Japanese Drama Review : Good Doctor

Title : Good Doctor

Episodes : 10

Genre : Medical drama, drama

Story : 8 out of 10

Characters : 8 out of 10

Cinematography : 9 out of 10

Good Doctor is the Japanese remake of the popular Korean drama with the same title, which has also been adapted into an American show as well. The Japanese version feels more realistic and has also has been armed with popular actor Kento Yamazaki as their main star.

Poster for the japanese drama Good Doctor

Story

Not straying much from the original story, the Japanese version follows Minato, a young doctor who has savant syndrome. Although he has an unbeatable memory, he still is not regarded as a doctor. Thus, he is not accepted into his new team and, especially his team leader tries to make him quit and scolds him for everything. Minato, however, has a goal, to see every child grow into an adult, something that his late brother couldn’t.

So, the story felt more original than the one of the Korean version. The medical cases were many and usually concluded into one episode time, something that the k dramas tend to fail to manage. Also, the cases were interesting and had the human element all over them, making them special and bringing the emotions out front. In addition, Minato’s relationship with his senior female doctor, Natsumi, was more like a big sister-younger brother relationship rather than a romantic one, something that had really bothered me in the Korean version.

The only minus that I’ve found in the story was the last episode. I do wish that it had concluded as strongly as it had started, however, the last one was kind of boring but okay overall.

Characters

The main character of the japanese drama Good Doctor

Minato is the main character of the drama and he manages to star in every episode. He is naively cute, easily likable but a strong character at the same time. He shows immense strength as the story unfolds and grows as a doctor gradually. Kento Yamazaki did an excellent job here, shading away those high schooler characters that he mastered in the past. It is obvious that he is growing as an actor and here he proves that he had potential.

Natsumi, the leading lady, is the character that her Korean equivalent wasn’t. She is full of sweet qualities and overflows motherly potentials. She is the one that cares for Minato and she is always there for him. But, she has her own problems to deal with, as she struggles to become a surgent as well. Even though she doesn’t have as much screen time as she should, and her love story was kind of a forgotten one, as it showed some clues at the beginning, but then the writers just forgot about that aspect of her story, she is a key figure in the story. Ueno Juri, as Natsumi, was really good in portraying her and she was enjoyable to watch.

The three main doctors of the japanese drama Good Doctor

Cinematography

One of the major things that bothered me in the Korean Good Doctor was that they had to show us everything that happened in the surgeries. This version, however, is more sensible in this matter. We are not deprived of a fine medical case, but they manage to present it without the blood and everything. Also, the setting was well made and it suited the drama.

Overall

My overall rating should be 8 out of 10. It was enjoyable to watch, but the length was too short and the whole political situation in the hospital was just hurried and covered by the final medical cases.