A Beautiful Mind (2016)

This drama was a roller coaster ride for me. At first, I was thinking about whether watching this or not since I've read a lot of articles about this drama having really poor ratings (TBH ratings were really low. 2%-4%) But ratings does not tell you the quality of a drama. Ratings: bad. Drama: amazing. It's been a while since I've watched a drama that gave me a lot of headaches, a lot to think of, it was never predictable. It was such a beautiful drama, the one that gave you a lot of tears and made you laugh a lot. It also made me think of life in a whole new different way.

Story: I liked the pacing. There were no boring scenes where I get distracted and then using my phone. Jin Sung was really annoying at first but her character got better and better. I did not really like how she was so POWERFUL, (i dont know if that the right word to describe it) but my question is, as a traffic officer did she had that authority to investigate murder? That was kinda weird for me because I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way in real life. And lastly, what I did not like was some of the characters didn't have that much screen time, like Suk-Joo. I felt like I didn't understand his character more and it wasn't enough. Maybe because of the cut episodes but after finishing it, I felt like there a lot missing. And I had so much questions that I think the answers are in the 2 wasted episodes. :(

Acting/cast: Jang Hyuk. Jang Hyuk. Jang Hyuk. Such an amazing actor. I must say he really portrayed his character well on this drama. There was a scene where he made this really crazy, scary look on his eyes and I really got goosebumps. But one thing I noticed is the way he speaks. It was so slow for me, as a personal opinion.

Music: Great music, my favorite one is DIRT by Bernard Park. I really love how they put the right background music in the scenes. When they have scenes with patients, I can't stop crying plus adding tear-jerker music.

Re-watch: I will definitely watch this again after some months. I think a re-watch is a must to this kind of dramas because you have to really understand it. And honestly, I had too much hair-pulling-while-screaming moments when I don't understand what is happening.

Overall, this is a highly recommend drama and one of the best in 2016. This is such a hidden gem that everyone must discover. It's one of those rare dramas where you gambled 20 and you got 100 in return. It's sad to say goodbye, but I will say hello again soon, Beautiful Mind.

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Sempre que me sinto desanimada e não consigo achar nenhum drama que me interesse escolho algum drama médico da minha lista para assistir, porque esse gênero sempre consegue levantar meu animo e manter meu interesse do inicio ao fim. É difícil explicar o porquê, mas a possibilidade de ver vários pacientes sendo tratados ao longo da trama pelos mais variados motivos sempre foi algo que me passou uma sensação acolhedora.

Já tinha um bom tempo que queria assistir esse drama, e não me arrependo nada de ter visto, gostei do protagonista e a história é bem fácil de acompanhar.

Foi bem interessante ver o crescimento dele como médico quando conhece aquela policial. Foi ótimo ver ele se libertar da visão distorcida da realidade que seu pai tentava impor a ele desde sua infância.

Sim, o protagonista não conseguia ter emoções por causa do seu distúrbio de personalidade antissocial, mas em vários momentos ele tinha atitudes muito melhores do que dos supostos "médicos normais".

Seria a genialidade da sua mente uma consequência dos supostos esforços do pai para lhe fazer camuflar em meio a multidão ou isso se deva ao seu constante esforço para demonstrar sua competência para a sociedade, apesar das circunstancias?

Estou mais inclinada a acreditar na segunda hipótese, até porque quando você conhece verdadeiramente o que estava por trás das atitudes de seu pai, consegue perceber nitidamente como ele era alguém: egoísta, mesquinho e controlador que se importou muito mais com a sua reputação como médico do que com o próprio filho.

Ele colocava uma mascara de bondade e justiça para esconder sua verdadeira e vergonhosa face. Suas atitudes eram voltadas a omitir seus erros do passado, e seu medo de que isso fosse exposto era tão grande que ele fez questão de adotar a criança órfã que ele prejudicou apenas para esconder a verdade.

Não gostei da parte policial desse drama porque foi bem fantasiosa, pouco crível e bem abaixo do esperado. Enquanto a policial novata e inexperiente fazia de conta que estava investigando alguma coisa, quando na verdade agia apenas seguindo suas emoções e impulsos. Nós expectadores fazíamos de conta que aceitamos esse fato e seguíamos em frente tentando focar apenas nos casos médicos.

Francamente, as mortes suspeitas por causa do experimento clinico ficaram jogadas de lado por um bom tempo e só foram retomadas no final, e ainda assim os responsáveis só pagaram pelo que fizeram quando resolveram se entregar de livre e espontânea vontade e não porque causa do que foi descoberto nas investigações. Se não fosse por isso, sinto que eu poderia ter dado uma nota maior para esse drama.

Não gostei do personagem: Hyun Suk Joo basicamente pelos mesmos motivos, isto é, sua falsa aparência de bom moço quando na verdade se deixava levar pela promessa de que a pesquisa traria muitos benefícios no futuro, quando na verdade o mal que causava a várias pessoas era descaradamente ocultado por ele.

A pincelada de romance esse drama tem é boa, e acredito que até mesmo quem reclama da atuação caricata desse ator vá gostar desse drama, porque esse foi um papel bem diferente que ele interpretou.

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The tittle really describes well the drama, that was really beautifully done.
What can I say about this one? First of all, the story was really intelligent, most of the time I don't really like medical dramas but since this one was more on the psychological side I liked that much more.
Jang Hyuk is a real actor omg the way he performed in this drama was phenomenal, I was totally drown by his character. On the other hand we have Park So Dam, not one of my favorite actress because her acting is a bit weird but since she has that innocent look and aura she was perfect for the main girl.
I also discovered how great was Yoon Hyun Min, he'll definitely have a great career.
The thing that I liked the most about this drama was how well the story progressed and "Dirt" by Bernard Park, that's one of the best OST that I've ever heard.
I really recommend people to watch this!

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I find it unfair that this drama isn't known! I didn't watch it at the time of its broadcast, but I understood that it was broadcast during the Olympic Games, which dominated the general attention at the time..
what a pity!


Jang Hyuk plays an academically brilliant yet emotionally defunct neurosurgeon who’s unable to feel emotions as a result of a frontal lobe injury, but that all starts to change as a murder mystery unfolds at the hospital.

The scenario is intriguing, creative and wonderful, the theme and atmosphere are well founded, we feel thoroughly in history. The game of characters is extraordinary and well mastered, especially for Jang Hyung, who embodied his role perfectly. I forgot the whole time that it's NOT actually a emotionally defunct person but just an actor xD
I love everything related to medical stuff, but it's not the only thing that made FALL IN LOVE with this drama!

Even the romance in this drama is light and very significant.. No dirt scenes, no stupidities..

It is really too bad it was cut short! but the writer managed to pull most plot lines together in ways that worked. I'm still shaking from the beauty of this drama!

N.B. : I have read Frankenstein but I don't find any BIG reference to it here.. bot a bad thing thing, though, because it was for me a huge surprise and a new thing to discover!

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I'm surprised with this drama. Originally I wanted to drop it after the first 2-3 episodes, I ended up binge watching it in one day. I recommend anyone watching to at least watch to episode 6 because for me that was the breakout episode where the show really shined despite all it's fault and I'm upset it only had 14 episodes.

Story: The writing was a mess to put it simply. Yet, the acting and stand out scenes really do save the drama from it's own story. FL at first was annoying and bothersome with how impulsive she could be. Eventually I warmed up to her, I wish she could have gotten more development.
If your looking for an amazing mystery story, this is not at all that. The psychological element of this drama is the best part and the romance is pretty good too, just there's not a ton of romance.
The biggest crime of this drama would be the last 2 episodes being cut, because I think those would have made the plot more well rounded and probably added more scenes between the ML and FL which would have been nice.

Acting/Cast: All the actors for this drama were really good. But, Jang Hyuk's performance was by far the best and is enough reason alone to give this drama a chance.

Music: Not much to say, it has a very small soundtrack with the main theme being outstanding.

I'd say give this drama a chance, it's lack of a cohesive plot is entirely made up for with the acting and music and chemistry between the leads.
Sometimes this drama isn't fantastic, but when it is holy crap is it good.

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There's just too many dramas with doctors right now and I initially thought I can't handle watching them. I started late in watching this drama and I was urged to watch because of a lot of people saying that it was a good drama.

First impressions: Watching the first episode is real challenge. Our main lead is a person who doesn't feel emotions so he was really off-putting for starters and also this is my first time watching Jang Hyuk. I can't also connect with Park So-dam's character. I'm not invested in the story yet, the characters nor the actors at first, but I still carried on.

What lasts: I kept on watching the drama and it really did grew on me. I no longer find the main lead annoying but instead I found his experiences and relationships worth knowing and relatable. I find him very hardworking in a sense that he knows that there is something scientifically wrong with his.brain and yet he still makes an effort on becoming a good doctor. I liked his relationships with the nurses, residents, and his fellow doctors (those power Rangers are really funny) - how they find him heartless and frightening at first but righteous and amazing in the end. I do like him with Ji Sung and she relly helped him change emotionally (though he doesn't have it).

