‘Doctor Cha Jeong-sook’ syndrome, discovered by Min Woo-hyuk and Jo A-ram

With the frightening momentum of the JTBC drama 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook', gems such as actors Min Woo-hyuk, Jo A-ram, and So-rin are shining. At the center of the play are the passionate performances of Uhm Jeong-hwa and Kim Byeong-cheol, but there is a lot of interest in the characters who enrich the play by bringing excitement, tension, and laughter by their side.

‘Doctor Cha Jeong-sook’ is truly gaining syndrome popularity. It started with a viewership rating of 4% and achieved high ratings in each episode, surpassing 18% in 10 episodes, ranking 4th in JTBC's all-time drama viewership rating. Uhm Jung-hwa ranked first for three consecutive weeks in a survey of TV-OTT integrated drama cast topics in the first week of May published by Good Data Corporation.

Uhm Jung-hwa, who returned to the small screen after six years, delicately portrays Cha Jeong-sook, who started her residency after being a full-time housewife for 20 years. In particular, in a recent broadcast, she was shocked and cried when she found out about her husband Seo In-ho's (played by Kim Byeong-cheol) affair and the existence of an extramarital child, causing sadness. The ability to persevere in any situation gave viewers encouragement.

Kim Byeong-cheol also clearly showed his presence as a villain who cannot be hated. If you look at the character, he is a bad person who deserves to be criticized, but if you get to know him, he is a very sloppy man, and this is clearly conveyed through Kim Byeong-cheol's actions and facial expressions. It is said that Kim Byeong-cheol, who updated the character of his life in each work such as 'SKY Castle', 'Goblin', and 'Doctor Prisoner', met the character of his life again through 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook'.

Along with this, characters such as Roy Kim (played by Min Woo-hyuk), who develops a straightforward romance toward Cha Jeong-sook, Jeon So-ra (played by Jo A-ram), a third-year surgical resident who does not tolerate even a single mistake, and Choi Eun-seo (played by So Ah-rin), Seo In-ho's child from out of wedlock, also have high ratings. Interest is growing.

The biggest beneficiaries of ‘Doctor Cha Jeong-sook’ are Min Woo-hyuk and Jo A-ram. This is because both Min Woo-hyuk and Jo A-ram are stars with a twisted past as singers before becoming actors. Min Woo-hyuk, a former baseball player, debuted as a singer in 2003, but had to endure a long period of obscurity. After working as a singer for 10 years, he began his path to success by taking on the musical stage. His wife is Lee Se-mi, a member of the girl group LPG, and they got married in 2012.

Although he is now a famous star in the musical world, he is an unfamiliar face in dramas. Although she appeared in supporting roles in 'The Third Charm' and 'People with Flaws', 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook' is her first time playing a leading role. Min Woo-hyuk is hitting women's hearts with his stable media acting, which is unusual for his first leading role.

Jo A-ram is a former idol who debuted in the girl group Gugudan at the age of 17. Although she received a lot of love while working under the stage name Hyeyeon, she left the team in 2018 due to health issues, signed an exclusive contract with her current agency, Beyond J, in 2022, and began her career as an actress under the new stage name 'Jo A-ram'.

In 'Doctor Cha Jeong-suk', Jo A-ram convincingly portrays a selfish character who does not hesitate to say harsh words to Cha Jeong-suk, who is similar to her parents, and values herself more than her future with her boyfriend, with a charm that cannot be hated. In a recent broadcast, she and Cha Jung-sook, who were having a hard time, went out for a drive and got caught in the rain together, raising expectations for a 'woman's' chemistry.

Rookie Soarin’s acting is also impressive. She clearly made a mark on the public by immersively portraying various emotional changes, from the mother-daughter relationship between hot and cold baths with her mother Choi Seung-hee (played by Myung Se-bin) to jealousy toward her half-sister Seo Yi-rang (played by Lee Seo-yeon).

I am curious to see how far the popularity of 'Doctor Cha Jeong-sook' will soar with such detailed directing and the strong performances of the actors, and what record 'Dr. Cha Jeong-sook' will write in the remaining 6 episodes.

Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr