Yr/TV Stn: 2012/MBC
Cast:
Song Seung Hun ~ Jin Hyuk
Park Min Young ~ Yoo Mi Na / Hong Young Rae
Kim Jaejoong ~ Kim Kyung Tak
Lee Bum Soo ~ Lee Ha Eung
Lee So Yeon ~ Choon Hong
Jin Yi Han ~ Hong Young Hwi
Synopsis: (edited from Dramawiki)
Jin Hyuk is a genius neurosurgeon with a cold and severe attitude in his interactions with other people due to his personal pursuit of perfection. Through a mysterious power, Jin Hyuk finds himself transported back in time 150 years. He begins treating people there, but the lack of necessary implements and rudimentary medical knowledge of the period forces him to seek new ways to aid the sick. At the same time, he encountered various people, and one woman caught his eye. She's Young Rae, who looked exactly the same as his girlfriend, Yoo Mi Na.
Review:
I am not a big fan of "JIN", but it's one of the most outstanding Japanese series back then. So expectations for the Korean verison was higher as well, even though I knew they would change the story and add the Korean elements into the drama. So, on the high level, "DR.JIN" retained the plot, and that is Jin Hyuk was transported to the past and had to save people with lack of medicine and technology. However, the Korean version added more political struggles and romance to the plot. As you know, Japanese dramas tend to make romance boring as the storyline lacked developments. The Koreans made full use of their female lead, so she's definitely no flower vase here. Lolz! As much as I like romance plots, I was not really captivated by our leads' chemistry.
In "JIN", the most important woman is actually not Saki "Young Rae", but Nokaze "Choon Hong". I was disappointed to see Choon Hong being underused here. She ended up being some mysterious gisaeng, who had the same experience as Jin Hyuk and cld foresee the future. The worst of all is they made Choon Hong die in the end...what the heck? I thought Lee So Yeon was way better than Park Min Young! Lolz!
The drama actually got a stellar cast, but ratings did not justify their hardwork. I believed the drama is still not very Korean, plus their big competitor Jang Dong Gun managed to steal more eyeballs. Haha! Song Seung Hun tried to prove that he's not just only handsome. Actually he's not bad here, but Lee Bum Soo and Jae Joong stole his limelight. It's also a pity that I did not find Song Seung Hun and Park Min Young matchable.
Good to see Jae Joong again, and his acting has moved up to another level. Kyung Tak was a good role for him as this character is not a plain good or bad guy. Lots of developments and his love for Young Rae was somewhat more touching.
This is probably my first time watching Park Min Young, who has many well received dramas under her belt. Young Rae did not left me with too deep impression, coz' she's just plain la. Haha! (Unlike Ayase's Saki..I liked her.)
Lee Bum Soo and Lee So Yeon really stole the limelight of the main couple. Great acting plus awesome chemistry. It's a s waste that they are not leading the drama.
Jin Yi Han did well in his role as well, but I wondered why this guy cld not move up to A lister.
I think I still preferred the Japanese version, because somehow I was more touched by the plot. "DR.JIN" had too much Korean politics which bored me.
