Original subtitles

(All characters, places, companies,)

(and incidents in this drama are fictitious.)

Step away right now.

From my trainee.

Are you happy now?

Or should I step further away?

All right. I'll see you there.

I have to go now.

See you around.

Dr. Kang.

(Doctor John)

(Episode 6: World Without Pain)

Only a half success and only a half failure.

Have you ever said that to me?

It's a success because I did bring you a prison sentence.

But it's a failure...

because you got only 3 years instead of 10 years that I asked for.

So? I've already served my sentence.

What can I do now?

Time doesn't erase your criminal record.

Only society's forgiveness can.

I never asked for society's forgiveness for what I did.

I only asked for society's agreement.

Which you failed to get.

Because you got convicted.

What do you want from me?

Disqualification? Dismissal?

No way.

I have no rights to make that happen to you.

Then what? Do you want to wait until I perform euthanasia again...

so that you can catch me and take my doctor's gown off?

- No. - Then what is it that you want?

There's only one thing I want.

That you don't do anything.

(Court)

Please don't do anything.

Why?

I'm scared of you.

- You're scared of me? - Yes.

A public prosecutor...

fears an ex-convict doctor like me?

Why would that be?

Well, I have no clue.

Murder not based on a sudden impulse...

but a firm belief.

And a person who puts his belief above the law.

That kind of person contaminates the people around him.

Especially, people who are still in training...

and haven't fully developed their own opinions yet.

In their eyes,

you sacrifice and dedicate yourself until you bleed to death.

You're a martyr...

to them.

So please don't do anything.

Anything at all.

See you again, Dr. Cha.

I don't care.

Your opinions...

and judgments about me don't matter to me.

What matters to me...

What matters to me...

is not what kind of doctor I am to you.

It's what kind of doctor I am to my patients.

Am I a doctor who kills or saves?

I'll leave that judgment to my patients, not you.

Let me give you a piece of advice.

A doctor...

can't be a deity.

He can only be the Grim Reaper.

Hello.

How did it go? What did Prosecutor Son say?

Does he want to fight? Are we fighting again?

That's not it. Let's talk tomorrow.

Okay. By the way, I have another piece of news.

- What is it? - I know a producer...

at the broadcasting station that interviewed Joo Hyung Woo.

He called me and said he wanted to interview you.

Would you be okay with being on TV?

Are you doing this as a prosecutor?

- Or as... - It's as a prosecutor...

- that I'm doing this. - I don't think so.

(An incoming call from Chae Eun Jeong)

- Hello. - Prosecutor Son, it's me.

- Did you meet him? - Yes, I just did.

How was he?

Is he still the same?

I'll tell you in person.

Okay. I have something to tell you anyway.

Han Myung Oh.

A lawyer at Seoul Hanse Medical Center's legal team.

As you may know, he volunteered to defend Cha Yo Han...

in the Yoon Seong Kyu case.

Min Tae Kyung.

Chief of Anesthesiology at Seoul Hanse Medical Center.

She insisted on hiring Cha Yo Han...

despite the hospital's opposition.

But the thing is, no matter how hard I look,

she doesn't seem to have any personal relation...

to Cha Yo Han.

Then why did she insist on hiring him so strongly?

We might find the reason here.

Kang Yi Soo. Chairman of Seoul Hanse Medical Center.

Min Tae Kyung's husband.

He went into a coma after an accident.

He is receiving life-prolonging treatment on a ventilator.

(Chairman Kang Yi Soo)

What...

would he be feeling right now?

What are you two doing here?

We were talking about how your dad would be feeling right now.

Are you thinking the same as my sister?

I don't like it.

When you don't like something,

don't you even try to understand it?

A doctor's decision has nothing to do with whether you like it or not.

In that sense,

I think Si Young is at least trying.

Hello?

Hey, Dr. Cha. It's me, Si Young.

- Where are you? - Pardon?

Where are you right now?

So their daughter is...

Kang Si Young, a resident in Anesthesiology?

Yes, that's right.

And right now, she's Cha Yo Han's trainee?

Yes.

It's just like the Postma case.

"Postma"?

(Andries Postma: A Dutch doctor who euthanized his mother)

Andries Postma? The Dutch doctor?

