YONG PAL | Episodes 3-4 | Discussion

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

Cast: Joo Won, Kim Tae Hee, Jo Hyun Jae, Chae Jung Ahn, Jeong Wung In

Plot: Kim Tae Hyeon (Joo Won) is a talented surgeon. Desperate for money to pay his sister's medical bills, he adopts the code name Yong Pal and offers his medical skills to those in need of medical attention but who cannot do so publicly, dealing with gangsters and corrupt plutocrats. It is while making such a house call that Tae Hyeon rescues "sleeping beauty" Han Yeo Jin (Kim Tae Hee), a chaebol heiress, from a medically-induced coma, leading to unintended consequences.

Other: 20 episodes / Medical, Action, Romance, Revenge, Chaebol / Wed. & Thurs. / SBS / 2015

Where to watch: Drama.net / DramaBay / DramaFever / GoodDrama / MyAsianTV / Viki

Teasers/trailers:

Next week's preview:
None.

Resources: Drama.net, Youtube/SBSNow, Youtube/DramaSBS, AsianWiki

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Yassss, Yong Pal, come rescue me during 2015's K-dramaland slump.

Comments

[canxi.livejournal.com]

Oh, how is Kim Tae Hee's acting in this? I've never been too enthusiastic about her but I saw some shots of her space age style hospital bed and I dunno but that made me want to give this a shot. Though it looks like she just woke up, maybe I should come back and ask in another 4 episodes lol.

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

she's fine. she's been mostly sleeping for the past four episodes yet people are still extra about her idgi. she's pretty charming with material anyway.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

I watched episode 4...seems like a good show but that one line blaming that girl for her own stabbing and assault was not a good fucking look

Especially since the show is supposed to be about regaining agency and revenge

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

lol i knew we were going to have to talk about the victim blaming here. i mean, out of context that line is pretty bad but it isn't indicative of the narrative at all? i understand why people are sensitive, but it also requires a lot of cognitive dissonance and not seeing the forest for trees to argue that he was victim-blaming. first of all, he didn't say anything akin to "you were wearing a short skirt!!!" he said she shouldn't take her wrath on innocent lives because she feels guilty. he was either projecting or assuming or he had more info, but that's what he said. most importantly, though, they dedicated the whole narrative to sympathizing with the victim? from calling it a crime scene, to having yong pal choosing to save the victim over his and his sister's lives and then he kind of avenged her to the best of his ability by punching her assaulter at the end. that's not a narrative that -- nor a hero who -- holds the victim responsible for her assault/puts her on the same level as the assaulter.

telling someone he/she shouldn't chase after someone for superficial reasons -- that concern is casually expressed all the time around here when a woman is dating or pursuing someone problematic about fans and celebs (e.g. charlize theron/sean penn) -- telling ppl to be smarter =/= telling them they deserve the worst predicament if it happens.

[ketchum.livejournal.com]

ooh I just watched all 4 episodes in one sitting, and I'm loving it. Please don't go down hill lmfao

i forget the timeline -- is kim tae hee's character the (likely?) reason yongpal's mom died?
also did the cops sweep that car for DNA because yongpal's is all over it, seeing as he wasn't wearing gloves when driving iirc?

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

yeah, i think she's the vvip that was prioritized over his mom's life. that could be interesting.


maybe he wiped it down before he left? lol i still don't understand what happened in the engine room that they couldn't go in and turn off the switches themselves so i can't be bothered with the basic logic haha

[kicking-tenshi.livejournal.com]

so slick so fancy. I like what little of kth we've seen so far. Watching Joo Won act all cool and manly is always so funny to me because in my mind he's this aegyo cuddle monster that likes belly pudge.

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

whoa apparently it got a 4-episode extension.

[kjc48.livejournal.com]

I'm still not in love with the show, but I know I will be starting next week. Bring on the drama, bring on the revenge.

Everyone is loving Yong Pal, but I feel like without HYJ's drama the show is just spinning in circles. For example the difference in intensity between YP jumping of the bridge, it's just like "cool~", and YJ trying to kill herself with that piece of vase, which has everyone thinking "oh shit, it's going down!".

