Dramatic Friday Review: Dr Jin ep 5

*Warning!  This episode not only contains more vomit, but also has giant needles being shoved into various locations on bodies.  So if you're squeamish about these sort of things, you may want to look away.  Or at least not be eating while watching.  Don't say you haven't been warned.*

-This has been a public service announcement brought to you by The Crazy Ahjummas.  

Trypanophobia: the extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles

It was also a tough episode to review for me.  As I told Unnie in a text as I was whining sharing my thoughts, not enough was laughable, but not enough was laudable either.  It just...was.  So, while I tried to make this one as entertaining as I could, I just wasn't feeling it today.  Sorry.  Just setting expectations low - don't want you to be disappointed.  Hopefully you'll get to the end and be all "what was she thinking?  This was amazing!  Golly gosh gee whillikers - I sure love this Dongsaeng lady and her recaps of this show.  She makes Dr Jin worth watching.  Well, her and Jaejoong".


Now that you have been sufficiently warned and prepared, let's get started shall we?

Before we rejoin where we left off in the last episode, we're treated to Young Rae's lesson in phlebotomy with the newly made crude IV equipment...

And now, we go back to where we left it.  Kyung Tak is holding a sword on Dr Jin, trying to find out why Young Rae is there and attempting to get her to leave the makeshift hospital and return home with him.  She comes to Dr Jin's defense, insisting that it was all her own doing, but Jin jumps in and says that he asked her to be there and needs her there because she knows the village and the people there trust her.  When asked by KT if he knew who YR was to him, Jin responds with, "Yes, a fiance. Not anyone can do this job.  You have got an incredible person as your fiance."  Well, really, what can he say to that now, huh?  "No, she's not incredible"?  I didn't think so.  Close your mouth, put away your sword and let the good doctor and nurse take care of all the sick people.  Just stand there and look pretty.  And when she leaves you for him, come and find me.

The conversation is cut short by a medical emergency when Myeong Bok takes a turn for the worse.  Kneeling by his bedside, Dr Jin admits that he has never been this desperate to save someone, even after working hard as a doctor, it never meant anything to him, it was just his job to save lives.  Aw, looks like the Tin Man has gained a heart.

Young Rae comforts him in his moment of distress by lightly placing her hand on his shoulder.  Oooh!  The scandal!  She's engaged after all.  Good thing KT wasn't around with his sword right then.

Thankfully the future king is saved - hurrah! - as witnessed by the scene where the kid takes a wiz in front of the doctors Jin and Huh, his father, and Young Rae.  C'mon!  Pee kid, pee!  Talk about your performance anxiety.  No wonder it takes him so long and so much effort with all those people standing around watching him and cheering him on as he tries ever so hard to take a leak.

When that golden arch stream finally starts a'flowin', everyone cheers!  Ha Eung hands over a pile of cash to Dr Jin for supplies as a show of his gratitude for saving his son.  The good times keep rolling as a mysterious bounty of supplies shows up miraculously - salt and corn syrup needed for the rehydration solution.

Where did it come from?

Looks like our "bandits" are more of the Robin Hood variety than the bad guy variety.  (Why is everyone masked but Young Hwi? Doesn't that make it really obvious to anyone who happens to see?)

Just when everything is looking up and it seems like the worst is over...  Uh oh.  You guessed it, Dr Jin gets a bad case of diarrhea (HOLY MOLY - that totally reminds me!  Has anyone seen this video?  I shouldn't even post it here in the middle of my recap because you'll go there and watch it and die.  Literally die because it is that bizarre, odd and rip-roaring hilarious.  Just promise me that in your next life you'll come back and finish reading this post, K?).

This screen shot was followed by more vomiting, but I omitted that visual.  We had enough bodily fluids in the last two episodes.  Just know that right after this shot there was puke, lots and lots of puke from our doctor friend.

There's also a part where Jin is all, "Huh, so this is what cholera was like.  Kinda sucky." (ok, maybe paraphrasing just a tad there).  On a side note, he looks pretty good here all sick and sweaty and not talking.  

We then cut to a scene where Byung Hee, the royal doctor, gisaeng Choon Hong, and Kyung Tak are all gathered.  The doctor and Byung Hee are congratulating themselves on a job well done in controlling the cholera outbreak.  Giving themselves the ol' pat on the back, you know, like they actually did something.  An officer appears and brings word from the hospital - Dr Jin is himself sick and being treated by Dr Huh and Young Rae.  When asked by his father what in the world his fiance is doing treating cholera patients, Kyung Tak claims that it was his idea to send her because of her genuine concern for treating those with the disease due to her father dying of it.  It's all about saving face in front of Daddy, isn't it?

You know he's tortured at this point.  It doesn't help when Choon Hong, renowned for her fortune-telling as well as her gisaeng skills, pretty much tells him that he better watch it, his fiance has a thing for the doctor.  She also tells him, related to this, that he will soon be in danger.  What kind of danger, we're not so sure.  Danger of losing her?  That one's pretty obvious and I think he knows it too.  Danger of losing himself?  Physical danger?  Guess we just have to wait an see what these premoniscient words mean.

Upon hearing that supplies are once again running low at the hospital, Ha Eung decides that he is going to approach the Left State Minister (Byung Hee) and ask for help.  He (Byung Hee) owes his life to Dr Jin after all.  Dr Huh is skeptical, but Ha Eung holds out hope that the noblemen will step up and do the right thing.

