'Golden Hour': trauma doctor's book to be dramatized
Lee Guk-jong is a trauma specialist. Yonhap
By Dong Sun-hwa
The best-selling book of prominent trauma doctor Lee Guk-jong will be made into a TV series.
The dramatized version of Lee's “Golden Hour” aims to premiere in the first half of 2020, according to production company Studio Dragon, Wednesday.
Lee Guk-jong wrote the two-volume book “Golden Hour.” Courtesy of Next Wave Media
The two-volume book is Lee's 17-year record of experiences in the trauma center. It exposes the demanding life of medical staff and unveils stories of patients fighting between life and death. The book has made a splash for featuring the struggles of the medical team to save the lives of as many people as possible, even in tough conditions.
Lee sold more than 130,000 books only a few days after its release in October.
So Hyun-kyung, the writer of hit dramas including “Brilliant Legacy (2009)” and “My Golden Life (2017)”, will pen the soap opera with a co-writer.
“Through the story of Lee and his staff, we want to open up the hidden sides of the trauma center and resonate with viewers,” a spokesperson for the production firm said. “Please look forward to our drama, which will present a new angle on the team and portray the reality.”
Lee, 49, is Korea's most-renowned trauma specialist. He began working at Ajou University Hospital in 2002 and his many patients have included a North Korean soldier who was shot while defecting through the Joint Security Area (JSA) in 2017.