The King’s Doctor
(119 Comments)


Title: 마의 / The King’s Doctor
Chinese Title: 馬醫
Also known as: The Horse Healer / Veterinarian / Horse Doctor
Genre: Historical, Medical, Romance
Episodes: 50
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2012-Oct-01 to 2013-March-25
Air time: Mondays & Tuesday 21:55
Synopsis
This drama tell the story of a veterinarian in the Joseon Period as he goes through various obstacles and become a royal physician.
Baek Gwang Hyun (Cho Seung Woo) will be the aspiring Royal Physician. Lee Sung Ha (Lee Sang Woo) will be his rival. Kang Ji Nyeong (Lee Yo Won) would be the female physician involved in the love triangle. Jang In Joo (Yoo Sun) is a talented acupuncturist interested in Gwang Hyun.
Cast
Main Cast
Cho Seung Woo as Baek Gwang Hyun
- Ahn Do Gyu as Baek Gwang Hyun (child)
Lee Yo Won as Kang Ji Nyung
- No Jung Ui as Kang Ji Nyung (child)
Son Chang Min as Lee Myung Hwan
Yoo Sun as Jang In Joo
Lee Sang Woo as Lee Sung Ha
- Nam Da Reum as Sung Ha (child)
Lee Soon Jae as Ko Joo Man
Han Sang Jin ad King Hyun Jong
Kim So Eun as Princess Sook Hwi
Jo Bo Ah as Seo Eun Seo
Supporting Cast
Kim Chang Wan as Jung Sung Joo
In Gyo Jin as Kwon Suk Chul
Jang Hee Woong as Yoon Tae Joo
Yoon Bong Gil as Park Dae Mang
Choi Bum Ho as Jo Jung Chul
Jun No Min as Kang Do Joon
Choi Soo Rin as Joo In Ok
Kim Hye Sun as Queen In Sun
Lee Hee Do as Choo Ki Bae
Maeng Sang Hoon as Oh Jang Bak
Ahn Sang Tae as Ja Bong
Ahn Yeo Jin as Court Lady Kwak
Lee Kwan Hoon as Ma Do Heum
Lee Ga Hyun as Queen Myung Sung
Joo Jin Mo as Master Saam
Uhm Hyun Kyung as So Ka Young
Jung Gyu Woon as Crown Prince So Hyun
Choi Duk Moon as Hyo Jong
Seo Hyun Jin as Jo So Yong
Yoon Hee Suk as Jung Cha Shik
Seo Bum Shik as Kang Jung Doo
Im Chae Won as Lee Myung Hwan
Na Sung Gyoon as Park Byung Joo
Lee Sook as Choi Ga Bi
Kim Young Im (김영임) as Jo Bi
Oh Eun Ho (오은호) as Hong Mi Geum
Oh In Hye (오인혜) as Jung Mal Geum
Heo Yi Seul as Park Eun Bi
Jang Young Nam as Kang Do Joon’s wife
Jo Duk Hyun as Lee Hyung Ik
Sun Woo Jae Duk as In Jo
Shin Gook as medical staff
Yoo In Suk as farmer
Park Hyuk Kwon as Baek Suk Goo
Hwang Young Hee (황영희) as Baek Suk Goo’s wife
Han Choon Il (한춘일)
Jun Hun Tae (전헌태)
Kyung Soo Jin as Crown Princess Min Hoe Bin of Kang clan
Production Credits
Director: Lee Byung Hoon
Writer: Kim Yi Young
Episode Ratings
| Date | Ep | TNmS | TNmS | AGB | AGB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | Nationwide | Seoul | ||
| 2012-10-01 | 1 | 10.0 (15th) | 11.7 (8th) | 8.7 (16th) | 9.1 (17th) |
| 2012-10-02 | 2 | 12.5 (9th) | 13.1 (7th) | 9.7 (15th) | 10.7 (10th) |
| 2012-10-08 | 3 | 5.9 | 6.9 | 6.6 | (<7.8) |
| 2012-10-09 | 4 | 9.2 (17th) | 9.2 (19th) | 10.0 (12th) | 11.0 (11th) |
| 2012-10-15 | 5 | 11.7 (14th) | 13.4 (5th) | 10.4 (13th) | 12.1 (8th) |
| 2012-10-16 | 6 | 12.5 (7th) | 12.6 (6th) | 12.9 (6th) | 13.9 (5th) |
| 2012-10-22 | 7 | 15.0 (3rd) | 16.1 (3rd) | 14.3 (4th) | 15.6 (3rd) |
| 2012-10-23 | 8 | 15.3 (5th) | 16.9 (4th) | 14.3 (5th) | 16.9 (3rd) |
| 2012-10-29 | 9 | 13.1 (4th) | 14.8 (4th) | 13.4 (3rd) | 15.2 (3rd) |
