Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun second-chance story has strong female lead, innuendo.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Doctor Cha
What's the Story?
DOCTOR CHA is a Korean dramatic comedy about a woman who decides to live her life on her own terms after surviving a dangerous illness. Twenty years earlier, Cha Jung-sook (Uhm Jung-hwa) was studying medicine with the intention of becoming a surgeon. However, after finishing school she decided against a professional career and became a gracious stay-at-home wife to now-Chief of Surgery Seo In-ho (Kim Byung-chul) and mother to their son Seo Jeong-min (Song Ji-ho) and daughter Min Chae-yoon (Kim Ye-eun). She also takes care of her obnoxious mother-in-law Kwak Ae-sim (Park Jun-geum). Cha is unhappy and unfulfilled, especially now that Seo takes little interest in her because he's having an affair with Dr. Choi Seung-hee (Myung Se-bin). But after surviving a near-fatal illness, and tired of being taken for granted by her family, she decides to pursue her medical career and start her residency.
Is It Any Good?
Part family drama and part comedy, the well-written series tells a colorful story about a 46-year-old woman who rediscovers her sense of agency and returns to a profession that she loves. As Cha Jung-sook's journey unfolds in Doctor Cha, space is created for multiple plot lines to develop, ranging from Cha quietly making Seo pay for being a selfish and smarmy husband and Dr. Choi's desperate hopes for becoming his wife instead of his mistress, to exploring the romantic tensions developing between her and Dr. Roy Kim (Min Woo Hyuk). Throughout it all, some of the ways Korean society continues to negotiate patriarchal norms are pointed out, making Cha's experience all the more interesting.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Cha Jung-sook's decision to resume her medical career. What are some of the obstacles she faces because of her gender and age? Would this be any different for a woman like Cha who made a similar choice in the United States?
Doctor Cha is one of many Korean TV series and movies that have enjoyed successful global release in past years. What is it that makes them universally popular? Is it the subject matter? Storytelling style? What are the challenges that come with making TV shows that will appeal to international audiences?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 17, 2023
- Cast : Uhm Jung-hwa , Seo In-ho , Myung Se-bin
- Network : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Character Strengths : Courage , Humility , Perseverance
- TV rating :
- Last updated : April 17, 2023
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