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Doctor John – Episode 5-6 Recap

Doctor John – Episode 5-6 Recap

Cha Yo han is at the watching a mixed martial arts match between Joo Hyung Woo and Yuldasher Alisher. During the match, Joo Hyung Woo gets dizzy and slides down to the side. His opponent starts throwing punches at him before the referee interrupts him.


Cha yo han goes closer as the medic rushes in. Joo complains that he can’t see. The area around his eye is swollen and deep red in colour. Cha yo han says that he would go blind if the blood isn’t drawn out and walks away saying he isn’t an ophthalmologist. Joo asks Yo Han to draw his blood despite him being stranger since the match isn’t over.

When asked, Yo han says he isn’t a surgeon but he has practised a lot during his time in prison. He smiles and asks if they can start.

(Episode 5- Champion)

Si-young goes for her morning run and she takes a break to tie her shoelace. She clicks a picture of the bright sun and sends it to the phone that lays beside the person on life support. “It’s my first day at the hospital. I am sorry that it took so long.  Once I become physically and mentally stronger, I’ll make sure to visit you. Please watch me.”

Meanwhile, Cha Yo han is buying coffee in the hospital’s lobby when he spots Si-young walk past.


Someone clicks a series of his pictures without him noticing.

Inside the meeting room, the doctors pose serious opposition against Dr Min for recruiting Cha Yo han, who is a murderer. They are against his teaching and mention his license was revoked. Min says that his license was regranted. Dr Kwon Suk says Yo Han killed someone but Min says that a doctor is someone who has completed his education and has a license to practice.


She reiterates that Yo han is a competent doctor and was renowned in the field for pain management. Dr Min Joo-Kyung says that he even had a nickname, “Dr 10 seconds” since he finishes scanning the patients and finds the cause of illness within 10 seconds. (We see a montage of Yo han scanning all the patients in the lobby as he waits for his coffee to cool). Dr Min then explains that she chose him due to a recommendation.


At his office, Director Kang Yi Moon explains to Dr Kwon Suk that, Yo Han’s name was recommended for the position by Lee Won Gil, the former Minister for Health and Welfare. They discuss that Lee Won Gil was like a deity (mentor) to Dr Min and close to his brother in law. They wonder why Lee Won Gil had recommended Cha Yo han. Kwon Suk says that if the recruitment goes wrong it would reflect badly on Chief Min. Director Yi Moon asks if they should sit back and enjoy.

At the hospital, Joo Hyung Moo is brought in for an ankle injury due to a fall. Joo also asks for an eye doctor and an anaesthetist named Cha Yo Han.


Meanwhile, Cha Yo han walks down the corridor and Si Young runs behind him. She finally catches up to him by the elevator. He turns around and looks at her as he wears his coat. She looks at him wide-eyed. She asks if he got recruited here and he nods. He asks if she is a resident here and she confirms. He says, ‘we meet again’.

Just, then a resident walks up to Yo han and says that a professor from ophthalmology wishes to see him.

The ophthalmology professor waits for Yo han in Joo Hyung Moo’s room. Yo han walks in and checks Joo’s eye. Joo says he couldn’t open his eye. He adds that things seem blurry and he feels dizzy since morning. He then says he fell. The other doctor says that he shouldn’t have made the incision. Yo han says the eye test results are normal so the eye is fine.


At the conference room, the residents go through the articles about Yo Han’s sentencing. Mi Rae and Si-young are also present. They joke around saying that Mi Rae has no problems as she is the daughter of Chief Min.

Lee Yoo Joon sneaks up to Si Young and she is startled. She notices he has had a haircut and she is pleased to see him. He says he applied and got selected.

The room falls silent as Dr Min and the professors walk in. Chief Min says that she has to introduce two people today and since one person is late, she asks Yoo Joon to start.

Yoo Joon addresses everyone saying he looks forward to working with them.


