Doctor Stranger was a mess this week. Episode 10 brought into sharp focus how directionless the plot has become. Conspiracies continue and Hoon’s character remains 110% committed to Jae Hee’s well-being. The mysteries are getting old and I find that I don’t have much interest in their outcome anymore. I’m still hoping for an improvement, but these latest episodes did a very good job at dashing my hopes.

Jae Hee Didn’t Disappear

Much to Hoon’s relief, Jae Hee soon reappears at his side. He doesn’t ask any questions. Instead, he only wants to smile and enjoy their reunion. The fact that she is standing before him is much more important the reason WHY she’s standing before him. Hoon, I think you need to reexamine your priorities…

Happy Date Montage

What do you do when you are reunited with your girlfriend? Go on a cheesy date of course!

First comes biking.

Then silly piano playing.

And of course there must be a selca taking session!

I know this is supposed to be a happy scene, but all it did was leave a sour taste in my mouth.

Hoon Tries to Run Away with Jae Hee

After their date, Hoon decides he needs to keep Jae Hee safe and get her far away from South Korea. He takes her to a shipping port where he knows a guy that can smuggle them out of the country.

Of course, Hoon’s little plan is quickly trumped by Agent Cha.

Really Hoon? You thought Jae Hee could just leave?! Come on…

Hoon’s Traumatic Trip to “North Korea”

Hoon wakes up disorientated in room that looks to be in North Korea. Jae Hee gets dragged in by guards and Agent Cha uses her to get Hoon to agree to his terms.

This was not an easy scene for Hoon who thinks his girlfriend is in danger of being raped and killed.

In exchange for her safety, Hoon promises follow Agent Cha’s orders.

1. He has to do the heart surgery on the Prime Minister

2. No one can know that Seung Hee is actually Jae Hee

He also has to keep in mind that Agent Cha will always be watching him. Trying to escape won’t do Hoon or Jae Hee any good.

Oh course, Jae Hee is perfectly fine. After Hoon gets knocked out, Jae Hee is back to her North Korean persona.

You have to feel bad for this kid. He’ll literally do anything for a girl who has very questionable loyalties.

Chang Yi is Pushed to the Side

Hoon’s mind becomes even more one-track now that he knows Jae Hee is so close. Chang Yi tries to reach out to him, but he ends up pushing her away, telling her not to come near him anymore.

Great, now we have another mopey character to deal with…

Jae Joon Spends the Episode Begging to Stay at Myeongwoo Hospital

After losing the competition, it looks like Jae Joon will be forced out of his position at the hospital. His elaborate revenge plan is about to come crashing down and Jae Joon resorts to angry pleading to retain his place.

First he appeals to the hospital president for a rematch.

The whole locking himself in the room probably wasn’t the best way to gain support for his argument.

Next, he goes to see the Prime Minister.

And lastly, he kneels in front of President Oh’s house, pleading his case while the rain pours down.

Jae Joon’s Flashbacks

While begging, we get a glance at where Jae Joon’s hatred for the President Oh comes from.

Jae Joon’s tearful pleas in the past also fell on deaf ears. No one took responsibility for his father death.

One thing is certain, Jae Joon is willing to swallow all of his pride to make his revenge a reality.

Jae Joon Lashes Out at Soo Hyun

Jae Joon is not a happy camper. When Soo Hyun comes into his office, he verbally attacks her for assisting Hoon’s team. He even goes so far as to ask her why she suddenly wants to imitate a doctor. He sure isn’t winning any boyfriend points during their conversation.

In response, Soo Hyun claims that Jae Joon lost because he wanted to win. The real doctor won instead.

This couple is as good as dead.

Soo Hyun Isn’t Doing Very Well

After fighting with Jae Joon, Soo Hyun doesn’t know where to turn. She ends up heading over to Hoon’s hospital only to find that his place is empty. While waiting, her emotions catch up with her and she can’t help but cry.

The Prime Minister Finds Out Jae Joon’s True Identity

The cat’s out of the bag and the Prime Minister now knows of Jae Joon’s traumatizing past. Armed with this information, the Prime Minister wants Jae Joon to be the one to perform the surgery. He makes a special call to President Oh, instructing him to make Jae Joon the winner.

To gloss over the fact that Hoon won the competition, the Prime Minster produces evidence that Hoon stole Seung Hee’s medical records. I’m sure Hoon is going to have to deal with these consequences in the next episode…

Jae Hee Returns to Being Seung Hee 

At the end of this dramatic day is a celebratory party for Hoon’s team. Doctor Moon gathers everyone together, pretty much against their will, and Jae Hee is also in attendance. Once Hoon finds out, he rushes right over to make sure she is ok.

Hoon once again tries to convince Jae Hee to run away with him, claiming that he can protect her.

Jae Hee instead begs him to stop. She’s waited so long to see him and she doesn’t want them to be separated again.

Hoon gives into her tears, promising to do whatever she says.

She really is his ultimate weakness.

Hoon Will Pretend That Everything is Fine

The episode concludes with Hoon singing the Wonder Girl’s “Tell Me” with a drunk Soo Hyun. While this could have been hilarious, the episode’s dark and heavy atmosphere put an end to the giddy moments that were once integral to the show. With the exception of Doctor Moon, all of the characters are depressed with their own variety of problems. Let’s be honest, watching a bunch of sad characters wander around aimlessly really isn’t much fun.

In Conclusion

No matter how much I want to like Doctor Stranger, episodes 9 and 10 have made me throughly question the quality of this show. The plot is spiraling downward and I’m sorry to say that we’re only at the halfway mark. Character motives are all messed up, the mysteries and conspiracies are so drawn out that I no longer care, and  Hoon’s awesome character has basically turned into a sobbing puppy that will do anything for his girlfriend who probably isn’t really his girlfriend. Ah! Show pick a direction already.

This recap was really tough to write, mostly because I didn’t care very much about what happened in the episode. It started with the happy date montage. Did I care? No. Did the show want me to care? Yes, I think it did. Something’s wrong if the supposed main couple makes me feel sick when I watch them having fun together.

How can Hoon be so naive to just blindly trust Seung Hee? He LIVED in North Korea. He was forced to do horrible “experiments” by the regime. He should know to be at least a little suspicious, right? The absolute faith he places in his love is rather disconcerting to watch. I thought he was supposed to be a genius…

Show, you really need to step up your game. The plot is getting ridiculous and it’s now my turn to beg for an improvement. Please don’t continue to ruin this, especially since the show started out so strong!

What are your thoughts about Doctor Stranger? What do you think is going wrong? Is there any hope for improvement?

Please share your comments below!

Thanks for reading,

Rachel