[Drama 2018] Life 라이프

[bedifferent]

1 hour ago, denny said:

I thought ep. 10 was a disappointing departure from the previous episodes. To my mind, the  ploy to get the autopsy photos into the hands of YJW  was totally incredible and felt jarring. The ninja warriors ploy, albeit to a far lesser extent,  also begged credulity. To be clear, I thoroughly enjoyed the earlier episodes and thought the writer had convincingly brought the viewers along the complicated plot developments.  Any thoughts about this from other commentators?

 

Yes, agree with the ninjas, as jarring as No-Eul pointing a finger at Seung-Hyo. LOL  Tis why some viewers thought they were watching another genre   Not sure if this lies in the execution by PD Hong.

 

4 hours ago, Princi_86 said:

It's not Seun woo who Jin Woo has ignored. It's his inner voice.

...

How you can expect from the ordinary ER doctor (who's neither genious nor hero) who's not really into hospital and outside politics to act wisely and to have Plan B,C,D.

 

What I hope is that YJW and GSH will have an honest convo and will understand that they should unite. YJW's passion and sense of justice and GSH's knowledge of this family for 10 years and ability to act cool headed and create Plan B.

 

 

Thanks for unlurking and joining us.  Most of the posts here about Jin-woo have been enlightening for me.  Learn a lot from these folks here.

 

Yes, absolutely, he projects his inner voice into Seun-woo's figure.   And yes again, Jin-woo is an ordinary ER physician who is asked to do extraordinary things that you and I may not have the courage to.  This is the main reason why I relate to his faults and weaknesses.  I hope the writer don't end up hero worshipping Jin-woo cuz that's not who he is. I would be happy if he settles back into his ordinary life at drama ends, growing a little more confident and be happy.  He belongs and needed in the ER.

 

I'm more afraid for president Goo than anyone in the drama.  He's too lonely so friendship with the Ye brothers would be a good thing.

[40somethingahjumma]

8 hours ago, bedifferent said:

 

 

 Hwayeong is EVIL.   Well, you can't blame the hospitalist for their battle ready mentality. I think Goo needs to be invited to the board meetings, don't you think?  In all seriousness, it benefits everyone to work together but it will only work if the company is the right fit for the hospital staff.  At this point, Hwayeong's interest and vision don't align with Sangkook.  The writer is continuously asking us to be vigilant and stir that stagnant water.  

 

 

Who isn't?  But even Evil has weaknesses and wants that can be take advantage of.  Hwayeong... the corporation might be a soulless entity but not President Gu. Of course if you're trying to prosecute an argument with a monster corporation with the language of medical ethics, principles and altruism, you're probably doom to fail. I was quite impressed with how GSH handled himself in front of the CEO of Hwayeong in Episode 8 (also third time I've seen this actor in a drama this year). He doesn't bother talking altruism or emotions with him but in a language that the man understands... revenue and gains. Goals can be made to align to a certain extent if the stakeholders play it smart. What corporate has is plenty of resources and clout. That can be used to the hospital's advantage if the people at the top are smart and they care about the longevity of the hospital and the provision of quality services in the long run, some alignment is not impossible.

 

Being battle ready doesn't necessarily mean just taking pot shots from the sidelines. I understand the angst. But it's clear that both sides were being played by Dr Kim. He's an untrustworthy character but he's not wrong about needing to engage politically with corporate in terms that they understand.

 

So really what's missing is good leadership. Leaders who are able to balance both professional ethics and business savvy. In an era where there's so much talk of it and so much ink spilt over the subject, the sad reality is, there's so little of it. 

 

The more I see of GSH, the more impress I am with him. The learning curve for him has been pretty steep but he has shown at least an inclination to learn and openness to grapple with the complexities. With him at least I feel that he understands that in order to do business he needs to get his hands dirty.

Still I am not sorry for him... after all he gets paid the big bucks to do what he does... but I don't sense that he's egotistical in the way some of the heads of departments are. 

