The ratings for the KBS series "Good Doctor" have risen yet again, reaching 18 percent by the drama's fifth episode. The drama's unlikely hero is Park Shi On, a doctor who is a medical genius but who lacks everyday social skills because he is autistic.
The series may be attracting viewers because it focuses on some interesting issues. One issue is how well a person with social disabilities can function in the role of a doctor. Another issue is the way hospital bureaucracy dictates the choices doctors make when treating patients. And the final issue is the way failure makes doctors less likely to take risks. Do doctors hide behind hospital bureaucracy when deciding not to treat patients who do not have a high chance of survival? No one wants to fail, especially if that failure is a matter of life and death.
Park Shi On, played very effectively by Joo Won, is a "good doctor" but maybe a bad hospital employee because he does not consider the legal ramifications or political aspects of his medical decisions. All he cares about is curing patients. He's not concerned with hospital politics and does not stop to consider the crushing possibility of losing a patient in a risky operation.
Yoon Seo, the idealistic pediatrician, played by Moon Chae Won serves as his social coach, helping him to see that he must play by the rules. But Park Shi On will find it hard to prioritize hospital politics above saving a patient's life.
The medical drama easily won out over the SBS series, "Empire of Gold," which focuses on the struggles to maintain control of a conglomerate. That drama, which covers two decades, starting during the economic turbulence of 90s, only earned 10.7 percent of the ratings. Go Soo, Lee Yo Won, Son Hyun Joo and Ryu Seung Soo star in the drama.
"Goddess of Fire: Jeonji," starring Moon Geun Young, Lee Sang Yoon and Kim Bum, tells the story of Yoo Jung, the first female potter during the Joseon era. The MBC drama has seen its ratings fall over the last weeks. It reached as high as 12 percent by its fifth episode but only reached 7.8 by Episode 15.
Finally, the tvN cable ghost drama "Who Are You?" starring So E Hyun, Taecyeon and Kim Jae Wook achieved 1.359 percent.
The SBS variety show "Healing Camp" saw a jump in ratings to 8.8 percent this week as Sung Yuri replaced Han Hye Jin. But it still came in second after the KBS variety show, "Hello," which rated 9.8 percent.
