''Dr. Jin'' () is a 2012

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

n historical television drama series, starring

Song Seung-heon Song Seung-heon (; born October 5, 1976) is a South Korean model and actor. He has acted in various Korean drama, television dramas, notably ''Autumn in My Heart'' (2000), ''East of Eden (South Korean TV series), ''East of Eden' (2008), ''My ...

in the title role of Dr. Jin, a 21st-century neurosurgeon who travels back in time to the

Joseon Dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

. Also starring Park Min-young,

Lee Beom-soo Lee Beom-soo (born October 16, 1969) is a South Korean actor. He is well known for his role in '' Singles'' (2003), ''Giant'' (2010), ''On Air'' (2008), '' Surgeon Bong Dal-hee'' (2007), as well as in'' History of a Salaryman'' (2012). Career ...

Kim Jae-joong Kim Jae-joong (; born January 26, 1986), also known mononymously as Jaejoong in South Korea and in Japan, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor and director. He is a member of the Korean duo JX, a former member of JYJ and was one of t ...

, and Lee So-yeon, it aired on MBC from May 26 to August 12, 2012 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:50 for 22 episodes. Based on the Japanese

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

series '' Jin'' written by

Motoka Murakami is a Japanese manga artist. He won the Kodansha Manga Award for shōnen for '' Gakuto Retsuden'' ( ja) in 1982 and the Shogakukan Manga Award twice, for shōnen for '' Musashi no Ken'' in 1984 and for general manga in 1996 for ''Ron'', serialized ...

, the series is the third television adaptation of the manga following the

Japanese television drama , also called or J-drama, are television programs that are a staple of Television in Japan, Japanese television and are broadcast daily. Format All major Television networks, TV networks in Japan produce a variety of Drama (genre), drama serie ...

'' JIN'', starring

Takao Osawa is a Japanese actor. Career Osawa starred in the 2002 film ''Filament'' and the 2007 film '' Midnight Eagle''. He has also appeared in films such as Masayuki Suo's '' A Terminal Trust'' and Takashi Miike's '' Shield of Straw''. The Newport Beac ...

which aired on TBS in 2009 and its sequel in 2011. The setting was changed from the original's

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

to the

, during the reign of King Cheoljong of Joseon, and real-life Japanese historical figure

Sakamoto Ryōma was a Japanese ''samurai'', a '' shishi'' and influential figure of the ''Bakumatsu,'' and establishment of the Empire of Japan in the late Edo period. Sakamoto was a low-ranking ''samurai'' from the Tosa Domain on Shikoku and became an acti ...

was replaced with Joseon political figure Lee Ha-eung.

Plot

Jin Hyuk (

) is a gifted neurosurgeon who was born into a family of doctors. His success rate in surgery hovers at 100%, with his ability to quickly analyze any situation, and his extremely steady hands. Due to his personal pursuit of perfection, he has a cold attitude and lacks compassion. He plans to give his girlfriend Yoo Mi-na ( Park Min-young), also a doctor, a ring as a gift from their mother. But after an argument, Mi-na gets into a car accident and goes into a coma. After surgically removing a foetus-shaped tumor from a patient's brain, a mysterious power causes Jin Hyuk to travel 150 years back in time to the year 1860 during the

, when medical technology was still in its infant stages. He begins treating people of the era, but the lack of necessary implements and rudimentary medical knowledge of the period forces him to develop medical devices and medicine by himself, and seek new ways to aid the sick. He meets young noblewoman Young-rae (who looks like Mi-na), who is betrothed to her childhood friend Kim Kyung-tak (

), but is not in love with him. Through this challenging process, and with the help of Young-rae and Lee Ha-eung (

), Jin Hyuk becomes a true doctor. But his actions start interfering with history, and Jin Hyuk is faced with hard choices.

Cast

– Jin Hyuk :A 21st century doctor who finds himself trapped in the Joseon era following a tragic accident that puts his girlfriend, Yoo Mi-na, into a coma. After he arrives in Joseon, Jin meets Hong Young-rae, a noblewoman who is an incarnation of his girlfriend. * Park Min-young – Hong Young-rae (1860) / Yoo Mi-na (2012) :Hong Young-rae comes from a noble family, and she is a kindhearted woman who dreams of becoming a doctor after she meets Jin when he saves her rebel brother. *

– Lee Ha-eung :A nobleman who becomes Jin's trusted friend. He is the future

Heungseon Daewongun Heungseon Daewongun (; 24 January 1821 – 22 February 1898) was the title of Yi Ha-eung, the regent of Joseon during the minority of Emperor Gojong in the 1860s. Until his death, he was a key political figure of late Joseon Korea. He was also ca ...

