Why are the leads childish and cringy? They act like toddlers in a "professional" setting lol. The romance isnt good too.

Han-eul and Jeong-woo are fantastic, wonderful, amazing (will now refrain from loading this sentence up with excessive love-sick adjectives to spare your eyes) 😍 I love their over the top aegyo because it doesn't feel like it's coming from a place of immaturity, it's just two adults indulging themselves in a bit of ridiculous fun and I love that!

The jury is still out on the other parts of the plot development this week though. The fact that I thought they were going to take this down the route of Kyung-min actually being a serial killer says something about the state of the rom-com genre in Kdramaland - and because I was expecting that, the ToD didn't really phase me at the time. In hindsight however, I am rolling my eyes a tad and going really writers??? . For better or for worse they've handled the leads' character development and relationship a little too well - it's been so tightly written that we've kind of whizzed through all the usual points of angst and turmoil. So, I suppose, it means the plot now needs to come up with random shit to bring in the big third act punch.

So I'm going to take on your interpretation here too lovepark about this part of the narrative arc being a reflection of the larger theme of healing and the need to fix underlying issues instead of burying one's head in the sand or expecting quick, overnight fixes. As always, I'd much rather the angst or conflict come from external sources than internally within the main couple, so I'm prepared to deal with another ten ToD's next week if we must, because both Han-eul and Jeong-woo (and by extension, the lovely PSH and PHS) make it a worthwhile endeavour.

@hacja argued last week that the writers were having our Lead Couple "grow up in their relationship together," beginning as children (fighting them off on the street anyway), moving to their young teens (studying together) and then older teens (going to arcades), and then to their young adulthood (clubbing). He anticipated that their move to full-blown adulthood would be marked by a "dinner date at a fancy restaurant."

I was convinced, and expected as much this week. However (하지만!), I don't really think it came to pass, unless a drunken lunch with your future MIL counts (...does it?).

No, instead, I feel that we now truly know that what the transition to an adult relationship DOES seem to entail for this production team: An Encounter with a Truck of Doom. Two, even.

This week is where I leave this show. This show has always been mixed for me—the parts of the show I thought it did well and touched me were the parts when the leads had been stripped away from the what had driven them and defined them before—being the best student and successful doctors/researchers—and realizing that that life didn’t make them whole or fundatmentally happy as people. Watching the quieter scenes between the two as they saw and valued the core of one another without the external measures of success was lovely. Both PHS and PSH were excellent in these moments. What I didn’t like was the frantic flashbacks to their high school days, the drunken antics (primarily because I thought drunk acting on this show was horrible—compare JCW’s drunk scene in Lovestruck in the CIty), the bad medical practicies of all the doctors in the show (isn’t the psychiatrist even more suss after Episode 12?), and the murder/mystery makjang.

This week, the sweet couple tipped over to saccarine. Instead of genuine moments, the aegyo made me cringe because it felt that it was playing to the audience instead of being true affection directed towards each other. (I also diagree about Ha Neul’s gift giving style being sweet. She’s the type of gift giver who gives what she likes as gifts instead of actually observing and giving what the receiver likes. But I nitpick.). Actually, the whole show tipped over into knowingly playing it up for the audienve. It had turned into revue show without musical parody numbers (although maybe that would have been better.), where it turned the volume up to 11 and just hammed it up. That’s when it lost me. It felt like the difference between when a toddler does something cute and it is genuinely adorable and when the toddler realizes what s/he did was cute and does it again knowingly—“Look, Ma, see how cute I can be!”

As the trucks of doom, they crash coursed into me and broke me for this show. I will exit while I still have some affection for the excellent moments the show gave me. Fare thee well, and I hope you may have a speedy (or at least within 4 epsidoes) recovery.

I couldn't continue past the first 15 min of Ep 11. This is too much adult aegyo to handle. I am out.
Thanks for the recap, I got an idea of what happened these two episodes. I am shocked that Jung-Woo was drugged by Kyung-Min and yet he remains friends with him??????
And a ToD??

I wish Yoon Park's character was written better.

