Reflections on Life Through "Dr. Romantic" Series: Kim Min-jae's Journey
Key Highlights :
When actor Kim Min-jae started his career, he landed a supporting role in the SBS medical romance series "Dr. Romantic" in 2016. The series became a huge hit, ending with a 27.6 percent viewership rating and winning Kim a rising star trophy at the broadcaster's year-end awards ceremony. Seven years later, the actor has wrapped up Season 3 of "Dr. Romantic," having spent his entire twenties working on the series.
The medical series revolves around people at a small hospital named Doldam, in a remote countryside area, led by the genius doctor, Kim Sa-bu (Han Suk-kyu). Kim chose to abandon his position at a renowned hospital in favor of a peaceful life at Doldam, calling himself "Doctor Romantic." Within the hospital, Kim Sa-bu and his colleagues encounter diverse patients, each with their unique stories, and learn to provide care not only on the surface, but also on a deeper, emotional level.
In his role as a nurse practitioner at Doldam, Kim Min-jae's character has a life-altering encounter with Kim Sa-bu, prompting him to leave behind his troublesome life and join the staff at Doldam as a nurse. The actor revealed that working on each season, spaced three years apart, served as a constant reminder to apply the series' message to his own life.
"My definition of 'romance' is courage; to look at the world with more warmth and not compromising on what is wrong. Taking the high road, making the right choices, and taking responsibility make me feel like a better person," he said. "I try to live that way but it doesn't always work. And working on this series almost every three years allowed me to reflect and check on myself to see if I've been doing the right thing."
This series will mark Kim's final project before starting his mandatory military service later this year. The actor shared that he is looking forward to the major changes in his life. "I felt I needed to take time to move on to the next phase (of life) and I believe military service will help me grow, so I'm more excited than worried or anxious," he said. "I'm looking forward to my career in my 30s after being discharged from the military. I'm curious how my perspective would change afterward."
For Kim Min-jae, the "Dr. Romantic" series has been a journey of self-reflection and growth. Through the series, he was able to learn about acting and gain a deeper understanding of life and how to live it. As he embarks on his mandatory military service, he looks forward to the changes that will come with it and how it will shape his perspective.