P.S. I'll never understand why medical dramas are a thing~~~

[canxi.livejournal.com]

I think people find it intriguing; the portrayal of tv hospitals—the crazy going-ons and "dirty" politics of such a (literally) sanitized environment. However many of them become dull pretty quickly or get bogged down in it's own said politics though. I tend to prefer the ones that are more about the people than the surgery of the week.

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

i'm more into the politics than the procedural aspects of it, personally. medical dramas were never my thing either.

[tree-star123.livejournal.com]

idk if I should watch this...... the girl just got out of her coma?

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

medically-induced coma, orchestrated by her half-brother so he can control her inheritance.

[agoongprincess.livejournal.com]

i so alive thanks to this mess & im thankful it's breaking the drama curse & snatching those high ratings

[neongoldtooth.livejournal.com]

someone explain to me how he's a surgeon, but can't pay his sister's medical bills.....?

i haven't watched the show yet...I'm assuming maybe he's new to being a surgeon so he has his own school debt or something...or the bills are just CRAZY expensive...

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

I believe he got a loan from a loan shark in order to pay the fees for medical school and tuition. The interest is pretty high and then there's also compund interest. I think the drama My Beautiful Bride dealed w/ this in depth.

He's also still a resident, so I guess he doesn't make enough money to cover the bills for his sister, pay back the loan and his own living costs.

[hurtmybones.livejournal.com]

tempted to start this for my non-acting stunning queen KTH!

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

2015 didn't suck completely, we had Angry Mom, Punch and Healer. Yong Pal is obviously blowing everyone out of the water and I hope it won't deteriorate towards the end.

Anyway Yong Pal is giving me Nice Guy vibes. Idek why buy I love it. As long as they don't turn Yeo Jin into a whiny femalde lead. I want to see blood and messy chaebol war. Joo Won should always pick intense roles. The visuals are great.


Stephanie as Cynthia is everything. I already love her sassy character and her styling is great. I'm so glad she got another drama after Seonam Girls.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

My comment below was supposed to be a reply to you lol

[canxi.livejournal.com]

Is Seonam Girls good? I want to watch. I also feel like 2015 wasn't so bad. This summer season of dramas, I think had the most upsets. Like the shows had such good synopsis'/potential but the execution... I think I only watched 2 episodes of Warm and Cozy, ya know?

But then we also got gems like Ex-Girlfriend's Club that got shortened and still managed to be one of the best for me, lol.

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

i count healer as 2014.

[sisterjune.livejournal.com]

YES it's not just me who is getting the Nice Guy vibes. I've been wanting a similar drama that actually did right by its lead female character since forever. I am hoping our "sleeping beauty" will become a waking nightmare to all of her enemies when she's finally on her feet again. DON'T LET ME DOWN DRAMA. I ASK 4 SO LITTLE.

I am so into Cynthia, most gorgeous girl I've seen in a kdrama in a while. and So very tall *__* The fact that her character is nuanced (smart and practical/pragmatic but not heartless or conniving) and charming to boot? hell ya i'm on board. and Stephanie Lee was in seonam? Damn even more reasons to watch that drama, I should really get on that already.

tbh Yong Pal has not 1 not 2 but 3 interesting female characters with notable roles. and that so far is the biggest draw for me altho seeing Joo Won not WAY over do it with his acting for once is really nice haha. Idk if it's experience or a really good director but so far there has been no cringey GAKSITAAAAAAL!!! esque moments haha. but there is time yet i suppose lol.

[hipployta.livejournal.com]

Right? What drama slump? I'll include Kill Me Heal Me, Pinocchio, and I Remember You too

I haven't finished Missing Noir M, What Happened to My Family, Shine or Go Crazy, or Beloved Eun Dong yet

[miyozari.livejournal.com]

I wish I didn't pick so many stinkers to watch this year (High Society, Warm and Cozy) and watched instead some of the dramas you mentioned.

Ji Sung's acting in Kill Me, Heal Me deserves a Daesang this year.

Damn, I still have to watch Missing Noir M and everyone raved about Beloved Eun Dong. I also want to finish I Remember You and My Beautiful Bride from the Heartless City writer.

[pentrue.livejournal.com]

Is this drama worth it? I'm hesitating to start a new one since I Remember You... the ending of that soured the drama for me and I don't know if I want to invest in another one.

[revertigo.livejournal.com]

lol idk how to answer this. it's fun so far with lots of room for improvement and lots of room to downhill