Dramatic Friday Review: Dr Jin ep 7

Hello, and welcome to this week's installment of Dr Jin reviews.

We begin today's review of episode 7 with an investigation and a guy being strung up from a tree.  He's an official translator, the one who worked to help PigDog McNasty (Kim Dae Gyun) conduct his dirty business dealings with the mysterious Westerner - the man who sold a case of gold to PigDog McPimpy in exchange for a little nookie from the gisaeng, Gae Yang, who then contracted syphilis from the "transaction". Prince Ha Eung is on a warpath - trying to exact revenge for his gisaeng friend, the girl he rebuffed in the past when she more or less confessed to loving him and for which he has always regretted rebuffing.  The guys holding the man in the tree are looking for a name - who orchestrated the "transaction" between the gisaeng and the Westerner?  

He cracks and reveals that it is none other than PigDog himself.  

We then cut to a scene with PigDog McPimpy opening his chest of gold and admiring it fondly.  Looks like the translator guy wasn't lying after all.  He's got guilty written all over his nasty PigDog face and in his nasty PigDog squeals of joy and greed as he basks in the glory of his chest of gold.

We then rejoin and rehash a scene from last week - Dr Jin telling Ha Eung that he can't make the medicine because it shouldn't be made, that doing so will have too great an impact on history.  Ha Eung has a strong and valid argument, calling on him as a doctor who should help a patient if he has the ability, but still, Dr Jin isn't fully swayed.

The police show up at the tree where the translator is bound and gagged.  When asked what this is all about, Kyung Tak receives an answer he wasn't quite prepared to hear, his brother being named.  But named for what?  Does Kyung Tak even know what he's been accused of?  Either way, we get a cute look of shocked horror from Jaejoong.  Possible plot holes?  Who cares.  It's worth it to see this face.  *-*

Ha Eung and Joo Pal are discussing the gold and its worth.  Sounds like the gisaeng wasn't the only price paid for the gold - PigDog McPimpy scored it at the low, low price of 30% of its worth.  Ha Eung is concerned that he will now control the price of gold in Joseon.  Joo Pal is concerned that it's not just the price of gold that will fluctuate, but that he will control the flow and price of goods as well with all that wealth.  That's a lot of power for one nasty piece of work to wield.  I'd be worried too.  Things could get real ugly in a time that's already pretty darn ugly as far as dispartities between the haves and have-nots.  Ha Eung muses that if the gold were to be stolen, it would in effect be like killing him (PigDog) on the inside and even better than really killing him.  Ah, so he is seeking ultimate revenge for his gisaeng's sake.  Go Ha Eung!  Joo Pal declares that he's not willing to participate in the plot to steal the gold and runs away, scared for his life.  As much as he loves the thought of the gold, he fears the wrath of PigDog and his cronies more.  What's Ha Eung to do now?  Who will he consult with and get to help him in his plan?  Hmm....

Meanwhile, Dr Jin has gone to check on his patient, only to discover that she is missing.  We get a dramatic 'run through the city with dramatic music' scene before he finally comes across her sitting in the street getting water thrown at her and cast away for fear of bringing bad luck to those around her.  She's overheard Dr Jin saying that the medicine won't be available and that there is no hope for her, so she's run off to die on her own.

After talking to his pitiful patient who's one unrealized wish in life is to spend at least one day as a person, receiving love from the one she loves (Ha Eung), Dr Jin is finally swayed.  He promises her that she'll have that time and more after all and he takes off.  Time to make the doughnuts penicillin.

Who can say no to a face like that?

The doctors get to work!

Now we return to Ha Eung and his plot of revenge.  Joo Pal has opted out, so who does he now seek?  Why, Young Hwi and his roving band of misfits of course.  His welcome isn't so friendly as noted by the knife at the throat...

...but they eventually sit down and start talking once the 'pleasantries' are dispensed with.  Young Hwi learns of PigDog's illegal trading with the Westerner and the big box of gold hidden somewhere at the house of the Left Minister.  Ha Eung tells him that this is a great opportunity to embarrass the house of Kim Byung Hee and tells him that he and his band are welcome to keep all of the gold, minus a bar or two for the gisaeng who he says deserves at least this much.  He's a little angry and wants his revenge, caring nothing for the gold itself.  Aw, look at how noble he is.

