[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Emergency Couple" Episode 14

The drama gets a much needed boost in the characterization department with the appearance of patients. No, not plot devices which exist solely to demonstrate the medical abilities of the main cast, which is all we've seen so far. Actual people. Specifically, a little boy who has self-worth issues thanks to a lack of parents, and a priest who's rather crabby about young people these days and the lack of respect they show to the institution of marriage.

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The relevance of these scenes is indirect, obviously, and I doubt we're going to see either of these people ever again. But the effect they have on the main cast in the moment, forcing them to adopt a proper bedside manner to best serve the hospital's guests, is an essential one. Cheon-soo in particular gets to clearly describe who he is, and how he got to his current place in the world, in a way that would have been rather awkward in any other context given how generally tight-lipped he is.

Like his attitude on the whole love triangle thing. Personally, I don't think Jin-hee and Cheon-soo have anything that can reasonably be called chemistry, and they both know it. But they can still be friends, this is still a relationship that's beneficial to them- and here comes Chang-min, crashing in with no subtlety whatsoever, acting like a rather boorish caveman. Cheon-soo's reaction to Chang-min is the only appropriate one. And Jin-hee as well is clearly remembering how her marriage broke apart, even if Chang-min seems absolutely determined to forget.

It's rather sad looking at these events in both the past and present context, because we see in flashbacks this portrayal of a couple very clearly in love, and the modern day also gives a sense of lingering, unresolved feelings. But this isn't enough to let us ignore the text. Even though Chang-min boldly declares that Jin-hee is his woman, the man has completely forgotten that it's White Day. This is significant- even rejected romantic crushes have enough sense to remember White Day.

By the way, Ah-reum, you might want to reconsider your plans for life advancement. I see Two Guys in this drama- one who is clearly romantically interested in you, and one who is clearly not. Yeah, OK, Cheon-soo is richer and more handsome. But Yong-gyoo is so cute! And funny, even if it's not intentional. It's kind of odd actually- even though this episode makes a clear effort to show that divorce is probably not something we should look down on people for, that event is an essential element of Chang-min's character. I wonder if Ah-reum's ignorance on that topic is what's causing her to not acknowledge Chang-Min's general disinterest.

Review by William Schwartz

"Emergency Couple" is directed by Kim Cheol-gyoo, written by Choi Yoon-jung and features Song Ji-hyo, Choi Jin-hyuk, Lee Pil-mo, Choi Yeo-jin and Clara.