How to save a life

The legend, KIM HEE-AE

Kim Hee-ae, the renowned surgeon whose legacy casts a long shadow over her daughter Dahyun, was nothing short of legendary in the world of medicine. As one of the hospital's finest neurosurgeons, she was known not only for her brilliance in the operating room but also for her strict, no-nonsense approach to medicine. Her reputation preceded her, and her name was often spoken with a mix of awe and reverence by both peers and students alike.

(young Kim Hee-ae)
Hee-ae was a trailblazer, carving out a place for herself in a male-dominated field at a time when very few women achieved such high levels of prominence in surgery. Her precise hands and quick thinking saved countless lives, and her calm demeanor under pressure made her a role model to many. She had a photographic memory, which meant she often knew the medical histories of her patients better than their files could recount. Her colleagues used to joke that Hee-ae had two brains-one for surgery and the other for everything else.

But as revered as she was, Hee-ae's brilliance came with a cost. She was intensely private, keeping personal matters far removed from her professional life. This meant that while she was celebrated as a genius surgeon, she was also seen as somewhat cold and distant. To her daughter Dahyun, Hee-ae had always been a complex figure-someone Dahyun idolized yet struggled to connect with on a deeply personal level.

Hee-ae's marriage had dissolved years before Dahyun even began to understand what family life meant. Between the grueling hours in the operating room and her relentless ambition, Hee-ae hadn't been able to maintain a stable relationship with her husband, Dahyun's father. Her colleagues knew better than to ask her about her personal life. At the hospital, she was defined by her dedication to her craft, not by her relationships.

For Dahyun, the shadow of Kim Hee-ae had always loomed large. Throughout her childhood, people would remark on how much she resembled her mother-her sharp intellect, her disciplined nature, and even her calm, composed attitude. But while the comparisons were meant as compliments, they often felt like chains to Dahyun. She was proud of her mother's accomplishments, but at the same time, the pressure to live up to Hee-ae's reputation weighed heavily on her. To be the daughter of Kim Hee-ae was to never be ordinary, to never make mistakes, and to always be the best. It was a lot to bear.

The truth that few people knew was that Hee-ae had harbored significant doubts about Dahyun pursuing medicine. She understood better than anyone the grueling toll it took, and perhaps more importantly, she feared that Dahyun would always be compared to her, never fully allowed to build her own name. Still, when Dahyun expressed her desire to follow in her mother's footsteps, Hee-ae didn't stand in her way-though her support came in the form of cool encouragement rather than warmth. At least, that's what people think.

Hee-ae's unexpected death from an aggressive cancer had left the hospital reeling, her brilliance extinguished far too soon. But for Dahyun, the loss was twofold. She had not only lost her mother, but also her greatest measuring stick, the person whose legacy she both admired and felt suffocated by. In the wake of her death, many had started referring to Dahyun as "the next Kim Hee-ae," a title she both resented and feared she could never live up to.

Now, as a surgical resident, Dahyun was trying to forge her own path, but her mother's ghost followed her everywhere. The older surgeons, especially those like Dr. Boo Yong-joo who had worked alongside Kim Hee-ae, often gave her knowing looks. Some expected greatness from her, others pitied her, assuming she would never be able to reach her mother's heights.

(Dr. Boo Yong-joo)

But the greatest challenge lay within Dahyun herself. Deep down, she wondered if she could ever truly step out from under the shadow of Kim Hee-ae, or if her mother's legacy would always define her.