[Drama Recap and Analysis] D-Day episode 5

D-day (2015, South Korea) 

[SPOILERS BELOW] This is a recap and analysis of episode 5

Seems like there is no time to rest in this drama haha, but that's how we like it. Episode 5 picks up right where episode 4 ended with the Mirae Hospital switching off all electricity and deciding to only focus on a handful of departments. Prof. Han Woo Jin walks through the corridors and encounters Ddol Mi and asks her why she decided to stay here and not go back home to Busan. She is surprised that he remembers her but he tells her that her name is so unique that there is no way he'd forget it. We find out that a Ddol Mi was in a car accident a long time ago and that she survived thanks to Han Woo Jin's operation, which is also why she feels to attached to him and found him so cool that she also decided to become a doctor. However she points out that while she was happy to finally see him again, she felt disappointed at the same time and asks him if he truly is the same doctor she knew from back then. Han Woo Jin is surprised by her question but she explains that the doctor he was back then wouldn't hesitate to save a dying patient even if it was without any anesthesia, but right now he is someone who is willing to let others die. Han Woo Jin replies that she shouldn't be thankful to him for saving her, instead she should consider it a miracle and that she just got lucky. Ddol Mi looks at him in disbelief and asks him if he had been the same person back then as now, would she have died? Does he regret it? Prof. Han Woo Jin replied "No. But I wouldn't do something like that again" and walks off.

Prof. Han Woo Jin meets up with Director Park and they discuss the future of the Minister who is now safely in their care. Director Park warns Han Woo Jin that he will not tolerate if something happens to the Minister since he is an important person. Prof. Han promises to save his life. Meanwhile Dr. Kang tells all the doctors and nurses that the hospital is running out of blood and that they therefore have to give up on patients who are in need of massive blood transfusion. When the meeting ends, Dr. Kang picks up a photo of her son Dongha and her and becomes teary-eyed. Nurse Ji Na walks up to her and asks her what is wrong. Dr. Kang tries to play it off cool since she doesn't want to worry the others. However Nurse Ji Na recognises that something is wrong and asks Dr. Kang where Dongha is. That's when Dr. Kang breaks down and starts to cry and Ji Na realizes that Dongha isn't someplace safe. She is shocked that Dr. Kang is able to work at the hospital when her son might not even be alive and tells her that she should focus on finding him instead of working here at the hospital. However Dr. Kang tells her that she's already tried to look for Dongha but she couldn't find him. She decided to go back to the hospital because that's the only thing she could do and also, if Dongha is found he will most definitely come look for her at the hospital. Ji Na is still worried but decides to let it go. 

The scene switches and we see the other doctors and nurses hectically run around to attend to all the patients. Intern Ahn Dae Gil and his nurse friend get once again asked to go bring up some more blankets, to which Ahn Dae Gil groans and protests but decides to do it anyways.  

Meanwhile down at the Seoul metro underground the survivors are led through the tunnels and up to the surface by the homeless guy from episode 1 and a small girl who showed the way thanks to her whistle. The fire fighters help them up and tell the injured to quickly go to the nearest hospital. As soon as the homeless man sees his friend Captain Choi we get a small and funny reunion which brought a smile to many people's faces (including mine, gosh I needed a funny moment in-between all of this depressing stuff that is happening Dx) He asks Captain Choi what is going on here and finds out that there's been an earthquake. Suddenly the aftermath of the earthquake strikes one of the older buildings and while the fire fighters are shouting for everyone to run away the little girl with the whistle (who appears to be deaf) doesn't move and escapes a close death by being saved by a young man who ends up hurt instead.  

The scene switches (damn you cliffhanger!) and we see Ddol Mi trying threat a bleeding patient. She asks Intern Ahn Dae Gil to help her but he just freaks out and freezes at the sight of blood. Ddol Mi tells him to do it properly and they drag the patient to the emergency room. There they're met by the chubby doctor who tells Ddol Mi that they might have to cut off the patients leg, to this Ahn Dae Gil almost pukes on the patient, Ddol Mi gets furious and kicks him, he tries to get up again by grabbing a hold of the patients hand to which Ddol Mi pushes him aside and shouts at him to not touch the patient with his dirty hand (lolz poor Sungyeol, I mean Ahn Dae Gil xD). After they escort the patient to the surgery room, Ddol Mi walks up to Ahn Dae Gil and asks him if he only knows how to read the books since clearly when it comes to actually doing something he is useless. Ahn Dae Gil, feeling his pride as a doctor is being hurt, tries to protest but she doesn't let him off that easily. 