I did think their conversation on the rooftop and their actual fieldtrip (when they were walking around the museum and taking pictures) they acted like regular adults on dates. They even had a deep serious conversation that JW didn't want to go opening cans of worms and just wanted to enjoy the peace they have now.

I think they act cute mostly when they are alone or think they are alone and we as the audience are just privileged (or cursed for you and others who hate it) to see it in action. I think in real life some couples are just more cutesy with each other. We all know couples like that which make us cringe slightly if we catch them doing something like snuggling on a couch in public (or even secretly stealing a quick peck). I think that's just natural for some but can be awkward for those not like that.

These last two episodes were nearly unwatchable for me. I'll leave the male lead alone, since obviously there are women viewers who love to watch a good looking man constantly making cute faces and talking in baby voice, having pillow fights in medical offices and taking "field trips" in school uniform. That is a matter of personal taste, I know, so I'm not going to criticize that.

However, I can say without fear of contradiction that the writer clearly thinks the heights of hilarity and meaningful emotion are cute falling down drunk scenes, because she has to include two of them every episode. Let me stress, I have no moral objection to the humorous depiction of drunkenness in kdramas or in this show in particular, even if it is not really that appropriate for a show that nominally is about recovery from depression. I just don't find it particularly cute or funny, nor that healing.

I'll tell you what I did find healing, though: the reappearance of the truck of doom, who earlier had just given our heroine a scare. Finally, a mature and well-developed character, one with clear motives that fit the plot perfectly!

So I'll give the show some credit for its use of the truck of doom. Maybe if it comes back one more time, in the final episode, knocking down each of the characters one by one--not harming them of course, just scaring them in a way that they would be required to soothe their temporary trauma by spending the night drinking heavily, the show could end with all the characters cutely staggering down the street, shouting the Korean equivalent of "I wuv you!" to each other. Then the shows message, that recovery from a slump requires discovering your inner toddler and getting incoherently drunk will be satisfactorily delivered.

The Truck of Doom scene was shot poorly, and the timing was way off. Unless the driver was asleep at the wheel, there is no way he couldn't stop in time.

The drunk scenes were not funny, they have never been funny and this is a classic example of writers and directors taking something too far and running it into the ground until the viewer is sick of it.

Seriously fed up with the drinking here. Gotta love 2 medical professionals who get drunk every night when taking anti-anxiety meds and antidepressants while being outraged at someone giving one of them Ambien with alcohol because it is dangerous. You don't say! Such a missed opportunity to treat this a bit responsibly in a society that sorely needs it.

the show dealt with it quickly by making the characters talk to each other. ⁉️
That rarely happens in a K drama 😉

I was really disappointed that the otherwise-brilliant Ha-neul decided to confront Kyung-min on her own. This decision just does not fit her character, and the way the scene unfolded also made no sense. Why would she choose to meet a dangerous person alone? When Kyung-min has always lied, what did she expect to accomplish? He would reveal the truth to her? And let her live? When she knows he nearly killed Jung-woo for no particular reason? And she set their rendezvous for a busy one-lane street, where he wouldn't be able to stop the car without her getting in? And her determination to meet him in a safe public place lasted 30 seconds? It's just all stupid, and a too-easy plot device to get one of them killed and the other near death. Or both near death. Why didn't she go back and reveal all her findings to the cop who saw the CCTV image of Kyung-min near their house? (shaking head). Just too stupid.

I this this show must be like one of those pictures that depending on how you are looking at it you see either an old hag or a beautiful young lady. There's no in between. I personally am enjoying the pretty lady although I acknowledge that my eyes sometimes see the hag (yes I too think the drinking to celebrate, to have fun, to be sad, to welcome someone into the family, to do something when you're bored, or for absolutely no reason at all is too excessive especially for 2 people with mental health issues on medications (although sounds like JW may be off some of them and HN is lowering doses)).