Just then, the door opens and Yo Han walks in. There is an uneasy silence as Chief Min gestures him to address the gathering.

Cha yo Han sketches the eye and lists Joo’s symptoms. He says he had removed a hematoma that was pressuring the optic nerve. He says that the patient is currently suffering from dizziness, double vision and droopiness of the eyelid. He says the lab tests came back normal.


Professor Min Joo Kyun asks if the patient is Joo Hyung Woo, the mixed martial arts fighter. She then says that Yo Han suspects that there must be another reason for his symptoms. Yo Han says that Joo had slight numbness in his limbs due to diabetes but never had a problem with his eyesight.


Dr Kwon Suk says they won’t help him find the cause because they didn’t cause a problem by treating someone who wasn’t their patient. Yo Han receives a call informing him that the patient’s vision has come back to normal. The doctors say that it is solved, but Yo Han says that the symptoms came out of nowhere despite him treating the eye. He says a natural recovery isn’t normal. He asks them for their opinion.

Joo Kyun suggests that the symptoms could be neurological. When the doctors suggest that they aren’t bothered about Neurology, Yo han says they should be concerned about the sick. He asks anyone to call him at any time if they have an opinion. He then goes on to introduce himself and says he is in charge of pain surgery.

Later on, Professor Kwon suk badmouths Yo han for taking on a patient who is not in his speciality. Joo Hyun speaks for Yo han and Kyun Suk walks away. Joo Kyun smiles at Si Young and wishes her all the best. Si Young addresses her as “Aunt” and acknowledges.

Si-young then overhears Chief Min having a conversation with Yo han. She asks if he keeps planning on getting his license revoked and then reapplying. She tells him that this will be his last opportunity to work at this hospital.    Yo han asks if that is the only reason he is here (recommendation). She quotes Yo Han’s words from 3 years ago. He had said he didn’t commit a crime but just broke the law. She says she agrees with that and asks him to come back to work harder, quietly and under the radar.

Si-young is about to go in when Chief Min walks out but she is pushed aside by Yoo Joon who says he will go first as he is a fellow.

Yoo Joon walks in addressing Yo han as inmate 6238. Yo han behaves as if he doesn’t recognise Yoo Joon. He then introduces himself and Yo han says Yoo Joon is the doctor who occasionally misdiagnosed patients. Yoo Joon corrects him saying it was just twice. Yo han wonders if it is a coincidence but Yoo Joon says it is destiny as he has come to beat him.


Yo han smiles and asks if Yoo Joon had lost to him. Yoo Joon says that the field is even this time and one day he will correct Yo Han’s misdiagnosis. Yo han tells Yoo Joon that diagnosing isn’t a competition. Then he adds that change in style doesn’t mean an upgrade in skills. After he leaves, Yoo Joon wonders how Yo han can be so cool and notes down what he said.

Yo Han runs into Si-young outside the hall. She says she didn’t greet him properly. He asks if she is allowed to show that she knows him. He says people will note what she does and that Chief Min told him not to stand out. As he walks away, she says that she is glad to see him again and he turns around.


She says though it was just for a day, a man had come back from death’s door. She thinks that was the day she decided to stop running away and try again. She then greets him formally and asks him to teach her and that she will study hard. He comments that she is still the same and points at her shoelaces that are undone. She immediately ties her shoelace. She looks up to see that he is already gone.

Yo han walks down the stairs into the semi-basement. He finds the Pain Management Center. He receives a call from Han Myung-Oh (Lawyer specialised in medical affairs). Myong oh asks him not to be picky and be happy he got accepted. He says the legal office is on the 12th floor and asks to have lunch. Yo Han hangs up saying he plans to be busy.


Yo Han then meets the friendly nurses, Nurse Hong and Nurse Na. He greets them with a smile and goes to meet the residents in the meeting room.


