Mental Health in K-drama: Doctor Slump #Part 2

We’ve already dived into the struggles of the female lead in Doctor Slump and her battle with depression in previous post, but now it’s time to turn our attention to the male lead, Yeo Jeong-woo. He’s the he kind of guy who looks cool and calm on the outside but is silently dealing with symptoms of PTSD on the inside. He was once a top surgeon, but a tragic event shook his entire world. During a high-pressure surgery, something goes terribly wrong, and the patient doesn’t survive. For Jeong-woo, this isn’t just a professional failure; it’s a life-shattering event. He feels responsible, and that guilt starts to eat away at him. Over time, it turns into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition where the trauma of a past event haunts you in the present, often through nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety, and avoidance.

At the beginning of Episode 5, there's a scene where Jeong-woo hesitates to provide emergency assistance to an elderly person, as it triggers painful memories of a failed surgery he experienced. On top of that, he’s been haunted by nightmares that replay the traumatic surgery scene, intensifying his struggle with the guilt. But the most impactful scene for me comes at the end of Episode 5, when a specific trigger—a splash of blood—suddenly sends Jeong-woo spiraling back into a traumatic memory.

Note: This video may evoke strong emotions or trigger certain responses. Please watch it at your own discretion.

The flashback effect in the episode is intense. The film transitions into a slow-motion blur, with distorted sounds, and glitching effect. In this state, he isn’t just “remembering” the trauma; he’s reliving it. That’s key to understanding PTSD. These flashbacks aren't just memories—they feel real, as if Jeong-woo is back in that painful situation all over again. The camera work highlights this well. It zooms in on Jeong-woo’s face, his expression frozen between panic and helplessness. Meanwhile, the background blurs out, and even the sound of the moving train behind him vanishes, showing how completely unaware he is of his surroundings.  It’s like the world goes silent—he’s completely disconnected from everything around him. We, as viewers, feel his disorientation.

We also see another key symptom of PTSD: avoidance. Jeong-woo struggles with being in certain environments that remind him of that day, avoiding anything that could spark a memory of the trauma. He distances himself from the hospital setting, showing how PTSD doesn’t just affect his mental state, but also his career and relationships. He tries to block out any triggers that could bring back those painful memories, but the more he tries, the more it creeps up on him.

Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD, and here’s the difference. Remembering a trauma is like recalling a bad memory. You might feel sad, but you know it’s in the past and you can somehow, to an extent, control how you feel about it. With PTSD, it’s different. The memories feel real and like they’re happening all over again—these are called intrusive memories or flashbacks. Triggers, like sights or smells, can bring on strong emotions and physical reactions. People with PTSD often avoid reminders of the trauma, feel on edge, or have nightmares.

In short, remembering a trauma is looking back on it, while PTSD makes you relive it. For Jeong-woo, his flashbacks and emotional triggers show that PTSD is more than just memories—it’s a whole-body response to trauma that sticks around, even when you wish it wouldn’t.