Kim Rae Won and Park Shin Hye star in the SBS drama 'Doctors.' (Photo : YouTube/SBS Drama)
SBS's "Doctors won big in ratings on Aug. 23, Tuesday, when it aired its final episode after a two-month run. The 20-episode drama starred Kim Rae-Won and Park Shin-Hye.
With a national TV rating of 22.0 percent, SBS's "Doctors" figured in the top five most watched programs in South Korea, according to a data from Good Data Corporation, as cited by Yonhap News Agency. After the successful run of "Doctors," screenwriter Ha Myung-Hee revealed the secret of the show's success.
Speaking before a group of local reporters, screenwriter Ha said Kim and Park were the top choices for the drama's lead roles. The two played Yoo Hye-Jung and Hong Ji-Hong, respectively.
"I sent a call to actress Park, thinking she would be the right person to pull off such a role," The Kpop Herald quoted Ha as saying. "Park really wanted the role too, so she became the first chosen actress."
As for the "Gangnam Blues" actor, Ha admitted that she was impressed by Kim's bright character in his previous drama, MBC's "Rooftop Room Cat." She added, "Despite him having taken dark roles for most productions, he impressed me with his sense of humor that livened up his lines."
Writer Ha added that the reason behind the unfathomable success of "Doctors" is a direct result of the unique romance between the lead characters. She believed that Yoo Hye-Jung and Hong Ji-Hong's respective past memories made the audience grow more attached to them.
"I envied the two characters' love, which comes once in a lifetime," writer Ha said. "I think the audience also got the feeling that they had been watching over the characters' love for 13 years."
Directed by Oh Choong-Hwan, "Doctors" follows a delinquent high school student, Yoo Hye-Jung. Having experienced a tough childhood, she finds it hard to trust anyone. However, she changes after meeting, Hong Ji-Hong, who plays a key role in transforming her life.
Check out SBS's "Doctors" below:
