Doctor Cha (2023) Episode 10

Episode 10 of Doctor Cha begins with Dr Jeon shocked to learn the truth about Jung-min’s family. She’s annoyed that he’s kept this a secret and tells him to leave for now so she can be alone. At the same time, a very drunk In-ho calls out Jeong-suk as his “honey” and stumbles over to her. Everyone in attendance is shocked, especially as he grabs a microphone and calls her his wife in front of all these hospital volunteers.

Jeong-suk decides to lean into this and embrace the truth given its been revealed, singing a song about how much she hates men and how they bother women. It’s a lively karaoke session that speaks volumes about the disdain she’s feeling, but of course it also means the family’s whole world has been turned upside down with In-ho and Jeong-suk’s outburst too.

Jung-min speaks to his mum but Jeong-suk shrugs off any potential hostility, deciding she’s going to lean into this, given secrets come out sooner or later, and keep a thick skin throughout.

That night there’s another arrival. A van shows up holding a pregnant woman and a need for a doctor desperately to help deliver her baby. And unfortunately the only one able to do this is In-ho, who’s still very much drunk and wakes everyone else to try and find someone able to take over.

Given Jeong-suk has had a C-section (which In-ho doesn’t account for given he’s forgotten), she takes charge of the situation and helps her push the child out.

In-ho ends up being sick outside and leaves, but Jeong-suk stays and manages to help her give birth to a beautiful baby. Roy shows up to see Jeong-suk after this and she points out the scandal and how he’s part of this whole rumour about the love triangle.

Roy is courageous and asks her outright about the affair, wondering why she’s not doing anything about the In-ho situation. He admits he’s held back a few times here to avoid getting involved but he can’t do that anymore. Just before she walks away, putting herself down and calling herself pathetic, Roy gets involved and tells Jeong-suk to think for herself for a change and do something that truly makes her happy.

Elsewhere, Eun-seo confronts her mum and says the exact same thing, telling her she needs to think for herself because that’s why she’s so unhappy. All these stomach cramps and trips to the emergency ward are a larger symptom of her health that’s taking a turn for the worst.

As for Eun-seo, she’s wiped her hands free from her father, deciding she doesn’t need him anymore, and encouraging Seung-hi to try and do the same thing. In fact, Seung-hi contemplates moving to the US and leaving, thinking that she can sell her assets and move on with her life.

Elsewhere, the medical volunteers jump on the bus and prepare to head back to the hospital. Before that, the truth about Jeong-suk and In-jo being a couple is revealed properly to all the volunteers. Jeong-suk owns up to everything, but she’s soon moved by the new mother and a whole bunch of villagers showing and handing over some gifts to her, including a beautiful handkerchief.

At a rest stop, Jeong-suk breaks the news to her husband that she’s going to be working in Family Medicine soon, so he should be aware of that. And as for Seung-hi, she’s confronted by Jeong-suk the following day who shows up in her office and reveals the department she’s working in.

If Seung-hi’s day couldn’t get any worse, Seung-hi meets up with In-ho and tells him he needs to make a decision over his future now and decide whether to divorce Jeong-suk or not.

Back in surgery, Jung-min gets some advice from Roy. It’s a nice moment between them, and afterwards, he questions Roy about his relationship with Jeong-suk. Touching his shoulder, Roy tells Jung-min that they’re just friends. “You’re so not on par with him. You can’t compete,” Jung-min says when In-ho shows up and questions what’s going on.

That night, during the standard drinks and food for the group after work, In-ho and Jeong-suk are encouraged to sit together. Both Professor Roy and Dr Jeon struggle to keep their emotions in check, with Jeon deciding nonchalantly that she’s not going to change the way she is with Jeong-suk. She’s also, of course, holding onto the knowledge about Seung-hi and In-ho’s affair too.

Jeong-suk talks outside with Roy, who tells her that In-ho is a lucky man to have her around. In-ho starts drinking again, ending up passing out on the floor, giving her something else to worry about. For now though, Jeong-suk tells Roy that she’s going to focus on completing her residency right now, throwing the idea of romance out the window. However, Roy gives the hint that he’s going to wait for her.

Meanwhile, Jeon and Jung-min fall out over their different ideologies in life. Jung-min wants Jeon to be a bit more sympathetic and think of others, being more compassionate about how she treats people. Jeon scoffs at that idea and decides that’s not the way she is.

As for Jeong-suk, she drops off her drunk husband back home and when he murmurs her name and Seung-hi’s, she storms out. However, she does notice a post on Seung-hi’s social media that makes it look like In-ho and Seung-hi have broken up.

Jeong-suk heads over to see her mum, who encourages her to think of the big picture. Even if there’s no love between her and In-ho, he’ still the father of their children and back in her generation, couples stayed together out of necessity for the kids, rather than their own happiness.

I-rang and Eun-seo end up in a big fight at school, which ends with Seung-hi and In-ho leaving together to go check on Eun-seo, who hurts her hand by being pushed in the bathroom stall. Jeong-suk notices and decides to follow along, tailing from afar to figure out where her husband is going.

In-ho and Seung-hi show up but Jeong-suk realizes the horrific truth that In-ho has a child with Seung-hi. It’s hard not to feel bad for her, and Jeong-suk is in a state of shock.

As she heads outside to get some air, Jeon of all people arrives. She encourages Jeong-suk to get in the car and they go for a drive together.

Whilst on the road, Jeon tells her she knows what’s going on, and that Jeong-suk wants to “kill those two bastards.” She knows about the cheating, given she saw Seung-hi and In-ho together. As the rain starts pouring down, the pair struggle to close the roof of the convertible and they end up getting soaked. However, they laugh while driving as a way of getting their emotions out.

The Episode Review

How cathartic was that ending? Sometimes things are so bad you can’t help but laugh incredulously at the whole situation. The fact that Dr Jeon, of all people, is the one who helps Jeong-suk and understands the pain she’s going through is such a nice way of giving her character a bit of extra depth.

The difference in values for Korean families compared to that in the west is definitely telling here, given the advice that Jeong-suk has been given to just grind her teeth and make do for the sake of the kids.

However, this whole revelation about Eun-seo could well tip the scales in her favour regarding a divorce, especially as it basically constitutes as “irrefutable evidence” about the affair, just like the lawyer told her in episode 9.

The show has done well to step up the drama and comedy, with both elements doing an admirable job of balancing the other out. It seems like we may not get a happily-ever-after with Roy, but we will have to see. The preview for next week promises some big drama ahead!