She's a doctor, but she's also the patient's daughter.

If she decides to end her father's life-prolonging treatment...

and leaves him to die,

that could become the Korean version of the Postma case.

You mean if someone makes it seem that way...

and uses the media to form a public sentiment?

Could this really be a coincidence?

If it's not, there needs to be a definite connection.

They're not from the same school, and they're not...

acquainted to each other in any kind of way.

But there must be some kind of a connection.

Why did that prosecutor want to meet you?

To scare me.

He wanted to make sure I'll never do the same thing again.

What if...

And I hope it'll never happen.

But what if...

you're faced with the same kind of patient...

Would I make the same choice?

Yes.

Do you know what people asked me the most after that incident?

They asked me...

if I killed that patient not because I thought it was the best for him...

but because I wanted to feel at ease and free myself from that patient.

Do you even care what's best for him?

Are you sure it's not because you want to feel at ease?

There were many reasons why I decided to let him go.

But I could definitely tell people that I didn't do it for myself.

If I'm put in the same situation, and I decide to make...

a different choice,

then that won't be seen as my belief.

It'll just be an impulsive murder.

I'm sorry.

I guess that was a stupid question.

Can I also make a stupid hypothesis?

If, by any chance,

you have to consider ending your father's life-prolonging treatment,

and if you actually decide to end it,

you'll start hearing the same thing.

They'll say you did it just to feel at ease.

And they'll add one more thing to that.

They'll criticize you for giving up on your own father.

You need to find an answer.

You need to find your own answer to those questions...

so that no one will ever be able...

to criticize you again.

I'll find it. I'll try hard to find...

my own answer.

And I know this may sound out of line.

But you should also show people who you really are.

I want more people to find out...

what kind of a doctor you really are.

Go on.

Drive safely.

(Seoul Hanse Medical Center)

- We can do it! - We can do it!

Hello.

Take a picture of that one.

It's not like that.

Come on!

We're going to begin the shoot.

The reason people come to the Pain Management Center...

is obviously because they want to get rid of their pain, right?

There's a famous quote that says,

"The history of man is the history of pain."

People are born with pain, and they eventually die in pain.

And they fight with pain throughout their entire lives.

My gosh, he looks amazing on camera, and he talks so eloquently.

It's like he was born to be on TV.

What are you writing?

Gi Seok's mother was really excited about this.

She thinks it's a great opportunity to tell the world about his illness.

Concentrate.

Then let me ask you a question.

What's your definition of pain?

I think pain is...

how our body tries to communicate with us.

- It's a way of communication? - Yes.

When something in our body is in danger or is malfunctioning,

it tries to tell us...

that there's something wrong in that area.

But what do you think will happen if our body doesn't tell us that?

The patient you'll be meeting today...

has a disorder where his body doesn't tell him what's wrong.

In other words,

he cannot feel pain.

He's a patient who's suffering from CIPA.

This is the ANI which shows us his level of pain...

through the changes...

of his heart rate.

When a normal person feels pain, his or her heart rate changes...

and the ANI figure suddenly goes down like this.

But this patient shows a steady graph...

which means he cannot feel the change in temperature.

Does that mean...

the numbers in the graph normally go down...

when a normal person responds to a stimulus?

- Yes. - Dr. Cha.

- Look. - What?

There seems to be a change in the graph.

We've been stimulating the patient since yesterday...

with cold and hot temperatures and gave him cognitive education.

His brain can't receive any signals even when his body gets stimulated.

So we constantly told him that what we're doing...

is supposed to be painful.

Yes, his nervous system is reacting instinctively...

because we keep telling him that.

His body isn't actually feeling pain or receiving a stimulus.

Oh, I see.

My hand feels weird.

It feels numb.

And it feels so stiff.

Is this what it feels like when people say their hands are freezing?

- What's wrong? - What did you say, Gi Seok?

Tell me if this stings.

To be honest,

I actually spilled hot water on myself recently.

And it felt really weird.

Did you say he recently got injured?

Yes.

Did you notice anything peculiar after the injury?

Has he felt any kind of pain after the surgery?

Why do you ask all of a sudden?

Is there a problem?

I can only tell you that something impossible just happened.

What's going on?

Please sit down for now.

Don't get too startled.

It seems like Gi Seok can feel.

What?

If he feels pain, that means his CIPA got better.

But unfortunately, this illness is incurable.

I'm sorry.

Dr. Cha.

Should we run another test?

Do that.

Also, do an MRI scan of his spine and brain.

Why do we need that?

Just do it.

I still need to explain to his guardian.

She is very anxious right now.

I'm suspecting a nerve block caused by trauma.

Okay. I'll do the tests.

This looks so perverted. Pain makes him happy.

So this is how stinging and burning feels.

Right? You said you had a burning pain all night.

Are you happy? Seriously?

Yes. I finally feel alive.

Are you teasing me? You little...

Sir, relax. Relax.

(Cha Yo Han)

It's true that Gi Seok can sense temperature now.

The test results look completely different from yesterday.

Dr. Cha, I just got a call from the ward. Gi Seok...

It hurts!

Gi Seok.

Please! I feel like I'm being sawed.

Where does it hurt? Here?

Gosh. Yes.

His bones are fine.

So are his nerves...

and muscles.

Still, pain is spreading through his whole body.

- Analgesics? - Neither NSAIDs nor morphine works.

Medicine doesn't work, and all the scans are normal.

Still, he feels pain even though he is a CIPA patient.

I feel ashamed to say this as a scientist, but...

is he possessed or something?

A ghost...

pain?

One silly doctor is enough.

No. A ghost pain for real.

Phantom pain.

Phantom pain?

Like when you feel pain in your limbs...

even after they're cut off?

That's when you imagine a pain that doesn't exist.

This case is different.

No. This might be a kind of illusion too.

- A hallucination. - A hallucination?

But many things can cause a hallucination.

There are more than 500 causes.

But we can narrow them down. He's a CIPA patient, remember?

Even if he had a brain tumor, he would have had no headaches.

Even if he suffered a brain hemorrhage after a fall,

he would have felt no symptoms. It must be a brain problem.

He is also prone to infections.

Infections and poisoning could be the cause too.

- Start the tests. - Okay.

How are you feeling?

I must have switched with that boy, Gi Seok, or something.

I feel less pain now.

But I also feel weak in my shoulders and hands.

You feel weak?

- Yes. - Let me try moving your shoulders.

Are you okay?

What? What's wrong?

A herniated disc?

Yes. The test results show...

a herniated disc on the left side between cervical vertebrae 5 and 6.

After the surgery,

will I feel no pain anymore?

The herniated disc is...

the only cause we can find through tests for your symptoms.

And we're going to remove that now.

I see.

You've been fasting for the tests, right?

Dr. Park Sang Hyun at Neurosurgery...

is known to be the best when it comes to disc surgery.

He is fully booked for the next few months,

but luckily, we were able to squeeze you in today.

Then...

I guess I'll have to do it.

What's this?

Did you talk to Neurosurgery about Mr. Choi Seung Won?

Yes. They're getting ready for surgery.

Can I see it?

Yes. It's Mr. Choi's pain diary.

But I'm not sure if the symptoms Mr. Choi describes...

can't be explained by a herniated disc.

He is a 47-year-old carpenter with 20 years of experience.

He's been doing physical labor all his life.

He must be used to all kinds of pain.

And he said he's never experienced pain like this.

It can't be explained by just a herniated disc.

A herniated disc can be very painful too, but...

- He has a daughter. - Pardon?

She was sick about a year ago.

What was the problem?

"Seul Ah missed school because she's sick."

- "We were going to make a desk," - "We were going to make a desk,"

- "but she was too sick to do that." - "but she was too sick to do that."

She was sick? How?

Find out what the problem was.

If she missed school, it might have been something contagious.

Okay.

I like your drawing.

About a year ago?

Mr. Choi wrote in his diary...

that his daughter missed school because she was sick.

- She had chickenpox. - Chickenpox?

I told you I feel excruciating pain even when the wind blows.

- No way. - What's wrong?

I'm sorry. Excuse me for a second.

Dr. Cha, he was feeling like his skin was being cut, burned,

and pierced.

The pain got worse when touched.

Could it have been because the chickenpox virus...

remaining in his nerve cells were reactivated?

- Shingles? - Yes.

His daughter had chickenpox about a year ago.

