That was a real roller coaster!
I just want to say to those hesitating to watch... please don't. Those planning to drop because they found the first episode boring... just wait till you hit the end of the third. I know this because I personally took a break after the second episode for about three months until I saw some memes on Instagram about this and some clips so I started again. AND THANK GOD THAT I DID! I will break DOTS down into three parts:Story: I have to say the story was quite original and really really well portrayed the struggles of balancing love and career very very well. Just a reminder there are two main lead couples! The story was unlike what I have ever seen and I have watched over 80 dramas. Many would complain about it being cheesy for what it is but it was very much needed as the action twists was a lot! I loved the entire M3 virus plot and the earthquake because these occur in real life all the time! I loved the message sent from this drama; Don't normalize feeling guilty or sad because it is very hard to move past some experiences, so a breakdown is completely acceptable. I cried so much during the death twist (dw it is a happy ending! I just won't spoil it) at the end because gosh I knew it was gonna happen but they really made it emotional! For the couples, both were endearing and sweet. All of the main leads were strong, capable but also kind and funny (I laughed a lot in this drama)! I am tired of typing about the story so I will move on but really to see if it is worth your time, just watch till episode 4/5 to decide.
Acting: The main leads were really well done! I have to say I enjoyed the supporting characters so much like so is no real villain (other than criminals), just people who the Main leads disliked. You must have heard or now you know that the main lead were in reality married (divorced now, unfortunately), but their chemistry in this drama was beautiful. I did find the FL annoying for being so confused about the guy like she proposed to break up when the guy literally killed his ex-best friend to save her like wth. But then that resolve in like the next five mins so I didn't really care. The second leads chemistry I liked particularly because most times it is the ML chasing the FL but in their relationship, it was FL convincing ML to start a relationship, but due to her father, the ML could really do nothing. The twist later where he chooses her despite the family issues was so good! Every character, in short, acted wonderfully and it really makes you feel like it's all real.
OST: So this will be short! The ost was great but I did think they could have chosen a more active pitched music for all the action scenes but ehh the rest of the two categories completely make up for this downfall so dw!
Anyway sorry for making it long but yeah those were my thoughts. I really hope you enjoy this series if you are watching it and if you are planning to, just wait till they separate and reunite at the volunteering post 8 months later!
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8.5/10 is my rating. This 2016 South Korean drama spanned 16 episodes (~60 minutes/episode). This south Korean drama's male lead Yoo Si-jin (played by Son Joong-ki) and female lead Dr. Kang Mo-Yeon (played by Song Joong-ki) seemed destined to be together as random events cause multiple meetings. Dr. Kang cannot envision herself, who saves lives, coupled with a special forces soldier, Yoo Si-jin who takes them. After spurning his initial advances and ending a relationship before it even started, destiny has it that she takes a medical assignment in the same place where Yoo Si-jin is stationed. You wonder if Dr. Kang can continue to deny the feelings she so obviously has for Yoo Si-jin or will circumstances drive them apart. Is love worth the chance of loss? Spoiler ? In terms of sexy male roles a tougher than nails special forces shoulder would have to top the list. As both fight battles on the field and in the operating room it becomes apparent that the two very seemingly different occupations have far more similarities than one would expect. I do not prefer war dramas but this one rated high enough I decided to give it a chance. This was good and ended well. I was a bit worried about whether it would end sad but it changed toward the end. It is a very serious, heavy movie as the topics are deep especially for those that were in the military or close relatives of those that were. As a war veteran's wife I found my self in tears multiple times and it brought back memories of those same feelings of worry and dread. It was a very good movie and I would rate it toward the top but if you are not in the best of moods or easily become saddened - you might want to pass.
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SPOILER WARNING!!!
I loved this drama and just recently finished it. I truly miss it and it is definitely one of my favorite dramas. I love how they were married irl but sadly are divorced :( Captain Yoo Si Jin is a great loveable guy and so is the Sergeant! I love both main leads and the relationships in it. I was always mad at Dr Kang for rejecting him haha. But at the end when we believed he died he wasn’t! Captain Yoo Si Jin is also one of my crushes ahaha in kdramas! The story was really suspenseful and I loved it. Im glad they were together irl and I hope they get back! :( But for sure it would probably be in my top 3-5 kdramas! I truly miss it and I’m excited for season 2 even though the song-song couple will not play in it! :): I really recommend this along with Crash Landing You since they are pretty similar!Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Second lead syndrome...
Yep, this show made me realize exactly what second lead syndrome is. Ive been watching kdramas for about six months now so I'm fairly new to all this but I havent experienced second lead syndrome up to this point. But, now I can say that I understand it. The second male lead stole the show, imo. Overall, DOTS was good. Not great, but good. It was entertaining enough to keep me watching and the romance with all the couples was nice. But, with that said, Master Sargent (a.k.a. Wolf) was the one that gave me all the feels. So, yeah, I have now achieved a new experience in drama land!! Second lead syndrome made possible by Master Sargeant Seo Dae-young...Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A STORY WHERE THE FEMALE LEAD BEHAVES LIKE A CRINGY STUPID DAMSEL IN DISTRESS AND THE MALE LEAD WILL SAVE HER EVERY DAMN TIME NO MATTER IF HE'S IN AMERICA OR KOREA!(LOL), THEN IT WILL INDEED BE A HUGE HUGE HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT TO YOU. I am very selective regarding these dramas because almost most of the Korean dramas contain this same exact thing which I mentioned above.
Acting:- I really loved how natural the doctors and soldiers were. I have hardly seen any kind of Korean dramas where the acting would be so natural. It was like every cast of this series was made for their respective roles. I watch everything closely and neatly. And I can guarantee their acting won't disappoint you.
Plot:- It is very simple. A doctor and a soldier fall in love and tries to balance their work and relationship. It is indeed very realistic unlike those stupid dramas of a rich boy and poor girl relationship. Neither of the leads is depended on each other's "income". The girl is respected in her own field and is NOT any stupid secretary who is kind of seduced by her boss and the boy as you all know is a high ranked soldier. It will show how they overcome their both work and relationship problems. I am indeed really disappointed with the negative comments all over here. It's not that I am imposing something my choice. You CAN dislike. But what do you expect more from this series? Apart from the main leads, there were some more small love stories along with them. They were sweet and you will enjoy their antics. It was a simple drama with no overdramatic things like Korean dramas normally do.
This series got so much of popularity in many countries and was dubbed in many regional languages. Do you think its just like that? It had some q factor, don't you think?
Good series are hard to find these days. And I will repeat again, I am quite selective while I am watching these Asian dramas. Why did I leave watching Thai dramas? Because of that stupid " Damsel in Distress concepts, the weak female lead, superior male leads, businessmen and so on." Give me a break. Duh.
Music:- I've downloaded all the OSTs because I loved them so much. Music has no language. ????
Rewatch Value:- I watched it two times more. I will watch it again after two months.
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10/10 for EVERYTHING? You must be crazy! (SPOILERS)Yes, this drama is deserving of a 10/10.
The past 5-6 years of my kdrama watching career, I have never seen a drama this well written, this well produced, and this well executed in a long time.
Let's start with the STORY:
The first episode really set the tone of the drama. With Song Joong Ki coming back from military service, and making a good come back, he really does set the tone for the first episode. Song Hye Kyo does a great job showing her personality in the first episode. The plot is probably one of the most unique out of many dramas, if not all dramas. Half of the drama wasn't even set in Korea, but set in a different country. The production team had to prepare everything before hand so they can film everything on the film sites at Arahova and Zakynthos Island (which they obviously had limited time there to film)
This is why the drama's plot was really good. Unlike many dramas, writers write "on the fly" while the show is airing, which kind of messes up the plot. But in this drama, the writing was pre-written and planned so they can get the whole filming done without having to worry about any problems while filming.
It was so well written in terms of suspense, romance/chemistry and action that it kept me wanting more after each week of episode release. I haven't felt like this since Pinnochio or I Hear Your Voice.
ACTING:
Of course, the acting was a 10/10. Both male and female lead delivered as expected, and even more so made it so believable. They almost made me think the actual actors were really in love with each other. They had fun moments, sad moments, intense moments etc. All making up a great love story line with their great delivery as actors
MUSIC:
Some would not agree with me that the music is not 10/10, but most of the background music did set the tone for each mood and scene. When there was an intense action packed scene, the music would greatly compliment the scene. Romantic scenes would my heart all fluttery. A really sad moment in the drama would actually make me feel for the characters. The music made the atmosphere of the drama 10x better.
REWATCH VALUE:
I know most people wouldn't watch a drama twice, but I'd be down to watch this again with someone else if they hadn't watched it. It's that good! I even *cough* torrented each episode in 1080p, just so I could watch it if I ever travel somewhere and I don't have access to internet. It's the only drama that I have downloaded on my laptop!
OVERALL:
This drama is a roller coaster ride. From the beginning of the drama to the end, it really is one of the best drama I ever watched. Just the story being set in a place other than Korea almost half of the drama, it really makes the drama unique from others. The acting of both protagonists and the antagonist really surprised me. The overall drama is just a ride and it takes you to somewhere you won't even expect.