 

My background is in education and I used to think I shouldn't need to get involved in all the decision making process but over time I've changed my mind. Because it's obvious that if I want certain things to happen I have to be part of the process. Over the years I've had some good results because I've taken the trouble to do all the hard work of dealing directly with individuals in management and negotiated with them. However, I don't deny that it can be quite soul destroying is when management pretends to be interested in everyone's contribution, spends a lot of time setting meetings claiming to be consultative and ends up doing what they want to anyway. It's probably worse than if management just did what they wanted to in the first place.

 

9 hours ago, bedifferent said:

 

LOL. Did you cringe when they show the OR scene where Dr. Kim drill the knee? haha..  Let's hope there will still be plenty of C- and K-dramas for us to watch in bed while we recover post surgeries.

 

Yes, No-Eul is the open-minded one tho she doesn't seem to have complete understanding of both Mr Goo's predicaments or character.  I don't know if she fully understands Dr. Oh either.  She's the timid type who doesn't like confrontation so she goes about things passive aggressively to hope for change   I wish she voices her opinions more in the daytime and to others besides nice people like Jin-woo and Dr. Joo. 

 

Yes x 2.  Most physicians are not trained to be good administrators nor do they have the interest.    The politics of hospital board members and directorship require a different breed of physicians.  The drama said it well.  You have to get involved.

 

 

When I had a hysterectomy several years ago, I spent six weeks afterwards watching J dramas.  I was probably okay after a week or so but hey, why not?

 

I think NE is the sort of person who wants to be the nice reasonable person that stays away from conflict. I suppose she wants to deal with people from the premise that no one is completely evil and that there's a silver lining of humanity in every person. It's not exactly surprising... she works with helpless, vulnerable kiddies after all. I get it...nobody likes direct confrontations that could potentially blow up.

 

It's clear that the people who need to be involved should be involved. Unfortunately it is usually the case that the ambitious people that crave visibility are the ones who often grab the top positions. The idealistic professionals want to be left alone in their small corner and get on with saving lives. But the reality is that one can't save lives properly if one doesn't get involved.

 

____________

Episode 8 was great! Very intense in parts and the drama between Seon Woo and Dr Kim was fantastic. The Ye brothers are love...  I love watching them protect each other in their own way. I love seeing the normally languid, docile Jin Woo come alive in this episode... firstly trying very badly and clumsily to make a date with the reporter and then threatening Dr Kim. I don't condone workplace violence but it's nice to know that Jin Woo is a living, breathing organism and not just a walking cloud of gloom.

I know that Seon Woo probably doesn't have a chance with NE with the way things are shaping up but I'm glad that he confessed and really appreciated the terms in which he framed it. "Let me be an ordinary man..." etc etc. I'm a bit worried about him... something's up with his health... That aside, I think it's time she saw him as something more than one of the kiddies in her care. I've always suspected that JW has an inkling or two about how his little brother feels about NE. 

 

So Seon Woo fell in love with the Pretty Noona who Bought Him Chocolate Milk.

[bedifferent]

Chiefs.

 

 

 

Latest Making Film.  WJA is tiny!

 

 

[annagriss8]

JSW to WJA: Why call LDW oppa and me as senior/elder?

(btw JSW is a year older that LDW)

 

 

 

JSW: I'm old/I'm getting old... ㅠㅠ

 

 

 

[piekeboeboe]

3 hours ago, annagriss8 said:

 

JSW to WJA: Why call LDW oppa and me as senior/elder?

(btw JSW is a year older that LDW)

 

JSW: I'm old/I'm getting old... ㅠㅠ

 

 

 

@annagriss8  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TRANSLATE
I keep looking for sub eng  translate of Press Con / Interview / BTS.
I feel really strange with big serie production, lead with lots of fan but no translate clip out.
 

[piekeboeboe]

3 minutes ago, triplem said:

 

Can someone please help me clarify something about eps 11? Why was it important for Dr Oh to declare that the reporter died of blunt force trauma? I’m a bit confused about the link between the speaker , QL electronics & Hwajeong group. 

 

 

@triplem I have same question here, I didn't see the link and maybe the series did not reveal 'big bad' of CEO yet(?)

