Doctor John (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 8 - Understanding Someone - full transcript

ALL CHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS, PLACES, AND
ASSOCIATIONS IN THIS DRAMA ARE FICTITIOUS

You feel pain because you're alive.
Without life, there's no pain.

A fighter without sight and limbs
is better off dead

than staying alive relying on machines.

Was there no way you could save him?
Except stopping his pain?

Is that why you did that?

Did you stop his pain?

Can any of you be sure that he's
a terminal patient who can't recover?

No doctor in this world can
or should be allowed to say

he did his duty after killing a patient.

Even if it was
because of a disease, malpractice,



or euthanasia.

Dr. Cha!

Cha Yo-han! Dr. Cha!

Despite his will to live,
Dr. Cha euthanized him.

That was murder.

Dr. Cha.

What kind of doctor are you?

I came back, thanks to you.

And I trusted you.

-But?
-But…

Yoon Seong-kyu…

-If he wanted to live, why did you--
-Do you want to know?

Yes.

Too bad.



Right now,

I'm Joo Hyung-woo's doctor,
not Yoon Seong-kyu's.

My patient is lying in bed
without a diagnosis.

If you're confused about what I am,
stop caring about me.

If I were you,

I'd focus on Joo Hyung-woo, not me.

Dr. Cha, there's a problem.

Joo Hyung-woo wants to be taken
off the ventilator.

He wants to be taken off the ventilator?
Does he want to die?

He hasn't regained consciousness yet.
Who requested that?

His attorney did.

He even has a recording
of the patient's request.

The patient had asked to be discharged
if he ended up relying on a ventilator.

What if we take him off the ventilator
and he dies?

Mr. Han, will we be responsible for that?

Yes. We're not sure if the patient
has no chance of recovering.

If he is discharged and dies,
and his family sues the hospital,

the hospital can be indicted
for aiding a murder.

By the way, since when is Mr. Joo
our department's responsibility?

What do you think?

It's since Dr. Cha started nosing around.

Everywhere from Ophthalmology
to Orthopedics.

Neither Ophthalmology nor Orthopedics
has made any diagnosis yet.

The biggest problem is not
which department is responsible,

but the fact
that there's still no diagnosis.

You don't know what his disease is yet?

No. We also don't know if he can recover.

There's nothing we can say
for sure right now.

Please do everything you can.

I don't care how much it costs
or how long it takes.

I can't let my son go like this.

Father, do you only care

about what you want?

Do you mean
your opinion matters more than mine?

You want to give up on my son!

Not my opinion.

Not yours.

What about his opinion?

Shouldn't his opinion matter more
than what his family wants?

As far as I know,
Hyung-woo would want to live.

Hyung-woo is a champion.

He'd never want to spend
the rest of his life bedridden.

You're the one who can't handle it.

You're saying this is Hyung-woo's opinion
because you don't want to deal with it.

He even signed a DNR
to make it clear that it's his wish.

That was the whole point.

I never gave my consent.

Doctors.

I beg you.

Please save my son.

No matter what it takes,
please save my son. I beg you.

That's what we're going to do.

He can't be discharged like this.

Thank you, Director.

I trust you all.

SEOUL HANSE MEDICAL CENTER

It's illegal to suspend
life-prolonging treatment right now.

Let me get his family's consent
for treatment.

But I want you to keep Dr. Cha
off this case.

He already performed a procedure
against the patient's will.

I'm considering taking legal action too.

Yesterday's procedure is not illegal.

If the doctors had complied,

they would have ended up aiding a murder.

Mr. Han has a point.

But we will keep Dr. Cha off the case.

Don't worry.

DR. CHA YO-HAN

Mr. Joo will be tested.

You're off the case.

It's Chief Min's order, so stay out of it.

Is Dad going to die?

Take your sister over there, okay?

Okay.

Will Joo Hyung-woo be okay?

-We'll see.
-I'm a huge fan of his.

Let's go that way. Hurry up.

Whenever I see them,
I get an upset stomach.

How can Si-young live
under the same roof with her?

"Under the same roof"? Si-young?

You didn't know?

Chief Min is Si-young and Mi-rae's mom.

Mom? What do you mean?

Mom?

Chief Min is their mom,
and the director is their uncle.

Incredible, right?

I feel sorry for you.

You're a fellow, but you can't
boss your resident around.

I don't care.

I'm from an unknown university.

The rules of aristocrats at a major
hospital like this don't concern me.

Are you sure? You're not going
to boss me around either, are you?

I love you.

-Any new patients?
-No.

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

"Myasthenia gravis"?

AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
WHICH CAUSES THE MUSCLES TO WEAKEN

You're a good artist.
Your last drawing was nice too.

-You're a total Picasso.
-It's nothing.

Right. Mr. Joo is being tested.

For what?

-How?
-His family gave consent.

Hello.

Come here.

Hello.

The test results are out.

What does it say?

According to the CT scan,
he seems to have pneumonia.

His pneumonia worsened
and caused a respiratory disturbance.

Is it curable?

The diagnosis is not complete.

We only found out
the cause of respiratory failure.

We'll put him on antibiotics

and take him off the ventilator
as soon as his condition improves.

-Hyung-woo.
-Dad!

-Honey.
-Dad!

Mr. Joo, do you know where you are?

Don't worry, Hyung-woo.

You'll be taken off the ventilator.

You have pneumonia,
but you can breathe. So hang in there.

Dad.

Mr. Joo's CT scan
shows signs of pneumonia.

-Are you coming from the ICU?
-Yes.

-You said you wouldn't do anything.
-He was tested with his family's consent.

It wasn't because of your order…

There are signs of pneumonia,
but no thymoma or thymic hyperplasia?

Pneumonia doesn't explain
his other symptoms.

Pneumonia? Has he been put on antibiotics?

-Yes.
-What kind?

No way.

"Levofloxacin"?

-Here you go.
-Thank you.

What is it?

If the patient has myasthenia gravis,

levofloxacin can worsen his condition.

That's why you want to test him
for myasthenia gravis

-with that drug, Tensilon.
-You studied hard. That's accurate.

If he turns out to have myasthenia gravis,
that means you're an amazing doctor.

Without any proper tests, you were able

to make that diagnosis
based on his symptoms.

However, it also means
we don't know anything for sure.

There's no definite diagnosis.

We don't need one.

We did an antibody test on him.

It came out negative.

That doesn't give you
a definite diagnosis.

Twenty-five percent of the patients
can test negative.

Still, what if you're wrong?

That drug can put the patient in danger.

Are you suggesting

that I'm only testing the patient
to see whether my judgment is right?

To be honest,

I'm not sure.

Is your treatment for the patient's sake

or your own sake?

Did you save Mr. Joo yesterday
because you couldn't let your patient die

or because your treatment
was not yet over?

Why did you save him?

For the patient's sake or your own sake?

Why are you asking that?
Is it for the patient or yourself?

If it's for the patient,
we don't have time for this.

Dr. Kim, give him 500 mg of levofloxacin
twice a day through an IV.

Slowly, over an hour.

How much levofloxacin
has Mr. Joo been given?

Who are you?

Myasthenia gravis is suspected.

If it turns out to be right,

levofloxacin can worsen him,
causing respiratory paralysis

-or even general paralysis--
-Hold on. Aren't you an anesthesiologist?

Yes, I am.

The patient has improved
since he takes antibiotics.

He is off the ventilator and stabilized.

If you're worried,
officially consult Neurology

and have him tested.

If he's taking the antibiotics,
there's no time.

-He has to be tested…
-What's going on?

This doctor is questioning my treatment.

I was telling him to request tests.

There's no time for discussion.

If my diagnosis turns out to be right,

-he should be taken off antibiotics.
-Dr. Cha.

Didn't you hear
that you were off the case?

Follow me.

Hyung-woo!

-Dad!
-Dad!

-Honey!
-Hyung-woo!

What happened?

He can't move his hand.

Mr. Joo, try to move your right leg.

Is his leg paralyzed too?

His pneumonia improved,
and he started breathing on his own.

How could his condition worsen so quickly?

-We should test him for brain lesions.
-We don't have time for that.

He might go back
into respiratory paralysis.

If my diagnosis is right,
he should be taken off antibiotics.

His blood pressure is unstable,
and his pulse is slow.

What if Tensilon puts him
into cardiac arrest?

Mr. Joo, I need to test if I'm right.
Do you give consent?

I told you, I've seen

many doctors like you.

That look on your face

as if you found out something.

Are you…

any different?

We can find that out

with this.

Will that help you diagnose?

Yes, it will.

Let's do this.

Honey!

-Hyung-woo!
-Dad!

Step back.

He might go into cardiac arrest.
Have atropine ready. Intubation too.

-Get atropine.
-Yes.

His heart rate is going down.

Give me atropine.

Dad!

The oxygen saturation is normal.
The heart rate too.

Hyung-woo.

Doctor, what happened?

This shot was only for diagnosis.

It temporarily reduces
myasthenia gravis symptoms.

But he still needs treatment.

