As they say where I come from–“I do declare”…Our own Kim Jaejoong has taken on this role in Dr. Jin as Kim Kyung Tak, the illegitimate son of the leader of the aristocracy. He is a troubled young man, full of fear and desiring to fit in with his family that treats him as an outcast servant. Kim Kyung Tak makes compromises in his execution of military orders to please his father–the only family member who acknowledges that he is family. The thread of the story places his heart with Hong Young Rae, the daughter of a now impoverished noble family who sees her duty as a secret Christian to love everyone equally. She does not spare herself when an epidemic of cholera breaks out among the poor, but insists on helping Dr. Jin to treat the sick. When he contracts the disease himself she stays by his side to nurse him through–even defying the societal norms of her time that prevented a noblewoman from treating an unclothed man. Through her devoted efforts Dr. Jin recovers just before Kim Kyung Tak follows his Father’s orders to burn the village where Dr. Jin is treating his patients despite the fact that reports have come in that patients are recovering. Kim Kyung Tak teeters on the edge of decency and humanitarianism as he begins to see the injustices meted out upon the people. He has not yet become strong enough to fight this system which rewards the rich and takes from the poor. There is nothing new in this theme.

Hong Young Rae exists in a parallel universe which has captured Dr. Jin and placed him 150 years in the past during the Chosun Dynasty with only his skills as a neurosurgeon to treat the sick. Modern healing methods are possible only if he can find a way to adapt the meager supplies that he has taken from 2012 to the past. The question is will Dr. Jin’s love of 2012, Yo Min Ah, recover from emergency surgery to be there for him when he returns to his own time? Will Kim Kyung Tak rally and win the heart of his fiancee, Hong Young Rae? Only more episodes will tell the tale.

I look forward to viewing Episode 6.  It seems such a long wait and an even longer wait to get to Episodes 7 and 8. If my stomach can hold out against all of the gory and bloody procedures–not to mention vomit galore– I will be that much closer to answering these questions.

Kim Jaejoong–I am so proud of you for choosing this quality role that has such potential to speak out and act out against the Order of the Day. I would be happy to see Kim Kyung Tak begin to strike against the feudal social system that denies him dignity as an illegitimate son. It will take overcoming his fear of rejection by his Father, and the motivation of wanting to win the love of Hong Young Rae.

credit: Momma Cha @jyjfantalk

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