[pompyavi]

10 minutes ago, piekeboeboe said:

 

@triplem I have same question here, I didn't see the link and maybe the series did not reveal 'big bad' of CEO yet(?)

What I can think of is the chairman of both QL and Hwajeong grabbed this opportunity to destroy Saegul21. Remember they only exposed that Hwajeong group family members didn't complete military service. Also, the reporter who was working on the speaker's case will now dig on more and will eventually reach QL chairman. Both QL and Hwajeong might have thought this to be a good opportunity to get rid of saegul

[bedifferent]

@40somethingahjumma Seung-Hyo is what sorely needed for Sangkook, if only has he worked for a less vampire-looking CEO.  His approach as the new president on the job, the kind of savvy businessman he is,  his intelligence and keen read of people, places and things, his leadership skills... all are good things.  Unfortunately, he works for Hwayeong and has to doll out questionable unethical business plans knowing fully the consequences.  When it comes to Sangkook, he may have reached a point where he can no longer suppress his conscience.  The rest of the drama will show us how he addresses this internal conflict.  I'm one who thinks Sangkook is as good of a cause as any for him to consider risking everything and break free from a corporation that has consumed him.

 

@triplem I'm gonna drag her into this convo.  I once said Life reminds me a lil of tVN Live in how it spotlights the struggles of hospital workers/physicians trying to do their job in a changing environment of profits vs patient care.

 

I'm not versed in Korean  current medical issues but remember reading about their crisis a couple of years ago.  It's helpful to understand a little of this to appreciate Life and writer LSY's work here.  Pardon me if there are errors or if I misspoke. 

 

Around 2014 or so, a number of doctors went on strike to protest privatization of hospitals and public medical facilities. I think 95% of hospitals in SK is private with the rest public, highlighting the lack of affordable health care for lower income patients.  SK has a national insurance program in which many citizens are enrolled.  The insurance program pays a partial fee to the doctors and the rest to the medical institution that the patients received care from.  Obviously the public hospitals, partially funded and controlled by the government, will keep costs and prices down to continue providing care to the general public.  These places get shortchanged in the reimbursement scheme of things on top of already reduced funding from the government budget. The 95% or so private fare better as they are able maximize the reimbursements from the insurance program with top of the line procedures, treatments, preventive care, well being programs, cosmetic and plastic surgeries etc.. Slowly and surely, the private hospitals started to introduce private insurance to compete with the national health insurance program.  What you see happening in Sangkook with Dr. Oh and Prez Goo trying to set up Hwayeong insurance is a worrisome issue for SK physicians in real life.  Eventually, Sangkook will stop accepting national health insurance patients and only treat their own insured, limiting even further patient care access.  On top of it, statistics indicates the pharmaceutical reimbursement by the national health care insurance is higher than the reimbursement to the hospitals.  Hence, if a hospital is a private, it has the capability of forming subsidiaries, something Hwayeong took advantage of in creating a drug company that looped in Sangkook as its sole provider by forcing the staff to use its RFID. 

 

What we see is happening on screen in Life is a microcosm of what is happening in SK's healthcare system.  The pitfalls of allowing for profit hospitals to flourish is a problem for all citizens and not only the lower income ones.  Pubic hospitals like Sangkook has its own problems,; under LBH, it seemed poorly managed, rigged with (medication) errors and bureaucracy, low morale but it was def more patient-focused.  After Hwayeong acquired it, Sangkook benefits initially from a better medication safety device and improved technology (3D simulation machine), higher quality of care I suppose.  What it also gets is the corporate treatments to maximize profits - slashed nurses salaries, forced sales of vitamins, medicines, insurance and the push for pay for performance model.  We then add in the corruption and dealings between Hwayeong and government officials as part of the underlying business practices.  

 

Bottomline is what you said is true.  The partnership between Hwayeong and Sangkook can work if the conglomerate cares, the word is cares, about the patients and the hospital.  The hospital cannot survive if corporate doesn't step in.  It just cannot sustain itself financially long term. The solution is to find the right company with the right vision or the right person, like Mr Goo, to keep the balance.