Okay. We understand.

Thank you so much, Doctor.

When it comes to myasthenia gravis,
in addition to diagnosis,

continuous and professional
neurological care is very important.

Make sure to get treated.

Dr. Cha.

Thank you.

For ignoring what I said yesterday

and saving me.

It's not that I ignored what you said.
On the contrary, I got a hint from it.

A fighter without his sight and limbs.

What would have made the fighter
feel like he had lost his sight and limbs?

I considered every disease
that could give you those symptoms.

That's how I found the answer.

-Myasthenia gravis.
-You found my disease…

using my words?

You said you were in so much pain
that you would rather die.

What can I do?
You said that life would be pain.

I had to find it.

I'm not going to do it. I can't.

I'm sorry.

But you did it on that patient. Why?

Why not me?

Does pain matter
only in the face of death?

What if I'm in so much pain
that I would rather die?

What if I'm in so much pain
that I would rather die?

What if I'm in so much pain
that I would rather die?

Wouldn't you consider that a bigger pain?

I understand how you must feel
as a professional fighter.

But what about your family?

Why do they need to suffer?
Do you only care about your own life?

Is fighting the only important thing
in your life?

How would your family feel
if you just choose to die?

Advancing your death to ease yourself

and doing it
to take your life away is different.

I'm not…

a doctor who kills people.

I heard Joo Hyung-woo got better
after getting injected with Tensilon.

So it was MG.

There was a problem
with his nervous system.

I heard Joo Hyung-woo
got a definite diagnosis.

-Yes.
-See? What did I tell you?

He's a fearless doctor
who makes no mistakes.

Did you come to a conclusion?

-Yes.
-Let's hear it.

He's a doctor who does everything he can…

to get rid of pain.

And that's why he saves people

but sometimes also ends their lives
to do so?

Yes.

By the way, you're acting
completely different from before.

-From when?
-When you were at the provincial hospital.

You want to know why I'm suddenly
acting like Dr. Cha's spokesperson?

You see, I need to earn money.
And what do you do when you need money?

I need to learn everything I can here

-and open up my hospital one day.
-Right.

And I met him
right when I needed to get ready.

He's extremely unsociable and nuts.

But he's also…

a doctor who can teach me stuff
that I can't learn from anyone else.

Si-young, you should do it.

Ask the professor if we can go home.
Right now.

-Did he come back?
-Yes, not too long ago.

Kang Si-young. Kang Si-young.

-Kang Si-young.
-Kang Si-young.

Come on. You can do it.
Show us what you can do.

-Kang Si-young.
-Show us what a second-year can do.

You can do it, Si-young. You can do it.

Dr. Cha.

Dr. Cha.

CHA YO-HAN

What are you doing?

The doctors…

wanted me to ask if it's okay to go home.

Is it time to go home already?

Why are you guys waiting?

Go home.

It's okay, sir.
I still need to organize the charts.

Goodbye, everyone. I'll see you.

Do you feel better?

I should start getting treatment now.

-Where's Dr. Cha?
-He just went home.

-I guess I should thank him tomorrow.
-You need to get better first.

I hope you get better soon.

Dr. Kang.

I'll bring the kids.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming after me
and bugging me that day.

Don't mention it. I just did my job.

If you hadn't come after me that day,
I would've left the hospital.

I probably would've fainted somewhere
and ended up hooked to a ventilator again.

-Dad!
-Dad!

Let's go see your dad.

My daughter just turned five.

And she recently saw me faint
after I took my pills.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad, wake up.

-Mom!
-Yes?

Honey. Honey.

My wife saved me that day.

But I swore at her and resented her.
And I made her write a memorandum.

A memorandum?

I made her promise

to do what I asked
if I ended up fainting again.

I was so stupid and selfish.

Dr. Kang, I thought doctors
only saved patients.

But I was wrong.
You and the other doctors saved my family.

Thank you.

-Dad!
-Dad!

My babies.

-Have you been well?
-Yes.

-Let's say goodbye to the doctor.
-Okay.

-Goodbye.
-Goodbye.

Thank you.

-Let's go.
-Let's go, Dad.

Hurry up, Dad.

Okay, what should we eat?

Pork cutlets!

Let's eat pork cutlets.

Dad.

Dad.

Dad.

BUILDING C ELEVATOR

Hello.

All right. Congratulations on your return!

So? Have you saved many patients?

I got scolded by Mom.

You were scolded? Why?

I deserved it. You know me.

Your mom is so cold-hearted.

That's how a doctor should be.

A wishy-washy doctor like me
only gets in trouble.

