Why did Dr Choi leave Chicago Med?

Dr. Ethan Choi was a prominent character on the NBC medical drama Chicago Med during its first six seasons. Portrayed by actor Brian Tee, Dr. Choi served as the Chief of Emergency Medicine at the fictional Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. However, at the start of season 7 in 2021, it was revealed that Dr. Choi had left his role at the hospital. His abrupt departure left many fans wondering why the actor and character had left the show.

Who is Dr. Ethan Choi?

Dr. Ethan Choi first appeared in episode 1 of Chicago Med in 2015 as the Chief of Emergency Medicine. He immediately established himself as a tough, no-nonsense doctor who demanded excellence from his colleagues. Throughout his time on the show, Dr. Choi grappled with PTSD from serving as an Army Ranger in Afghanistan. This influenced his intense, occasionally callous bedside manner and difficulty opening up emotionally.

Despite his flaws, Dr. Choi proven himself to be an exceptional physician willing to bend rules to help patients. His dedication led to promotions, first to Associate Chief of the Emergency Department in season 2, then to the Chief in season 4. He briefly stepped down due to health issues but returned to the Chief position in season 6.

Outside of work, romantic relationships challenged Dr. Choi. After divorcing his ex-wife Dr. Jessica Choi, he rebounded with ED nurse April Sexton. However, their happiness proved short-lived. Dr. Choi’s PTSD put strain on the relationship, culminating in a painful breakup in season 4. In later seasons, Dr. Choi found some stability with Dr. Hannah Asher, though their future remained uncertain when he departed.

When did Dr. Choi leave Chicago Med?

Dr. Ethan Choi’s exit from Chicago Med occurred in the season 7 premiere “You Can’t Always Trust What You See,” which aired on September 22, 2021. In the episode, it is explained that Dr. Choi abruptly quit his job at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center and moved to Los Angeles during the prior season’s cliffhanger ending.

The departure came as a shock, as Dr. Choi gave no advance notice to his colleagues and had just overcome major health problems. However, showrunner Andrew Schneider said it made sense for Dr. Choi’s character to make such a dramatic change. Other main characters reacted to the news with confusion, dismay, and speculation about what prompted Dr. Choi’s secretive exit.

Why did the actor leave Chicago Med?

Behind the scenes, actor Brian Tee’s departure from Chicago Med after 6 seasons was primarily driven by his desire to spend more time with family. In interviews, Tee explained he relocated back home to Los Angeles so his children could be closer to relatives, including grandparents.

Spending over half a decade filming long workdays for Chicago Med in Chicago kept Tee away from his family for extended periods. So once his initial contract expired, Tee made the difficult choice to leave despite his attachment to Dr. Choi and the show.

Showrunner Andrew Schneider supported Tee’s decision, acknowledging the sacrifices required for filming on location. They crafted Dr. Choi’s departure storyline to align with the actor’s real-life circumstances as much as possible.

How was Dr. Choi written off the show?

Dr. Choi’s hasty resignation was explained onscreen by suggesting he returned to Los Angeles to care for his ailing mother. This tied into details about Dr. Choi’s background as a Korean-American from Los Angeles established in earlier seasons.

In a video call with former colleague Dr. Natalie Manning, Dr. Choi clarified he quit impulsively after realizing his mother’s worsening health issues required his attention. He also implied his rocky relationship with Dr. Hannah Asher influenced his choice.

Dr. Choi’s mother had been introduced in season 5 when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She visited Chicago, where conflicts arose due to her conservative Korean values clashing with Dr. Choi’s Americanized lifestyle. Their strained dynamic was left unresolved, allowing the writers to plausibly indicate her illness prompted Dr. Choi’s departure.

Having Dr. Choi leave to be a caregiver also aligned with his protective, duty-driven nature seen throughout the series. This provided organic character-motivated reasoning for writing out Dr. Choi in a way that made narrative sense.

Did Dr. Choi get a proper goodbye?

Given the abrupt circumstances of Dr. Choi’s exit, he did not get an extended onscreen farewell. Some fans felt this did a disservice to such a pivotal character. However, showrunner Andrew Schneider said crafting a more ceremonious goodbye scene proved unfeasible.