 

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Can someone please help me clarify something about eps 11? Why was it important for Dr Oh to declare that the reporter died of blunt force trauma? I’m a bit confused about the link between the speaker , QL electronics & Hwajeong group. 

 

Hwayeong wanted to convict the reporter of murder by blunt force trauma, essentially shutting down the Speaker scandal.  The Speaker was using government fund for his wife's dermatology procedures by filing  them as his own appointments.  Saegul21 was doing an expose on him using the informant's testimonies.  The Speaker has relationship with QL who needed Hwayeong to pronounce the death as trauma to kill the report.  The news agency's credibility will be questioned and it most likely will be investigated.  In exchange, the Speaker will help Hwayeong clear the app's government application and QL will go ahead with the app software installation on its phones.

[piekeboeboe]

1 hour ago, bedifferent said:

 

Hwayeong wanted to convict the reporter of murder by blunt force trauma, essentially shutting down the Speaker scandal.  The Speaker was using government fund for his wife's dermatology procedures by filing  them as his own appointments.  Saegul21 was doing an expose on him using the informant's testimonies.  The Speaker has relationship with QL who needed Hwayeong to pronounce the death as trauma to kill the report.  The news agency's credibility will be questioned and it most likely will be investigated.  In exchange, the Speaker will help Hwayeong clear the app's government application and QL will go ahead with the app software installation on its phones.

 

@bedifferent
Oh Wow.I have read this and repeat several time and I get the link of the story.
THANK YOU SO MUCH

[122am]

6 hours ago, triplem said:

Can someone please help me clarify something about eps 11? Why was it important for Dr Oh to declare that the reporter died of blunt force trauma? I’m a bit confused about the link between the speaker , QL electronics & Hwajeong group. 

 

 

The speaker and QL Electronics guy are part of the report by the reporter's website. They both need the hospital (owned by Hwayeong) to report that the nurse, aka girl who died, was killed due to the male reporter pushing her to the floor. When he pushed her to the floor, the cause of death will be "blunt force trauma". It's a general reason, so that the male reporter can be jailed as the "murderer".

 

The truth is, when he pushed her, she was still alive. They sent her to hospital 1 (small hospital), but they refuse to take her in. This step was arranged or bribed, so that the girl can be sent to Sangkook Hospital (owned by Hwayeong). When the girl is sent to Sangkook, she was near death and died there. This may mean that, along the journey, she was killed. That's why the doctors are pushing for autopsy, they want to know the truth about how she died. So that if really it was the male reporter who killed her, he goes to jail. But if not, they want to investigate the truth so that the girl will not die for nothing.

 

Why did the girl die? Actually, the Speaker and QL Electronics guy just want to bury the case. So it may be that they want to kill her off, so that there is no witness. 

 

Now that Sangkook Hospital can change the cause of death, QL guy owes Hwayeong chairman a favour. QL guy has to cooperate with Hwayeong chairman about the health app, since he has the mobile company and can make it happen. 

 

It's like, I help you one, you help me back, kind of thing. 

[bedifferent]

@annagriss8 don't sink my ship! 

 

 

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Twice in the episode, this was brought up : Can you turn a blind eye ? The conversation that JW had with his Chief highlighted this point . It’s true that JW could have just left things alone , but then a man will be wrongly accused of a crime he did not commit . For me that seems like the writer’s message . Sitting on the fence & pretending that something is not your business doesn’t mean it won’t affect you . In fact Dr Oh asked Goo the same thing - how could he have turned a blind eye to the things that Hwajeong has done over the years . 

@triplem LOL, cuz of you, I Netflix-ed SF.

 

In the words of ShiMok 

 

A police officer once told me that people do things because they can get away with them.  She said people do corrupt things because we turn a blind eye to them and that we can change it if just one person keeps his or her eyes open and barks at them.

