Why Ghost Doctor is so good that fans are hoping for Season 2

Ghost Doctor is a Korean fantasy medical drama that just aired its final episode on 22 February, setting a record in viewership ratings in South Korea.

Despite what the title suggests, there is nothing scary about the drama. In the words of one of the lead actors Kim Bum, it is a drama “that teaches us how precious life is and teaches us a lot about love and friendship.”

The 16-episode series revolves around two doctors with extreme backgrounds and skills who merge into one person after an accident.

Here are seven things about Ghost Doctor, and why it's the K-drama you should not miss.

1. It stars Rain and Kim Bum.

Ghost Doctor is actor-singer Rain’s first TV series in three years, after he last acted in the 2019 fantasy rom-com Welcome 2 Life. This is also his first time doing a medical drama – he confessed that the lines were very hard to memorise in a behind-the-scenes video.

Rain stars alongside Kim Bum, who is best known for his roles as F4 member So Yi-jung in Boys Over Flowers (2009), half-blood gumiho Lee Rang in Tale Of The Nine Tailed (2020), and smart first-year student Han Joon-hwi in Law School (2021).

2. Rain plays the role of an arrogant genius doctor Cha Young-min.

In Ghost Doctor, Rain portrays an arrogant and selfish but highly talented and capable doctor Cha Young-min.

Despite his extraordinary ability to save lives, pulling off even the most complex surgeries, he is very selective of his patients, neglecting the ones who seem to possess no hope of survival or recovery.

However, his successful life takes an unexpected turn when he gets into a traffic accident. The scene may remind you of Marvel’s Doctor Strange, except he didn’t lose his precious hands but almost lost his life. As he falls into a coma, his spirit becomes detached from his body, what is known as a “coma ghost”.

3. The human world and spirit world are like parallel universes, existing in different realms.

Unlike most supernatural shows, the spirits in Ghost Doctor can neither interact with the physical world (they can’t make your cup fall off the table, for instance), nor pass through walls. They exist in a different dimension that replicates the human world; if there’s a wall in the human world, there’s a wall in the spirit world as well. Although this is a small detail to the story, it is a crucial part to the setting, forming the basis of the subsequent events.

4. An old ghost in the hospital plays a pivotal role in the story.

Veteran actor Sung Dong-il — known for his supporting roles in Sisyphus: The Myth and Jirisan — portrays Tess, a ghost in his 60s who has been wandering around the hospital for two decades.

Despite being a supporting character, Tess is indispensable as he connects most of the characters together, and teaches Cha the ropes of being a spirit.

By possessing someone in the hospital, he also goes around the hospital to pick up the slack and encourages the staff with surprise gifts. Tess may be a simple character, but he is weaved intricately into the drama. As the story unfolds, his identity and purpose become clearer, making this sub-plot one of the most comical yet touching aspects of the drama.

5. Kim Bum plays the role of an intelligent but clumsy medical graduate Ko Seung-tak.

In Ghost Doctor, Kim Bum portrays Ko Seung-tak, a first-year cardiothoracic surgery resident in a hospital owned by his family.

Although he is remarkable at theory, churning out technical explanations like reading off a textbook, his inept hands cannot seem to match up to his knowledge.

One day, Cha’s spirit possesses his body by accident, inevitably turning him into a genius resident doctor who can execute challenging operations that even the other surgeons shun. However, Ko retains no memory of what happened when being possessed, causing confusion to the people around him.

In order to make a good impression on his grandfather and survive his residency at the hospital, which he will eventually take over, he has to take extra precaution to keep this secret of being possessed safe, in addition to another secret he has been keeping since young.

Kim’s acting is put to the test as he portrays a character with dual personalities: the original carefree Ko, and the stern Ko when possessed by Cha. It is always fun to guess if Ko has been possessed, which is made easy to discern with Kim’s nuanced expressions.

6. Their bromance is a love-hate relationship.

With different approaches to medical practice, Cha and Ko are at odds with each other when they first meet. Their opposing relationship also highlights the ethical qualities of a doctor: would you choose a doctor with exceptional skills but is cold-hearted, or a friendly doctor who is unskilful?

As Cha’s spirit can only possess Ko’s body, he is left with no choice but to get acquainted with the one person he hates the most at work. Yet, as Cha gets to know Ko better, he learns to appreciate him and starts to identify with his values, likewise for Ko.

While working together, both characters undergo intriguing developments that shed light on their background stories. The reasons that make them who they are and how they overcome their weaknesses add depth to the characters, making the drama so fascinating to watch. It is made even better with the great brother-like chemistry between the two actors.

7. Rain and Kim Bum each forms a swoonworthy pair with Uee and Son Na-eun respectively.

Interestingly, this fantasy medical drama also has rom-com elements, with Rain pairing up with Uee as Jang Se-jin, and Kim Bum with Apink’s Naeun as Oh Soo-jeong.

Jang is Cha’s ex-girlfriend, a neurosurgeon.

Oh is an emergency room intern, who has an unspoken close relationship with Ko.

Both couples are so cute and swoonworthy that you’ll root for them and hope for a happy ending, even if Ghost Doctor is not a romance drama.

With an attractive star-studded cast, Ghost Doctor sees not just amazing chemistry among its actors, but is also the drama that can satisfy your needs for a supernatural story on doctors and patients, supplemented by a dash of romance and bountiful comedy.

All 16 episodes of Ghost Doctor are now available for streaming on Viu and iQiyi.

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