Radiation House (2019)

Standard fare that entertains without being too heavy

Radiation House has, in my eyes, a niche audience. I'm a little averse to watching medical dramas because the illnesses alone can be rather depressing, and it's hard to strike a balance between light-hearted and being serious about the medical issues. In a way, this series strikes a nice balance--it is quite entertaining in a predictable way, and there are funny moments and yet it is something that can be taken seriously enough. After a while, the lack of ever-heightening tension and the repetitive structure of each episode can be comforting. Unfortunately, this also means that it is not going to work for people who hope for more nuanced characterization, plot development and a stronger discussion of social issues.

There is something about a lot of Japanese series that charms me even when the series are not outstanding in any particular way. Maybe it's the little touches that make some characters endearing even when there is nothing very significant about the little touches. I like how the hospital's director "treats" members of the staff with a wide range of purportedly healthful beverages, including insect poop tea (this is not made up by the writers--there really is such a tea).

I think the series also involves quite a bit of medical knowledge even though it is probably very unrealistic about the way hospitals function. While the story has a focus on radiology technicians and the importance of their work, it is ironic that the "technician" who stands out turns out to be someone with a medical license, undercutting the message that the specific expertise of technicians is really important. What the story does succeed in doing, nevertheless, is emphasizing that the commitment to and the pride one takes in doing one's work, whether it is regarded by others as important or unimportant, can make a difference in people's lives.

It is hard to heap a lot of praise on the series. While the individual episodes can be forgiven for follow a repetitive and predictable structure without much development, the romance plotline that spans the entire series can be faulted for a lack of real development or a satisfying ending. This is despite the fact that the male lead becomes a radiology technician because of a promise he made to a girl as a kid.

Ultimately, this series is reasonably good entertainment. It's like street food that happens to taste good enough to be enjoyed, but if you judge it by the culinary standards of fine-dining establishments, you can find fault with it. It is best to know and appreciate it for it is. It's nice, and I will go back to the stall again (there's the second season), but I know there is much better food out there that perhaps one does not have the luxury of tasting every day.

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