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A response for those who wonder why EJ didn't give up being a doctor even tho she said it was her mom's wish, not her will, and she had to put up with nausea and anxiety in the OR. This breakdown will be long, so if you wanna go thru it, bear with me.
Of course her mom is the reason why she tried her best to make herself into med school and become a doctor. But more than that, she’s competitive. She never wants to be “the second”. And if she knows she might be “the second”, she will find ways to make her “the first” again.
She’s also smart, and she knows it. Her thesis got praised by professionals. She’s studious. She has gone a long way to work in a top hospital. Her mother may be the reason why she was in med school, but her determination and competitiveness make her go further
She has one flaw - her anxiety. This detail makes the audience doubt how she can make herself be a doctor, while she barely survives in the OR with her nausea. This might not be explained well enough in the drama, but in my pov, when she has a will, she always finds a way.
There're many possibilities:
- Her family is wealthy, and maybe powerful (we’ll never know)
- Her mom once said their family had tried their best to make her go this far, so relations and lobby could be involved in her progress to be a doctor.
- Her family is wealthy, and maybe powerful (we’ll never know)
- Her mom once said their family had tried their best to make her go this far, so relations and lobby could be involved in her progress to be a doctor.
- She chose tranquilizer as a way to get over her nausea. And the story after she fainted in the OR at Geosan hopsital is a reflection of the side effect of her overusing antianxiety. It doesn’t mean she always did that in the past.
Because of this biggest flaw, people question why she has to be a surgeon. She can be someone else that doesn’t need to go to the OR. But that’s not what she wants since she tried her best for that for such a long time.
She cried when Kim sabu told her to quit being a doctor, I think she was not only mad at Kim sabu, but also at herself for being incompetent to save people's lives.
Eun Jae is naturally a caring person. She cares for her mom being sad if she drops med school. She cares for Woo Jin problems, always offers help even WJ doesn’t ask for. She apologizes when she knows she is wrong -
She cares for the patients even she wanna go crazy when Doldam is filled with tons of ER cases on Friday. She cares for a convict even when he doesn’t cooperate. She asks for the kidney transplant because she knows it can save a life, no matter what that patient could be.
EJ has cared for other people without thinking about herself. She’s like Kim sabu. Remember when he defends the wife of the man who had an amputated leg? It’s similar to when EJ got the cut on her neck to deter the wife from killing her husband, even she puts herself in danger
EJ has the quality of a surgeon, but she has self-doubt. She thought she became a CS because her mom wants her to. She doesn’t know that her personality and talent make her a good doctor as well. That’s why she needs someone to tell her that she’s worthy.
WJ pointed out her care for patient is a talent. Kim sabu told her as long as she’s certain of what she does, she can do anything. WJ told her not to afraid of what she cannot and reminded her that she always has help and support (at least his support, and I love it 
).
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So EJ just needs to stop doubting about herself. And the drama is the journey of self-doubtful EJ becomes a confident and determined EJ. The final ep is when EJ shows her determination that she doesn’t need anyone to choose a life for her thanks to the conversation with Kim sabu
So EJ chose to be a surgeon, and there’s no reason for her to give up being a doctor. She chose Doldam, because it’s the place that cures the wound of “being incompetent” and makes her realize her values as a surgeon.
This is my defense for EJ since I’ve read many comments talking shit about her character and the reason why she has to be a surgeon. She’s one of the youngsters who struggle to find a right path, even veterans like Park Min Guk also need time to find a right track, why can’t she?
Writer-nim may describe her character and her story not enough due to the short of time, eps, so I hope this breakdown can give someone an idea of why EJ is qualified as a surgeon. And I like her character, a lot.
Thanks for reading till this point~
Thanks for reading till this point~
