* This review contains spoilers for Episode 4 of Daily Dose of Sunshine
The new K-drama series Daily Dose of Sunshine shines a light on the often-misunderstood world of psychiatric care. The Netflix drama is based on a webtoon by former nurse Lee Ra-Ha, and follows the story of Jung Da-Eun, a nurse who transitions from internal medicine to the psychiatric ward. Through her experiences, viewers are taken on a journey filled with empathy, humor and the raw realities of mental illnesses.
READ | Daily Dose of Sunshine Ep 3 Recap & Review
Episode 4: In Search of a Ray of Hope
The episode begins with Da-Eun (Park Bo-Young) playing table tennis against the patients. She is terrible at the game, which delights the patients, but leaves her devastated. Determined to improve her skills, she seeks advice from Mr. Yoon (Jeon Bae-Soo), the ward’s veteran male nurse. Mr. Yoon is renowned for his experience at handling patients and helping the nurses in their duties.
Later, Da-Eun gets a new patient, Jung Ha-Ram (Kwon Han-Sol), who is plagued by paranoid delusions. She is warned to be careful of how she handles the delusions, and Da-Eun appears to take it in stride. She continues to build her relationship with the other patients, especially with Kim Seo-Wan (Roh Jae-Won). The two developed a rapport in Episode 1, and they get along very well, despite her repeatedly turning down requests to join his party to ‘slay the dragon’.
Fellow nurse Hong Jeong-Ran (Park Ji-Yeon) remarks on their closeness, and Da-Eun confidently says she ‘puts her heart and soul into her patients’. However, Da-Eun soon encounters a situation which forces her to eat her words.
A false accusation
When doing a routine check on new patient Ha-Ram, Da-Eun notices that she doesn’t have any belongings. As she leaves the room, Ha-Ram tells Da-Eun to ‘give back what she took’, accusing Da-Eun of stealing 30 million won from her.
Ha-Ram’s accusation causes Da-Eun to lose her temper for the first time, which shocks her. As a distressed Ha-Ram is led away, head nurse Park Soo-Yeon (Lee Sang-Hee) takes Da-Eun to task. She reminds Da-Eun that denying a patient’s delusions is the worst response, and asks that she do better.
Da-Eun later discovers that Ha-Ram lost all her money to a phone phishing scam. Ha-ram’s obsession with Da-Eun escalates, resulting in her attacking Da-Eun in the staff room. Overwhelmed, Da-Eun finds solace in a secret area of the ward, where she’s comforted by Mr. Yoon. He encourages her to listen not just as a nurse, but as a person.
Finding a middle ground
Meanwhile, Yeo-Hwan’s (Jang Ryul) unrequited feelings for Deul-Re (Lee Yi-Dam) are explored through flashbacks, revealing the depth of his affection for her. Their relationship is tested when a patient’s suicide attempt results in Deul-Re being injured, and Yeo-Hwan’s concern for her becomes evident.
We also learn that Deul-Re’s struggles extend beyond the hospital, and that she is from a poor background. She brings Yeo-Hwan to her humble home and tells him that a ‘rich boy’ like him will never understand how she feels. Yeo-Hwan pleads with her to give him a chance, and says he wants to understand her life. She is moved by his words, and the two kiss.
Back at the hospital, Da-Eun finally has a talk with Ha-Ram, and listens to her story. The experience helps Ha-Ram to come to terms with her situation, and she later asks Da-Eun to accompany her to the bank to start a new account, symbolizing a fresh start.
Meanwhile, Go-Yun (Yeon Woo-Jin) finds himself increasingly distracted by Da-Eun, leading to a shared meal where they bond over personal stories. The episode concludes with Yu-Chan (Jang Dong-Yoon), having realized his own feelings for Da-Eun, confronting Go-Yun to tell him to stay away from Da-Eun.
What we thought
This episode of Daily Dose of Sunshine resonates with anyone who has experienced financial desperation, or who was scammed. The scenes between Ha-Ram and Da-Eun reveal the challenges of dealing with paranoid delusions. Da-Eun is unable to defend herself against Ha-Ram’s wild and dangerous accusations, but does all she can to help her. The episode ends on a hopeful note, with the situation between Da-Eun and Ha-Ram mostly resolved.
The episode also gave us some interesting developments in the romances between the characters, promising more drama and emotional lessons in the episodes to come.
READ | Daily Dose of Sunshine Ep 5 Recap & Review
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