Is South Korean drama 'Doctors' the new 'Descendants of the Sun'?

New SBS drama "Doctors" starring Park Shin Hye and Kim Rae Won could dethrone "Descendants of the Sun" to become one of the most popular dramas to come out of South Korea this year.

According to reports, "Descendants of the Sun" ended its first season in April and it averaged 26.27 percent in ratings and it won't be long before "Doctors" matches those numbers. The show has already raked in 19.2 percent in ratings and it could touch 20 percent in the coming week.

One of the biggest plus points "Doctors" has over "Descendants of the Sun" is its solid script. According to Asia One, the popularity of "Descendants of the Sun" was mainly due to its attractive cast, and on more than one occasion the show has been accused of lacking depth or a compelling plot.

"I know that there are a lot of opinions out there, some good and some bad. But I'm glad that the show has been talked about a lot," actor Song Joong Ki, who plays one of the leads, told Asia One when he was informed about people accusing the show of lacking a logical plot. "I'm grateful for all kinds of feedback and I respect them all. The show belongs to the viewers once it's made. I've made plans to grab soju with writer Kim sometime soon, so I'll talk about it with her then. I don't want to overstep my part in assessing the show."

Another area where "Doctors" scores over "Descendants of the Sun" is the introduction of a relatable antagonist in Jin Seo Woo (Lee Sung Kyung). Asia One noted that "Descendants of the Sun" committed the mistake of turning "antagonists into caricatures that everyone loves to hate - foreigners of unknown nationality, evil simply because they innately are, complete with terrible acting."

"Doctors" revolves around gangster-turned-doctor Yoo Hye Jung (Park Shin Hye) and her ex-teacher-turned-boss Hong Ji Hong (Kim Rae Won) and it takes a realistic look at the relationship between doctors and patients and how social prejudice could make working environment uncomfortable. The show airs Mondays and Tuesdays on SBS.