Yong-pal

Yong-pal is a 2015 South Korean drama series starring Joo Won, Kim Tae-hee, Chae Jung-an and Jo Hyun-jae. It aired on SBS from August 5 to October 1, 2015, on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 for 18 episodes. Originally slated for 16 episodes, due to the high ratings and popularity of the drama, it was extended by two episodes.

This drama reunites Kim Tae-hee and Jo Hyun-jae who first worked together in the 2004 drama Forbidden Love.

Synopsis
Kim Tae Hyun is a talented surgeon. Desperate for money to pay for his sister's medical bills, he adopts the code name Yong-pal and offers his medical skills to those in need of medical attention but who cannot do so publicly, dealing with criminals and corrupt plutocrats. Joining a team of corrupt physicians Kim rescues "sleeping beauty" Han Yeo Jin, a chaebol heiress, from a medically induced coma, leading to unintended consequences.

Main

 * Joo Won as Kim Tae-hyun
 * Jung Yoon-seok as young Tae-hyun
 * A skilled surgeon, who under the alias Yong-pal moonlights as a mercenary doctor for hire. He falls in love with Yeo-jin.


 * Kim Tae-hee as Han Yeo-jin
 * A chaebol heiress placed in a coma by her enemies to get their revenge. She falls in love with Tae-hyun.


 * Jo Hyun-jae as Han Do-joon
 * Han Yeo-jin's half-brother, who covets his sister's inheritance.


 * Chae Jung-an as Lee Chae-young
 * Han Do-joon's wife.

Supporting

 * Jung Woong-in as Chief Lee Ho-joon
 * Stephanie Lee as Cynthia Park
 * Song Kyung-chul as Doo-chul
 * Min Jin-Woong as Lee Sang-Chul
 * Ahn Se-ha as Man-sik
 * Bae Hae-sun as Nurse Hwang
 * Im Kang-sung as Cha Sae-hoon
 * Jo Bok-rae as Park Tae-yong
 * Cha Soon-bae as Chief Shin
 * Kim Mi-kyung as Kang Soo-min, Charge nurse, surgery
 * Oh Na-ra as Charge nurse, intensive care
 * Park Pal-young as Hospital director
 * Park Hye-su as Kim So-hyun
 * Choi Joon-Yong as Tae-hyun's father
 * Kim Na-woon as Tae-hyun's mother
 * Nam Myeong-ryeol as Chae-young's father
 * Jang Gwang as Chairman Go
 * Yoo Seung-mok as Detective Lee Hyung-sa
 * Jo Hwi as Detective Kim
 * Choi Min as Choi Sung-hoon (guest)

Special appearances

 * Lim Hwa-young as Han Song-yi
 * Kim Jae-young as Yong Pal 2 (ep.18)

Viewership
Since it began airing, Yong-pal recorded steadily increasing viewership ratings, eventually hitting an impressive 20 percent by its sixth episode. It consistently topped other shows in its Wednesday-Thursday timeslot, eventually becoming one of the top-rated Korean drama primetime miniseries of 2015.

Remake
There was a talk that the drama Yong-pal which starred Joo Won and Kim Tae-hee could be remade for American audiences. It was reported in December 2015 that a Russian remake produced by Sony Pictures Studios was in development.