The genre of Medical dramas has captured the fans deeply like no other genre has done. The shows have been able to indulge viewers of various backgrounds because of their captivating storytelling, emotional flavor, and knowledge related to medical information.
Korean medical shows stand out among the other genres because of the narration and mastery that is put into each of these shows, combining human emotions with medical perplexities.
Korean drama space has gained a massive fan base that eagerly waits for new releases. One such release was Dr. Romantic, a.k.a. Romantic Doctor, Teacher Kim can be streamed on Rakuten Viki. It gained widespread popularity.
The plot focuses on Boo Yong-Joo, a skilled and unorthodox surgeon who goes by Teacher Kim. He leaves his top-of-the-line designation at a famous hospital and ends up in a small and struggling Doldam Hospital, where he becomes the mentor of Yoon Seo-Jung and Kang Dong-Joo.
The show illustrates the winnings and losses within a hospital, showcasing the importance of integrity, compassion, teamwork, and bonding. It also shows each character’s personal journey and growth as the story moves forward.
If you have already watched Dr. Romantic, then in this article, we will take a look at 15 Dramas Like Dr. Romantic. The list is in no particular order. Just look for your favorite medical drama and go for it.
15. Good Doctor
Joo Won plays the character of Park Shi On, who is a pediatric surgeon. He has spatial skills and a brilliant memory, but his emotional being is that of a kid.
He is mocked by his fellow doctors and the patients. He’s considered unreliable and is also said to be a soulless robot because he uses strong intuition to think and not feel.
Park Shi On is not perfect by any means; he’s susceptible to being judgemental. He makes mistakes but slowly progresses to become a trusty and reliable surgeon. The show is not heavy or forced, and it relies on humor and romance to drive the story forward. This also makes the drama an easy watch for the audience.
Joo Won’s portrayal is sensitive, and it leaves an impact on the show. The romance between him and Cha Yoon Seo, played by Moon Chae Won, will put a smile on the face of the audience.
The drama got so popular that it even got a U.S. adaptation of the same name. All in all, it is a great show. With its light theme and use of witty instances to carry the story forward, it is easy for the audience to absorb and enjoy.
14. Hospital Playlist
These doctors can both use the scalpel and play the drums. The show revolves around the lives of five exceptional surgeons working at Yulje Medical Center. The five of them have been best friends and have been band members since 20 years of medical school.
The cast of the show is filled with skilled actors: Jo Jung Suk plays the character of Lee Ik Jun, a goofing surgeon and a single father; Yoo Yeon Seok plays Ahn Jung Won, a focused pediatrician; Jung Kyung Ho plays Kim Jun Wan a blunt and passionate cardio surgeon, and Jeon Mi Do plays as Chae Song Hwa who is the only girl among them, a neurosurgeon and a multitasker.
The famous five of Yulje swiftly handle all the medical emergencies of the hospital. Their friendship is like a family, fighting for food, teasing each other, or fighting about who will play the next song.
All of them are together, cheering and helping each other. We all know the best medicine is music, laughter, and food. There is plenty of this in the drama. It is a joyous celebration of daily life and its happenings.
It is a good show that shows the importance of friendship, and it shows the intricacies of what happens between good friends. The show is filled with humor and is easy on the eyes. It has a calming and relaxing vibe to it, which is preferred by most of the audience.
13. Chocolate
Chocolate is one of the most underrated medical Korean shows on this list. The name of the show, ‘Chocolate,’ is a metaphor for the colors of life: black, white, or colorful.
These situations are shown through the life decisions of Dr. Lee Kang, played by Yoon Kye Sang, who is a neurosurgeon, and chef Moon Cha Young, played by Ha Ji Won. Lee Kang works as a neurosurgeon at his family hospital.
He works hard but emotionally is unavailable, holds grudges and resentments, and lives in the past and regrets it. His family is dysfunctional, and he is manipulated by them. Lee Kang finds himself in an inheritance war with his cousin, but things alter after he takes responsibility for the hospital.
He meets Moon Cha Young, and they both have had a connection since childhood. While working in the hospital, looking at the ill and suffering people around him, he learns about forgiveness, strength, morality, and reconciliation.
Lee Kang will make you feel like he’s a common man, totally one of us, and this is what resonates with most. Food is also blended meticulously in the narrative. After all, a bowl of chocolate kimchi stew or jajangmyeon can work wonders on a wounded soul.
The drama has good scenes, and the storytelling is aptly presented so it is in the eyes and minds of the viewers. All in all, if you’re looking for something to relax your mood on them, this should be on your watch list.