That's also when he started feeling a pain in his left chest.

Shingles is not contagious,

but if his daughter hadn't had chickenpox before,

she could have gotten the virus from her dad.

But the problem is, he had no skin rash at all.

Apart from that, all his symptoms fit.

Zoster sine herpete.

Shingles without skin rashes?

Choi Seung Won.

(Choi Seung Won)

Because the condition has no typical symptoms,

an early diagnosis is rare, and neuralgia continues.

Is he in surgery right now?

Breathe deeply.

I'll administer 120mg of propofol.

It'll make you feel drowsy. You can just fall asleep.

Wait! Don't put him under.

- What are you doing? - I'm sorry, Doctor.

We have to do a test on him first.

Dr. Cha. Gi Seok's results are out.

There are no abnormalities.

We asked Radiology to run thorough tests.

The results are the same.

Tumourlets or minor brain hemorrhage...

are nonexistent.

What about the spinal tap and urine results?

(Spinal tap: Extracting cerebrospinal fluid)

It should be out soon.

He's been weird since yesterday.

Right? Right?

He asks for the CIPA patient's test results over and over.

Again, again, and again.

(Pathology, Laboratory Medicine)

Dr. Cha.

- Are you waiting for the results? - Yes.

What about you?

Me too.

Choi Seung Won's results are out.

- See for yourself. - Okay.

Take a look.

(Choi Seung Won)

VZV PCR.

Being processed.

Immunoglobulin G.

Negative. Immunoglobulin M.

(Immunoglobulin M: Antibody proteins)

Positive.

- You were right. - Right?

I'm not mistaken, am I?

Inform them and start treatment.

Okay.

Lee Gi Seok.

Lee Gi Seok. Let's see.

There's nothing.

There's nothing.

There's...

nothing?

Dr. Cha.

He showed symptoms when there's nothing.

Choi Seung Won had symptoms when he had no rash.

Lee Gi Seok feels pain when he shouldn't be able to.

Yes, he feels pain.

Tumors, brain hemorrhage, infection, or poisoning.

There is no cause.

What if not having a cause is the cause?

Keep going.

I read about it once.

A blind person could see...

and a deaf person could hear music.

Charles Bonnet syndrome. Auditory hallucination.

Yes. That.

What's important isn't the fact...

that the blind could see and the deaf could hear.

They saw because they couldn't...

and heard because they couldn't.

Our brain craves sensory stimulus.

If that's cut off, it creates its own signals.

Right.

Charles Bonnet syndrome involves the visual cortex.

An auditory hallucination is about the auditory cortex.

They weren't stimulated for such a long time...

that they created their own visions and sounds.

What if we apply this to Lee Gi Seok's case?

His brain never received any pain signals.

The insular lobe that monitors senses waited for signals,

then suddenly, one day, started to create its own stimuli.

If the neurons were to go into hypersensitive overdrive...

- Central sensitization. - Central sensitization.

- Central sensitization. - Central sensitization.

(Amplification of pain by the central nervous system)

Good job.

Let's go tell them.

Okay.

- Why do you refuse treatment? - Do you call that treatment?

I won't be able to feel anything anymore.

How can that be a treatment?

Pain, hot, cold...

Your hands.

I won't be able to feel the warmth of your hands anymore.

A doctor once said this.

I have a ticking bomb inside me.

And patients like me rarely live longer than 20 years.

That means I have about three years left, right?

- Gi Seok. - During that time,

I want to live as a normal person.

I want to be cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

I want to sweat when I play soccer.

I want to feel the warmth of your hands.

They're fake.

Pardon?

You won't be able to play soccer because your legs hurt.

You'll be cold in the summer and hot in the winter.

You'll keep receiving false signals.

And that'd be harder than receiving no signal at all. Definitely.

How do you know?

You don't even know what it's like to receive no signals.

That's why you can say that so easily.

You have no idea what it's like to feel nothing.

That's why you can tell me to go back to that life so easily!

What are you doing?

- What are you doing? - I have something to show you.

This is my office.

Give me just a second.

(Treatment record)

Ta-da.

What's all this?

A ticking bomb.

This person has been making sure...

the ticking bomb inside him hasn't gone off every single day.

Does this person...

have the same condition as me?

What do you think he's doing?

