Doctor Slump

Plot

Two brilliant doctors whose lives were once defined by academic excellence and professional prestige hit rock bottom simultaneously. During their high school years, Yeo Jeong-woo and Nam Ha-neul were fierce rivals, competing for the top rank in the national mock exams. While Jeong-woo was the effortless, popular genius, Ha-neul was the relentless "study machine" who sacrificed every luxury for her grades.

Fourteen years later, Jeong-woo has become a star plastic surgeon with a flawless reputation and a massive social media following. However, his life is upended when a mysterious medical accident during a routine surgery leads to the death of a patient—the girlfriend of a powerful casino mogul. Framed by a conspiracy and facing a 10-billion-won lawsuit, Jeong-woo loses his clinics, his wealth, and his public standing. Destitute and traumatized, he is forced to move into a humble rooftop room.

Simultaneously, Ha-neul has become a highly skilled anesthesiologist at a prestigious university hospital. Despite her brilliance, she is treated as a doormat by a narcissistic senior professor who steals her research and subjects her to verbal abuse. The cumulative stress of her "burnout" lifestyle eventually manifests as clinical depression. After a near-fatal incident where she almost collapses into traffic from exhaustion, Ha-neul realizes she can no longer function. She quits her job, much to the horror of her mother, who struggles to understand how a "successful doctor" could be mentally ill.

The two former rivals reunite when Jeong-woo unknowingly rents the rooftop room of the building owned by Ha-neul's family. Initially, their reunion is marked by the same petty bickering that defined their teenage years. However, as they navigate their respective "slumps", they find that they are the only people capable of providing true comfort to one another.

As Ha-neul undergoes therapy to reclaim her life, she helps Jeong-woo investigate the medical malpractice case that ruined him. Together, they discover a web of surveillance and betrayal involving a close colleague. Ultimately, the series chronicles their journey of healing, proving that a professional "slump" can serve as a necessary pause to rediscover personal happiness and a life beyond their medical licenses.

Cast and characters

Main

Park Hyung-sik as Yeo Jeong-woo

Seo Woo-jin as young Yeo Jeong-woo

A plastic surgeon who achieved academic and professional success early in life due to his academic aptitude, graduating from South Korea's top medical school and gaining public recognition through a documentary about his overseas volunteer work performing reconstructive surgeries. He views plastic surgery as a means to improve patients' self-esteem and quality of life, a philosophy that helped him build a prominent public profile and co-found a medical YouTube channel that earned a Gold Creator Award. However, his career faces a crisis when a patient dies during a facial contouring surgery under mysterious circumstances, complicated by the unexplained failure of the operating room's CCTV cameras during the procedure. Struggling to cope with the sudden downfall and seeking escape from public scrutiny, he unexpectedly reunites with Ha-neul, his intense academic rival from his school years.

Park Shin-hye as Nam Ha-neul

Yu Ha-yeon as young Nam Ha-neul

An anesthesiologist who was recognized as an academic prodigy from a young age in Busan, consistently ranking at the top of her school through extreme, self-sacrificing study habits and eventually scoring first in the nation on a high school mock examination. Driven by a strong competitive nature and the belief that temporary self-deprivation would secure her future happiness, she eschewed social relationships and leisure to focus entirely on her education, leading her family to relocate to Seoul where she encountered her academic rival, Jeong-woo, before successfully entering medical school. Despite achieving her goal of becoming a doctor, the prolonged psychological strain and lack of work-life balance eventually cause her to experience severe burnout, prompting her to abruptly resign from her position to re-evaluate her life. Unaccustomed to leisure and struggling to adapt to free time, her routine shifts when Jeong-woo unexpectedly moves into the rooftop apartment of her family's building. Although they initially resume their high school animosity, Ha-neul develops empathy for Jeong-woo upon witnessing his night terrors and isolating legal battles stemming from a mysterious medical malpractice incident, leading her to provide emotional and legal support while he teaches her how to relax, which gradually transitions their rivalry into mutual romantic interest.

Supporting

Ha-neul's family

Jang Hye-jin as Kong Wol-seon

A single mother who gave birth to her daughter, Ha-neul, at nineteen, and values the youthful, close relationship she shares with her children while living with her late husband's family. Her primary source of pride and fulfillment is Ha-neul's career as a doctor, which helps mitigate other family stressors, including her late husband's absence and her nearly thirty-year-old son's prolonged unemployment. However, Wol-seon faces an emotional challenge when Ha-neul is diagnosed with depression, transitioning from initial denial to acceptance as she focuses on supporting her daughter's mental health recovery.

