Faith Like Children: Inspirational Innocents in Korean Dramas
For the first time in a very long time, an American drama is coming that has actually caught my eye: ABC's The Good Doctor.
However, on top of that, there is another reason why I am excited for The Good Doctor. It also happens to be an American adaptation of one of my favourite Korean dramas: KBS2's 2013 production, Good Doctor.
(Note: to minimize confusion, I will use The Good Doctor to refer to the ABC show, and Good Doctor for the KBS2 show.)
Now, I have not yet had the opportunity to watch The Good Doctor, so I don't know if it will adhere strongly to Good Doctor's story-line. From the show's trailer, I recognize many overlapping plot points between them, and I can also make out how characters in the ABC version will correspond - or not - to the KBS2 original. Also, Shaun Murphy's immense wealth of medical knowledge is artfully and skillfully depicted through the use of computer graphics so that viewers can see what he sees as an autistic savant. One line of dialogue from the advertisements says it all: "He sees things and analyzes things in ways that we can't understand."
It is, however, this concept of seeing that makes me curious about where The Good Doctor will go in its narrative. The theme of sight also runs strongly throughout Good Doctor. In this version, the main character, Park Si On, has a very strong spatial sense that allow him to visualize the internal anatomy of the patients he encounters, even allowing him to "see" complex structures from multiple angles simultaneously - a valuable asset when dealing with very delicate surgical procedures where the slightest mistake could have tragic consequences.
However, what matters most in Good Doctor is not this particular ability, but another way in which Park Si On sees things differently from most: he is immensely childlike and innocent, with a frank and straightforward way of looking at the world. This allows him, over the course of the drama, to not only stay untouched by hospital politics, but positively influence his colleagues, his patients, and their families to appreciate the simple value of healing someone with no ulterior motive and no strings attached. And I hope that Shaun Murphy and The Good Doctor will do the same.
Good Doctor's Park Si On is not the only character I have seen in Korean dramas with this distinctive innocence. Indeed, in the two years I have been watching Korean dramas, I have seen no shortage of people like Park Si On: innocent and childlike, they act as moral compasses for other, more jaded, individuals and show them a purer way of thinking and being. Thus, I am writing this blog post to showcase some of my favourites. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but I hope that each person's story will speak to you - even if just a little.
Disclaimer: As I will end up discussing how characters develop over the course of a series, this post will contain spoilers! Please go down to "Resources" to access an online streaming link if you would prefer to watch at least some or all of the show first.
1. Park Si On from Good Doctor
It makes sense to start here, since Park Si On (played by Joo Won) is the character who inspired me to write this post in the first place.
As I have already mentioned in the introduction to this blog post, the most prominent feature in Park Si On's character is his autism: both his extremely proficient medical knowledge and his difficulties interacting with the people around him are attributed to this point.
It becomes apparent very early in the story that since childhood, he has developed an ability to singlemindedly hone in on a particular subject of interest. Growing up as an outcast in a small mining town, where he is despised by his own father for his disability, the young Park Si On found solace by withdrawing inside his head. Those few individuals he feels safe with - his pet rabbit, his older brother, and the local doctor who takes him under his wing - end up forming his entire world.
This same behaviour carries over into Park Si On's adulthood as well. As a newly arrived resident in the pediatric surgery department, all of his actions rest on a single principle: that his mission as a doctor is to heal anyone in need that he comes across.
Although this strong sense of focus is one of his greatest strengths, it is also a weakness. In his early days as a resident, Park Si On could also become so doggedly stubborn in his goal that he ignores hospital protocol, leaving his colleagues to sort out the logistical nightmares he leaves in his wake.
Not only that, but Park Si On struggles to understand what is wrong with his actions, because from his perspective, as long as the patients are treated, nothing else matters. His moral sense is extremely straightforward, and works on strict terms of black and white: what's right is right, and what's wrong is wrong. Thus, it soon becomes clear that he fails to follow proper bureaucratic procedures at the hospital, because they complicate what should be straightforward - saving lives. Nor does he condone the way in which some doctors would hide behind protocol to avoid treating high-risk patients out of fear of potential lawsuits should they fail.
