Roy Kim and Seo In-Ho mostly exchange glowering staredowns and practice passive-aggressive communication whenever they’re in the same frame.
Seo In-Ho and Jeong-Suk are in an unhappy marriage where they haven’t had sex in ten years, exclusively thanks to In-Ho who’s shown to almost barf at the prospect of getting intimate with his wife.
This is because he’s been having an affair with his former lover, who he has a teenage daughter with as well — major details he’s managed to hide from his wife. However, when she begins taking control of her life and catches a young doctor Roy Kim’s attention, he gets weirdly envious and insecure.
The professional parry
Roy Kim and Seo In-Ho are very proficient in medical knowledge and carry with them an incredible amount of expertise in the fields.
Exceptional surgeons though both of them are, there is also a rift between them when it comes to the school of thought and the approaches they take with the medical cases.
Often in meetings, the two clash with plenty of passive-aggressive exchanges, discussing what route or what approach must be opted for the surgical operation and treatment.
They even butt heads regarding the purchase of new medical and surgical machines. However, all of these clashes transpire largely because of whole another reason that involves a third party — In-Ho’s wife Cha Jeong-Suk, a woman who Roy Kim has fallen for.
Envy & insecurity
Seo In-Ho has been a sharp and strict surgeon with a lot of acclaim and accolades for his work. He’s even been published in popular magazines.
He commands respect at the hospital and expects competence from one and all. It’s shown that he is really very competent and reliable in what he does.
However, of late, his age has begun showing. The first major shocker of aging hits him when his hand gets frozen during surgery.
To get it working again, he tries everything, even giving alternative treatments like acupuncture a shot. Meanwhile, he also starts having other issues with his body, showing signs of aging in a manner he feels super annoyed.
His issues are only further exacerbated by Roy Kim’s presence, which is marked by an active cadence and the carelessness of the flexibility and degree of freedom a youthful bod proffers. Seo In-Ho hates that.
Romantic rivals
The most significant subject of contention between Roy Kim and Seo In-Ho stems from their dynamics with Cha Jeong-Suk. In-Ho has been cheating on her with Seung-Hi for many years and before Jeong-Suk, Roy Kim learns about it.
He wants In-Ho and constantly gives him a lot of burns for his continued cruelty to his wife, who Roy Kim has fallen in love with. While In-Ho and Jeong-Suk’s relationship is hidden from the hospital staff, Roy Kim’s bonding with her quickly becomes the topic of hot gossip around the galleries and wards.
In-Ho increasingly feels threatened by Roy Kim and jealous of him, burning with insecurity as he sees the young doctor getting more and more friendly with his wife. Their constant rivalry clashes are confined to passive-aggressive decorum for the most part until it all reaches the boiling point and they engage in a physical brawl.
Also Read: The love triangle in Doctor Cha explained