I found myself waiting for this (compared to that other drama with doctors) later on. It' really more of a human drama and more focused on the main lead and his relationships instead of just the romance.

The show proved that efforts do pay off. The drama is definitely for all. Afrer all, it isn't fluffy and soft.

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NON SPOILER REVIEW :

' Beautiful mind '
If you haven't read the synopsis , or even if you've .
What do you think , the title or the poster might be about ?
*Think about it *

This drama is really beautiful . It mends on how you feel and decided about things .
The importance of having empathy in our lives .

How people grow and develop at certain stages of life .
What affects them ? How they change ?
How the emotions of any person are related .

All these from the perspective of a Doctor and ofcourse the Patients involved .

This is a medical thriller for the first 8 episodes that you'll be baffled in the best possible way.

The remaining 6 episodes take a total U turn and it turns into a slice of life all of a sudden , which is the most beautiful part of it .

The writing is sloppy due to this . But till episode 8 it's perfect .
Some of you may have hard time coz of it I mean it doesn't really explain things till last so you've to stick and yeah the medical terms are really out of the world for a non medical student .
TBH , i sat with a tab of google opened right next to the episodes coz I was interested in knowing what kinda reference they were giving . So it's a brain drainer at times , but worth it .

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Beautiful mind tries to be an in-depth story about a brilliant but antisocial doctor. However, it never gets to really solve the cases it presented. Maybe the fact that it ended too soon (14 episodes when the most of the dramas have 16 in average) didn't help with it. So, was it good? It's good enough. The romance was sweet, though it was quick and short, but I guess it works as the drama manly focuses on the hospital, the illegal activity that takes place there, the doctor and his relationship with his father, and his emotional issues. I think that the illegal cases were too ambitious, as they weren't really got solved satisfyingly. The medical cases were interesting, and the way they were solved was quite entertaining. Also, the story about the doctor was really good, as the character evolves and changes throughout the drama, as well as his relationship with his colleagues. One thing that bothered me was the fact that everyone called the doctor a monster because of his condition. I hoped that it would be like "It's okay, it's love", were they handled the issue very sensitively and introduced the audience to not discriminate people with mental illnesses. However, in beautiful mind, that's not the case. The guy was called a monster till the very end. Finally, the acting was good and that helped with the development of the story. So, 6 out of 10.

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One of the most interesting medical dramas to come out of the entire genre to say the least, east or west.

Likable:
The cast was superb, played as well as could be, considering the material. You actually got a feel that these people know one another and interact like this every day. The protagonists were well rounded and developed with just the right amount of flashbacks. You are not confused as to when a scene is in the past or present.
Medical terms were explained on screen in a non-obtrusive and non-condescending manner. The medical speak was just that: medical. There was no pandering to the audience. Jargon was spoken at that level, which felt more real, not broken down for the viewers.
The set-up for the story was great, the background was well developed.
The main set, Hyunsung Medical, was perfectly believable. You will actually be in the world of HSMC and not a sound stage. Again, the actors and extras made you believe they inhabited this space, not just thrown in for your gratification.
There were really no boring or throw-away scenes. The drama did keep my attention well in tune to what was happening. Makes me curious what else would have been in the 2 cut episodes.
The atmosphere music was perfect. That heart beating type of non-diegetic music was just perfect for the story.

Dislikable:
The stories just seem to barely intersect each-other. Yes, they did play a part in the overall arc but that was not the feeling. Things were revealed too quickly, or not really at the correct time, for any suspense or impact at times. The chaebol drama, for instance, of the owners could have played a bigger part from the beginning, or maybe none at all.
There was no real clear entry point. Yes, Dr Lee Yeong Oh returning to Korea was the starting point, or was it? Was the research the starting point? Was Gye Jin Sung the genesis? We need a starting point! (Perfect story with a starting point: Part Time: The Series.)

Some Thoughts:
There was confusion as to whose viewpoint the story hinged. If there was a clear lead as to a POV it may have gained more ratings, making it more relatable.
The comedy parts were quite good, the few there were. There should have been more light-heated scenes, if only to bring a sense of realness. The characters were there. The set-up was there. It was just a matter of a little comedic development.
With a little work this could have been one of Korea's best medical dramas. The idea behind it, a celebrated neurosurgeon with antisocial personality disorder, was just perfection. It offered all the right elements, but execution was just a tad sloppy.

Conclusion:
All in all well worth the watch. The story was interesting. It somewhat dived into the workings of Korea's chaebol system. It also quite well illustrated Korean culture for elders and rank. From a medical drama perspective the science worked. Just a little tightening-up by the writers and this may have spawned a few seasons.