Yoon Sang-hyeon as Nam Ba-da

Ha-neul's younger brother. Unlike his academically successful sister, Ba-da possesses neither an aptitude nor an interest in studying, operating under the belief that one top student per household is sufficient. Officially an unemployed job seeker, he lacks the ambition to find employment and instead hopes to inherit his mother's building to live comfortably, maintaining a cheerful attitude despite regular criticism from his mother and sister. To attract romantic interest, he intentionally alters his dialect depending on whether he is speaking to women from Seoul or Busan. Following Ha-neul's burnout and subsequent unemployment, Ba-da finds amusement in the situation, jokingly arguing that he is the more dutiful child for never raising their family's expectations in the first place.

Hyun Bong-sik as Kong Tae-seon

Ha-neul's maternal uncle, who runs a milmyeon restaurant on the ground floor of their building after learning the craft as a kitchen assistant at a top restaurant in Busan. Despite his imposing build and strong regional dialect, he is dedicated to his business, maintaining strict quality controls such as refusing to offer delivery to prevent the noodles from getting soggy. Having never married, he moved to Seoul alongside his family to help support Ha-neul and her brother, Ba-da, serving as a paternal figure in their father's absence.

Nam Gwon-a as Nam Suk-ja, Ha-neul's eldest aunt

Special appearances

Park Won-sang as Nam Man-seok, Ha-neul's deceased father

Lee Seung-joon as the psychiatrist who diagnoses Ha-neul with burnout and depression

Jang In-sub as Jeong-woo and Dae-yeong's colleague

Cha Yong-hak as a prosecutor involved in the legal proceedings regarding Jeong-woo's medical malpractice case

Jeon Yi-soo as the patient from Macau who dies while having a facial contouring in Jeong-woo's clinic

Kim Il-joong as a news anchor

Kim Ha-eun as a news anchor

Lee Sung-kyung as Han Woo-ri, a former classmate and has a crush on Jeong-woo

Kim Seung-hye as Oh Ji-eun

Mi Ram as Da-bin

Production

Development and casting

The development of Doctor Slump began under the direction of Oh Hyun-jong, known for his work on Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo (2016), and writer Baek Seon-woo, whose previous credits include What's Wrong with Secretary Kim (2018). Produced by SLL and HighZium Studio, the series was envisioned as a "medical-human" drama that focused more on the psychological recovery and "slump" of its protagonists rather than traditional hospital politics. The project was initially slated for an October 2023 release on JTBC but was later moved to the first quarter of 2024 to anchor the network's weekend lineup. The first script reading was held on March 4, 2023, where the creative team established the show's tone as a blend of nostalgic romantic comedy and modern-day healing drama.

Casting garnered significant media interest as it marked the first on-screen reunion between leads Park Shin-hye and Park Hyung-sik in eleven years, following their roles in the 2013 teen drama The Heirs. The project also served as a high-profile comeback for Park Shin-hye, marking her return to the screen after a two-year hiatus following her marriage and the birth of her first child. By March 2023, the main cast was rounded out by Yoon Park and Kong Seong-ha, who were cast to portray the secondary lead couple. Park Won-sang and Lee Sung-kyung were cast to make a special appearances. Lee's casting was due to her professional relationship with director Oh, with whom she previously worked on the 2016–2017 MBC TV series Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo.

Filming

Principal photography took place between March and October 2023. To capture the contrast between the characters' past academic success and their present-day struggles, the production utilized a mix of historic and scenic locations across South Korea. The high school flashback sequences were filmed at the historic Choong Ang High School in Seoul. To emphasize the "healing" theme of the series, several pivotal scenes were shot in nature-centric locations, including the Samyang Roundhill ranch in Pyeongchang, as well as the coastal areas of Gaetmaeul Beach and Yongho Starlight Park in Busan. Campus settings in Soonchunhyang University in Asan served as the spring backdrop for multiple sequences; the staircase next to the Hakseongsa Hall 2 dormitory was used for the scene where the characters share their drunken confessions, while the school's cherry blossom-lined Phoenix Square was the site of their high school racing scene. Urban filming took place at various landmarks in Seoul, such as the Deoksugung Palace Stone-wall Road and the Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park bridge, providing a grounded, contemporary atmosphere for the characters' adult lives.

