"Yong Pal" is the primetime hit of 2015, but critics have started to question whether the series has become too melodramatic While the drama falls within the medical genre, it has increasingly employed over-the-top elements of melodrama, virtually placing it within a category referred to as makjang.
On October 1, producers of the series addressed concerns from viewers that the introduction of a cancer storyline in the penultimate episode may cause the popular drama to veer off course.
In a report published by OSEN, representatives for the SBS series explained the rationale behind their use of a seemingly unrealistic plot device in which Han Yeo Jin (Kim Tae Hee) is diagnosed with live cancer.
"Kim Tae Hee's liver cancer is not extreme, it's the consequences of her revenge," said a spokesperson for the production, in a statement provided to OSEN. "Aside from this unexpected use of tension, viewers should enjoy the conclusion."
The spokesperson for "Yong Pal" went on to state that viewers will be treated to an unanticipated ending.
Yeo Jin could be seen tearfully pleading from her bed at Han Hospital, in the preview for the finale.
"Yong Pal" focuses on the tale of Kim Tae Hyun (Joo Won), a skilled surgical intern who is unwittingly thrust into a complex revenge scheme involving Han Yeo Jin (Kim Tae Hee), a wealthy heiress.
Tae Hyun falls in love with Yeo Jin while she is in a medically-induced coma, but his dreams of a happy ending with the conglomerate heir are crushed when he discovers the depth of her hatred towards the people who kept her in the state of Sleeping Beauty for three years.
Through its incorporation of heart-pounding action sequences and reaction of compelling surgeries, the series maintained double-digit ratings throughout its run.
At its height on September 16, "Yong Pal" recorded 21.5 in nationwide viewership, as reported by Nielsen Korea.
However, the penultimate episode that aired on September 30 reflected a drop in ratings, with 18.4 percent of viewers tuning in.
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Adrienne Stanley is a contributing editor at KDramaStars. She is also a contributing music writer at KpopStarz, MTV Iggy and other publications. When she is not listening to "We Like 2 Party," she can be found on Twitter. (@retrogirladdy).
