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[HanCinema's Drama Review] "Medical Top Team" Episode 7

This episode was a tad bipolar in that part of it was a fuzzy, warm-feeling ending for Ba-wi and part of it was a tense political battle that had no respite. That bipolarity, however, reflects the general theme running through the show: idealism versus realism. Tae-shin represents idealism. He believes in making decision"Medical Top Team" solely based on what is best for the patient. The Seung-jae's father, the chairman of the hospital, is the representative of realism. The hospital is run using enormous amounts of donor money and those donors must be appeased. Sometimes that appeasement comes at the cost of patient care.

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All other characters fluctuate between the two extremes. Those like the assistant director and thoracic chief Jang are tempted by money and fame, but have something in their lives that connect them to their humanity. Those like residents Ah-jin and Sung-woo are still tethered to their medical school dreams and get nasty doses of reality as they watch suffering and struggle.

Within the two major conflicts of the episode were numerous other minor issues between side characters that were interesting, but they made the tone of the episode very uneven because of all of the plot clutter. There is also one issue that hasn't been addressed yet that is paramount in a medical drama: patient death. Not one patient has died despite the high-risk nature of the surgeries performed. The success of these surgeries grant the hospital notoriety, but the opposite has not yet happened. It should only be a matter of time.

When a new patient that Sung-woo recognizes comes in, the focus turns to Sung-woo. It is for only a moment at the end of the episode, but I'm glad that the show will shine some light on the other characters that they've only teased us with thus far. Sung-woo's character has the potential to be more than just a resident in love with his friend. He is adept enough to be chosen to be on the "Medical Top Team" and now will hopefully get his chance to feel out where he stands in his beliefs.

A few issues the show tantalized us with like Tae-shin's horrible past with his orphanage director and Seung-jae's very rocky relationship with his father were touched upon in a way that promised the two issues would be developed. In particular, Seung-jae's story is well-wrought. Seung-jae is a man who truly cares for his patients and the "Medical Top Team" that he has put together. His intentions are good: he wants to improve health care and save lives. However, his father bribes him with his love by saying that he'll announce their relationship publicly if Seung-jae beats his aunt, the assistant director. He has to make the "Medical Top Team" succeed to keep it from becoming part of the assistant director's plan to be used only for VIP patients. That challenge can keep Seung-jae from his ideal use of "Medical Top Team" and lure him into doing what reality requires to keep it afloat.

Written by Raine from Raine's Dichotomy

"Medical Top Team" is directed by Kim Do-hoon and written by Yoon Kyeong-ah and features kwon Sang-woo, Jung Ryeo-won, Ju Ji-hoon and Oh Yeon-seo.
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