Kyung Tak has informed his father and brother that Dae Gyun has been personally named as one who traded illegally with the Westerner.  Ol' Daddy's mad!  He's yelling and cursing and throwing things and calling his son not-so-nice things.  If I were Kyung Tak, I'd be secretly a little happy right about now.  Here's the brother and father who have tormented him his entire life for doing nothing other than being the product of a concubine and he gets to be the one to tattle on big brother and then watch big brother get handed his toosh by his father.

PigDog tries to tell his father that it's okay - they can sell the gold and make a fortune and the gisaeng will be dead soon and dead gisaengs tell no tales after all.  But he's forgetting something that Dad then points out - more people know about it now - no way to keep it a secret.  Unless those that know are eliminated.  Kyung Tak is sent on a mission - find the gisaeng and find out who she told.

Operation Steal the Gold is underway.  Do you like my totally uncreative name for it by the way?  I could totally write for this show.  Oh, that was mean.  I'm sorry.  Scratch that.  So Young Hwi's gang has shown up at Casa de Kim to steal the gold just as Kyung Tak is leaving with his orders to find the gisaeng.

A battle ensues.  Oh wait, no.  I'm getting ahead of myself here.  The gold is found.  The gold that was supposedly "buried deep" inside PigDog's room.  For a dog, he certainly could learn a thing or two about burying something deep.  It's in a safe in the wall.  An unlocked safe.  Not even a safe.  It's a cubby behind a screen.  Ooh!  Nice hiding spot there genius!  You deserve to get your precious gold stolen you dumb, dirty ape.

Lest we forget about the drama's namesake, we rejoin Dr Jin and the other doctors as they are making some meds.  The cultures have been sitting and it is now time to check them to see if they have found a working medicine.  There's like 20 or so of these containers that they're checking.

First one?  Fail.  2-19?  Fail.  It's all dramatic as we come to the very last one.

Oooh.  The suspense.  It's killing me.  No, not really.  Of course it will be the very last one that is a success.  You know, just when you've given up all hope that the crash course in biochem produced a usable drug, those tricky writers get ya.  We're on the edge of our seats here.  o_O  Cheesy uncreative totally predictable waste of time.  Oh darn, there I go again.  I really should learn to play nicer.  What I meant was that this was creative writing genius to get us all worked up and worried that all is lost only to spring on us in a dramatic fashion with the very last dish that it wasn't a complete failure after all.  I totally didn't see that twist coming.  

Okay, now to the battle scene (i.e. we return to Jaejoong).

Swords are flying, gold is dropping, best friends are squaring off.  Kyung Tak holds a sword to one of Young Hwi's men.  Byung Hee shows up. "Hey kids, what the heck is all this racket out here?".  Young Hwi turns his sword on him.  Now they both have a hostage.  Kyung Tak has a bit of an advantage here seeing as how he has a gun and a sword.  He threatens Young Hwi to not harm a hair on dear daddy's head.  Oh really?  How touching.  Dude, seriously, do the world a favor and let papa go.  Just then, PigDog stumbles out like a giant buffoon and rushes off once he sees what's going down.  That guy's always good for a laugh or insult.

Reinforcements show up.  Young Hwi bascially says that all they have to do is release the gang member, but Byung Hee is more intent on saving the gold than his own head.  Um, dude, yeah, good luck spending that cash while your blood runs from your sorry neck.  Just to show he's serious, Young Hwi gives him a little nick which causes Kyung Tak to go all crazy, stepping away from his hostage and advancing on Young Hwi, who then gives Byung Hee a shove and runs off as Kyung Tak fires and misses.  There's a little chase and Young Hwi and his gang get away.

PigDog Just Go Away Yourself Already yells at little brother for letting them get away.

To which Kyung Tak responds with a "Whoa!  Wait a minute!  Who's fault is this?  Who started this all?".  Yay!  Way to grow a pair and stand up to the big mean bully!

The search is on for the gisaeng.  The stakes are higher now, for now she is the perceived key to figuring out who's got the gold.

The officers go to the gisaeng house where Choon Hong puts on a good show, claiming that the girl has run off, possibly to commit suicide.  She begs him to let her know when he finds her corpse so that she can say goodbye.  Kyung Tak stops the search, but figures that Choon Hong really does know the whereabouts of Gae Yang, and so posts a watch to track the comings and goings from the gisaeng house.