 

What we are asking is hard for Jinwoo but ten times more difficult for Seung-Hyo.  I don't want Goo to die for this cause like Lee Chang Joon.  Whatever personal reflection he must do will eventually comes down to whether he is willing to self incriminate himself to bring down Hwayeong.  In the best scenario, he'll be a whistle blower and get reduced jail time.  This kind of personal sacrifice will be hard on his parents, considering the negative backlash from the society.  I feel for Seung-Hyo and JSW is doing a great job expressing his dilemma.

[Ha Tinh Nhi]

[bedifferent]

 

[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Life" Episode 12

 

I am not sure where "Life" has run off to, but its place is now taken over by a suspense thriller about Evil Rich Dudes™. The series has gone through a major shift in tone and focus during the last two episodes, and the pivotal decisions that come with it feel rushed and forced. If this is what we can expect from the final four episodes, I wonder why it was not introduced sooner, and more smoothly.

 

There is a lot to unpack here, but it looks like the time for major conflicts has come, and "Life" is pretty clear about the type it wants them to be. Forget business vs. charity, because the caricatures of terrible men are here to do what they do best; take over the plot. "Life" would have been fine as a series about a hospital's heroes fighting against a terrible villain, but the jarring switch between what it was and this baffles me.

 

It is also harming the character development. Seung-hyo (Cho Seung-woo) in particular has always been teetering between his master and his staff, but this case throws him into a dilemma he was not ready for, and then chastises him for making the reasonable calls that will result in fewer deaths. The writing is clearly struggling to juggle his newfound appreciation for a lot of our main characters, and this sudden, larger-than-life crisis.

 

The same goes for Se-hwa's (Moon So-ri) change of mind, after having mostly remained a power-hungry character for reasons not shared with us. Not all is lost, however. If this conflict is used to show us what these characters are truly made of when push comes to shove, then it can spark even better development, and more engaging storytelling. It will still feel like a completely new series, but it will at least be more interesting than what has happened in these last two episodes.

 

I am very worried about whether that is the intention, however, particularly when looking at the newly introduced source of pain for Seon-woo (Lee Kyu-hyung). There is absolutely no narrative reason for this contrived drama of childhood guilt. It feels as if the series is trying to shove as much nail-biting and heartstrings-tugging material into its already rich characters and their rich stories, as if its creators suddenly panicked about those not being good enough.

 

The problem is, they have always been better than what we usually get in such shows. Evil Rich Dudes™, on the other hand, come a dime a dozen in Korean drama, and so do the conflicts that they bring along with them. The episode's ending is another worrying indication, where the friendly characters we can clearly recognize decide to scare the medical degree out of Se-hwa for the sake of a cliffhanger. "Life", you need to re-learn how to simply say "Hi".

 

"Life" is directed by Hong Jong-chan and Lim Hyeon-wook , written by Lee Soo-yeon-I, and features Lee Dong-wook, Cho Seung-woo, Won Jin-ah and Yoo Jae-myung.

 

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

 

Source:  HanCinema

[annagriss8]

Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching

by DB Staff

So, what are we all watching this week?

What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in…

 

 

javabeans

Life: I keep seeing this drama as a palace political thriller in disguise (which makes me want to see the writer tackle actual palace politics in her next drama, having stuck to contemporary corruption thrillers like Forest of Secrets). It’s perhaps the one way you could make a drama without a central plot actually riveting, because it becomes this game to see each greedy power-mongering doctor rise and fall, only for the next one to take his place, while our righteous heroes remain in the background to step forward (hopefully?) at the last moment and prevail (hopefully?). I also find Jo Seung-woo’s character more fascinating the more we see him put under pressure by the chairman, because he isn’t the ultimate evil — heck, I don’t think he’s evil at all. It’s more like we’re watching this brilliant man toe the line between being a benevolent ruler or a corrupt tyrant, and I’m rooting for him to let his better nature prevail.

[40somethingahjumma]

I've finally caught up with all the available episodes and to be honest, I'm not sure about the turn of events especially at the end of Episode 12. It kind of feels that the show crossed into makjang territory. I wish the writer didn't have to take this route to break the power of the Hwayeong Group, if that is indeed her intention.

