Yeo Jeong-Woo is one of the main leads in romantic comedy medical drama, Doctor Slump. Park Hyung-Sik plays the character in the show.
Yeo Jeong-Woo has been a straight-A student all his life and then a plastic surgeon with all the success in the world until a life of comfort turns to a bridge of thorns.
The topper type
Jeong-Woo is flashy and likes to flaunt his status as the top student, posing in front of the congratulatory banner hung from the top of the school building.
He likes to act reluctant to revel in his achievements but also makes it pretty easy to see he enjoys all the buzz and all the eyes on him.
That is, until, a mighty rival walks into the classroom. Enter Nam Ha-Neul; a transfer girl from Busan who is a similarly high-ranking student as him.
A challenger emerges
While he uses pen and paper as he solves an equation in the classroom, Ha-Neul does it all in her head and shares the answer, while he remains with his hand raised.
Whereas his constant companions are taken by her idiosyncrasies, Jeong-Woo thinks her time-saving antics are ridiculous.
He tries to act all cool and like Ha-Neul’s presence doesn’t affect him at all, but he does feel threatened by her.
Both Jeong-Woo and Ha-Neul consider the school not big enough for the two of them. Only one topper can prevail and so their war begins.
His initial pretend-stoicism is followed by a series of sincere efforts to regain his throne, as he battles her on every new test and scores the highest marks.
During his school days, Yeo Jeong-Woo thought that if he kept trying hard as he’d always done, life would continue to be just fine like it had been before.
Success and then some
Life is more than just fine for him in the future, as he keeps on his grind and sticks to his philosophy.
He goes on to become a renowned plastic surgeon popular for his media appearances and his large online following.
He signs many advertisements, receives prestigious awards and accolades, enjoys frequent media appearances, has a large online following, and owns dozens of clinics across the country.
It’s a stress-free life and one that has brought him happiness, contentment, and fame, even if he didn’t particularly look for it.
Doctor Slump
However, one inexplicable accident that takes one of his client’s life, costs him his career, his reputation, and most of his assets.
A contouring surgery goes horribly wrong, and the victim dies because of excessive bleeding.
At the trial, damning evidence is submitted which paints him as a possible culprit of malpractice.
His best friends fight him and break away, people call him names, and he drowns in debt and all alone in his misery.
He is broke and ends up in a rooftop room at none other than Nam Ha-Neul’s family home.
He soon learns that she is going through her worst slump yet as well, and in no time he finds a warm and supportive company in her.
The banter is back, and so is a romantic fervor, that is both mutual and strong. As the two share in and with each other more, Yeo Jeong-Woo falls only further for her.