Gae Yang has started her treatments and it is going well.  They are all smiles.  Until Ha Eung reveals that the police are looking for Gae Yang.  Dr Jin yells at him for putting the life of the gisaeng in more danger.

Just then, the Royal Doctor appears asking about this mysterious new medicine that he has heard they created.  Of course it's all a ruse to find the gisaeng.

Dr Ha, who has just learned that Gae Yang was being hidden there at the clinic is panicked as they search for her.  When they get to the shed, he so unconvincingly tries to tell them that it's just a storage shed.  Might as well hang a giant flashing neon sign that says, "She's right here!".    

Seriously, this guy should never play poker

Oh, good.  They moved her just in time.  She's safe...for now.  Phew.  But it sounds like we have a snitch on our hands - someone who told the Royal Doc that the gisaeng was there at the clinic.  Who could it be?  Sounds like little birdies are tweeting all over the place here.  Everywhere we turn there seems to be an unknown snitch, whether for the good guys or bad.

Ha Eung has temporarily stashed her at Joo Pal's place and has asked for his help in getting her set up to flee in four days.  Joo Pal is unwilling to help, that is, until the gold bar comes out.  Then he's all smiles and Mr Helpful.

Choon Hong and another gisaeng step out to go visit Gae Yang.  Uhm, we know that Ha Eung overheard Kyung Tak placing a watch on the gisaeng house; has no one mentioned it to them?  Or did they really think that these disguises would work?

Great disguises! No one will ever spot us now as we sneak off inconspicuously.

Well, except for maybe this guy.

There's a reunion between the gisaeng sisters.  Gae Yang is looking a lot better and nearly recovered.

"I feel pretty and witty and syphillis-free"

But our happy girl-time is interrupted as officers rush in and take Gae Yang.

She is beaten and tortured.  They want to know who she told about the Westerner and PigDog's little business deal.  She won't talk.

They threaten her with a burning hunk of metal.  They even promise to let her go and to give her a fortune with which to use to return home to her hometown.  But she can't be swayed. She's been down this road before.  She responds by telling them that the whole reason she finds herself in this position now is because she trusted such promises from nobles like him before.  And look where that got her.  Living with an STD and being tortured for information.  Yeah, like she's going to believe your line any more there buddy.

Ouch!  I'll admit to cringing right about now as the flesh seared.  One must admire the girl's fortitude and tenacity to not give in and to endure the torture like she did.

Even these guys are applauding her as they find out that she is being questioned and tortured personally by  PigDog, but that she has kept quiet and not given them the information they seek.  That's one tough cookie there.

Knowing that Gae Yang is suffering so is too much for Young Rae to bear.  She approaches Kyung Tak and begs him to at least let the patient finish her treatment.  She promises to not return to the clinic in exchange for his help.

He likes the sound of that.

"When the sun falls and it gets dark, send a doctor then."

The sun has fallen and it's dark.  Doctor Jin shows up at the prison.  The guards aren't so willing to let the good doctor in, but Kyung Tak orders them to anyway.

Jin rushes to Gae Yang's side.  He tells her that he's not there to let her out - they're still working on that - but that he's going to finish treating her.  He sees her tortured and mutilated body and gives Kyung Tak a look.  A look that says, "how could you be such a barbaric monster?"

Kyung Tak gets the message loud and clear and you can tell that he's not too happy about the methods used either.  He's driven by a sense of duty.  His brother, the one who oversaw and ordered the torture, by evilness.  It's good to see Kyung Tak's shame and remorse at the situation.

Dae Gyun comes storming in demanding what is going on.  He goes ballistic.  Then Byung Hee joins the party and Dr Jin is dragged out and summoned inside.

Jin tries to convince Byung Hee that she deserves treatment no matter her crime.  Byung Hee commends him for his talents and even offers him a job at the palace hospital and asks him why he is using his great skill on such a useless person.

Byung Hee declares that the worth of a person is based on rank, and that it is more noble for Jin to have saved his life than the life of a lowly gisaeng.  To which Jin replies that that isn't how he sees things.  He thinks that all life is equal and that everyone, noble or not, only has one life and that that one life is worth preserving.  Just as he is threatening Dr Jin to watch himself, a servant rushes in to tell him that Gae Yang has bit her tongue and...