(Great Prince Regent, Father of King Gojong). *

– Kim Kyung-tak :The illegitimate son of Minister Kim and his concubine, he is a military officer who is in love with Hong Young-rae, the sister of his friend Young-hwi. * Lee So-yeon – Choon-hong :A mysterious

gisaeng ''Kisaeng'' (), also called ''ginyeo'' (), were enslaved women from outcast or enslaved families who were trained to be courtesans, providing artistic entertainment and conversation to men of upper class. First emerging in Goryeo dynasty. were ...

. She fell in love with Jin when he saved her as child in the modern era, revealing that she is a time traveler herself. She is the girl with the Rubix Cube. * Jin Yi-han – Hong Young-hwi :Young-rae's older brother and best friend to Kim Kyung-tak, he is an idealistic nobleman who leads the rebels. He later works with Ha-eung. * Noeul – Yeon-shim, a gisaeng with Choon-hong *

Kim Eung-soo Kim Eung-soo (; born February 12, 1961) is a South Korean actor. Kim lived in Japan for seven years, where he studied filmmaking at the Japan Institute of the Moving Image. Filmography Film Television series Variety show Web sh ...

– Minister Kim Byung-hee, nobleman and head of the powerful

Andong Kim clan The Andong Kim clan () refers to two bon-gwan, Korean clans of Elder Andong Kim Clan (구 안동 김씨) and the New Andong Kim Clan (신 안동 김씨), respectively. They were prominent yangban, yangban families during Korea's Joseon, Joseon Dy ...

Kim Hye-ok Kim Hye-ok (; born May 9, 1958) is a South Korean actress An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the ...

– Young-rae's mother * Kim Il-woo – Yoo Hong-pil *

Jung Eun-pyo Jung Eun-pyo (; born March 27, 1966) is a South Korean actor. He is active in both stage and screen since 1990, notably in the film ''Kilimanjaro'' (for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the Grand Bell Awards) and the television dramas ''Mo ...

– Heo Gwang, a Joseon doctor * Lee Seung-joon – Kwon Ik-joo *

Lee Won-jong Lee Won-jong (; born January 1, 1966) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Variety shows Theater *''Blind'' (2010) *''The Masked Hut Murder Case'' (2022) - Nobuhiko Awards *2002 SBS Drama Awards: Best Supporting ...

– Joo Pal, a local gangster * Kim Kwang-sik – Kkae Bok * Kim Myung-soo – Kim Dae-gyun, Kim Byung-hee's legitimate son and heir * Kim Byung-choon *

Jang Young-nam Jang Young-nam (; born November 25, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She began her career as an acclaimed actress in theater, then transitioned to supporting roles on television and film, notably in works by director Jang Jin. A member of Jang J ...

as noblewoman Jo (guest appearance, ep 7–8) * Jo Woo-jin as Deuk-chil

Production

The early

working title A working title is a preliminary name for a product or project. The usage is especially common in film and TV, gaming, music and publishing. It is often styled in trade publications as (wt) and is synonymous with production title and tentative ...

was ''Time Slip Dr. Jin'' (). The series was filmed at

MBC Dramia Yongin Daejanggeum Park (; ), previously known as MBC Dramia (), is an outdoor film set owned by Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation in the city of Yongin in Gyeonggi province, South Korea. It is the largest open set in Korea. Through meticulous r ...

Gyeonggi Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

. This marked Song's return to television in 15 months since '' My Princess'' in 2011. It was also

Kim Jaejoong Kim Jae-joong (; born January 26, 1986), also known mononymously as Jaejoong in South Korea and in Japan, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor and director. He is a member of the Korean duo JX (duo), JX, a former member of JYJ and was o ...

's second drama since ''

Protect the Boss ''Protect the Boss'' () is a 2011 South Korean workplace romantic comedy television series starring Choi Kang-hee, Ji Sung, Kim Jae-joong, Wang Ji-hye, and Park Yeong-gyu. It aired on SBS from August 3 to September 29, 2011 on Wednesdays an ...

