6.4 /10 1 Votes
Country of origin South Korea Final episode date 12 August 2012 | 6.4/10 IMDb Directed by Han Hee First episode date 26 May 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Written by Han Ji-hoonJeon Hyun-jin Starring Song Seung-heonPark Min-youngLee Beom-sooKim JaejoongLee So-yeon Ending theme "Living Like a Dream" by Kim Jaejoong Cast Jaejoong, Song Seung‑heon, Park Min‑young, Lee Beom‑soo, Lee So‑yeon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dr. Jin (Hangul: 닥터 진; RR: Dakteo Jin) is a 2012 South Korean historical television drama series, starring Song Seung-heon in the title role of Dr. Jin, a 21st-century neurosurgeon who travels back in time to the Joseon Dynasty. Also starring Park Min-young, Lee Beom-soo, Kim Jaejoong of JYJ and Lee So-yeon, it aired on MBC from May 26 to August 12, 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:50 for 22 episodes.
Contents
Based on the Japanese manga series Jin written by Motoka Murakami, the series is the third television adaptation of the manga following the Japanese television drama JIN, starring Takao Osawa which aired on TBS in 2009 and its sequel in 2011. "Revamped with Korean sentiment," the setting was changed from the original's Edo period to the Joseon Dynasty, during the reign of King Cheoljong of Joseon, and real-life Japanese historical figure Sakamoto Ryōma was replaced with Joseon political figure Lee Ha-eung.
Plot
Jin Hyuk (Song Seung-heon) is a gifted neurosurgeon who was born into a family of doctors. His success rate in surgery hovers at 100%, with his ability to quickly analyze any situation and extremely steady hands. Due to his personal pursuit of perfection, he has a cold attitude and lacks compassion. He is planning to give his girlfriend Yoo Mi-na (Park Min-young) a ring as a gift from their mother when after an argument, Mi-na gets into a car accident and goes into a coma.
After surgically removing a foetus-shaped tumor from a patient's brain, a mysterious power causes Jin Hyuk to travel 150 years back in time to the year 1860 during the Joseon Dynasty, when medical technology was still in its infant stages. He begins treating people of the era, but the lack of necessary implements and rudimentary medical knowledge of the period forces him to develop medical devices and medicine by himself, and seek new ways to aid the sick. He meets young noblewoman Young-rae (who looks like Mi-na), who is betrothed to her childhood friend Kim Kyung-tak (Kim Jaejoong) but is not in love with him. Through this challenging process and with the help of Young-rae and Lee Ha-eung (Lee Beom-soo), Jin Hyuk becomes a true doctor. But his actions start interfering with history and Jin Hyuk is faced with hard choices.
Cast
Production
The early working title was Time Slip Dr. Jin (Hangul: 타임슬립 닥터 진).
The series was filmed at MBC Dramia in Gyeonggi. This marked Song's return to television in 15 months since My Princess in 2011. It was also Kim Jaejoong's second drama since Protect the Boss in 2011, as well as his first historical drama. The series was initially planned for 20 episodes, but there were talks of an extension in July as reportedly both the production and actors felt that the 20 episodes were not enough to tell the full story. However this was strongly objected to by the actors' agencies citing low viewership ratings, the story's slow pace and future schedules.
Reception
According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, the first episode that aired on May 26, 2012 received a nationwide viewership rating of 12.2 percent, which was 1.9 percent behind its rival A Gentleman's Dignity on SBS.
Remark
Original soundtrack
- 닥터진
- 살아도 꿈인 것처럼 (Living Like a Dream) – Kim Jaejoong
- 그대가 올까요 (Will You Come) – Zia
- 눈물길 (Road of Tears) – Changmin, Seulong (2AM)
- 마지막 사랑 (Last Love) – Song Seung-heon
- 연리지 (Now and Forever) – Ock Joo-hyun
- 바람에 실려 (Saddle the Wind) – Lee Beom-soo
- 눈물
- 고뇌
- 사랑
- 인연
- 바람에 실려 (inst)
- 마지막 사랑 (inst)
- 눈물길 (inst)
- 그대가 올까요 (inst)
- 살아도 꿈인 것처럼 (inst)
Awards
International broadcast
At the 18th Shanghai Television Festival in June 2012, the broadcast rights of the show were sold to Taiwan and Thailand.