 

As a whole I've been reasonably satisfied about going along for the ride. On principle I don't have any objections to the creation of love lines here. On the contrary. I'm thrilled to bits that JW is beginning to have a life outside the ER, workplace politics and taking care of his brother. For his character, it's a development that's sorely needed and since it intersects with aspects of the storyline, it's all good. I suppose a similar argument might be made for GSH on some level although full-blown romance in his case might be less important. My only concern about that potential pairing is that Lee No-Eul might only end up being the pretty doctor who's biggest asset in this show is to turn on her girlish charm and flash her million dollar smile.  I honestly didn't really care for her walking all over patient confidentiality when she went searching for Seon Woo's medical records. If she really wanted to know, respectfully as an old family friend, she should have asked him directly again. And if he didn't want to say, then respect his choice or ask at another time. For a person who is embarrassed about having to give an explanation to turn down a disabled man directly after his confession, it feels very contradictory. I boil all of these oddities down to the fact that this show wants her to be all kinds of things in this show, especially as a relationship conduit but in so doing she's come off a bit wishy washy. I don't want to dislike her because she has done a good thing by trying to deal with GSH directly and openly.

 

JW and GSH both have a parallel as well as contrastive journeys. They are set up as foils to one another which is fairly evident. The contrast is easier to spot because of where they're located in the hospital food chain. But the parallels are there. They have families that we catch glimpses of thus letting us know that they have people they care about. In the case of GSH, his family barely knows what he does but he lives with them as a dutiful son. After putting long hours at work, JW goes back to his two bedroom apartment that he shares with his wheelchair-bound brother and cares for him as a responsible older sibling. Until recently (namely after the death of the previous hospital director), JW is reticent creature who doesn't assert his views publicly. Well, he hasn't had to, having been mentored by the former director. But things have changed and he's been forced to act, first in the shadows but as matters progress and arrive at various junctures, he is forced to leave his comfort zone.  Despite the fact that GSH on appearance has more power to affect change, he is in essence, a glorified errand boy for the chairman of a corporate entity. A talented one obviously but as far as said entity is concerned, that's all he is. He too has to manoeuvre in the dark both to please his corporate master and to protect the hospital from more upheaval. It's a fascinating juggling act watch him play around with variables.

 

I think the show pretty much sledgehammers us with the fact that Dr Oh, the new director has the pride of the professional so it wasn't a big surprise that she made the decision to retract her earlier statement regarding the deceased. It wasn't so much that she was more honest or that she was less afraid to stand up to the Hwayeong juggernaut, it was that as a professional it would rankle to publicly say something that isn't medically accurate. 

 

The unpredictability of the human will is a fascinating aspect of this drama... probably the most fascinating element. People do things for all kinds of reasons and often not for the purest motives. I suppose LNE wants GSH to do "the right thing" because he is a "good man". But what is the "right thing" for a man like GSH who is at the beck and call of his conglomerate master? People can be forced to do the right thing  even when they don't want to when there's something on the line for them, as GSH was forced to hold the autopsy because it was expedient to at the time. LNE thinks that JW got involved with the autopsy kerfuffle "for the love of the reporter". But JW is a guy who does care about doing the right thing but he's afraid to stand up and be counted on most occasions. That's obviously changing especially when he now has an ally in Dr Joo and he's emboldened with each instance of success. It is naive, IMO to think that people only do the "right thing" because  they are "good people" as LNE does. Or that somehow people sit down and weigh up pros and cons and do the most logical thing. Most people do the right thing either because they have no choice and/or because it suits them to do so at the time. Even the Assist Director got into the fray... not because he thinks doing the autopsy is "the right thing" to do but because it benefits him politically. Take also the example of the parents of the brain dead girl who finally relented in donating the organs. For many of us donating organs of loved ones is a no brainer. But is it really "wrong" not to? But then people can be persuaded to change their minds with changing circumstances. 

None of us trust our politicians to do "the right thing" on their own, I imagine but there are ways in which we can pressure them... looming elections etc and threat of exposure of some indiscretion committed... into doing the "right thing". It's the same with the Powerful Evil Corporations. 

