Dr. Brain did not receive the expected launch for a miniseries created by a renowned South Korean director, one that is a key building stone in Apple TV+'s quest to improve its foreign programming.

 

The show's debut on Thursday was announced less than two weeks ago, and even then, there was some uncertainty about when it will air in the United States. The traditional press day with cast and crew will take place a week after the premiere, as revealed on Tuesday.

 

That apparent lack of planning might be due to Apple's concentration on the show's premiere in South Korea; Dr. Brain, developed by Kim Jee-Woon, is the service's first original series from the nation. And the one they have is superior in a rather quiet and just somewhat stunning sense. Quiet and unremarkable are not attributes commonly associated with Kim, who was content to participate in gory excesses or bombastic action in films such as I Saw the Devil and The Good, the Bad, and the Weird. He is functioning in a quieter, subtler manner in Dr. Brain, reminiscent of his greatest work, the polished horror picture A Tale of Two Sisters.

 

Kim has been a genre hopper throughout his career, and the six-episode Dr. Brain, his first TV series, combines styles he has previously worked in. In summary, it is a basic mystery in which brain scientist Sewon Koh (Lee Sun-Kyun) seeks his kid, whom he believed he buried but who may still be alive; he is assisted by a police officer, Lt Choi (Seo Ji-Hye), who is first dubious but eventually comes around to his side.

 

The necessity for Korean TV dramas to assert themselves as soap operas in order to match the expectations of their native audience may be the underlying barrier to entrance for some viewers. However, Kim uses less syrup than usual, and Dr. Brain remains a fine and entertaining entertainment for the most of its length.