters created hot topics about “romantic” and “realistic” among netizens.
Reflecting the reality of the medical field, such as medical accidents caused by a lack of manpower and issues with the hospital system, the Trauma Center added to viewers’ immersion by connecting the drama world to the real world. Nevertheless, Kim Sa Bu continued to pursue his romance by emphasizing that “it is the doctor’s duty to save patients”. In this way, his romance, which indicates a bigger picture of saving more people on the basis of principles and systems, became the dream of his students, leaving a deep impression on viewers. Moreover, the episode about the collapsed building received favorable reviews for not only increasing the scale of a disaster but also depicting the medical response system at the disaster scene in detail.
# The echo of “romance” that continued in 2023, the reason for the series’ long run
Above all, Teacher Kim’s “romantic” messages conveyed valid echo and comfort. “Don’t give up. A person’s will creates a miracle”, “No matter what everyone says, keep going. What really matters is that you never disappear”, “Other people’s eyes don’t make you, your eyes make you”… The message that runs through the series “Don’t give up on the question of why we live and what we live for” deepened the lingering feeling, promising that the series will continue as long as there is romance in viewers’ hearts.