I think he's showing him a patient who has the same condition.

Don't worry.

I'll...

have surgery.

On one condition.

Well?

It's cold and refreshing.

My teeth ache.

So does my head.

But it's tasty.

Eat a lot.

What else do you want to eat?

I wonder...

how ice cream tasted to Gi Seok until now.

Neither cold nor hot.

Not only ice cream but his whole life would be that way.

He doesn't have to freeze, but he feels no warmth either.

That's what living without senses is like.

How did you persuade him?

That's a trade secret.

Thank you, Dr. Cha.

"Focus on the symptoms, not what the patient says."

"If you're swamped by the patients' emotions,"

"you won't see the symptoms."

I was told that all the time.

I was always confused as to whether I should focus only on the symptoms.

You helped me find the answer...

through the patient's story.

The patient's story doesn't always give us the answer.

They only open up the path that leads to the answer.

Okay. I'll remember that.

Thanks a lot for the hint.

- Go home. - Okay.

And tomorrow,

scrub in for Lee Gi Seok's surgery.

Is it good?

Eat all you want.

See you tomorrow.

The key was right here.

Thank you, Dr. Kang.

No one had bothered to read this.

If you come across another patient like me,

use that as reference.

The patient's story opens up the path to the answer.

(Monday, July 9, 2018. Pain level 9)

Good job.

Tomorrow, scrub in for Lee Gi Seok's surgery.

(Seoul Hanse Medical Center)

Dr. Cha's going to anesthetize him in person?

Yes.

Awake surgeries are really tricky.

He's too good.

Oh, is it true that Kang Si Young...

barged into the OR yesterday?

You were putting him under...

when she said she needed to run a test.

That patient was diagnosed with shingles.

- Really? - Yes.

I guess she's becoming like Dr. Cha.

He told her to scrub in to assist, right, right?

How do you feel?

Here's the anesthetic.

We'll begin.

We're approaching the part that's sending the wrong pain signals.

Isn't that enough?

It is.

We'll stimulate it. Tell us how it feels.

Okay.

0.5 ampere, 130 hertz.

Well?

I felt the pricks.

We'll maintain it for 30 seconds.

I still feel it.

- 140 hertz... - Wait.

Do you not feel it?

It's not that.

For some reason,

this feels like the last time.

Right.

It could be the last time.

Tell me when you're ready.

Do it.

140 hertz.

I don't...

feel anything.

Well done.

Now the fake pain won't bother you anymore.

Promise me something, Dr. Cha.

My illness.

Promise...

you'll heal me one day.

I'll try.

Dr. Cha will get a great paper out of this.

He'll be on TV and have more patients.

Chief Min, you're a great judge of character.

You once complained as if we couldn't find anyone else.

Chief Min. How about some tea?

Minister Lee recommended Dr. Cha for a reason.

The hospital benefits from such noteworthy cases.

But...

considering Chairman Kang's condition,

I'm concerned that he won't be of much help.

What do you mean?

You're aware that mercy killing...

or euthanasia is a very touchy subject.

If you take him off the ventilator, there will be a dispute.

With Dr. Cha around,

won't people think our hospital...

condones euthanasia?

I'm not that concerned.

The public notions of euthanasia or mercy killings are changing.

If Dr. Cha does what he does,

I think he can help us when we need him.

- What do you mean we'll need him? - Well,

I'm not yet sure what that may be.

The boilermakers are ready.

The pork trotters are here!

The noodles and dumplings are on the house!

- I'll take it. - Enjoy.

I'll take that.

Should you be giving us so much?

Don't you worry and eat all you want.

It'll come out of my son's paycheck.

Okay!

Tell me if you need anything else.

- Okay. Thank you. - Thank you.

- Dr. Cha. - Not for me.

- You don't drink? - No.

Do you go to church? Is it a baptismal name? Yo Han?

- No. - Right. I'd wanted to ask.

If it's not your baptismal name, what does it mean?

It means "to cure" and "enjoy".

What? "Enjoy curing illnesses"?

Who gave you that name?

- A good fortune-teller? - My father.

He must've wanted you to become a doctor badly.

He gave you that name when you were born.

How about you enjoy the present?

- It won't kill you. - No, thanks.

Come on, Dr. Cha.

