In a teary confrontation with her mother after she finds out about her mental health diagnosis, Nam Ha-neul (Park Shin-hye) tells her she has pushed herself too hard, and that this has led to an illness of the mind. Her mother (Jang Hye-jin) , though, is anything but understanding. She brings up her own sacrifices, and says that she raised her daughter the best she could.
The recently concluded K-drama Doctor Slump chooses not to look too far to make valid points about mental health, the pressures of everyday life, and a subsequent healing journey. The show limits its worldview to protagonists Ha-neul and Yeo Jeong-woo(Park Hyung-sik), high school academic rivals and overachievers who are reunited years later.
A highly successful plastic surgeon, Jeong-woo has to face the world crumbling around him after being suspected of medical negligence. Slapped with a huge lawsuit and facing a public trial, Jeong-woo moves into a small, cramped room on the terrace of a building owned by the family of his high school nemesis Ha-neul. Ha-neul, meanwhile, is a diligent anesthesiologist who is constantly humiliated at work, is severely burnt out, and has no time for anything apart from work. When it gets to a point where her physical health deteriorates and she finds herself unable to function, a mental health diagnosis follows. Ha-neul is in disbelief when she learns she has depression, and initially disregards her doctor’s advice to take a break. Her family doesn’t make things any easier.