I for one love the gif @attiton did of JW and DY's fight (Hopefully she'll post it here and if so volume up!). We knew that DY was in a 1-person competition from his character description, but he truly cared for JW and believed/defended him when no one else besides HN did. So, whatever the reason for the fallout was going to be a silly misunderstanding that felt very personal. I think although they filmed it for maximum comedic effect, there was still heart in the story. JW had been a good friend to DY and helped him study and do well in school so he could fulfill his dream of being a doctor. After the unfortunate accident when DY fell down the stairs and injured his wrist/hand, JW went on the medical mission trip in place of DY without any malice or pride. He even gave DY a book and a note saying "cheer up DY, I'm sorry." However, after JW's volunteering unexpected resulted in fame and fortune DY was jealous and wished it was his own fate. Every word or action by JW even when JW was trying to confide in DY that all that fame is a bit overwhelming, was like another turn of the knife in DY's heart. So he acted childishly and JW responded in like. In the present day though, they had a mature conversation about the underlying reason behind JY's deep resentment because he was struggling with his divorce and wishing he could show his in-laws how great he was.

Very mixed feelings about these episodes - there's lots I'm getting highly tired of - but I will give a shout out to the writer who did their best to try and shoehorn Kopiko PPL into the story. When JW stuck something in DY's pocket as he passed, I assumed chocolate; the reveal of Kopiko actually had me sniggering and tipping my hat for a valiant effort. Bless.

So many thoughts on these two episodes!

Firstly, I like how much the show progressed, and how it came back to the medical case. I felt they'd wrapped it up too abruptly in episode seven, and was waiting for the consequences to pan out. But now that Kyung-Min has been revealed to have a much bigger hand, I wonder what the shady anesthesiologist has to do with everything. I'm also curious why Kyung-Min stuck around to "help" Jeong-woo with his case. If he were behind the murder of the Macao heiress, wouldn't it have been more convenient to ditch? Unless he was gathering insider information to double cross?

Like others have said, I think PHS's aegyo is a bit over the top, and he hams his comic scenes too much. However, I did go into the drama expecting as much (from Strong woman), and don't mind it as much, I just see them as that cringe couple everyone lovingly tolerates.
I was starting to get annoyed by the whole mom misunderstanding and Ha-Neul doing nothing to resolve it plotline, but was so relieved when mom showed the ability to put two and two together, unlike some of the other characters on the show. I also liked how chill and non-intrusive the family is- they support the relationship and Jeong-woo without being overbearing. That being said, Ha-neul really needs to up her gift giving/ date planning- the burden of keeping their relationship romantic is entirely on Jeong-woo currently.

I am relieved Hong Ran has no more tea left to casually spill, and is now too occupied with her own plotline to interfere.

I hear everyone's criticism on the Truck of Doom, but I think we don't give it enough credit for how versatile an actor it is. No matter the genre of the show, ToD manages to make a cameo, and I think it's very telling of talent. Jokes aside, I was so disappointed with Ha-Neul for getting into the damn car with Kyung-Min and confronting him. A bit dangerous of a place to have a fight innit? What was she expecting to happen? Jin-Ah from Something in the Rain is the cautionary tale Ha-Neul should've learnt from. I was not expecting it from someone of her intelligence honestly.

I'm lowkey glad we're already at episode 12, and have only a few more to see how this story gets resolved.

I also love how Meta the writer/director are which makes me think they know they are being OTT at times but it's intentional and they're having fun doing it. Here are 3 examples in this episode:
1. When HN and JW go on their field trip and are wearing school uniforms HN comments that they're too old to be wearing them, but JW says they still look young. Then they show them taking pictures and then transition to the actors in the same exact poses but in their real school uniforms during picture day from the past.
2. When DY and JW finish telling their story about hairpulling and the girls react in horror, HN asks "What did I just hear? You're so childish." HR says even her 5 yo son wouldn't act this way. So it's like they know that they are OTT. Then they follow with the serious conversation.
3. During the first scene of episode 12 when the boys and girls are having separate conversations but they use the brady bunch boxes. JW turns to the left where DY box is when DY asks if HN wants to keep their relationship a secret at work because she is embarrassed by JW and then HN's box appears on the right and says "People might feel uncomfortable because of us", JW turns to the right and nods and smiles (like he's directly talking to her).