| 2012-10-30 | 10 | 14.0 (9th) | 16.0 (5th) | 13.5 (7th) | 15.1 (5th) |
| 2012-11-05 | 11 | 14.5 (5th) | 16.0 (4th) | 14.7 (4th) | 15.9 (4th) |
| 2012-11-06 | 12 | 15.5 (4th) | 17.1 (4th) | 15.4 (4th) | 16.8 (4th) |
| 2012-11-12 | 13 | 13.8 (9th) | 14.0 (5th) | 14.6 (4th) | 16.4 (4th) |
| 2012-11-13 | 14 | 16.4 (4th) | 17.8 (3rd) | 16.8 (4th) | 18.5 (3rd) |
| 2012-11-19 | 15 | 15.7 (5th) | 17.9 (4th) | 17.8 (3rd) | 20.0 (3rd) |
| 2012-11-20 | 16 | 16.7 (4th) | 17.4 (4th) | 18.1 (3rd) | 20.3 (3rd) |
| 2012-11-26 | 17 | 17.0 (4th) | 19.1 (3rd) | 17.7 (3rd) | 19.5 (3rd) |
| 2012-11-27 | 18 | 17.8 (4th) | 19.9 (3rd) | 18.9 (3rd) | 20.6 (2nd) |
| 2012-12-03 | 19 | 19.1 (4th) | 21.4 (3rd) | 18.0 (3rd) | 19.7 (3rd) |
| 2012-12-04 | 20 | 18.7 (2nd) | 21.7 (1st) | 17.8 (2nd) | 19.1 (1st) |
| 2012-12-10 | 21 | 17.6 (3rd) | 19.7 (1st) | 16.0 (4th) | 17.5 (2nd) |
| 2012-12-11 | 22 | 17.4 (3rd) | 20.7 (3rd) | 17.4 (3rd) | 18.8 (3rd) |
| 2012-12-17 | 23 | 17.5 (3rd) | 19.0 (3rd) | 17.7 (3rd) | 19.0 (3rd) |
| 2012-12-18 | 24 | 18.0 (3rd) | 19.7 (3rd) | 18.9 (3rd) | 20.6 (2nd) |
| 2012-12-24 | 25 | 17.2 (3rd) | 19.3 (3rd) | 17.1 (3rd) | 19.1 (3rd) |
| 2012-12-25 | 26 | 20.2 (3rd) | 21.7 (3rd) | 19.1 (3rd) | 19.9 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-01 | 27 | 18.1 (3rd) | 20.0 (3rd) | 18.1 (3rd) | 19.4 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-07 | 28 | 18.3 (3rd) | 20.7 (3rd) | 16.6 (3rd) | 17.7 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-08 | 29 | 20.3 (3rd) | 22.1 (2nd) | 18.3 (3rd) | 19.7 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-14 | 30 | 18.9 (3rd) | 21.1 (3rd) | 18.1 (3rd) | 19.5 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-15 | 31 | 20.5 (3rd) | 23.0 (2nd) | 19.2 (3rd) | 20.4 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-21 | 32 | 19.4 (3rd) | 21.3 (2nd) | 20.1 (3rd) | 21.8 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-22 | 33 | 20.7 (3rd) | 22.9 (2nd) | 20.0 (3rd) | 21.4 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-28 | 34 | 19.4 (3rd) | 22.2 (2nd) | 18.4 (3rd) | 20.1 (3rd) |
| 2013-01-29 | 35 | 21.5 (3rd) | 24.4 (2nd) | 21.0 (3rd) | 22.5 (3rd) |
| 2013-02-04 | 36 | 22.8 (3rd) | 24.8 (2nd) | 22.4 (3rd) | 24.2 (2nd) |
| 2013-02-05 | 37 | 24.2 (2nd) | 26.7 (2nd) | 23.7 (3rd) | 25.8 (2nd) |
| 2013-02-11 | 38 | 20.8 (3rd) | 24.1 (2nd) | 19.3 (3rd) | 20.7 (3rd) |
| 2013-02-12 | 39 | 19.5 (4th) | 22.2 (3rd) | 20.3 (2nd) | 22.7 (2nd) |
| 2013-02-18 | 40 | 21.2 (3rd) | 24.1 (2nd) | 19.4 (3rd) | 21.4 (3rd) |
| 2013-02-19 | 41 | 19.7 (3rd) | 22.5 (2nd) | 18.1 (4th) | 19.0 (4th) |
| 2013-02-25 | 42 | 20.6 (3rd) | 23.3 (3rd) | 19.6 (3rd) | 22.0 (3rd) |
| 2013-02-26 | 43 | 20.0 (3rd) | 21.5 (3rd) | 19.7 (3rd) | 21.9 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-04 | 44 | 18.4 (3rd) | 20.6 (3rd) | 18.4 (3rd) | 20.6 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-05 | 45 | 18.8 (3rd) | 20.5 (2nd) | 18.5 (4th) | 20.4 (2nd) |