I'll drink it instead.

You're his savior?

Let's have a drink ourselves.

- Matong, Matong, cheers! - Matong, Matong, cheers!

- Here. - My gosh.

- Kang Mi Rae. - Hello.

- You made it. - Hello.

- Sit down. - Mi Rae.

Do you want a drink?

- Yes? Yes? - Yes.

- What was that? - I'm your savior.

You're going too fast.

From here on, we drink in turn.

Good for you.

Why did you come to the Pain Management Center?

With your skills, if you went to Neurology or Surgery,

patients wouldn't have to come to us.

I agree.

A patient has chronic pain with unknown causes.

People tell a patient that some doctor at some hospital is famous,

that he should see that doctor.

What will the patient do?

See the doctor.

No.

The closer his appointment gets, the more he pushes it back.

Why? Because he doesn't trust the doctor?

- In case he can't be cured? - Something like that.

- Out of fear? - Bingo. That's correct.

Because that doctor won't be able to identify the illness either?

That's right. To keep his hope alive.

To go on thinking that a doctor out there can cure him.

Is that the reason and goal you came to the Pain Management Center?

To be the last doctor to write that patient's prescription?

It's more a dream than a goal.

Okay. A toast to our dreams!

- Cheers! - Cheers!

Is euthanasia...

a final prescription of sorts?

I want to ask you something.

Yoon Seong Kyu.

He was barely conscious.

How were you so sure...

that he wanted to die...

and had no regrets the moment of his death?

How were you so sure?

Mr. Yoon.

No.

Mr. Yoon.

Yoon Seong Kyu.

He should hang in there only if he can get better.

But...

however much he puts up with, he won't get better.

Dr. Kang.

Why did you become a doctor?

To save people.

To become a doctor who never gives up...

until the end and saves people.

To save people?

I failed to save Yoon Seong Kyu.

But failing doesn't mean my job is done.

When the patient's unconscious,

when not even a machine can tell how much and where the pain is,

that is when I believe a doctor should do his job.

One of those things is to take the patient off the ventilator.

Do you think that's right?

Dr. Kang.

I don't think euthanasia is always the right option.

I only think there are times when it's needed.

Doctors as good as you...

would be able to tell when that time is.

We can't.

So don't brainwash young doctors.

Making a critical mistake due to a serious lapse of judgement?

One time is more than enough.

Please, doctor.

I have to go.

I apologize.

Mi Rae.

I'm afraid of you.

You always act unpredictably.

And you finally messed up.

I can't tell what you'll do next.

- Mi Rae. If it's about Dad... - I can't stand...

that someone like Dr. Cha is around you.

(Dumplings and pork trotters)

Are you okay?

Where's Dr. Cha?

He just left. He said he has to work.

Thank you for the meal. See you tomorrow.

- But... - Goodbye.

(Seoul Hanse Medical Center)

(Professor's Office)

Dr. Cha.

Dr. Cha.

(As soon as you find this patient, call an ambulance.)

(Doctor in charge: Cha Yo Han)

That's my number.

Always carry that with your student ID card.

Thank you.

I'll keep my promise.

The promise I made...

with you yesterday.

I'll study and understand my body...

so that I can protect...

myself.

"Cha Yo Han"?

Like you.

Give me your hand.

That's right. Like me.

He can break his bones and rupture his organs.

But he still won't feel any pain.

It's congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis.

He's a CIPA patient.

I have a ticking bomb inside me.

And patients like me rarely live longer than 20 years.

You have no idea what it's like to feel nothing.

That's why you can tell me to go back to that life so easily!

He doesn't have to freeze, but he feels no warmth either.

That's what living without senses is like.

Neither cold nor hot.

Not only ice cream...

but his whole life would be that way.

(Doctor John)

What's your intention in visiting me?

Your two daughters are training under Dr. Cha.

Please do not show up at my workplace.

Everyone says it's over.

But what is over, really?

Nothing is, in my opinion.

The country's first confirmed Nipah virus infection?

When did the coughing start?

It was 39.5°C.

She's burning up.

We were on the same shuttle bus.

Are you okay?

Until the tests come out negative and the quarantine is lifted,

no one can enter or leave the Pain Management Center.

Give me a protection suit. I'll go in.