Did the truck of doom disappoint me? Yes; but just about. So far the writer has not failed to subvert any trope, neatly turning it on its head. So I’m hoping this won’t be different. That she came out of the police station to confront KM makes me hopeful.

I adored the 11th episode and most of 12th. Two days later I’m more excited to know what the so called mentor had been doing with JW.

DY and HR: I’m wasn’t invested in them but their turn has been so sweet that now I want to know how they move forward as well! They look good together and I loved the glam ping scene. Just toooo cute.

I love love love Ha-Nigel’s mom. She is such a breath of fresh air!! .❤️ How do you mail order one?

JW and HL: I love them, period. I love their cuddles and the fact that JW is taking it slow with her. It might be a drama trope but here it makes complete sense. When alone she goes and plays Tetris, and gifts her boyfriend puppy caps. He does protest but only to understand where she is coming from and does what someone that caring would do - recreate memories she missed. I found that very fulfilling and it perhaps made the inner child in me happy. I loved their all nighter, and loved their bickering. But most of all, loved how they simply talk it out. JW takes HL at face value only to learn she only goes quiet with others. With him, she wants to make up right away.
My heart went out to the lonely child JW was. His heart is cleaved from his parents. And he wanted to be an ostrich when it came to KM was understandable. KM was the last bastion of trust from his childhood. To see that crumble is painful.

I love how the writer took a dig at the tropes herself - can we just not hope this peace to continue? Why is it so difficult to have an ordinary life?

Because outlandish is what sells. And while some of this might call for suspension of disbelief, when it comes to cr.ime, weirder things have happened. Ask 48 hours true crime.

To be honest I have gotten so many beautiful moments out of this series that distractions have stopped distracting. And serious PHS returns next week. I would pay premium to watch that man emote his raw emotions. Cute and fun is great and. this is exactly why I watch Korean dramas. Their tropes are like no other, and they blend kiddie humor with serious hijinks like no other. Otherwise grit and sex is the name of the game on Netflix.

@lovepark That was a thoughtful recap. Thanks!

Yes, Ep 11 and the first 40 minutes of Ep 12 were pure fan service and I unabashedly enjoyed it. I wanted a drama that would put a smile on my face than strain my brain, so I went in with the flow, but the cliffhanger of Ep 12 bought me back from the fantasy. It should have been a 12 episode drama. The end!

I have very much enjoyed Doctor Slump and will faithfully watch it through episode 16.

The truck of doom doesn't bother me because it is, after all, a Korean drama to appease the Korean viewers. Compare to the majority of the American TV shows, we have gun violence, drug overdose, infidelities, etc. Give me a line of truck of dooms and I would still watch it to the last episode, lol.

Why am I feeling that some drama watchers are complaining about the cutesy lovey-dovey interaction of our leads couple. Well, it's rom-com and I think it's necessary (unlike they are being like that when it's melo drama).
And, the leads doing what teenagers may do, my take is that JW is helping her to experience what NH couldn't enjoy in her childhood and younger days. So, I feel that some romance parts may make some viewers to feel cringe,so they are successful in that part. They are being childish (when they are alone or with close friends)knowing it's JW 's personality and HN is all over the moon bcz it's her first time in dating. When it comes to serious manner, they solve with open mind.

I think The villain part is not clear yet. We suspect the intra-op anaesthesiologist in the beginning and they make a victim in the middle and, then he appears again, blackmailing MKM. And, the sole purpose of MKM is not clear yet. So, just relax and enjoy what writers will reveal later.

I'm one of those who really enjoy the emotional bond and support of our leads . They are not childhood sweethearts,but they are already at each other's heart when they are young. And the 2nd leads' couple is doing their best to be each other's support in parenting. Love that there is no love triangle or sth.

Thes are just my opinion and PEACE everyone ❤️

Having a love-hate relationship with this drama.

I love how cute they were getting over their childhood hatred and getting together.

