The new weekend drama <Doctor Shin>, recently broadcast on TV Chosun, has captured the attention of countless viewers from its early episodes. The most decisive reason this production has become the center of such hot topics is the name of the writer who penned the script. Having left a massive mark on the history of South Korean dramas under her real name 'Im Sung-han,' she is currently continuing her active writing career under the pen name 'Phoebe,' taken from her older brother's name. Considering that one of her past dramas recorded an astonishing and overwhelming peak viewership rating of 57.3%, she has reigned as South Korea's most popular writer and an unmatched guarantee of box office success when it comes to capturing the public's attention.
The biggest characteristic that has deeply imprinted Writer Phoebe in the minds of the public is her modifier as the "godmother of makjang (extreme soap opera) dramas." Within the worldview she creates, bizarre relationship setups run rampant, which are entirely unimaginable by general common sense or moral standards. Not only the abnormal entanglements between characters but also the plot development methods thoroughly defy viewers' expectations, delivering constant shocks. Uniquely, a peculiar and bizarre sense of humor—so-called 'B-rate comedy'—is cleverly intertwined between these provocative and extreme premises, forming a solid and loyal fanbase that insists solely on her works. Making people stay glued to the TV, eagerly anticipating the next episode even while expressing anger and cursing at the screen, is the terrifying and fatal magic of Writer Phoebe's scripts.
In addition to the writer's reputation, this new release <Doctor Shin> has caused a massive buzz in the broadcasting industry in another aspect: the casting. Usually, a tentpole drama of this scale and hype would feature top-tier stars at the forefront. However, looking at the cast list for this production reveals the surprising fact that almost all of the actors are rookies whose names are unfamiliar to the public. Of course, the veteran actors of the so-called 'Phoebe Division,' who have always played excellent supporting roles in her previous works, are positioned throughout to anchor the center of the play without fail. Nevertheless, the core leading roles that directly drive the narrative are mostly filled with fresh rookie actors, to the extent that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them complete novices, which comes as a great surprise.
Considering that the age group of the main characters leading the play is set to be very young overall, <Doctor Shin> exudes the strangely fresh texture of a youth drama while claiming the makjang genre. The writer perhaps intended to breathe the fresh faces and energy of rookie actors—who haven't yet been heavily consumed by the public—into the framework of her most powerful weapon: the "provocative and unconventional makjang narrative." By putting the unpredictable performances of rookies at the forefront instead of the familiar and predictable faces of veteran actors, it can be guessed that this is a meticulously calculated choice and strategic placement to break away from the predictable formulas of weekend dramas and provide viewers with a completely new form of visual and emotional freshness.
Among the casting lineup full of unfamiliar faces, one of the few actors recognizable to the public is An Woo-yeon, who plays the role of Ha Yong-joong, a game company CEO. Although he has built a solid filmography by consistently appearing in numerous dramas and various works, it is true that he mainly remained in supporting roles that assisted the flow of the play or took on roles with relatively small screen time. However, in <Doctor Shin>, he was unconventionally selected as a lead-level character proudly taking charge of one axis of the narrative, digesting a significantly increased amount of screen time compared to his past. The other lead-level rookie actors are also not making their absolute first debut in their acting careers with this work; they are composed of individuals who have built their own inner strength through web dramas or minor roles.
Nevertheless, casting a large number of rookies and near-unknown actors in lead-level roles that determine the success of the play—rather than in supporting or minor roles—is a highly fresh yet extremely dangerous adventure for both the broadcasting network and the writer. This is because the more extreme a makjang drama is, the more absolutely supported it must be by the solid acting skills of the cast. Covering the gaps in a script that lacks probability and is merely provocative, and making viewers deeply immerse themselves in those absurd and unrealistic situations, depends entirely on the actors' screen presence and persuasive acting. If the lead actors' performances are clumsy or fail to blend into the situation, it will lead to the fatal consequence of viewers failing to immerse themselves in the content, bursting into laughter, and changing the channel.
Carefully observing episodes 1 and 2 of <Doctor Shin>, which finally unveiled itself amidst such great concerns and expectations, it is frankly difficult to evaluate the aura or acting skills emitted by the rookie actors as excellent and perfect enough to overwhelm the public just yet. This is because there are occasionally noticeable moments where line delivery is somewhat flat or emotional lines are not smooth. Fortunately, however, there was no catastrophic bad acting that severely hindered the flow of the play or completely broke the immersion. Overall, they gave a positive impression of understanding the situations their respective characters are in and generally performing their roles smoothly and diligently accordingly. As the play passes its midpoint, it raises expectations that the actors will completely assimilate into their characters and show improved acting skills.
Along with the casting, another aspect that has emerged as the hottest issue inside and outside the broadcasting industry is the introduction of the extremely unconventional and provocative core premise of a 'brain transplant,' which is hard to even dare imagine. Furthermore, the astonishing setup that the subjects of the brain transplant are not complete strangers, but a biological mother and daughter connected by blood, leaves viewers' jaws dropping. The character 'Shin Joo-shin,' densely played by actor Jung Yi-chan, is a brilliant mind who reached the position of an orthopedic clinic director at a young age, and he exudes an intense presence as the core figure who will perform this unbelievably miraculous surgery, appearing as an absolute authority in brain surgery recognized even in the global medical community.
The beginning of the narrative starts with a fateful encounter. The genius doctor Shin Joo-shin accidentally watches a production featuring the dazzlingly beautiful top actress 'Momo,' played by actress Baek Seo-ra, and is instantly captivated by her charm, falling in love at first sight. Honest about his feelings, Shin Joo-shin actively courts Momo, and the two finally confirm their solid love and develop into a relationship where they promise to marry. Momo's mother, 'Hyun Ran-hee' (played by Song Ji-in), is taken aback by her daughter's sudden decision to marry and initially expresses strong opposition, but eventually yields to their sincere persuasion and grants permission. Meanwhile, the aforementioned game company CEO Ha Yong-joong has a special connection, having provided generous support and help to 'Geum Ba-ra' (played by Joo Se-bin), a passionate reporter who grew up lonely in an orphanage as a child.
Interestingly, Shin Joo-shin also serves as the chairman of the very orphanage where Geum Ba-ra grew up, strongly implying that unknown commonalities and fateful connections are deeply rooted among characters who seemingly have no relation on the surface. The flow of the play, which seemed peaceful like this, heads toward an uncontrollable catastrophe when the beautiful actress Momo gets into a terrible accident at a ski resort, putting her life in danger. Ultimately, it is strongly hinted that an unprecedented surgery swapping the brains of Momo and her mother Hyun Ran-hee will be performed by Shin Joo-shin's hands. The overall visual beauty and atmosphere of the play unfold while retaining a strangely sophisticated yet somewhat retro and tacky texture of the past, offering a visual mystique. Because it is Writer Phoebe, who easily surpasses the public's imagination and shows unpredictably bizarre makjang developments, it is entirely impossible to predict what catastrophic and shocking developments the characters' relationships will face after this shocking brain transplant incident, further stimulating intense curiosity and the desire to watch.
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