| 2013-03-11 | 46 | 19.6 (3rd) | 21.7 (3rd) | 18.8 (3rd) | 20.6 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-12 | 47 | 18.9 (4th) | 21.0 (4th) | 19.4 (3rd) | 21.4 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-18 | 48 | 18.0 (5th) | 20.5 (4th) | 18.8 (3rd) | 20.9 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-19 | 49 | 17.9 (5th) | 19.6 (5th) | 19.1 (4th) | 21.1 (3rd) |
| 2013-03-25 | 50 | 17.2 (4th) | 18.4 (5th) | 17.8 (4th) | 20.2 (3rd) |
Sources: TNmS Media Korea & AGB Nielsen Korea
*** Different between TNmS Media Korea & AGB Nielson – Here
Note
Korean title 마의 “Maui” is a term used during the Joseon Period to describe a veterinarian.
Awards
2012 MBC Drama Awards: Excellence Actor Awards (Special Production): Lee Sang Woo
2012 MBC Drama Awards: Top Excellence Actor Awards (Special Production): Cho Seung Woo (Horse Doctor)
2012 MBC Drama Awards: Daesang Award, Cho Seung Woo (Horse Doctor)
2012 MBC Drama Awards: Rookie Actress Award: Kim So Eun (Horse Doctor)
Poster











March 10th, 2013 at 12:55 am
The truth of switched birth was finally unveiled in ep 44. Lee Yoo Won was so good at crying. I was so moved by her tears when she discovered her true identity.
I am so angry at the stupid Queen Mother who was so class conscious. It will serve her right if she loses her life due to her reluctance to allow BGH from treating her just because she thought he was a horse doctor!
I think the next few weeks episodes will be exciting as we get to see the start of downfall of Lord Yi and the viceroy. I do worry about Jinyong’s fate now that her true identity is known. Hope the king will pardon her and free her up from slavery in order to end up together with BGH.
March 11th, 2013 at 9:19 am
I think this drama could have easily fit into 30 episodes. Nevertheless I’m enjoying it.
I always get the feeling with Lee Sang Woo’s character Song Ha (Ji Nyeong’s brother) that time is stretched. It’s as if the actor is waiting for the script to catch up. So he’s working hard at doing nothing before his next action moment.
Almost all the characters in this drama are likeable. It is hard not to feel sorry for Lee Myung Hwan who is headed for a unpleasant place. You almost feel like saying to him: “Dude, let it go.”
And Kim Chan Wan as the Viceroy is precious. His facial contortions are amazing. At times I swear the dude’s a chimp. He’s soft-spoken for sure yet not someone you’d get on the wrong side of.
I was against Lee Yo Won as Ji Nyeong. I didn’t like her acting in any of her previous dramas. But here she pulled this off.
Cho Seung Woo, what magic he brings to the screen. One can’t imagine any other actor as Kwanghyun.
March 14th, 2013 at 1:49 pm
great drama!!!
March 14th, 2013 at 10:28 pm
Ah Princess Sukwhi. What a wonderful depiction of what is an exemplary human being, untainted by her royal status and in whose young heart rests the best of our virtues.
Thank you writer-nim.
March 15th, 2013 at 3:25 am
[...] http://www.koreandrama.org [...]
March 21st, 2013 at 1:52 pm
One more episode. I guess we’ll see the marriage of the good doctor no doubt. Or he could marry the princess and Ji Nyeong as concubine. Nah..the dudes’s a one gal only kinda guy.