I hate the bad medical practice, cloying aegyo and most of all excessive and constant drinking by two doctors who can’t even google to learn that alcohol itself IS A DEPRESSANT, not to mention it shouldn’t be combined with anti-depressant meds. Talk about a missed PSA opportunity for a country with a serious drinking problem.

Also, if I owned Ambien I’d probably sue them. Pretty surprising they’re using the actual brand name unless someone thought this would be good PPL? 😒

Yes the aeygo was cringy, and if you followed my comments I wasn't satisfied with the whole crew acting from ep 1 too (everyone were exaggerating their every move and dialouge, I will be brave and say PSH was the best at portraying her character + Yoon park )
Anyway, what I didn't like in this show was not acting cute all the time or acting.
I'm already used to all that, and now I'm enjoying them a little kkkk
My problem with this show is, they don't have a plot, they don't know if this is a psychological show or a criminal or medical show , it seems to me they sit together and discuss what they should do for next ep after the previous ep aired!
I mean, there is no absolute point for this show. That's what bothers me, but I think I will stay for the cute scenes till the end

This drama has the same issue from the beginning, they focused the love story on their teen years instead of the present and their adulthood. For these 2 episodes, they pushed the cursor way too much in the cuteness.

Thanks for the weecap @lovepark
I have recently noticed that I may eagerly await a drama drop but I still dip in and out of the episode. I tend to rush back to see the end with those that have everything I love whilst there are others I forget I haven’t finished watching it. Forgetting to return has happened on more than one occasion with this show and it’s only when I read the weecap or see something on a fan wall gif that I realise I missed a bit. So I missed the truck of doom with this one. I think it was seeing the annoying hyung making a comeback that lead me to start feeling a sense of foreboding which I don’t like when I am enjoying a rom com. Hence my tendency to avoid thriller/mystery dramas. So it’s weird I exited Dr Slump but avidly searched for released too early episodes of The Impossible heir.

There is something about the different tones in Dr slump that meant the murder and break ins etc. didn’t work for me and yet the chaebol antics in Wedding impossible are not bothering me at all. It’s because I have these two dramas to compare Dr slump too that I realised why I am having problems with the show. It’s important for me to know what I am going into so I can get into the right frame of mind to watch a drama. Maybe I missed the memo but I went into Dr slump expecting it to be a Business Proposal lighter type of drama with some slice of life due to the crisis elements. As the genre mix is not as expected I will continue watching the parts that fit and walking away when it doesn’t work for me. It’s a shame because on the whole this has been a great rom com with slice of life elements.

I share the fragile hope of the very real good bits of this drama not being thrown away in the remaining episodes.
To me, until Sunday's episode the drama has been a very meaningful tour through some common problems that seriously need to be addressed - everywhere, but not less in SK where mental health problems are so taboo, and suicide rates are horribly high.
And I think it's lovely to address this in a show without turning the whole thing into a gloomy documentary.
Kyung-min is unquestionably a very bad person but one wonders what kind of situation he is in, since someone is sending at least one - maybe even two - Truck(s) of Doom after him.
I would really have liked this show to go on without this kind of drama, since the more everyday drama is so engaging.
I do not mind the foolish parts of the story ... it's like small intervals of Commedia Dell'Arte, and doesn't ruin the story for me. But the long drinking tour in the 12th episode, and Ha-neul's decision to meet alone with someone who may have attempted to murder Honey-sik and be part of the murder he was framed for, and getting in his car to accuse him there ... all that was the kind of stuff you hope agains hope will not happen in a show that you love.
I giffed some of it as a verse of the cautionary tale hit "Dumb ways to die". https://www.dramabeans.com/activity/p/1545020/#acomment-1545116
I also sincerely recommend going to @attiton 's wall and experience her musical exploration of a male pillow fight.