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The concept of this drama was interesting. This was a story I have never seen before, at least not delivered in a package like this. It was believable, even though it seemed to be far-fetched from the summary.

The casting was great. Jang freaking Hyuk, I can't. Loved that every other episode he'd grown in his 5 o'clock shadow. Park So Dam was adorable and plucky, fell in love with her from the first episode. The supporting cast was amazing and included some of my favorites like Yoon Hyun Min, Oh Je Sung and a hilarious Kim Hyung Kyu, who's departure from the deadly Mantis in Last was amazing. Add to that the most delightful Bromance Team, because who wants just one Bromance when you can have a Bromantic Ensemble? Jang Hyuk's worked very hard on this character. How to depict someone who has no emotions and still evoke the sympathy of the watchers? He did a great job.

The music was wonderful. I really like the song that played during most of the sadder scenes. It was beautiful.

As for rewatch value, I would probably watch this again, and soon. I thought it was a great show.

Now, a few personal notes that I have to add. I'm disappointed that they cut the episodes by two. As expected, the last episodes had a rushed feeling, which is why some of my scores were lower than the 10 I would have loved to give them. I'm not sure what happened here. Assuming the ratings were low, I wonder that they don't try moving these shows to another time slot. ALSO, about my Jang Hyuk, that D.I.L.F., time is beginning to catch up to him. I almost fell out of my chair at the SPOILER ALERT** no-abs shot in the beginning...where did they go? Still love this man and his dreamy voice.

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I abandoned this show for a couple of weeks after watching part of the first episode, but I am so glad I picked it up again. Seriously, just stick with it if you are in a similar situation and contemplating dropping it after the first few minutes. I know the show isn't the most medically accurate, but honestly, which medical drama is? Ignoring that, the drama does deal with some very important issues of medical ethics and I think it did a pretty good job. What I really loved was it's lack of cliche moments and the presence of dark and light elements in the same show. I am also really glad they didn't try and "cure" him magically. What I was most disappointed about was the length of the show. While they covered the bases and did create some closure and a fairly satisfying ending, it felt abrupt and somewhat unfinished, like there was more to the story which we never got. Which is a pity because this has been one of better shows I have seen recently, so this is the one time I think it could have run longer.

The acting was quite good. Jang Hyuk did an excellent job, but I wish they had implemented the idea that he is very good at mimicry as good psychopathy are. He looked a little too blank and lost for that.

The soundtrack was well done and Bernard Park's 'Dirt' really gets stuck in the head. My only complaint is that it sounds like he keeps saying 'dirts' instead of 'dirt' and it just drives me crazy. I believe he was born and brought up in America so I refuse to believe he didn't have access to a native speaker who could have potentially corrected this for him if he himself is not a native English speaker and if indeed this was a mistake and not just because of the way he is singing.

Overall, it's not a drama that should be missed. It has the right amounts of drama, romance, and humor. I will definitely be watching this in the next few years.

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WHAT A GREAT SHOW

Here I am. A late bloomer of Jang Hyuk dramas, discovering him only in 2020. I kept Beautiful Mind on the back burner a bit and saw most of his other dramas which started with Fated To Love You, Thank You, Robbers, Chunno which were all done with great acting by him. To guide me to his next effort, I read all the reviews on DramaList and just completed watching this great show 'Beautiful Mind'.

Beautiful Mind has a very interesting medical mystery murder story line surrounding the hospital that Dr. Lee Yeong Oh (Jang Hyuk) works after returning from overseas back to Korea. He suffers from an antisocial personality dis-order where he is unable to emphatise with people and situations around him. However, through a series of events involving a murder case in the hospital, he is suspected by a traffic policewoman Gye Jin Sung. It was enjoyable to watch how this traffic policewoman evolved from a naive rookie police who is a bit clueless of her actions to being transferred to Criminal Police division and slowly mature to a more rounded cop. Her character is pure and simple (but I do find the character a bit too young) and is quite a good change from the heavy and interesting drama in the hospital. Her simplicity also helped to draw out Dr. Lee's journey in discovering his emotional side and hence beginning to help him deal with changes and acceptance of situations around him in spite of his personality dis-order.

The show has a great story line with every episode, surprises, joy and I also cried a little. Each cast did justice to their performance and of course, Jang Hyuk (Dr. Lee) is exceptionally talented. As always in his performance, again in Beautiful Mind he is able to take us through the complexity of Dr. Lee Yeong Oh's character. His ups and down and the variation of situations he has to deal with to bring the entire drama from a great start to a super ending.

Love the show, suggest to watch it.

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