Inside the meeting room, resident Heo Joon speaks about Yo Han’s crime. He says YoHan injected a lethal dose to a 20-year-old. Yoo Joon says that the patient had terminal cancer and would have suffered more. They then debate on the condition of the patient. Kim Won-hee keeps doing stretches and push-ups as they talk. Heo Joon says that the patient (Yoon Seung Kyu) was a kidnapper and he murdered two kids. He laments as to why he ended up with an ex-convict as a professor. He doesn’t notice Yo han watching through the door.

Everyone stand up and greet Yo han as he enters. He asks if anyone has any suggestions regarding Joo. Yoo Joon says they aren’t in ophthalmology or neurology department so they can’t help Joo. Yo han takes Yoo Joon’s hand and pinches it hard. Yoo Jun starts yelling and Yo han says the patient is in pain.

Si-young informs Yo Han that the patient is getting ready for discharge.

Yo Han goes to Joo’s room where the director and a team of doctors are present. He tells Joo that he needs to get more checkups done. Joo says he has an important match next week so he has to leave. He says he is content that the doctors have said he is fine. Yo han says Joo had come in ready to sue him because he felt something was wrong in his eye but the eye is fine. He says that something else is causing the symptoms. Yo han says that Joo already thinks there is something wrong with his body and suggests him to take more check-ups. Joo smiles and says if there’s something wrong then he doesn’t have time. He bids him goodbye.

After everyone leaves the room, Yo han notes that Joo has left his watch behind.

Yo han tells the residents to follow up on the Joo. He says Joo has left his watch behind so he will be back soon. He then asks the residents to guess the first symptom Joo will present. Heo Joon and Si young’s hand goes up but he asks Heo Joon to answer.

Heo Joon asks if other departments would feel bitter towards them if they diagnose this case.

This time Yo han asks Won-hee, who asks why Yo han goes to matches when he is against violence. Yo Han says it could be to observe violence. He says that their homework is to find why.

Yo Han then asks second year (Si Young) to answer. She says fighter Joo went to South America to film a variety show. She says the antigens in his vaccine could have caused nerve cell damage. Yo han says it has nothing to do with the recovery. He says he suspects brain issues like stroke or multiple sclerosis. He says the tingling in the limbs might be due to multiple sclerosis (potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) or opthalmo neuromyelitis (central nervous system disorder that primarily affects the eye nerves).

Si-young volunteers to tell the patient to get a check-up at Neurology. She asks him what to do if he left the hospital already. Yo Han says Joo had left his watch behind.


Si-young and Heo Joon peek into the room and see Joo picking up the watch. Both of them try to convince Joo to go for neurology check-up as per Yo Han’s orders. Joo says he has signed the DNR (Do Not Resuscitate- indicating that a person does not want to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation if that person’s heart stops beating) and tells them not to prolong his life in case something happens.

Si-Young points out that he hasn’t been diagnosed yet. She tells him that he is scared he might have an incurable disease. She says his body is as precious as his life because he is a fighter and asks him not to delay getting the diagnosis.

Joo interrupts her saying it is comforting to know that someone understands that he is afraid. He walks away. Si-young follows him persistently trying to stop him from leaving. Joo takes the stairs because many patients are waiting for the elevator.

As he is about to get down, he stops for a moment and clutches his knee. He then straightens up and continues walking down before losing consciousness and tumbling down the stairs. Si-young rushes towards him.

Joo is diagnosed with a slight fracture this time. He is told that spine MRI shows a disk is pressing down on the nerve. The doctor suggests transfer to orthopaedics.

Cha Yo han interrupts them and asks them to transfer to Neurology. Si-young is along with him. Yo Han asks if Joo’s limbs have felt weird or hot, as it could be neurologic. He adds that neurologic diseases should be treated as soon as possible.

Joo refuses and asks for the leg to be treated. Yo han asks him if he has family or a guardian. Joo is angry as he says there is no one.

(Episode 6)

Joo tells them to fix his leg.


Back in the meeting room, the residents are hungry, as they haven’t had lunch yet. Yoo Joon calls up Yo han who tells them to go ahead and have lunch.

