Brains sometimes stumble while building the world. There’s something so bold and so ambitious in this first Korean original Apple TV Plus series.
Although Dr Brain begins as a six-part thriller with Lee Sung-Kyun (known for his parasitic fame) as neurologist Dr Ko Se-won. It’s an exciting start for the streamer’s Korean debut, although the show doesn’t fully live up to the promise of a captivating premise and stellar cast.
We met Dr. Koch first saw the autism spectrum as a child;
He struggles to understand emotions and connect with others. Unfortunately, he was labelled a restless child at school, which became a heavy burden for his single mother. For doctors, the recommended (over-the-top) treatments don’t seem to be working the way they’d hoped.
Growing up with a tendency to “take things apart to see what’s inside,” says Dr Ko did brain research. Which allows him to study the human mind and get an idea of how other people experience the world.
When presenting his research and experiments at conferences showed himself to be a relatively successful scientist. Even though his ideas disturbed his colleagues.
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The introduction then turns sombre and suddenly when Dr Co suffers from a series of horrific personal tragedies in succession. He is increasingly desperate to find out. He tests his research and undergoes “brain synchronization” with the dead to find their memories for clues.
“Dr. Brain” is a work that changes genres and dances between crime thrillers, science fiction and the most touching family dramas. The best work in this series is Portrait of Sorrow, in which Dr Cos outlines personal moments such as sadness and gradually considers his shortcomings and mistakes.
His study of “brain synchronization” becomes a form of grief and a kind of quest as he realizes something more sinister behind the tragedy. There is a saying in science that all research is autobiographical, which is true of Dr Co.
Lee Sun-Kyun offers a show to match:
By finding the right balance between the roles of a distant neurologist and a traumatized and grieving man seeking answers. His colleague dr. Hong Nam-il (Lee Jay-woon) thrives on the series, depicting a depth of character that goes beyond what the script offers. As Police Lieutenant Choi, Seo Ji-he (from the very popular emergency landing for you) provides refreshing stability throughout the series.
An immovable trace of Inception resonates through six episodes as the characters wander through reality and the layers of changing consciousness. Dr Brain is most interesting when characters aren’t sure whether the other person they’re seeing is natural or fictional brain sync. Although the show delved into the details of the brain’s synchronization mechanisms, the main story of Dr Because the search for truth and salvation is very consistent.
Even more disappointing is Dr Brain’s more philosophical research. On neurodiversity, ethics in brain research, and self-concept – is still half done. Plus, his attitude towards female characters feels very underdeveloped. They often have minor liberties, suddenly slip in and out of the narrative. And are brought out as disorganized footnotes. With his uneven pace across six episodes, he feels like Dr Brain can be great if the characters and supporting theories go deeper.
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Although he never fully addresses this:
Dr Brain points to some of the most complex moral dilemmas in technology that we’re just beginning to question. It is alarming to see Dr Col hide in the morgue to find bodies, test his brain-syncing technology, or contact a cat (!!) to (hopefully) uncover a crime.
There is a good balance between technology use and technology use. Here, the show’s concept of brain synchronization brings some real-life parallels. How much of us do we share through technology. And do we even control what and how much is shared? What is confidentiality in the digital age? Can technical advancement methods be justified as long as the results are “good”?