March 23rd, 2013 at 12:49 am
Ep 49 – What a satisfying episode! We finally see the recognition given to our hero after saving the King when all had given up hope. He was promoted to the highest order and appointed as Royal Physician. It was so gratifying to see the protagonists been rewarded after countless trials and challenges.
Looking forward to see more happiness scenes in the closure episodes with the marriage between our OTP but would expect the couple to face initial resistance from the nobles first. Pity Lee Sang Woo, he will end up lonely – I wish the writer had paired him off with either the Princess or the lovely widow.
March 26th, 2013 at 1:57 am
You r kidding! Another drama in which Lee Sang Woo ends up Not getting the girl!
Come on. He needs to headline a drama in which he plays a straight guy (Not a gay one as in Life is Beautiful), cheerful and upbeat (unlike his char in FOTGs), romancing a single girl (not a married woman as in First Wives Club) who loves him back (unlike what’s the name of that drama?, Desperate sth), n live happily ever after!
March 26th, 2013 at 1:58 am
p.s. The title of that last drama should be Don’t Hesitate.
March 26th, 2013 at 9:13 am
I watched the last episode last night, and I liked how the story had ended. But at the same time I feel sad because I can not see those artist whom I’ve grown to liked. I just hoped that this drama will be aired in the Philippines soon. Congratulations to the casts & staff of this drama for giving us a good drama to watch.
March 26th, 2013 at 9:48 pm
@KDaddict
Yes, Lee Sang Woo did not get the girl in this drama. He was the second male lead but there was no competition at all as the writer had already planned for the heroine to fall for the male lead from the onset. Poor him, there was so little screen time for him in the latter episodes.
My overall verdict for this drama is good and satisfying and on par with the directors’ earlier masterpieces like Jewel in the Palace, Yi San and Dong Yi. The only complaint is that the writer was focusing too much on the main character at the expense of all the great supporting casts.
March 27th, 2013 at 10:33 am
I’m ok with the ending though I much rather the happy couple and offspring spend a whole episode in one location with extended family and friends. The people who brought the two together provided the warmth in this drama — Princess Sukwhi and entourage, Kwangyeon’s adopted horse doctor family, colleagues who stood by him, the restaurateur and nurses.
I had enough of accupunture needles and didn’t need to see another even as a symbolic gesture in the final scene.
March 27th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
On second thoughts, the ending was so-so bordering on lack-lustre.
Thinking back to Ji Nyung’s line near the end: “He’s doing what he does best.”.
He was “doing what he does best” throughout the entire drama. Did we need more of it? What we needed at the end was some “sugar”. No, not the hollywood sleeze kind.
At the very least the actress might have appeared joyous knowing her husband is contented. Instead I got the sense Ji Nyung feels a little deprived. Eh.. ‘s Not how you end a drama writer-nim.
You did a similar thing with Dong Yi and Yi San. It is like ending on a flat note.
March 28th, 2013 at 12:20 am
A most enjoyable Kdrama!
Great acting, great script, great period costumes, great scenery and always entertaining!
What else can I tell you?
That’s about it for now!
April 11th, 2013 at 9:50 pm
I only watched up to episode 7. Looking at the rating, no doubt this is a good drama. However my dissatisfaction lies at the female lead. I think she’s too old for the guy, looks like same age with Mdm Doctor. Perhaps she could act, but she just do not suited to become a love interest of the male lead. She’s too lanky and for a Korean actress, she’s not that eye catching either.
Always, this is a major flaw with Korean drama…the storyline is good, but wrong choice of actors for main lead.
I will continue watching this drama because of the rating, but with heavy heart. Not looking forward for thei lov story.
April 11th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
I luv dis drama
April 22nd, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Lee Yo Won was born on April 9, 1980 and Cho Seung Woo was born on Feb. 12, 1980.
Great drama!
April 22nd, 2013 at 10:15 pm
This drama was noteworthy with its scenes of surgery.
But how can Baek Gwang Hyun forgive so easily Lee Myung Hwan ? Lee Myung Hwan could suffer a little more before he dies. Can love really forgive the murderers of ours parents and ours ennemis because we love their child ?
It doesn’t seem realistic…
But only the writer decides. Every viewer has his own opinion.
May 10th, 2013 at 3:51 pm
for korean drama lovers I very recommend this series, each episode is always a nice story exciting,very gooood…….!!!