Yet what also becomes clear in Good Doctor is that Park Si On's worldview is based more upon his personality than his autism. Even character traits that are commonly associated with autism, such as an inability to lie or to distinguish between truths and lies uttered by others, ultimately stem from his personal moral code.
As it turns out, Park Si On is not so much limited by his condition as he is determined to retain some semblance of childlike innocence. In a world where it seems adulthood and maturity are strongly linked to cynicism and moral shades of grey, he becomes like Peter Pan: holding on to a child's way of thinking out of a belief that the only way to stay true to himself is to literally be a child.
(This parallel is hilariously made literal when Park Si On is cast as Peter Pan in a play that the pediatric surgery department puts on for the children.)
Of course, Park Si On could not, in reality, stay a child forever. Nor, as time passes, does he want to. His growing friendships with those around him in the hospital prompt him towards seeking greater maturity, and he begins to learn that it is possible to grow in responsibility and courage while still maintaining an innocent set of moral standards that is geared solely towards helping others.
As he gradually grows as a doctor and as a person, learning how to integrate his childlike perspective of the world with the need to work in sync with his colleagues, those who had originally marginalized him on account of his autism come to see the merits of his values and principles, while those who had once felt the same way he did before "real life" got to them find renewed confidence in their actions.
2. Lee Woo Joo from Fermentation Family
Whereas Good Doctor takes place in the hustle and bustle of a hospital in Seoul, JTBC's 2011 drama Fermentation Family has a far more idyllic and tranquil setting. The drama centres around Chun Ji In, a family-run restaurant in Seoul's rural outskirts that specializes in wholesome country-style cooking, most notably a vast array of kimchi made from locally sourced fruits and vegetables. Although it is not a very busy or successful restaurant, especially compared to rival establishments downtown, it has a small but loyal clientele who are drawn to the good food and friendly service of its owners: Lee Ki Chan and his two daughters, Lee Woo Joo and Lee Kang San.
It is Lee Woo Joo (played by Lee Min Young) who is my focus today. The older of the Lee sisters, she is warm, compassionate, and easily approachable, always ready to offer food and company to anyone who comes to Chun Ji In. In this, she takes after both of her parents, believing firmly that no-one who comes to the restaurant should leave with an empty stomach.
This shows both her desire to care for those who are around, and her strong faith in the goodness of the parents; she never fully believes that these children are abandoned, but simply that their parents must have run into some temporary financial difficulties and would return as soon as things are better.
It is this childlike faith and trust in people's innate goodness that proves to be Lee Woo Joo's greatest strength. However, it is also one of her greatest weaknesses. In the beginning episodes of Fermentation Family, it becomes clear that Lee Woo Joo is frequently taken advantage of because of her kindness and innocence. For instance, her fervent desire to help others, including waiving the bill for people in need, often leads to Chun Ji In running at a loss. In addition, she is quick to give money to others out of her own meagre funds, including a boyfriend whom her sister, Lee Kang San, suspects is only using her.
Fortunately, learning how to protect herself from those who would take advantage of her does not require her to give up what she does best. Indeed, although she lacks business acumen and street smarts, Lee Woo Joo has her own unique intelligence. First of all, she has a strong intuitive sense and is able to read, almost instinctively, what others need. Secondly, her optimism is infectious, and she lends a spirit of hope to Chun Ji In as it faces various obstacles over the course of the drama. Finally, as someone with a more childlike personality, Lee Woo Joo is predominantly driven by her conscience. Although she is best known for a sunny disposition, she becomes passionately angry when she sees any form of injustice. Thus, although she often appears to hide in the background, allowing her sister to take charge of the restaurant's interactions with the outside world, she is the true leader within Chun Ji In, inheriting not only her parents' culinary skills, but also their vision to make the restaurant a safe haven to hungry travellers.
3. Jang Geu Rae from Misaeng
In an entertainment industry where melodramatic soap-opera-style conventions are the norm, tvN's 2014 drama Misaeng stands out from the crowd in its ordinariness. The show is a realistic portrayal of the everyday lives of Korean businessmen/women and office workers, offering viewers a refreshed look at the daily grind through its use of new hires and interns as the main protagonists.
This is particularly the case with the narrating character, Jang Geu Rae (played by Im Si Wan). Not only is he new to the company, One International, that forms the focus for the drama, but he is new to the corporate world altogether.