12. Ghost Doctor
Ghost Doctor focuses on a talented but selfish and arrogant doctor, Cha Young Min, played by Rain. He takes control of the body of an intern, Go Seung Tak, played by Kim Bum.
Seung Tak has all the luxuries. He’s born with a silver spoon but lacks the skills and talent to be a doctor. What happens next is a series of funny instances, misadventures, comical errors, and a lesson for both.
Cha Young Min learns that in the notion of Dr. Golden Hands, he treated his patients merely as assets, some he can make a profit from, irrespective of the worthy-ness of being getting the treatment or not.
He becomes a good mentor to Go Seung Tak, and the situations also help him to overcome his own selfishness and esteem issues. The drama is fun to watch. The chemistry between Kim Bum and Rain is funny and keeps the audience hooked.
The scenes are also funny, and they make up for the repetitive plot. All in all, if you’re related to or like the medical field, then this show should definitely be on your watch list.
11. The Doctors
A carefree high school student, Yoo Hye Jung, played by Park Shin Hye, has never had an easy life. The only person interested in her well-being is Hong Ji Hong, played by Kim Rae Won, who is her teacher.
Years later, after she becomes a neurosurgeon, her personality keeps her isolated, but she again meets Ji Hong, her mentor. Ji Hong has now become a senior doctor at a hospital.
On paper, the show looks straightforward, but it has its methods to keep the audience hooked and entertained. Hye Jung is not stuck anywhere and is not a damsel in distress. She doesn’t need anyone to save her and can take any criminals, but when it comes to her personal life, she is a total mess, which the audience will relate to.
On the other hand, Ji Hong asks her not to care if people like her or not but to become the person that she wants to be. Everything in this drama is present in the right amount, be it humor, romance, drama, or comedy.
Because of this, it has gained a huge amount of viewership and repeated watch hours. If you have not seen it yet, then go for it.
10. Doctor John
Doctor John tells the story of skilled Yo Han, played by Ji Sung, an anaesthesiologist who was found guilty of malpractices in his profession.
He goes back to the saChame hospital where he was known as Doctor 10 Seconds since he only needed 10 Seconds to diagnose a patient. But he himself has a condition called CIPA, and in this condition, he cannot feel temperature and pain.
However, he is sensitive about others, so practicing as an anaesthesiologist allows him to relieve the pain of others. The show gets many points; it handles the controversial topic of euthanasia with respect and sensitivity, giving the view of patients and their guardians.
The show looks beautiful when you see how the doctors are invested in the lives of the patients. Ji Sung keeps his performance emotional and emphatic and is always ready to help everyone around him.
9. Poong, the Joseon Psychiatrist
The time period of the show is set in the Joseon Period, and the story is set accordingly. Yoo Se Poong, played by Kim Min Jae, is an acupuncturist, that too a royal one.
But he gets banished from the royal palace after a heinous conspiracy. After the banishment, he gets into a depressive traumatic state. He loses his confidence and starts to question his skillset. Lost and questioning, his exploration leads him to a village.
There, he meets Eun Woo, played by Kim Hyang Gi, a young widow who goes against the societal pressure to study medicine, which has been her hobby for a long.
They both and the head doctor of the village start to heal people. It is beautiful to see Poong’s characters realizing their calling about healing people and ignoring all the farce of society. Hard work, practice, and skills unlocked new doors for her, which can be learned from her.
The show also focuses on the archaic laws revolving around women and their place in society, but the straightforward storytelling is the main strength of the drama.
The chatter of the villagers, Eun Woo, and Poong’s easy-going relationship. The drama is easy on the eyes and always keeps you curious about what is going to happen next. The show has two seasons. Check them out.
8. Doctor Stranger
The plot of Doctor Strange revolves around Park Hoon, a skilled cardiothoracic surgeon who is originally from North Korea but migrates to South Korea.
There, he faces many problems in the new setup as he learns how to get used to this strange medical system and gets entangled in a web of political backlash.
You’ll see his journey as he works at the very famous hospital while searching for his lost love. He faces many high stakes scenarios and high stakes situations and many tricky medical operations, which put his skill and moral character to the test.
7. Life
Life is a very grippy Korean show that dives into the complex world of corporate banter of privately owned hospitals.
The show focuses on the lives of doctors, administration, and patients in emergency situations, where the struggle for power, ethical chores, and life-or-death decisions are to be made at every step.
The plot of the show focuses on Ye Jin Woo. He’s a brilliantly skilled doctor but somehow gets entangled in work-related politics and medical intricacies. To give the treatment his patients deserve, he gathers his determination and carefully navigates the complex hierarchical system of the hospital.
