About:
Warning:
There will be spoilers for the manhwa series Love Me, Doctor!.
Trigger Warning: There may be references to statutory rape/implied relationship between an adult and a high school student, inappropriate doctor and patient relationship, blackmail/sextortion, BDSM, violence/assault, and blood as it appears in the manhwa.
Synopsis:
Hyuk is having the time of his life in college. He's got a hot girlfriend, great friends, and good enough grades, and things are only looking up for him… except for one thing. He is having trouble getting it up, making things difficult with his hot girlfriend. To fix his problem, Hyuk makes an appointment with a urologist. Dr. Han is friendly and puts Hyuk at ease. Since Hyuk doesn't have any physical reasons as to why he may be having this problem, Dr. Han guesses the problem is psychological. To get past the mental block, Dr. Han performs a prostate exam and massage, which, much to Hyuk's surprise, feels extremely good. Also, to Dr. Han's surprise, he finds the session with Hyuk stimulating.
Dr. Han sets up regular consultations with Hyuk where they repeat the procedure, and over time, Hyuk and Han develop a relationship that goes beyond patient and doctor. As a result of his secrecy and inability to perform, Hyuk's girlfriend leaves him, which leaves him with more time to spend with Dr. Han. Soon, Dr. Han and Hyuk are meeting outside the clinic, and Dr. Han is more and more generous with his resources and time. Before Hyuk knows it, he finds himself attracted to Dr. Han, and with the recent change in his relationship status, he has no reason not to be with Dr. Han. Yet, there is something about Dr. Han that Hyuk just can't seem to reconcile. Who is this man really, and why can't he seem to trust him fully?
Review:
The art style is interesting. I sometimes love it, and other times, I am not a fan of it. I find that the character's faces often look a bit similar to an ape's or monkey's, especially with how the ears and the shape of the faces are drawn. Of course, humans are similar to said creatures, but the similarity is a bit too close, in my opinion. However, when the art is done right, it's done right. Doctor Han, in particular, is super hot, and the sex scenes are something to behold.
On the topic of sex scenes, these are some really, really good ones, both from Han and Hyuk and the side couple. I especially like these because Han and Hyuk are both manly men. A lot of BL depicts a relationship between a manlier man and a more feminine man, which is fine, but this was a lovely palate cleanser with two men who represent that very masculine ideal of men. There's just something about two athletic dudes with abs falling in love and being tender and passionate with each other is something else. I love it so, so much.
The odd power dynamics between Han and Hyuk are the only thing that does throw me off. I've never thought of a doctor and patient having a power dynamic, but I think the age gap helps bolster that. Han comes off as a bit of a perv or someone domineering, though he is kind and tender with Hyuk. This isn't helped by the fact that as a college student, Han tutored Hyuk, and it is implied they had a romantic fling of some kind which could lead to statutory rape and has some toxic/inappropriate power dynamics. Han is sexy, but there is just something uncomfortable about him for at least the first half of this series. Of course, once they've gotten back together and all is well and good, it doesn't feel that way anymore, but I think it's worth noting.
Finally, let's talk about the story. I love the idea of a doctor being attracted to his patient, but I especially love the setup of the urologist helping his patient with his erectile dysfunction problem. It's a fun setup for a lot of sexy time, which there is plenty of in this series. What I didn't expect was a rather dramatic story with the two having a forgotten history that led to the heartbreak of Hyuk. This is a coming-of-age story, but surprisingly not for Hyuk, but for the older Dr. Han, which is a really fun play. I love it when the older partner is the one to grow rather than the younger as it gives power back to the younger person in the dynamic. It's really heartrending, and it's nice to see Hyuk own his power in the relationship and dictate its future rather than Dr. Han.
Results:
I love this one. It is a bit uncomfortable with the odd power dynamics, but how it plays out is really satisfying and extremely sexy. I also really like the side couple, and I think their scenes are some of the best in all of BL. This is relatively short, and I think it's worth a read, especially when you are waiting for some of your longer-form ongoing BL to update. I highly recommend it if you are also looking for a romance between two manly men. Lots of abs to enjoy here, and if that isn't enough to tempt you, the filmed masturbation scene of Dr. Han is to die for.
Have you read Love Me, Doctor!? If so, what do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? Do you not? Let me know, and comment below!