Highly intelligent but from a poor, working-class family, Jang Geu Rae had spent much of his childhood learning to play baduk [a traditional strategy board game similar to chess], with hopes of being able to compete at a professional level. However, when his father suddenly passed away while he was in high school, he had to quit his training in order to become the main breadwinner for himself and his mother. Some years later, while working at various part-time menial jobs with no means to afford a university education, he is given an internship at One International, as what is implied to be a charity case.
Jang Geu Rae's unique background initially make it extremely difficult for him to fit in at the office. He not only lacks some of the business and technical knowledge required of even entry-level employees, but quickly draws the ire and jealousy of his fellow interns, who see him as someone who jumped the queue and undeserving of the same job that they had earned through their own hard work and education. And although his polite and obedient personality soon win over his supervisors, they are frustrated at the various rookie mistakes that he makes.
Ultimately, though, it is Jang Geu Rae's history and its impact on his character that end up giving him the tools he needs to not only survive but thrive at One International. Because of his experience playing competitive baduk, he is a very rational person, who learns quickly from his mistakes. In addition, he is able to read even the smallest expressions and gestures of both potential customers and business rivals, and can easily develop strategies to achieve profitable results for his team.
Oftentimes, over the course of Misaeng, Jang Geu Rae is seen sitting quietly in the background or standing on the rooftop terrace watching passersby below; in these moments, he appears passive but is actually silently taking in everything around him and filing it away for future reference.
As he transitions from intern to contract employee in his first two years at One International, one of the greatest advantages that Jang Geu Rae's relative innocence and inexperience give him is the ability to enter the corporate world as a blank slate. Although he possesses strong strategical skills, he is unfamiliar with office politics and the gossip, manipulations and machinations those entail.
Thus, Jang Geu Rae's approach to business is very straightforward, and he is fiercely loyal to his colleagues and superiors. His trust in them and his determination to pursue an ethical way of conducting business encourage those around him to do the same. Even in cases where it is impossible for his seniors to adopt the same approaches as he does, they appreciate what he is doing and see in him younger versions of themselves - back when they, too, were wide-eyed, innocent, and eager to be ethical businessmen.
In this way, Jang Geu Rae grows from being the reviled queue-jumper to a rising star at One International. Not only does he become a competent businessman in his own right, but everyone around him wishes him well in his future endeavours, and hopes that he would never become corrupted or jaded like they have.
Conclusion
In all the Korean dramas I have watched, there have been many examples of individuals - male and female, rich and poor, young and old - who stand out from the crowd due to their childlike innocence, pure consciences and kind hearts. This is not a media industry in which "Nice guys finish last" - on the contrary, it is the nice ones who are the true winners at the end. Whether or not they attain material or romantic success is not the point. What matters here is that they stay true to themselves and act as guiding lights shining in the darkness of a more cynical world. I have high hopes for ABC's The Good Doctor. I already believe that it and its protagonist, Dr. Shaun Murphy, will make great leaps in raising awareness about autism, for example. But I hope that it goes beyond that. I hope that it will be able to emulate not just the premise of its predecessor, Good Doctor, but also its core.
I do not want a Shaun Murphy who is simply a genius surgeon who swoops in with his medical knowledge to save the day. I want a Shaun Murphy who has Park Si On's drive to help others without hesitation, Lee Woo Joo's kindness and optimism, and Jang Geu Rae's loyalty and purity of heart. And I want him to be able to reach beyond the television screen to touch and guide the hearts of American viewers the same way these Korean characters have touched and guided mine for the better.
The above blog post is part of the series Hallyu for Our World, which examines the broader universal themes that appear in Korean popular culture, including dramas. To access a master list for this and other series, click here.
Resources
For anyone who is interested in watching these dramas, here are links to some streaming sites that offer them with English subtitles.
Good Doctor
Fermentation Family
Misaeng
Image Credits
Images from The Good Doctor (c) ABC
Images from Good Doctor (c) KBS2; downloaded from Dramabeans
Images from Fermentation Family (c) JTBC; downloaded from various sources
Images from Misaeng (c) tvN; downloaded from Dramabeans
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