By mistake Ahn Dae Gil calls her "Miss Jang Ddol Mi" (clearly offensive since she is a 3 years older senior, as she is a doctor and he is just an intern) and she gets pissed and starts to yell at him. Ahn Dae Gil yells back at her that he is also a doctor but she ignores him. He goes off to bad mouth her with another collegue and we find out that the reason why he wants to be a doctor is became he can't stand to hand over his father's hospital to someone else. He then changes his clothes and announces to his collegue that he's going home. The collegue tries to stop him but Ahn Dae Gil doesn't listen. However once he exists the hospital and sees the reality of the aftermath of the earthquake, the ruins, the corpses and the hurt people he changes his mind and goes back inside again. 

  

Meanwhile, the Nurse Park Ji Na and Dr. Kang are on a break and talk about how even the food supplies are going to run out soon, to this Lee Hae Sung shows up and hands a can of coffee to everyone and tells them that this has the same effect as food. (Lolz xD you can count on Lee Hae Sung to always be the sunshine in the rain). Suddenly they get an emergency call to head outside, the young man who saved the girl a few scenes earlier arrives badly injured. Hae Sung goes to tend to the little girl first as Dr. Han Woo Jin is checking on the man's injury. The little girl tells Hae Sung through handsigns that the guy saved her life and she begs Hae Sung to save him, he promises her that he will do his best. But that promise is quickly crushed as Han Woo Jin announces in front of everyone that the man has no chance of survival. 

Captain Choi stares at him in disbelief and yells at him how can he as a doctor just give up this easily? Dr. Han tells him (the cruel bullshit) that the hospital has a policy that they can't spend time on someone who needs massive blood transfusion. Captain Choi tells him that they dragged the man all the way here, and now he is telling him to just leave him to bleed to death without even trying to save him? Hae Sung interrupts them, grabs his pencil and wipes off the black mark Dr. Han drew and draws a red mark (emergency treatment) on the patient's forehead and tells Ddol Mi to prepare for surgery. Dr. Han turns around when he hears this and asks Hae Sung "with who's permission are you going to perform surgery?" Hae Sung replies that he will perform the surgery within 1 hour with no blood transfusion. Dr. Han Woo Jin grabs his collar and repeats with a mocking tone what he's just said and asks Hae Sung if he's trying to show off in front of a dying patient. Hae Sung replies that he is just desperate but Dr. Han continues to ignore his words and tells him to stop talking bullshit. Hae Sung tells him that he will do his best to perform the surgery the patient will be able to see "tomorrow" he then goes up to the patient and tells him what he's intending to do and asks the patient if he agrees. The patient, with his dying breath tells him that he "wants to live". 

Dr. Han Woo Jin stops their attempt to carry the man to the surgery room, and this is where Captain Choi snaps. "We carried him all the way here. How can you be so cruel to let him bleed to death on the ground?" Han Woo Jin tells Captain Choi not to meddle with the hospital's work. Captain Choi is just about to reply when Ddol Mi stops both of them by telling them that they should be ashamed of themselves. The patient is still conscious and can hear everything but they talk about him as if he's dead. They carry the patient up to the surgery room and the little girl follows them up to the door. Hae Sung tells her that they will save the guy and that she should wait outside. 

Meanwhile Dr. Kang asks Captain Choi if he can do her a favor: look for her 7 year old son and report to her if they've found anyone. Captain Choi nods and promises that he'll do his best. Then the scene switches and we see a nervous Hae Sung as he prepares to start the surgery. Nurse Park Ji Na tells him some encouraging words and he says that this is his first time doing something like this (perform the surgery in 1 hour without any blood transfusion) but that he will do his best. Before they start the patient tells Hae Sung that he is thankful that he didn't give up on him.  