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Rewatching and realizing it isn't that good
I may be biased because I just finished watching the ALL TIME best kdrama Kill Me, Heal Me. In short, this drama nowhere near compares to KMHM so this review may be slightly biased.---STORY---
The story is pretty good if you think about it. A doctor goes oversees to a third world country, meets a soldier and falls in love with him. This story could have been spun in so many ways and it could have been made SO much more interesting (think Crash Landing on You). From the beginning, there is like no real obstacle to their relationship. Besides the misunderstanding in the first episode, everything is pretty much smooth sailing, except for a couple of uncertainties on Mo-yeon's part. This is what I don't like. I like when couples have to overcome so many obstacles and we're finally rewarded with like the ULTIMATE and romantic kiss scene. I just think the relationship was too easy and I don't like that.
A drama with a relationship made so easy should just be all laughs and fun, but the creators tried to make it serious with all the problems they encountered in Urk, and it doesn't really work.
There's a lot of hype about the drama and I don't really see why. I was kind of hesitant to drop the drama actually the second time I watched it because I felt compelled to finish it because everyone raves about it. To be honest, it would've been perfect if they had stopped the drama after 14-15 episodes (I stopped at 13 this time), right after they return from Urk.
---ACTING---
I remember a Song Joong Ki from Running Man and I was really shocked with his acting skills. He's so boyish and charismatic in this drama, no one can deny that. I had no idea he was such a good actor, because his personality is far from being cocky, for this I gave the casting 9/10.
I wouldn't say I felt a chemistry between Joong Ki and Hye Ko, maybe because of the lack of a struggle, idk.
---MUSIC---
Again, comparing this kdrama to KMHM, the music doesn't really do anything for the show. Usually the music moves me to tears or cheers me up, but this drama's music was so not memorable, I couldn't even sing it to you.
---OVERALL---
I liked the drama in Urk, although it would've been nice if they stayed in Urk and kept having to overcome obstacles. The earthquake, pandemic and kidnapping were a bit too sudden and rushed, occurring one RIGHT after another and seems slightly unrealistic. I stopped watching when they returned to Korea so I can't judge the rest of the show, but I think they should've ended the show there. I don't think I would rewatch this and I typically hate disagreeing with the general public, but I just didn't really enjoy this drama all that much. At times I was bored and would go on my phone and I felt no excitement between the two lead.
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Awful mess
I like many of the actors on this show, but it is unwatchable. Of all those actors who I enjoyed in other productions, this is the worst work each and every one of them have been a part of. I have watched all the episodes of some truly lacking shows, but not this. I even took a long break hoping that coming back to it fresh would give it a boost. Sadly no. I couldn't even make it through an entire episode.I'm not sure what else to say other than the writing is among the worst I have seen of any drama. The overall plot, the dialogue, the ridiculous action pieces... Ugh. And nothing can save this. Even Song Joong-Ki could not make his character more than momentarily interesting.
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What I am missing?
Honestly, I am giving up after more than 10 attempts to watch this drama! What I am missing that so many people see?First episode got me excited! There were everything I am looking for in a romantic series, gorgeous leads, quite funny scenes and promising story…… and that is it, next comes episode 2, and 3….
The FL is annoying, quite selfish and hypocritical… all the time! Ah, yes, and dead boring serious!
The ML acts why too cheesy (despite being one of my favourite actors).
Most weird filming location.
Questionable lead chemistry (yes, I know they were married).
…….
Awesome rating but is seems I can’t stand it past ep 4.
What I am missing!!!!
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Would be better without the romance
I liked everybody in the cast except the FL Song Hye Kyo, I have watched several shows with her and just don't get the appeal. Her acting is flat and stiff and she never seems comfortable with any ML. (Which is especially weird considering she ended up marrying Song Joong Ki for a short bit. ) I never find myself empathizing with her characters, including her character in this series. I did not find it believable based on her behavior that the ML would try so hard to win her over, again and again.The show would have been better off just focusing on the adventures of Yoo Shi-jin and Seo Dae-young and the medical team in Urk and leaving the main two romances out. As it is, I lost interest after the 239th break up of the ML and FL. The secondary couple was terrible. The secondary female lead was so selfish and immature in her decision making and so persistent that it just seemed as if Seo dated her just to shut her up. I never felt there was a chemistry between them no matter how many tears they forced out. Maybe the actor was just not good with romantic scenes?
Some positive notes, I loved how cheezy the American soldiers were, it made me laugh at how bad their acting is. I liked the fighting and action scenes. Watching shirtless soldiers jogging in formation is my new favorite pastime.
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