Well, we don't know what happened, except that she bit her tongue and is now dead.  Dead at her own hands, or well, teeth and tongue I guess.  Poor sad, sad girl.  Her life was one of tragedy and misfortune.

Her funeral was beautiful though.  The procession of gisaengs dressed in white and the elaborate palaquin-type whatsading-y bearing the body of the deceased.  I may be wrong about this, seeing as how I know nothing on Joseon-era life, but it seemed to me to be way more elaborate than a gisaeng's funeral would have been.  It seems to me as if a great honor is being bestowed on this young lady.  Just a guess on my part though.

There's a scene with Jin and Choon Hong that I skipped here.  Basically Choon Hong is throwing herself in a sad, pitiful way at Dr Jin who kindly declines her offer yet again.  But then there is a part that we flashback to later, so I might as well mention it.  Remember how Choon Hong is known for her fortune-telling abilities?  Well, this scene eludes to the idea that maybe she might know a little of what is going on with Dr Jin's time slip when she mentions other worlds in which people may live parallel but different lives, a concept also brought up by the dead girlfriend back in modern day.  She plays it off, but then says "in this world many inexplicable events happen."  I have a feeling this will be important later.  You know, because of all the flashbacks and stuff.

And the following conversation he has with Young Rae about the same subject.  "Someone I knew in another world said I will live as a completely different person.  Perhaps, you and I, in the other world, the fact that we might meet again as other people, have you ever thought about that?"

Huh?

An unknown amount of time since the funeral has passed.  Jin is working at the clinic.  He's currently brewing up some anethesia.  There's a bit of trouble as the people are all desperate for penicillin and are mobbing the clinic to get at it, but the supply of it is low.  Ha Eung makes a reappearance.  I guess he had taken off for a while to travel and calm body and spirit after Gae Yang's passing.  It's a happy reunion between the friends.  As he is leaving to attend to patients, Ha Eung tell him that he has a special patient for Dr Jin to see, a noblewoman who needs a private consultation.

Kyung Tak has received permission from his father, mostly in thanks to his efforts in the whole coverup attempt, to go forward with his wedding.  He visits the home of Young Rae to discuss it with her mother.

Mom is excited and completely on board.

Young Rae?  Yeah, not so much.  She's thinking of the doctor I betcha.

The doctor who is on his way to the home of the noblewoman in need of medical attention.  She is so high class that she sits behind a curtain.

When Dr Jin enters her chambers, she removes a scarf to reveal a giant nasty growth on her neck.

It sort of looks like she had her own Brain Baby that slipped out of her head and down in to her neck.

Dr Jin diagnoses it as a tumor of the salivary gland and one that can be removed through a simple operation. She blanches at the idea of an operation, concerned with how it might mar her appearance.  Are we supposed to be picturing some rich heiress woman addicted to plastic surgery and carrying a pooch as an accessory while teetering around on ridiculously high heels and trying to act 10-20 years younger?  Because that's kind of the vibe I'm getting off of her so far based on her reaction to the idea of surgery.  Maybe that's just me.  I don't know about you, but I think she'd be more concerned with the giant lump on her neck than a little itty bitty scaring.  But what do I know?

Wow Lady!  That's quite the goiter you're rocking there.

Jin returns from his consultation and is met by Young Rae's mother who in essence is kicking him out because Young Rae's wedding is now officially proceeding and it would be troublesome to have him, an unmarried, unrelated male living with them any longer.

Sorry dude, but you gotta move out.

Young Rae reacts to her mother telling Jin about her upcoming nuptials.  Hmm, maybe she's not so excited about this marriage?  A little trouble in paradise perhaps?  Gee, she doesn't happen to have a thing for the doctor does she?  Guess we'll just have to wait and see there, now won't we.

Is it just me or does she not look like a happy, blushing bride-to-be?

And that's where we'll leave it for today.  What were your thoughts on this episode or parts of this episode?  Anything?  Did you like it?  Take it or leave it?  Do you think that Choon Hong has some mystical inklings as to Dr Jin's true identity?  Where do you think they're going with this whole thing?