Yes, the pros to cons of this drama are shifting for me like for many other comments I have read. However, I have enough pros or interest to keep going and see what they will do.
This drama feels like an onion in some ways, always peeling away a layer to show you that what you thought was the story isn't exactly all the story. And that general concept is intriguing to me, I just wish I didn't feel the gear changes so jarringly....
I like how the writers keep peeling back layers- No one's story is quite as it appeared on the surface at first.
I like how the mystery storyline seems well-embedded from the first ep. The draw back is that many viewers seem to want that storyline to be over and it looks like it is designed to be a thread throughout the whole thing. Ugh, I knew Slimy Sunbae was not out of the picture yet as much as I wished he were.

What I find most interesting is how they keep circling back to a central question/problem and the characters keep learning about more about themselves and life each time. That problem (or human flaw if you like) is wanting to ignore pain in order to keep your life "happy" or "successful". When we first meet Haneul and Jungwoo they are both in pretty hard denial about their pain and have done a pretty good job of shoving it down and ignoring issues in order to keep going for their goals. That seriously breaks of course.
Then when they first start dating they want to imagine that since the trial is "over" they can go on easily now without confronting how the psychological issues are far from resolved and because they try and ignore that they almost immediately break up.
They circle back around and are doing a better job of communicating, showing growth and understanding. And of course they would like to leave the betrayers and drama in the past and just have this happy life where they are both healing.
I think we are in for another circle around to dealing with the issues at another deeper level and I'd like to see the growth our leads have made so far serve them at this next hurdle in their lives, banding together in strength rather than isolating themselves in self-recrimination and misery....
So yeah, I like this possible growth process and the respect and support they almost always show each other and how they are doing such a good job of showing apologies and taking responsibility. I do not however trust that the execution or pacing in the show is going to be my fav but is my interest in the characters' growth arc enough to hold me through another couple weeks..... I don't know.

I think this show ran out of steam. Something which is supposed to be cute and endearing induced a cringe in me. Well, I never find thirty somethings acting like kids in their relationships attractive. What bothers me the most is that both leads are going through mental health issues and taking medications then get drunk. They are medical doctors on top of it and involved in intricate surgeries. On top of all that ML is still nervous when operating.
This whole drugging a friend and framing him is just not interesting or intriguing.

Am I the only one that looks forward to the PSH and PHS fight scenes? I think this is the one romcom that I WANT to see the leads fighting. I'm already on record in saying that the aegyo is too over the top but their fights are actually funny. Their facial expressions kill me. When PSH gets mad and gets wide eyed, she becomes a lifelike anime character. Ironic how she is known for her crying as I am genuinely shocked that there isn't a flood watch declared in the immediate area of where she is standing when she is crying given how big her eyes can get.

Based on some of the comments, I’m really happy that I wasn’t drawn to this drama at all as I can’t stand anything but minimal aegyo and even that is too much for me at times. What were they thinking?

I find the primary couple somewhat dull and annoying, but I’m here for the secondary couple! Watching the single parents support each other is really cute.

Spoiler alert. One of the two trucks of doom in this week's episode is being sent abroad to work on foreign accidents for two years. They will be reunited in episode 16.

I was hugely disappointed in the sudden appearance of the White Truck Of Doom. It does occur to me though that our FL was probably not the target- the scumbag driving the car was the intended target and our FL is simply collateral damage. Still, was the TOD really necessary for this story?

Arrived at episode 12 and with each episode I swear it is my last. Nevertheless, I persist. I persist ever though I am SO, SO, SO angry at the writers on this one. As a former mental health counselor (retired), I was so happy to see the issue of mental health being addressed in such an open and refreshing way. She actually books an appointment with a Psychiatrist. Yea! She took the Beck Depression Inventory. Yea! He prescribed her medication. Yea! Did he warn her not to take anti-depressants and anti-anxiety with alcohol? No! Now you combine these medications with alcohol....and not a little alcohol...but falling down drunk alcohol and not just once, but over and over again. ACK! Symptoms of combining these medications and alcohol include increased depression, drowziness and in the worst case scenario, coma and death. Now we reach Episode 12 and we learn of his friend spiking his drink with Ambien and the character, who plays a doctor, says, with a straight face, that she is concerned about mixing medication with alcohol. The writers had a duty to warn and they messed up. I'm mad. Can you tell? (And thanks for letting me vent)