Sea and islands, healing and romance. With that combination, there is no need to worry. 'Gaetmaeul Chacha' and 'Welcome to Samdal-ri' were followed by 'Doctor on the Edge,' which proved the box-office formula.
ENA Monday-Tuesday drama 'Doctor on the Edge' (written by Kim Ji-su, directed by Lee Myung-woo, planned by KT Studio Genie, produced by The Studio M, original work KakaoPage 'Jonbeo Doctor' by writer Kim Tae-pung) is nearing its finale. After recording ENA Monday-Tuesday drama first broadcast peak rating (4.0%, hereafter Nielsen Korea nationwide standard) and then reaching a peak rating of 5.2%, it is approaching a successful conclusion.
'Doctor on the Edge' inherited the box-office formula of healing romances set in seaside villages such as 'Gaetmaeul Chachacha' and 'Welcome to Samdal-ri,' and with its distinctive warmth, refreshing scenery and director Lee Myung-woo's characteristic humorous code, it presented the characters' emotions even more intensely and remained for many as a 'once-in-a-lifetime drama' of the heart.
Telling a story of love and recovery blossoming on the island 'Pyeondongdo,' which everyone avoids, 'Doctor on the Edge' started with ENA Monday-Tuesday drama's highest-ever ratings, settled into Disney Plus TV show's global top 10, and has continued its popularity. The story of Do Ji (Lee Jae-wook) and Yuk Ha-ri (Shin Ye Eun) comforting each other's wounds and opening their hearts has been praised as a "warm tale that makes you laugh, cry and feel fluttery," offering weary modern people restorative comfort like a rest and warming many hearts.
This kind of box-office formula was already proven through 'Welcome to Samdal-ri' and 'Gaetmaeul Chachacha.' 'Welcome to Samdal-ri' quietly depicted the process of finding life direction centered on the reunion of Jo Sam-dal (Shin Hae-sun), who lost everything and returned to her hometown, and Cho Yong-pil (Ji Changwook), who had waited for her for a long time. The work achieved meaningful results, recording its own highest rating of 12.4% and ranking No. 1 on Netflix Korea's top 10 and TVING's top 20.
'Gaetmaeul Chachacha' was also a ticky-tacky healing romance set in the seaside village of 'Gongjin,' featuring realistic dentist Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) and jack-of-all-trades Hong Banjang (Kim Seon-ho), and with character chemistry and cheerful rapport that resonated, it set its own records with a final episode nationwide average of 12.7% and a peak of 13.7%, ending as the No. 1 program in its time slot.
The mood of dramas set against the sea and islands is not confined to romance. 'Our Blues,' which unfolded the turbulent lives of various characters on the Jeju backdrop in an omnibus format, and 'When Life Gives You Tangerines,' which followed a person's life to capture love, family and the passage of time, are also long remembered. Both works delicately portrayed characters' wounds and recoveries in humble daily life, leaving viewers with deep comfort and lingering aftereffects.
Although 'living properly' is regarded as a virtue, real life is sometimes closer to mere endurance. Under the pressure to live well, we look for stories where we can rest for a moment. In this context, the scenery the sea and islands hold has become a stage that more vividly reflects characters' wounds and recoveries. As stories of characters seeping into each other in slow relationships have offered viewers gentle consolation, 'Doctor on the Edge' is also expected to remain another long-remembered island-set healing drama.
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