Original soundtrack

The soundtrack of the series was led by music directors Kim Joon-seok and Jung Se-rin. It featured a diverse lineup of artists, including Seulgi of Red Velvet, Hynn, Chen of Exo, Junggigo, Dayoung of WJSN, and Eden. Notably, lead actor Park Hyung-sik contributed to the soundtrack with the ballad "Lean on Me" (내게 기대), marking his participation in the series as both a performer and vocalist.

Album

Doctor Slump soundtrack album was released on March 19, 2024; it contains all of the singles and background tracks from the series.

Singles

Singles included on the album were released from January 27, to March 10, 2024.

Marketing and release

In December 2023, JTBC initiated the promotional campaign for Doctor Slump by releasing its first teaser poster on December 19, which depicted the high school rivalry between the leads portrayed by Park Shin-hye and Park Hyung-sik. This was followed by the release of the first teaser video on December 22, showcasing the characters' transition from academic competitors to individuals dealing with slumps in adulthood. The network subsequently unveiled the drama's main poster on December 26, emphasizing the reunion of the central characters.

Promotions continued into January 2024, with JTBC releasing group and character posters on January 5 featuring the main cast, which included Park Shin-hye, Park Hyung-sik, Yoon Park, and Kong Seong-ha. A highlight video previewing the series' narrative arc and character backstories was published on January 12, followed by a final preview trailer on January 19. Doctor Slump premiered on JTBC on January 27, 2024, occupying the Saturday and Sunday 22:30 (KST) time slot. It is also available for streaming on TVING in South Korea and Netflix internationally.

Reception

Critical response

South Korean media critics focused heavily on the show's relatability and its depiction of "mental wounds". Ilgan Sports noted that the series effectively used the irony of doctors—who are typically viewed as "healers"—struggling to care for their own mental health to create a deep sense of empathy with the audience. The review highlighted that the transition from academic competition to mutual comfort felt realistic to viewers who have experienced South Korea's high-pressure work culture. In a comprehensive review by Maeil Business Newspaper, the series was described as a "sunshine-like drama" amidst a flood of provocative content, though it was criticized for relying on a "predictable romance" as the primary cure for professional burnout.

Internationally, the series received generally positive reviews, with particular praise directed at the chemistry between the lead actors. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 6 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.2/10. Writing for Decider, Johnny Loftus gave a "Stream It" recommendation and noted that the lifelong rivalry between Park Shin-hye and Park Hyung-sik provided a compelling foundation for the evolving romance. S. Poorvaja of The Hindu echoed this sentiment, stating that the lead performances and the show's sensitivity largely compensated for its inconsistent pacing. While Nandini Iyengar of Bollywood Hungama lauded the "funny yet strong leads", and Pierce Conrad of the South China Morning Post offered a more tempered assessment, praising Park Shin-hye's "balanced and grounded" performance but felt that Park Hyung-sik's more "showy" portrayal occasionally bordered on caricature.

Critics were divided regarding the show's narrative focus and its handling of mental health. Tanu I. Raj of NME and Joly Herman of Common Sense Media both awarded the series three out of five stars, describing it as a "fast-paced" and "catchy" watch driven by witty banter. However, Raj observed that the writing occasionally diluted the story's impactful and realistic treatment of mental health. This sentiment was shared by Conrad, who argued that the series failed to fulfil its promise of addressing the stigmas surrounding mental health in South Korean society, focusing instead on the central romance. Sarah Musnicky of But Why Tho? gave the series a 6.5/10 rating, criticizing the plot as "directionless" and suggesting that the show's primary messaging became "muddied" as it struggled to find its footing.

Viewership

Doctor Slump was a commercial success, performing strongly across domestic cable television and international streaming platforms. The series premiered with a 4.1% nationwide rating on Nielsen Korea. Although viewership saw a temporary dip to a series low of 3.7% during the Korean New Year holiday, it rebounded to peak at a nationwide rating of 8.2% (9.8% in the Seoul metropolitan area) for its tenth episode. The series maintained an average nationwide audience share of 5.9% for the remaining episodes, consistently ranking atop in its time slot.

Globally, the series achieved notable traction on Netflix. It debuted at number nine on the platform's non-English TV shows chart two after its release. During the week of January 29 to February 4, 2024, it rose to the top position of the ranking chart, garnering 10.2 million viewing hours and 2.9 million total views. The drama remained on the global chart for nine consecutive weeks and reached the top ten in 35 countries, including topping the charts in Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. According to Netflix's biannual engagement reports released in September 2024 and February 2025, Doctor Slump accumulated 314.1 million hours viewed from 17.1 million total views in 2024.