You're not wishy-washy.
You're just kind-hearted.

By the way, did you know?

-What do you mean?
-Inmate 6238. He came to our hospital.

-Really?
-You didn't know?

Of course not.

Warden, don't you think
you're too indifferent?

Shouldn't you make sure your inmates
successfully get back into society?

That's unnecessary.

Buying them some food and drinks
will be enough.

Oh, there he comes.

You said you didn't know.
When did you invite him?

I didn't know.

I just called him to take him to dinner,

and he said he was working
at this hospital.

You told me not to even look at him
or talk to him.

Things have changed.

-Whatever, I'm leaving.
-Si-young!

Hey!

Hi, Dr. Cha.

This way, please.

Hi, Dr. Cha.

Welcome. Have a seat.

Why are you talking to me so politely?
Are you drunk?

No way. But I will be soon.

Well, Si-young, sit down.

Si-young, be polite to Dr. Cha.

Don't be rude like before.

"Rude"? What did I do?

You said, "That jerk.
Who does he think he is?"

Uncle!

What's with you?

Do you have a new medical officer?

Of course.

It's much better with a new one.

-Let me work there sometime.
-No, you can't. Stay away from that place!

If you hate to see me,
why did you call me?

I thought it was so interesting.

You met again as teacher and student.
Who would have known?

You two met through me.

I'm so happy
you can keep seeing each other.

That means I should be nice to her, right?

You're so smart.

Si-young, be polite to Dr. Cha, okay?

You already said that. Are you drunk?

I already said this.

I'm not drunk, but I will be soon.

Here.

Si-young.

All right.

Congratulations on your return, you two!

Cheers!

Pickled cucumbers.

Radish kimchi.

Green onion kimchi.

And this is rice.

Why would you give me rice?
I don't even have time to cook at home.

If you don't have time to cook at home,
cook at the hospital.

-Eating well is important.
-How can I cook at the hospital?

Anyway, take it while I'm being nice.

-Do you want more rice?
-I'm full.

Son.

How are things at the hospital?
Is it going well?

I'm so happy you're closer to me now.

I'm still learning.

How are your feet?

They're better now.

-Your back?
-It's better.

-Your blood sugar level?
-It's normal.

-Are you sure?
-Of course.

I can't lie to a doctor.

Please don't overwork yourself.
You shouldn't get any worse than this.

I know. Stop nagging.

Why did you even make all this?
I'm not taking this. Never!

Oh, my.

Eating well is important. Did you eat?

Go ahead.

You shouldn't give that…

Dr. Lee?

Do you live in the employee apartment?

-Yes.
-You're thriftier than I thought.

Can't I live here just because
I'm the chief's daughter?

I'm not picking a fight.

I am.

You shouldn't give food
to a cat like this.

The edges are too sharp.
They might hurt the cat's tongue.

It's eating well.

I heard Dr. Kang is your sister.

Yes.

I saw you two say hi yesterday
in the conference room.

How do you know her?

When Dr. Kang was
a medical officer at the prison,

I worked at the hospital nearby.

She brought a patient over.

It's fascinating

how three people from the prison
were reunited.

Three people?

Dr. Cha. He was there too.

That's the prison Dr. Kang went to?

And she met Dr. Cha there?

Yes. You didn't know?

Are you two sisters not close?

Did Heo Jun tell you about my family?

-Yes.
-Then find that out too.

Why we aren't close.

They're alike.

-Yes.
-Watch your step.

We're just leaving. We won't be long.

She and I…

are not related by blood,
but she's my niece.

She's my best friend's daughter.

Dr. Cha.

Take good care of my Si-young for me.

What?

Why are you giving me that look?

You should know better than to say that.
I can barely fend for myself.

Let's go.

I know that, but why
do you think I'd say that?

She's not able to tell you everything,
but Si-young…

There's your taxi.

-Come on, Dr. Cha.
-Uncle.

Teach Si-young well, okay?

She is doing just fine.

Really? She is doing fine?

Your niece is doing great.

Uncle, get in.

-You're doing great.
-What?

Dr. Cha said you're doing great.

-Si-young, he praised you.
-Careful.

Si-young.

Go home.

What?

What did you do well?

You don't do as I say.

It was hard for you to do as I said
but not anymore.

You do things before I tell you to,
and sometimes you question my order.

If that's all, then bye. See you tomorrow.

My patient.

He isn't dead yet.

He's been in our hospital

for over a year.

In a vegetative state.

The patient whose heart I stopped.

My patient.

Today, I went to his room
for the first time.

Do you have any regrets?

