Review: TvN's Emergency Couple

Song Ji Hyo as Oh Jin Hee and Choi Jin Hyuk as Oh Chang Min

I've been taking a break from blogging to deal with overall general craziness at work and family. And also to try to get a handle on my personal life. And I came to a realization one day that lives are just one big K-Drama.

I've been watching a drama called, "Emergency Couple" (응급남녀; RR: Eunggeubnamnyeo; lit. "Emergency Man and Woman") starring Song Ji Hyo (Palace/Princess Hours) and Choi Jin Suk (Heirs, Panda and Mr. Hedgehog).

If you haven't seen it yet, please beware that there will be spoilers in this post.

Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hyuk play a divorced couple (Oh Jin Hee and Oh Chang Min) who meet up again while they are interning as doctors at a hospital.

Marriage Minefield

As you can imagine, the marriage leading up to the divorce was a mess and really tough to handle. So when they meet up again, the encounter isn't very pretty. Both absolutely hate each others guts for various reasons. And then to find out that the other had made it through the tests to be a doctor and that they were going to be thrown together on a daily basis, well, that just made it even more uncomfortable.

Add in extra people as side love interests to make a couple of love triangles and the usual family dynamics- Chang Min coming from a very well off family of doctors and Jin Hee coming from a rough and poor family background, and you've got your K-Drama.

Lee Pil Mo as Chief of Emergency Medicine, Gook Cheon Soo, scolding the newest group of interns in his ER.

As the drama unfolds (and it's still unfolding as of this post) the negative aspects of their past relationship starts to fall away and they begin to see each other in new light and acquire a new found respect for each other. As the animosity drops away, their feelings of attraction for each other grows stronger again. However, the effects of their past marriage and the current playing field (new love interests for each one) throw serious doubts on whether or not this love is real or just a passing infatuation. For instance, Jin Hee, sweet and naive Jin Hee, can't even fathom that explosive Chang Min, who had actually initiated the divorce and basically left her rather abruptly, could even have any feelings for her. And if he really does, how can she be so sure that he's changed?? And why now when there's an honorable and honest guy waiting for her??

On the flip side, Chang Min, after several scenes of reflecting over his feelings for Jin Hee and fighting feelings of jealousy over his competition, Chief of Emergency Medicine, Gook Cheon Soo (played by Lee Pil Mo), he finds that his ex-wife has matured and blossomed into the woman he just can't live without. (Huh, go figure.) And it was he, not Jin Hee, who was the bad apple in the relationship.

So here's what I'm struggling with now.

Are there any second chances?

Oh Chang Min, a gentleman?

If someone who you gave your all to, someone you loved with all of your heart, turned out to be a complete jack's arse. And after so many years, after walking away, or coming to terms with walking away, they tell you that they have changed or that they will change. Would you believe them?

Would you be as generous as Jin Hee and say all the hurt you've caused is in the past? Strong enough to tell that person that you want to move on? Or would you give them another chance, and risk that things will go back to the way it was before?

Would you believe in the fairytale, that everything will work out in the end?

Flashback of Jin Hee and Chang Min 

At what point do you cut your losses and start over?

See, some people think that K-Dramas are all fun and silliness. And yes, some of them are. Some are purely meant for entertainment purposes. And there are some that speaks to you. Some that you will connect with, cry over, talk about over lunch.

For me, I'm beyond connecting with this drama. I'm really interested in this drama (even though there's another drama, Bride of the Century with FT Island's Lee Hong Ki in it that I would love to watch), and I relate especially with Jin Hee. There's a lot of hurt in her character. A lot of fear. And a lot of maturity in her character. Chang Min's character gives me hope that maybe people can change. Maybe some people do reflect on their bad actions. (Yes, I know it's only a drama.) But at the same time, it really made me think. Would you continue to be by someone that you've had a lot of negative history with? (even if not all were negative) Or do you cut your losses and start over? Whether it be with someone in the future, or alone, would you be strong enough? Thoughts like these run through my head as I watch Jin Hee and Chang Min's scenes together.

K-Dramas like this make you think. No, they make you evolve. How you handle the evolution is really up to you, I guess.

Who will Jin Hee pick? Will she believe that Chang Min's changed? Or will she go with the gruff, yet honestly lovable Chun Soo?

We will have to wait and see...

Source: Dramabeans

Chang Min acts on his feelings to hopefully win Jin Hee back