 

Maybe it's because I'm not in love with GSH but for me, it's not important for me that he suddenly reforms and becomes a better human being. Whatever that means. As long as he can learn to work with the doctors in the long run, that is what I'm looking for. I accept that everyone has things they have to protect. However, it is important that the so-called "Good Guys" in the show stand up for themselves. I don't want them to back down without firing a shot to represent their own interests. Virtue and principles for their own sake mean nothing unless a person is willing to take a public stand. 

 

No doubt the drama is setting the stage for a David and Goliath kind of showdown. Okay, I get it... everyone loves a good story along those lines. Me included. But I had believed (hoped) that the show would not have to veer off in that direction that to wrap up an already excellent study on the foibles of the human condition. 

 

[bedifferent]

@40somethingahjumma @triplem ahhhaa, so glad you came and stayed this drama.  Thank you for the most excellent post   For the same reasons that you have posted, cuz the theater is big and the players are too many, this drama could be better told in 20 episodes than 16.  We still have 4 more episodes to go but the drama clearly has some less than stellar parts up so far.

 

I agree with the misuse of No-Eul whom I think has more screen time yet less developed than the one which I felt deserves more attention at, Dr. Oh.  I felt she is a good platform for the writer to throw off discussions about successful women in the workplace who must establish her own identity in a field crowded by men, especially for a woman whose intelligence and skills placed her above her peers.  We still haven't gotten to know the woman behind the glaring and yelling. Is this a woman who internalize and perpetuate the manners and personality of her male neurosurgeons over the years so she can get to where she is?  Is she the same person in private (there has to be a human side to Dr. Oh)?  I wish we get more than just glimpses of her doing the shopping and talking to her mom/about her daughter.  Just a little more you know.  For a drama that have nurses and physicians talking about changing workplace culture, the writer missed the opportunity here to use Dr. Oh to illustrate how her strong personality on the surface may or may not promote the transparency and accountability at the hospital.  Is she really a Tiger Mom to her daughter or is she giving out tough love but is fair and expects others to give honest full effort in their work?  Can a strong director like her allows reporting of mistakes without retribution? Will she kick the perpetrator out to the curb without giving him/her the chance to rectify the error?  Can she still be a good director and not be loved by the staff?  Can she gather support for her work and ideas without being their friends?  Is it all about board members vote or is it about the staff's opinions?  We see No-Eul trying to appeal to Goo's human side.  I'd love to see him (and I have seen glimpses of it) responding to Dr. Oh in a positive way also as she can and should be affecting him given she is the hospital director.   Before she can do the above, I am hoping Dr. Oh will undergo the same learning experience as others, to balance her own values with the need of the whole hospital and its staff and more importantly, learn to work with others not just direct them.  Other than that, I agree with your observation about her pride as her weakness so I really like how Dr. Joo gives her a way to recover and learn to trust others.  Neurosurgeons place heavy responsibilities on themselves to be perfect so it is devastating and is a humble experience for Dr Oh to see how she was very close to losing her career due to her greed and pride.  Like No-Eul affecting Goo, Dr. Joo is appealing to his colleagues' ethical and professional responsibilities.

 

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The unpredictability of the human will is a fascinating aspect of this drama... probably the most fascinating element. People do things for all kinds of reasons and often not for the purest motives. I suppose LNE wants GSH to do "the right thing" because he is a "good man". But what is the "right thing" for a man like GSH who is at the beck and call of his conglomerate master? People can be forced to do the right thing  even when they don't want to when there's something on the line for them, as GSH was forced to hold the autopsy because it was expedient to at the time. LNE thinks that JW got involved with the autopsy kerfuffle "for the love of the reporter". But JW is a guy who does care about doing the right thing but he's afraid to stand up and be counted on most occasions. That's obviously changing especially when he now has an ally in Dr Joo and he's emboldened with each instance of success. It is naive, IMO to think that people only do the "right thing" because  they are "good people" as LNE does. Or that somehow people sit down and weigh up pros and cons and do the most logical thing. Most people do the right thing either because they have no choice and/or because it suits them to do so at the time. Even the Assist Director got into the fray... not because he thinks doing the autopsy is "the right thing" to do but because it benefits him politically. Take also the example of the parents of the brain dead girl who finally relented in donating the organs. For many of us donating organs of loved ones is a no brainer. But is it really "wrong" not to? But then people can be persuaded to change their minds with changing circumstances. 