Yo han and Si-young walk down the corridor as he tells her he is hungry. He asks for the cafeteria.

At the cafeteria, they serve themselves. Yo han scans the room looking for a seat as Si Young mentions he hasn’t taken pork. Yo Han says he doesn’t eat greasy or spicy food. She calls him a picky eater. He says he is having a perfectly balanced meal.


He finds an empty table and rushes towards it. They sit down and she watches him as she starts to eat. He asks why she keeps looking at him and she says because it is strange. She says she didn’t think she would see him again or work together in the same hospital but now they are even eating together.

He asks her if she likes it and she is taken aback. She then goes on to ask what he means by liking. He doesn’t reply and she asks if he means what she is thinking. Yo Han says he likes it too. Seeing her expression, he says he likes being able to work at a hospital again and smiles.

Director Yi Moon and Chief Min visit Joo’s room and apologise for Yo Han’s behaviour.

At the cafeteria, Si Young says that Joo has paused for a moment before heading down the stairs and falling. She says the pause may be due to pain or weakened muscles. Yo Han says Joo insists it was just a fall. She also says Joo had signed a DNR. Yo han says that Joo has a match next week and yet signed a DNR. He says something’s wrong and asks to leave.

Yo han and Si Young run into Chief Kim And Director Yi Moon outside Joo’s room. They head into another room and Yi Moon asks Si Young why she caused trouble by not allowing the patient to leave. Yo Han interrupts saying it wasn’t because of her but the fall was due to the patient being sick.


Yo Han says he suspects multiple sclerosis or Ophthalmol neuromyelitis and tells them to transfer Joo to neurology. Min raises her voice as she says that the patient is refusing treatment and has requested to ban Yo han from seeing him.

Yo Han says he will convince Joo but Yi Moon reminds him that this is similar to what happened 3 years back. He says skilled doctors like Yo han incurable diseases and death as a failure. He mentions Yo han acts this way as he doesn’t want to fail.

Yo han says that even the judges didn’t come up with an interpretation like this and asks why he says so. Yi moon says that Yo han doesn’t care about the patient’s wishes and takes decisions on his own which could lead to what happened three years back.

Yo han says that Yi Moon should have stopped his recruitment if he was that worried and asks him to summon him to the ethics committee if necessary. Yo han says he knows he needn’t go that far to stay here. He walks out and Si Young follows him.

Once outside, Yo han asks Si Young to stay out of this case before she gets into trouble too. He tells her not to learn this from him and walks away.

Si Young looks out through the windows to see that protestors have gathered outside. They shout, “Cha Yo Han resign” and “Say no to euthanasia”. Si Young sees a woman (the nurse at the church) handing out a petition asking signatures.

Prosecutor Son watches this from afar. He turns the ring in his finger.

Joo watches the commotion from his room.

Si Young watches Cha Yo Han from afar, talking to the doctor from earlier. He learns that the brain MRI is normal. The doctor says Joo is asking to see Cha Yo Han. Yo han is surprised but heads in.

Joo asks if Yo han often comes to see his matches. Yo han says it is his only hobby. Joo comments that violence is addictive for both fighters and viewers. Yo han says he goes there to observe pain as the fighters continue fighting despite their injuries.


(The scene shifts to an empty arena as both of them stand inside the boxing ring and continue their conversation). Joo says they have something in common, as both of them think about pain all the time. He asks if Yo han would do anything to stop the pain. He says he had fainted on his last trip to South America. When he woke up, he was plugged to the ventilator. He says he had been in control of his body all his life but the thought of being permanently locked down is horrifying.

Joo asks if Yo Han can euthanize him too if he ended up on life support again. Joo says a fighter without vision and limbs is better off dead than relying on machines.

Yo han says that he can stop a patients pain but not their hardships in life. Joo says that kind of life is sheer pain. He says he has been putting up with pain all along for fighting. He says there is no reason to put up with the pain if he can’t fight.

