It was Piolo Pascual who informed his son, Inigo, about the upcoming series “The Good Doctor,” the Philippine adaptation of the 2013 South Korean drama.
Inigo returned to the country from abroad to play the titular role of Dong, “a young doctor with savant syndrome whose exceptional instincts and compassion set him apart.” It follows his journey of “resilience, empathy and the uniquely Filipino capacity for hope.”
Derrick Cabrido will helm the Philippine remake, a collaborative project between CreaZion Studios and MediaQuest.
“It was actually my dad who told me that they were doing a remake of this. How could I say no to a project like this?,” the “Monarch” actor said in an interview with TV5 and Philippine STAR entertainment columnist MJ Marfori during a storycon.
Iñigo admitted he initially felt nervous about accepting the lead role.
“The character is very challenging, hindi siya basta-basta,” he shared. “Of course, I wanna make sure that I portray it properly. It’s a sensitive topic. It’s something that I wanna make sure that I get to work with my director and my castmates properly.
“It’s also exciting because the series is known globally, Korea has one, the US, Turkey, Thailand and now the Philippines.”
Set to air exclusively on TV5 next year, the medical drama also includes Pearl Gonzales, Ryan Agoncillo, Gelli de Belen, James Blanco, Tony Labrusca and many others in its cast.
“‘The Good Doctor’ is a powerful story of how Filipinos continue to instill hope, even in today’s complex socio-political climate. We believe this adaptation will not only resonate emotionally, but also spark meaningful conversations about public health and the systems that shape it,” CreaZion Studios chief executive officer RJ Agustin remarked in a statement.
The series also marked Ryan’s acting comeback.
He shared that his wife Judy Ann Santos and children Yohan, Lucho and Luna were thrilled that he had become part of the series.
“‘Di ko matanggihan eh (I couldn’t turn it down). I told my wife and my kids and they’re so excited,” he beamed.
“I mean when I got the call, I knew several days already, I kept it to myself and really confirmed it nung kausap ko yung mga boss (when I got to speak to the bosses). When they were the ones finally confirming to me, I kept it for a little more than a couple of hours and I told them over dinner just to get their reaction.
“Excited siya (Judy Ann) kasi parang mga dalawa, tatlong taon ko ng pinag-iisipan (because it took me around two or three years to think about it). I said yes to other projects but for now, hindi pa natutuloty (they haven’t pushed through yet). But this one project (‘The Good Doctor’) I said yes na matutuloy (it’s pushing through).”