Ever since that day, that moment.

For over three years.

Did you never regret what you did?

To reduce your patient's suffering,
if the only way out

is death,

could you kill a patient?

I was…

the doctor in charge
of managing the patient's pain.

Pain management meant

giving enough painkillers to knock him out

so he wouldn't feel pain,

then to reduce the dose
so he wouldn't die and feel pain again.

We fed nutrients into his body
even if he was rotting alive.

I had no choice
but to wait for his heart to stop.

Not providing nutrients is murder.

Giving a lethal dose
of painkillers is murder.

I feared becoming a murderer,

so for over two months, I kept
the patient barely alive and in pain.

In the name of pain management.

While hating myself for using the fact
that he'd killed two kids as an excuse.

Doctor…

Doctor.

Please…

I want to…

Please…

Over those two months,
he never once asked me to save him.

He never asked me to kill him either.

Then why…

You asked, "If it means the doctor
can rid the patient of suffering,

can I kill the patient?"

-Yes.
-You asked the wrong question.

You don't kill to end suffering.

You don't kill to avoid suffering.

Then what?

You solve the suffering.

Even if it results in death.

That's all it is.

My patient

asked me to end the pain.

Even if it meant he died.

The law says it's a crime
for a doctor to kill a patient at will.

But for a doctor to neglect
a patient's suffering.

To ignore a plea to end the pain.

That could be a crime.

What I did to Yoon Seong-kyu
for two months wasn't treatment.

It was torture.

Do I regret it?

No.

I was just…

afraid.

Were you afraid?

Yes. A lot.

I was…

afraid as well.

I'm so afraid.

Unlike you,

I'm not sure about what I did,

and I can't say for sure that
I have no regrets.

I don't dare say that.

Back then and even now,

I'm so afraid

of the fact that a patient's life
is in my hands.

That's natural.

Rather than a doctor
who doesn't fear himself,

a patient needs a doctor who does.

You're doing well, Si-young.

I need to walk.

See you tomorrow.

SEOUL HANSE MEDICAL CENTER

The sky's very clear.

Or have my eyes cleared up?

I heard you're much better. I'm glad.

You're right.

You don't take away a patient's life
or extend it either.

You let your patient live his full life.

Thank you.

I'd always wanted to do that.

An uppercut comes upward from down below.
Put your weight behind it.

I wasn't always an old fogey.

There was a time

when I wanted to heal people,
not their illnesses.

But I'm still not sure if that's best.

We're scientists
who find answers from illnesses,

but humans are an organism
with no answers.

Hello?

Hello?

What's wrong?

PAIN MANAGEMENT CENTER

Hello.

-Hello.
-Hello.

Isn't there no hope
if it's a Code Blue in his state?

Hello, Dr. Cha.

Where are Si-young and Mi-rae?

What is it?

VIP ISOLATION WARD

He's in V-fib.

Dad! Dad.

No…

Dad…

Defibrillator. Defibrillator.

Charge to 200 joules.

-Charged.
-Get out of the way.

Shock.

Epinephrine.

Epi!

One ampoule in.

Dad…

Mi-rae, where's Si-young?

Si-young, please pick up.

Her father?

Yes.

It was a huge accident.

Si-young left the hospital after that.

My patient.

He isn't dead yet.

He's been in our hospital

for over a year.

In a vegetative state.

Yes, Dr. Min.

Si-young?

She's not here. Isn't she up there?

Okay, I'll look for her.

-She's not there?
-No. She won't pick up either.

It seems serious.

Where is she?

Keep calling her.

Yes, Dr. Cha.

Kang Si-young.

Kang Si-young.

Stand up.

How many times must I tell you?

There's a certain time limit
for each patient.

If it's not then,

it may be too late forever.

A doctor

must be ready to run.

Now is that time.

He's my father, not just a patient.

I'm not a doctor but a daughter.

You're a daughter and a doctor.

Right now, your father needs both.

Come on.

Come on.

It hurts.

It hurts…

so much.

Stop.

Dad is in pain.

SPECIAL THANKS TO JEON NO-MIN,
JUNG IN-GI, AND JUNG KYUNG-SOON

-We will not ignore the patient's pain.
-Excessive empathy with your patients.

Don't you understand
how harmful it can be?

-Dr. Lee.
-Aren't we sending him to the ER?

No, we aren't.

He's our patient.

A death that involves Dr. Cha's student.
Prosecutor Son will not miss it.

How is he? Is he still the same?

A doctor can't be a deity.
He can only be a deity of death.

-What do you want from me?
-I want you to do nothing.

Nothing at all.