'' in 2011, as well as his first historical drama. The series was initially planned for 20 episodes, but there were talks of an extension in July as reportedly both the production and actors felt that the 20 episodes were not enough to tell the full story. However this was strongly objected to by the actors' agencies citing low viewership ratings, the story's slow pace, and future schedules.

Reception

According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, the first episode that aired on May 26, 2012 received a nationwide viewership rating of 12.2 percent, which was 1.9 percent behind its rival '' A Gentleman's Dignity'' on SBS.

Remark

*Episode 21 wasn't aired on Saturday August 4 due to broadcast of the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. This episode was aired on Sunday August 5, 2012. *Episode 22 wasn't aired on Saturday August 11 due to broadcast of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. This episode was aired on Sunday August 12, 2012.

Original soundtrack

# 닥터진 # 살아도 꿈인 것처럼 (Living Like a Dream) –

# 그대가 올까요 (Will You Come) – Zia # 눈물길 (Road of Tears) –

Changmin Shim Chang-min (; born February 18, 1988), better known by his stage name Max Changmin (), is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor, and a member of the pop duo TVXQ. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Changmin was scouted by an SM Ente ...

Seulong Lim Seul-ong (; born 11 May 1987), also known by the mononym Seulong, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as a singer in 2008 as a member of the K-pop boyband 2AM. He made his acting debut in 2010 in the Korean drama ''Personal Taste ...

( 2AM) # 마지막 사랑 (Last Love) –

# 연리지 (Now and Forever) –

Ock Joo-hyun Ock Joo-hyun (; sometimes spelled Ock Ju-hyun; born March 20, 1980) is a South Korean singer and musical theatre actress, known mostly for her role as the lead singer of the South Korean girl group Fin.K.L. After their unofficial breakup in 20 ...

# 바람에 실려 (Saddle the Wind) –

# 눈물 # 고뇌 # 사랑 # 인연 # 바람에 실려 (inst) # 마지막 사랑 (inst) # 눈물길 (inst) # 그대가 올까요 (inst) # 살아도 꿈인 것처럼 (inst)

Awards

* 2012 MBC Drama Awards: Best New Actor –

* 2013

Seoul International Drama Awards Seoul International Drama Awards (), simply known as SDA, is an annual award ceremony based in Seoul, South Korea which honors excellence in television drama In film and television show, television, drama is a category or genre of narrat ...

: Outstanding Korean Drama OST – "Living Like a Dream" by

International broadcast

At the 18th

Shanghai Television Festival The Shanghai Television Festival (), abbreviated STVF, also known as the Shanghai International Television Festival is the first and one of the largest television festivals in East Asia. Held since 1986, STVF has become one of the most influential ...

in June 2012, the broadcast rights of the show were sold to Taiwan and Thailand. * Taiwan: GTV – September 2012 * Singapore: Channel U – April 1, 2013 * Japan: DATV – May 25, 2013 onwards with Japanese subtitles for 22 episodes. However the relationship between the main characters of Jin Hyuk and Yoo Mi-na in the present (played by

and Park Min-young respectively) was changed from lovers to siblings. Thus their love scenes were edited out, and to flesh out the sibling relationship, new scenes with child actors as well as narration by Song were added. * Philippines: It aired on TeleAsia Chinese starting November 21, 2013, with the series dubbed in

Hokkien Chinese Hokkien ( , ) is a variety of the Southern Min group of Chinese languages. Native to and originating from the Minnan region in the southeastern part of Fujian in southeastern China, it is also referred to as Quanzhang ( zh, c=泉漳, poj=C ...

. *Thailand: It aired on 3SD starting February 15, 2015, with repeat on 3Family starting February 1, 2016.

References

External links

''Dr. Jin'' official MBC website

''Dr. Jin''
at Kross Pictures
''Dr. Jin''
at

Victory Contents Victory Contents () is a Korean drama production company based in Seoul. History ''source:'' *April 4, 2003 - Music Encyclopedia was established. *October 2003 - The company's name was changed to Victory Production Co. (later Victory Productio ...

''Dr. Jin''
at MBC Global Media * * {{Works by Victory Contents 2012 South Korean television series debuts 2012 South Korean television series endings Korean-language television shows South Korean time travel television series MBC TV television dramas Television series set in Joseon South Korean historical television series South Korean medical television series South Korean fantasy television series South Korean television dramas based on manga Television series by Victory Contents Jin (manga)