Doctor Stranger

As a child, Park Hoon was snatched along with his father and taken into North Korea, where he spent his youth training to be a doctor under harsh circumstances. Years later he makes a daring escape to South Korea and secures a position at a top hospital, driven by one clear goal: earn the money needed to return and rescue the woman he loves back home. While he pursues that plan he faces institutional pressure, ethical dilemmas, and personal danger. Then he meets a mysterious woman whose face mirrors his lost love, and everything about his mission and his heart gets complicated without revealing how it ends.

Released in 2014, the series was directed by Jin Hyuk and created by Park Jin-Woo. It stars Lee Jong-suk, Park Hae-jin, Jin Se-yeon, Kang So-ra, and Jeon Kuk-hwan, and blends medical procedures with crime drama elements.

The show earned attention at several South Korean award events, picking up nominations and some wins at network and year-end ceremonies. Lead and supporting actors were acknowledged in newcomer and acting categories, helping raise profiles within the industry.

Doctor Stranger sparked lively conversation among viewers for mixing medical thriller beats with political tension. It reached audiences beyond Korea through international streaming and fan communities, and it's often cited for its intense hospital sequences, the romantic entanglement at the story's center, and for helping its leads gain wider recognition in Hallyu markets.

Critics and viewers rated the series positively, reflected in an 8.1/10 average from user votes. Reviews tended to highlight brisk plotting, high-stakes medical scenes, and melodramatic turns, while viewers debated the show's handling of identity, loyalty, and the moral costs of secrecy and obligation under political pressure.