It is late evening as a concerned Si Young watches the crowd outside signing petitions leave.

She goes into the meeting room and the residents are complaining that it is time to go home but Yo han isn’t around. Si Young checks the patient update and finds that Joo has gone into respiratory arrest. She immediately rushes out and the residents realise that Joo has signed a DNR. Mi Rae says they should intubate him, as he hasn’t been diagnosed yet and can’t be termed as a terminally ill patient.

As Si Young runs towards Joo’s room, the woman Chae Eun-Jung (nurse) who was protesting earlier catches hold of her. She asks for Yo Han and Si Young says he is not here. Chae Eun-Jung sees Si-Young’s ID card and learns that SI Young works under Cha Yo Han. She asks if she knows the whole story.

Meanwhile, the doctors try to intubate Joo, as he goes into respiratory arrest. No one wants to do it as they haven’t done it for a long time. They say they have called the ER. They start arguing and one of them says the patient has signed a DNR.

Si-young reaches Joo’s room in time to watch Yo han rush in. As he goes to intubate the patient, the doctors tell him that Joo has signed a DNR.

The doctor asks Yo Han if he will take full responsibility in case Joo ends up on the ventilator once he wakes up. Yo han finishes intubating and the vitals come back.

Yo han explains that for the DNR to take effect, the law states that the patient should show no improvement or show no chance of recovering. He says it has to be judged by the corresponding doctor and a specialist. The other doctor says that Joo could be terminally ill.


Yo han asks if he is sure that Joo is facing death or is terminally ill. Yo han says every patient has the right to be treated until they get a diagnosis and medical staff is obliged to provide the treatment.

Si Young recalls her conversation earlier with the woman. Chae Eun-Jung says that Cha Yo Han’s patient from three years ago had wanted to live.

We see a montage of a patient (severely bloated stomach and bandaged head) who is in severe pain and has trouble breathing. He is also bleeding through his nose as he writhes in pain.


Chae Eun-Jung says that a new drug for anal cancer was developed and Yoon Seong Kyu (the patient) had signed an agreement to participate in the clinical trial. She says she was the nurse when Seong Kyu had signed the agreement.


We see a montage of Yo han walking in and changing the setting in the IV and the patient stops breathing. He watches as the patient dies.


Chae Eun-Jung says Seong Kyu was found dead the day he signed the agreement. She says Yo han euthanized a patient despite him wanting to live and she says it is called murder.


Back in Joo’s room, Si Young’s eyes tear up as she observes that Yo han killed a patient who wanted to live and saved a patient who wanted to die (Joo). As Yo han uses the Accu Pump on Joo, she wonders what kind of a doctor he is.

Later on, Joo is on the ventilator and Yo Han looks at the monitor.

Chae Eun-Jung stands outside the hospital holding a board with the protest sign. Prosecutor Son drives up to her and nods before driving away.

Later, Si Young looks at Eun-Jung as she gets off work. Yoo Joon joins her. She asks if the protest is about the clinical trial agreement.

Meanwhile, Lawyer Han visits Yo Han’s office. He says Min had called the legal team and asked if what happened with Joo was okay. Yo han asks if he did something against the law and Han says he didn’t.

Yo Han asks who had recommended him to this hospital and Lawyer Han says he did. He says he is always responsible for creating big changes in Yo Han’s life. He says that he had volunteered to defend him and reduced his sentence. He asks if they have gotten closer through these hardships. He says he asks someone powerful for help but connections can’t do more than that. He says it is up to Cha Yo han as to how long he manages to stay here.

At the cafe, Yoo Joon says he went through Cha Yo Han’s trial records. He says that Cha Yo han claimed he wasn’t aware of the clinical trial agreement. Cha Yo han said he knew about the agreement only the day after the patient died. Yoo Joon says that the great Cha Yo han had made a mistake of overlooking the patient’s information. He goes on to say that Yo han had probably decided that euthanasia was a better option for the patient in so much pain than giving false hope (trial).