But right before the surgery starts, Director Park enters the room and orders them to stop. He asks Hae Sung how he's planning to perform a surgery without blood transfusion and when Hae Sung replies he tells him that even if he decides to do it, they still need to receive permission...from the guardian. (Fudge! Director you little....xxx) and therefore they can't proceed with the surgery. Suddenly Ahn Dae Gil enters the room and announces that he gives his permission. His father is the director of Ahn Plastic surgery hospital, and therefore he is qualified to be the guardian. The patient is shocked when he sees Ahn Dae Gil (clearly they know each other, but it doesn't seem to be a friendly relationship) and even if Director Park hesitates at first, he decides to accept Ahn Dae Gil's words if his father will take all responsibility no matter the outcome, and with that the surgery can begin.

 Meanwhile, Dr. Kang is busy running from one newly arrived injured kid to the other but none of them are Dongha. The scene switches again and we see Dr. Han Woo Jin ask the Director why he didn't stop the surgery. The director said that if the hospital isn't responsible it shouldn't matter. But Han Woo Jin insists which leads the Director to ask him if he is worried about the hospital or about Lee Hae Sung? Dr. Han hesitates but in the end replies: the hospital. Director Park chuckles at his reply and tells him not to forget what he just said.  

The surgery is in full process when Dr. Han shows up, dressed in surgeon clothes and tells Hae Sung that if he opens up the patient like that he will have to save him no matter what. Instead of showing off with his mouth he should use all of his power and talent to actually show some results. Something goes wrong with the surgery but Lee Hae Sung decides to keep on going, Dr. Han tells him to stop but he refuses to listen. He tells Hae Sung that he can't proceed since he's never performed a difficult surgery like this but Hae Sung tells him that it doesn't matter whether it's difficult or easy, the fact still reminds: he is the operating surgeon and that for this patient, each second is a fight with death. 

Hae Sung successfully performs a damage control, but Han Woo Jin isn't pleased. Hae Sung tells him that "to Dr. Han, perhaps a surgery means getting rid of a cancer or tumor or something, but to him it means that the patient survives now" so even if he may not live much longer, he is still alive right now, and that's the only thing that matters. Han Woo Jin asks him what he's think and Hae Sung tells him hat he just wanted to save the patient, since he is a doctor he just wants to save lives, nothing else. Dr. Han replies that he is also a doctor but that Lee Hae Sung is almost playing around. He is gambling with the patients lives. When Hae Sung leaves, Han Woo Jin asks Park Ji Na why he is such a reckless and scary person? Park Ji Na tells him that he is just scared of seeing patients die around him. That's what he's afraid of the most. When she walks away, something strange happens. Han Woo Jin's vision becomes blurry and he he has to grab something not to loose his balance. To himself or as if to reply to Park Ji Na's words he says "you don't know what I'm most afraid of". Meanwhile, Hae Sung asks intern Ahn Dae Gil and Ddol Mi what they should do next. Ahn Dae Gil starts reciting the entire medical book while Ddol Mi stays silent. When Hae Sung asks her why she isn't saying anything she tells him that what he asked isn't her major. To this Dae Gil teases her and calls her ignorant. 

The scene switches and Hae Sung goes back to his office to take a little break. Suddenly Ahn Dae Gil enters the room and gives Hae Sung a slight bow as he begs him to take good care of the Min Cheol (the patient). Hae Sung asks him why he is begging him to take care of him, when he doesn't even like Hae Sung. Ahn Dae Gil doesn't deny it, but he says that he still acknowledges Hae Sung's dedication and talent as a doctor and that if he had to kneel down and beg him to save Min Cheol he would do it. Hae Sung is surprised as to why someone like Ahn Dae Gil (who never bows down to anyone) would go so far for this Min Cheol-guy and asks him who he is. Ahn Dae Gil doesn't want to talk about details and just replies with "I owe him a lot". Before he leaves, Hae Sung throws him two canned coffee and two chocolate bars. However Ahn Dae Gil isn't the biggest fan of chocolate and coffee and decides to instead of throwing it away, give it to Ddol Mi.