We then have a reunion between old friends, (a drunk by the way) Kyung Tak and Young Hwi.  We find out that they were childhood pals and that, even when everyone else treated him like a "bug" (his word, not mine) for being the son of a concubine, both Young Hwi and Rae were kind to him.  Aww, no wonder he cares about her.  He then admits that he's loved her since he was a child and that he is secretly relieved at the Hong family's current condition because it is what made his dream of marrying her a reality.  It wouldn't have been possible if they hadn't lost their father and consequently, their fortune.

There is a bit of an upset at the hospital. Dr Jin's health is not well.  Choon Hong shows up with rice...and a request.  She wishes to take Dr Jin away and care for him herself in a cleaner, warmer environment.  She and Young Rae have a face-off.  Young Rae refuses to release him to Choon Hong's care.  The gisaeng tells her that it will be better for everyone and that her being so near Jin is going to be a poison for them both.

The cat fight is interrupted when Dr Jin takes yet another turn for the worse.  Young Rae and Dr Huh both rush to his side.  It is decided that he needs more fluids, which means a line directly into the femoral artery.  Young Rae saw him do the procedure on Myeong Bok, and after a quick back and forth and awkward moment because of the impropriety of her seeing his naked lower half, she goes for it.  Sticks a big ol' needle in his leg.  Anyone squeamish at that sight?  It was nice close up.  Trypanophobes beware!

Ha Eung meets with the royal doctor (Dr Yoo) and thinks that he has convinced the government to help those victims of the cholera outbreak by appealing to the man's pride (he tells him that once cholera is cured, he, Dr Yoo, will be able to take credit for being involved).  Ha Eung's biggest mistake though is that he trusts these noblemen to be noble men and honorable and keep their promises.

There is a cheesy scene where Dr Jin is called back from the brink of death by Young Rae begging him not to go.

Oh dear, looks like she's a goner.  She likes him.  This means trouble.  Poor Jaejoong.  My hug offer from last week still stands Jae.

He awakens and all the people rejoice and "storm the field" so to say (rush in to the hospital).  Gee, Dr Jin is sure popular among these folks now.  Way to win friends there Dr Jin!  The jubilant air is made all the more jubilant when Ha Eung announces that the government has acknowledged the treatment and will support Dr Jin's methods and bring it to all 8 provinces of Joseon.  Three cheers for Dr Jin!

But remember, these are not honorable men we're dealing with here.  While the people rejoice, the powers that be are discussing a completely different plan of action.  They have decided instead of helping to support the medical treatment that they will burn down the village of To Mak.  This is a two-fold plan - wipe out the cholera, but also the less desirable elements (you know, like all those icky poor people).

Burn it!!!  Burn it all!!!
(P.S. Does anyone else think of Star Wars with this picture? I don't know why because I don't know Star Wars very well, but for some reason it reminds me of a character.  Anyone else see it?  Or am I just weird?)

What?!  No way!

Kyung Tak is ordered by his father to set the village on fire, but initially refuses to do so.  Since his son refuses, Byung Hee steps over his head and instead gives direction to go straight to the police station and give the order.  At this point, and after hearing the conversation between his father, brother and Dr Yoo, Kyung Tak reenters the room and changes his mind - he will go and burn the village as his father has requested.  What?! No!  There has to be some noble reason behind this action, there just has to.  Jaejoong wouldn't play a bad guy.  He just wouldn't.  I mean, look at that face!  Does that look like a psychopathic arsonist to you?

Maybe it's to save the girl?  Because the next thing we know, she's gagged and dragged away by the police. Kyung Tak is waiting.  He tells her to get on a horse, which of course she refuses to do - no way she's leaving.  He then, in front of her, gives the order to set the town ablaze.

The people in the village, upon seeing the officers arrive, at first assume that they have brought the needed supplies and cheer.

That is, until the fires start.

Then we have mass chaos.  Fires blazing, people scattering and running for their lives, and the hospital being evacuated.  In all the hubbub, it is discovered that little Shik is missing.

His parents search frantically for him.  Finally his mother finds him in his hide-and-seek hiding spot, but they are unable to get out as the fire rages around them.  Jin, Shik's father, Ha Eung and the people of the village look on in horror as they watch the buildings burn, knowing that this woman and child are trapped and being completely helpless to save them.

Once the blaze is extinguished, they go in search of the bodies, which are found lying together on the floor of a hut.  Miraculously though, just when they thought all was lost, little Shik is found to be alive.  His mother, who fought off death twice, gave her final sacrifice and saved her son from the flames.

Young Rae, dragged away by Kyung Tak, stands on a hillside and watches the village where she served and worked so diligently go up in flames.

Kyung Tak approaches and she tells him that even though he is employed by the government, there are just some lines you do not cross.

He admits to her that he volunteered for the job in order to save her.  The village was going to burn one way or another, but by being the one to do it, he could ensure her safety.  While I can see his logic, it is obviously misguided.  Does he really think that this will win her heart?  Probably not.  I'm sure he's smarter than that, but still....  The poison, as predicted by Choon Hong, has started to spread.  The arrogant nobles have only ignited the flame of resentment of the populace.  Kyung Tak has in essence driven "his woman" into the arms of another man.  At least these are my predictions and where I think we're going from this point.  I suppose we'll have to just stay tuned and see what awaits us in episode 6.