Medical dramas have always been an audience favorite on television – from ER to Grey’s Anatomy, any series in the genre is bound to be filled with patient care, trouble between doctors, and more often than not, a personal story too. And although most of such series include humorous excerpts – most of the time in form of a sarcastic doctor character – few have the credibility to balance swathes of comedy with tragedy better than Existential Emergencies (Doctor Slump), a Korean drama series, now streaming on Netflix. The series has turned out to be a blockbuster, now the second most-viewed show on Netflix Mexico.
The Case of Existential Problems
In carrying the title Existential Emergencies, this movie may sound full of drama to the youth because it resolves around real life dilemmas. At the center of it are two high achievers of the medical profession, who are constantly at loggerheads with each other, Lee Dong-joo and Cha Jin-woo. During their high school years, these two boys could hardlywin the battle of the egos and grades. Their competitive spirits would hardly allow them to be anything but combative.
But such conflicts only sharpened one’s skills for the brighter days ahead where they would be needed the most, and so it turned out to be. Time & fate made sure that both of them turned up at the same work place, at the lowest echelons of their respective careers. Each of them is dealing with work pressure, stress level and traumatic decision making. These pivotal moments in Eleanor and Park’s lives, allow them to finally let go of the unnecessary rivalry and help one another with their crises.
The Korean Drama Signature
Like most Korean drama series, Existential Emergencies also illustrates the emotional and psychological struggles of its characters nicely. They try to delve deeper into the stress surrounding professional and personal lives, combined with effects of midlife crisis, failure awareness, as well as deeper maternal and paternal pressures on children. Such outlines of the plot allow the audience to understand heroes’ struggles against the most ingrained issues, such as the meaning of life, building relationships, and the sense of one’s place in the world.
Existential Emergencies is also noticeably different than most other medical dramas in how it depicts the practice of medicine. It stresses unendurable work hours, high demand, ethical issues, and other complexities of the profession. However, such serious topics are accompanied with periods of dark humor which helps relieve tension and allows the audience to feel more about the characters.
What Are The Benefits Of Watching Existential Emergencies?
If you’re new to K-Dramas, this is a good place to start. It combines sob-drama with surprising comedic interludes, making it an interesting plot. As critic Sarah Musnicky notes about the show, “[t]he series offers a good balance between stoicism and comic relief with regard to the interpretation of its characters.”
It also highlights self-discovering and resilience through the journey of Lee Dong-joo and Cha Jin-woo, from rivals to allies. Their challenges are quite relatable in this scenario in which she is not only a medical drama but also a much more profound chronicle of human relationships and self-development.
Currently streaming on Netflix Mexico, The series ‘Existential Emergencies’ is worth a watch for those looking for something new within the medical drama field. In search of binge-worthy series and the best sites to watch them, please visit Yesmovies.