Si Young comments that Yo Han had put his personal judgement before the patient’s desire. Yoo Joon asks if she thinks that it was a mistake or if Yo han punished the victim for being a kidnapper.

Si Young remembers her patient (during the incident) asking her to let go and she had taken her hand off the patient.

Si Young asks what if Cha Yo han was terrified. She says if the victim writing in pain asks to end him, Yo han sure would’ve felt fear and been terrified.


Yoo Joon doesn’t seem to buy that, as he says Chay Yo han performed surgeries outside his field at the penitentiary without a second thought. He says Yo han is reckless because he is fearless.

She remembers Yo han saying a patient’s torment doesn’t stop unless a doctor does something.

Later, she goes through some documents regarding euthanasia.

The next day, Yoo Joon, Si Young and the residents come into the meeting room and are shocked to find that Cha Yo Han hadn’t gone home and is still in the meeting room. He has charted down his diagnosis on the whiteboard throughout the night.

Yo han he suspects that Joo has Myasthenia Gravis (chronic neuromuscular disease). Yoo Joon says he is right and they should hand over the patient to neurology. He sends the resident on rounds. He tells Si Young to get an antibody test on Joo.

Si Young reminds him that Joo had banned Yo han from going near him. She says it isn’t right to do tests without Joo’s consent. He asks her to leave.

Si-young tells him that she is thankful she came back because of him. She said she used to believe that she cannot treat patients but he had trusted her. She says she had trusted him too. He asks her what happened.

She says she heard that Yoon Seong Kyu had wanted to live until he died but Yo Han euthanized him. She points out that Joo wanted to die but Yo Han saved him. She says this shows he puts his patient above anything. He asks if she wants to know why he had euthanized a patient who wanted to live and she says yes.


Yo han walks over to her and says that right now he is Joo’s doctor and not Seong Kyu’s. He says his patient is lying in bed without a diagnosis. He says if she is confused about who he is, she should stop caring about him…

Image Courtesy – SBS


Cha Yo Han’s trial seems mysterious. It doesn’t seem like a simple case of euthanasia. There seems to be more to it as Nurse Eun-Jeong (working with Son) doesn’t seem like a genuine person. Lawyer Han seems to be more of an acquaintance than a friend to Yo Han. I wonder why he is going to great lengths (trial and recommendation) to help him.

Oddly, the director and Dr Kwon Suk are not concerned about a patient and they are bent upon judging Yo Han and proving him wrong.

This episode saw the explanation of what exactly a DNR is. Joo is a difficult patient and looks like he has made up his mind to die rather than get a diagnosis.

There seems to be a very faint line between respecting a patient’s wish/law and doing what is best for the patient. Cha Yo han seems to be treading very carefully on that line as of now, but to others, it seems unethical.

Yo Han seems to have very good knowledge about medical laws, which help him to save crucial time while treating patients. It also gives him the confidence to bend the law while giving optimal treatment. Yo-han asking if they (other doctors) are sure that his diagnosis is wrong is a great way of tackling anyone who challenges his methods.

Si Young caught on to the fact that Yo Han went to great lengths to save a DNR patient, whom the other doctors were hesitant to treat. It looks like she doubts if he would’ve euthanized a patient who wanted to live. It is good that Si Young immediately asks Yo han if she has an issue or a doubt about his decisions. It eliminates any unwanted drama in the situation. The scenes with Yo Han and Si Young are a great watch.

The hospital seems to be filled with Si Young’s relatives. They are literally all over the place. On a lighter note, it is funny to see Yoo Joon competing with and idolising Yo Han at the same time. I wonder if he will ever get a chance to correct Yo han.

I am curious to see what actually had happened during Yoon Seong Kyu’s case as we only keep hearing second-hand accounts from people.

-By Soul Sword-

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