And that triggers a hilarious misunderstanding, Ddol Mi is surprised by his sudden kind gesture and starts to think that he is flirting with her. Obviously, he can't help it since she is so pretty, she is not surprised that a idiot like him ended up falling for her, sadly she doesn't feel the same for the poor fellow (lolz xD). Dae Gil then walks off to check up on his friend and we find out that the reason why Ahn Dae Gil is so worried about him, but the other doesn't feel the same way about him, is because when they were in high school Ahn Dae Gil persuated Min Cheol into helping him steal a motorcycle, When Ahn Dae Gil's dad found out about it, he used all of his influence and money to only make Min Cheol the culprit. This led to Min Cheol becoming a convict and also him getting kicked out of school. Basically, Ahn Dae Gil's stupidity ruined Min Cheol's life. So that's why he has to survive, so Ahn Dae Gil can beg for forgiveness and somehow pay him back. 

  

The scene switches and we see Dr. Han Woo Jin sitting in his office and reading about damage control in the medical books. Apparently it is not something that is used very often. He then finds a picture of him, Hae Sung, Ji Na and their other friends when they were young and we see a flashback and a little glimpse of the Han Woo Jin that Ddol Mi remembers, the kind and idealistic doctor, very similar to how Hae Sung is now. Han Woo Jin is fighting the tears from sliding down his cheeks as he puts the photo away. (Okay I don't know why I'm starting to feel bad for this guy, but I am :/) 

At the same time, Ji Na is walking through the corridor and meets up with Director Park who we find out is her father, but they don't have a good and close relationship. She tells him that even if they haven't lived as a family for 20 years, they are still a family and asks him how come he doesn't even have the manners to ask her about her mother? We then see a flashback when Ji Na and her father fought over one of Hae Sung's lawsuits, which seems to have been planned out by Director Park. Ji Na becomes furious and asks how her dad can be so cruel. Her father tells that even if Hae Sung is her friend, he is still her father and she should watch her mouth. The flashback ends and we see Ji Na sitting on the bench in the dark corridor when Han Woo Jin shows up and asks her if something happened? She ignores him and tells him she's fine but he sees her tears. She tells him she is fine but he doesn't believe her and tells her "I never broke up with you. You turned around by yourself and I'm the same" Ji Na tells him that it's all the in the past, but he replies that he has no desire to give her up that easily, he didn't fall for her just to let go this easily. And then he hugs her and she doesn't resist. For a second it actually even looks like she wants to hug him back, but she stops midway (owww Dx) 

The episode ends with Assemblyman Go Jae Hyuk announcing to the other ministers that if they have anything against him they can tell him directly after the disaster has calmed down, he will take on any criticism, but right now they need to focus on how to handle the aftermath of the earthquake and figure a way how to help the hospitals as much as possible. And with that scene, episode 5 ends. 

My Thoughts:

I have to admit that I don't have much to say about this episode. A lot of things happened, but most of it was like "oh okay", it didn't really surprise or amaze me, except for perhaps the ending, I didn't see the plottwist with Ji Na's dad being Director Park and that Ji Na and Han Woo Jin are actually dating or used to date xD I actually kind of ship them now, I don't know why, but I just do. This episode had a lot of funny moments (like Ahn Dae Gil's fear of blood and the misunderstanding between him and Ddol Mi about the coffee and chocolate) but it also had quite a handful of sad moments (which seriously don't surprise me anymore, this drama is very nerve-wrecking when it comes to sadness, but I love how it portrays it so realistically. It kind of becomes the sad beauty of this drama, if that makes sense. I like that we got to find out more about Ahn Dae Gil, he may not be one of the main characters but I wanted to feel a connection with him and I'm glad he finally got some spotlight in this episode. Hae Sung continues to amaze me, I just love his little idealistic quirky persona xD Han Woo Jin was probably surprised me the most in this episode. I'm supposed to dislike him, but I can't help but actually feel like he is a pitiful character. I felt it from the start but this episode kind of made me come to the final conclusion that he is a very grey character, and I love that. He was such an ass in this episode but he also showed a different side of himself when he showed that he was worried about Hae Sung (but still kept a poker face and decided to lie to Director Park. Come on, it was obviously a lie, didn't you see his face? xD) or how he turned so gentle when Ji Na was sad. And what's with his blurry vision? O_O what is it that he is afraid of? I guess they're hinting at something...and I'm scared to find out because I feel like it's something that'll turn this already sad drama into a tragedy. Not that I dislike tragedies but I'm still scared X_X haha, guess I'll have to continue to watch to find out xD Damn these epic cliffhangers!