6. Kill Me, Heal Me
For the fans of the Korean show Kill Me, Heal Me is a classic in the Korean drama space. The show focuses on the live story of Cha Do-Hyun, played by Ji Sung. He belongs to a rich family and is suffering from Dissociative Personality Disorder, and Oh Ri-Jin is a first-year resident.
The show depicted mental illness when no other show was talking about it, which makes it truly ahead of its time. It was lauded for its narrative and delivery on mental illness because it was a taboo topic in Korean society.
Unlike other dramas on this list, this drama is not merely a medical drama, but it actually talks about mental health up to a certain extent. The main driving force of the show is the relationship between Ri-Jin and Do-Hyun.
The show is also filled with funny moments that are classic for the fans of Korean shows. You must have seen some clips from the show, if not the whole show.
The show has a blend of old Korean productions, so keep that in mind while watching the show. Overall, it is a good show, and it is a good entertainer.
5. Descendants of the Sun
You can’t be a fan of Korean entertainment if you have not seen Descendants of the Sun. The show has a theme of romance happening between Shi Jin, played by Song Joong Ki, a special forces captain, and MonYeon, played by Song Hye Kyo, a doctor.
The show gained a lot of popularity among the viewers because of the refreshing romance, which was liked by everyone, plus the side couple of the show, Dae Young, played by Jin Goo, and Myeong Joon, played by Kim Ji Won.
And, of course, one cannot forget the bromance of Dae Young and Shi Jin. It is hard not to listen to Shi Jin when he is talking to Mo Yeon. Plus, there is no complaining about the fan service.
4. D-Day
D-Day is the combination of the medical drama genre with a disaster angle, producing a story that will keep the audience at the edge.
It can be considered a hidden gem, but if given a chance, it gives you a worthwhile watching experience. The plot of the show begins when the city of Seoul faces a massive earthquake, crippling the whole city as the emergency people and doctors struggle to help everyone around them.
Fans of Jung So Min will be pleased to see the portrayal of his character, Jung Ddol Mi. He is seen as an intern doctor who visits Busan to Seoul to transfer a patient but gets stuck in the earthquake.
But undoubtedly, Kim Young Kwan is the star of the show. He is seen as Lee Hae Sung, who is a skilled surgeon who is focused and will do anything in order to help his patients. As the story progresses, the audience falls in love with these characters, and the screenplay plays a big role in it.
The pace at which the story is shown is easy on the eyes. You may think that everything will be rushed as it is covering disaster, but that’s not the case. Each episode will leave you anticipating what will happen next.
3. Doctor Prisoner
Doctor Prisoner is one of the best recommendations on this list. It will take fans on a dark journey where a doctor plots revenge because he was wrongly accused.
Na Yi Je is a skilled surgeon but gets falsely accused of shady malpractices. Because of that, Yi Je is thrown out of the hospital, and potentially, his career and reputation are on the line. He decides to work as a doctor from a prison with a hidden agenda.
His plan is to gain enough connections inside the prison so he can extract revenge from the responsible people. It became very famous and was lauded by everyone, and it got seven awards at the Seoul International Awards and at the KBS Drama Awards as well.
2. Blood
Blood is not simply a Korean medical drama; it has a vampire blend to it. The show combines the themes of both genres and delivers a beautiful show with a compelling narrative.
It got called for four awards at the KBS awards after its premiere. The drama focuses on Park Ji Sang, played by Ahn Jae Hyun, who is a top-of-the-line surgeon.
But he has a big secret up his sleeve: he is actually a vampire and has learned to control his hunger for blood so he can save those diseased patients.
The vampire elements and supernatural aura are just touching the iceberg, and the show has many other things going for it. The vampire doctor is also attracted to the niece of the chairman, and this also adds a romantic element to the show.
1. Live Up To Your Name
Dr. Heo, played by Kim Nam Gil, is a skilled acupuncturist in the Joseon Era of Korea. He is good at his job, but mostly, his time goes into treating the poor.
He gets an opportunity to treat the migraine of the wealthy king, but he has anxiety, and because of that, he cannot treat him. After listening to this, the king wants him for treason, but he manages to escape death.
In the process, he time travels and is brought to a completely new era. When he finds himself in this modern day, his old conventional techniques are put up against new modern medications and teachings of cardiothoracic surgeon Choi Yeon Kyung, played by Kim Ah Joon.
Both of them have a different approach to medicine, which creates an unlikely pair and puts them in an odd couple-like situation.