 

Love what you said here. About GSH and YJW.  Like @staygold mentioned before, Seung-Hyo's office and the Ye brothers' apartment are shrouded in shadows, visually depicting the world of both men. Where pres Goo operates for his company in the behind the scenes maneuvers, Jin Woo himself couldn't wield the courage to fight in the open.  From how he first obtained the report, posting it anonymously to letting Dr. Joo taking the blame, it's his insecure way of dealing and solving problems.  He leans on the imaginary Seon-woo, his conscience, to judge his actions.   Jin-woo's confidence changes as the drama progresses.  Visually again, we were showed through Jin-woo stepping into the sunlight and going outside as he learns to do things on his own.  We also see less and less of imaginary Seon-woo, who appeared last when Jin-woo deliberating using the parents for the autopsy pictures. It was Seon-woo in real life who complimented that he did the right thing by filing the complaint vs. Dr. Kim the legal way through HIRA. At the time he didn't know of his own brother's investigation, doing so rewards him without the need for underhanded stuffs.  Dr. Joo's place as his new mentor is similar to Dr. Lee as he also involves in Seon-woo's care.  He's in a good place to temper Jin-woo's newfound righteous temperament as he is a seasoned soldier whose realistically in the fight for people like Jin-woo. 

 

What you said above could be interpreted as what LSY hopes is relevant for all of us.  That we don't have to only reveal our best when is cornered or faced with a dilemma.  Human nature is self preservation first and foremost. That's how we evolve as a species, filtering and keeping as part of selective evolution.  Jin-woo and Seung-Hyo came to this crossroad where they must weigh their conscience against their own personal safety is not of their own accord.  There are events that were forced upon them by others' actions.  Makes you wonder if the universe is wise in creating mankind and has foreseen all of this headaches.  Goodness and evil existing in this precarious balance that is up to the little and big people to be responsible for it.

 

 

 

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Stills. Think JIn-woo's computer access is denied.

 

 

Spoiler

kukinews

 

 

Seung-Hyo and Jin-woo have their own journeys, imagine if they walk on the same path, at their own pace despite having different stops?

[piekeboeboe]

On 8/31/2018 at 6:09 PM, 122am said:

 

The speaker and QL Electronics guy are part of the report by the reporter's website. They both need the hospital (owned by Hwayeong) to report that the nurse, aka girl who died, was killed due to the male reporter pushing her to the floor. When he pushed her to the floor, the cause of death will be "blunt force trauma". It's a general reason, so that the male reporter can be jailed as the "murderer".

 

The truth is, when he pushed her, she was still alive. They sent her to hospital 1 (small hospital), but they refuse to take her in. This step was arranged or bribed, so that the girl can be sent to Sangkook Hospital (owned by Hwayeong). When the girl is sent to Sangkook, she was near death and died there. This may mean that, along the journey, she was killed. That's why the doctors are pushing for autopsy, they want to know the truth about how she died. So that if really it was the male reporter who killed her, he goes to jail. But if not, they want to investigate the truth so that the girl will not die for nothing.

 

Why did the girl die? Actually, the Speaker and QL Electronics guy just want to bury the case. So it may be that they want to kill her off, so that there is no witness. 

 

Now that Sangkook Hospital can change the cause of death, QL guy owes Hwayeong chairman a favour. QL guy has to cooperate with Hwayeong chairman about the health app, since he has the mobile company and can make it happen. 

 

It's like, I help you one, you help me back, kind of thing. 

 

@122am Thank you so much for your post.

With your post and @bedifferent above help me get the link of reporter/speaker/CEO/QL/doctors/president ... and everyone involved

Exciting for EP 13!

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More stills.

 

Source

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Fan art.

 

 

Gathering interest for BlueRay DVD