Since Brian Tee could not film additional footage once production started after his departure, options were limited. The producers pieced together the video call with Natalie using clips Tee had filmed earlier along with newly shot footage of her side of the conversation. This enabled them to provide some closure, with Dr. Choi and Natalie nostalgically reminiscing about his time in Chicago.

While not a full-fledged farewell episode, the exchange offered a reasonable explanation for Dr. Choi’s exit while allowing him and Natalie to touchingly acknowledge their friendship and mutual respect.

Could Dr. Choi return in the future?

Despite the seemingly decisive manner of Dr. Choi’s exit, the door remains open for Brian Tee to potentially reprise his role as Dr. Choi in a guest appearance down the road. Tee has expressed he would be willing to return for a brief cameo or multi-episode arc, if schedules align.

Showrunner Andrew Schneider has also conveyed that Dr. Choi remains a core part of Chicago Med and would be welcomed back. Other main cast members have voiced enthusiasm for Tee’s possible return. bringing back Dr. Choi, even temporarily, would allow longtime fans to get nostalgic closure.

Logistically, since he still resides in Los Angeles near where Chicago Med films, Tee could relatively easily film a brief return stint if the stars align. The show could craft a reasonable explanation for Dr. Choi visiting Chicago that provides satisfactory narrative closure to his time on the series.

How did other characters react to Dr. Choi’s departure?

Dr. Choi’s sudden resignation sent shockwaves through Gaffney Chicago Medical Center and left his colleagues puzzled, disappointed, and wistful about losing such a prominent member of their team.

The character shown to take the news hardest was Dr. Will Halstead, the hospital’s other Emergency Department attending physician. He and Dr. Choi shared a close working relationship and friendship, even living together briefly. Upon learning of Dr. Choi’s exit, Dr. Halstead became angry and sullen, feeling hurt and betrayed that his friend did not confide plans to leave.

Dr. Hannah Asher, Dr. Choi’s girlfriend, was blindsided as well. In earlier seasons, their relationship endured ups and downs, only recently reaching stable ground after overcoming mutual commitment fears. Asher was left feeling confused and insecure about where she stood with Dr. Choi, though they reconnected later.

Other colleagues like Maggie Lockwood and April Sexton expressed disbelief, recounting how instrumental Dr. Choi had been to operations in the ED. His absence left a tangible void in the department’s leadership and capabilities. For April, the loss also rekindled bittersweet memories of their past failed romance.

Overall, Dr. Choi’s sudden resignation triggered complex emotions among those closest to him professionally and personally. Despite any perceived betrayals, his contributions were sorely missed.

Who replaced Dr. Choi as head of the ED?

In the power vacuum left by Dr. Choi’s abrupt resignation as Chief of Emergency Medicine, the hospital board initially appointed pediatric surgeon Dr. Ethan Choi as the interim replacement. Dr. Archer shared Dr. Choi’s no-nonsense approach to management but clashed with the ED doctors over stylistic differences.

After butting heads with Dr. Archer, ED attending physician Dr. Will Halstead decided to campaign for the permanent Chief position for himself. This concerned some colleagues who felt Dr. Halstead might allow past grudges with hospital bureaucracy to impact his leadership capabilities.

Ultimately, the board decided Dr. Archer was too rigid in the role and Dr. Halstead too hot-headed. So they brought in outsider Dr. Dean Archer, a trauma surgeon from San Antonio, as the new permanent Chief of Emergency Medicine starting in season 8.

Dr. Archer immediately ruffled feathers, making unpopular changes like removing beds from the ED. But his extensive expertise helped him gain allies and he gradually settled into the leadership role. However, he continued clashing at times with Dr. Halstead and the shadow of Dr. Choi’s legacy still looms large.

How did Dr. Choi’s absence impact storylines moving forward?

Losing such an integral character as Dr. Choi significantly impacted the tone and dynamics within Chicago Med from season 7 onwards. Some ways his absence reverberated through the show include:

– Leadership void in the ED – Dr. Choi had firmly established himself as the commanding leader of the department. His successors like Dr. Archer struggled to fill his shoes.

– Lost mentorship – As a veteran doctor, Dr. Choi often mentored younger residents and interns. With him gone, newer doctors lost an experienced guide.

– Salary cap issues – Dr. Choi’s high salary had caused financial constraints. But now the hospital struggled with less flexibility in the budget.

– Limited trauma surgeon – Dr. Choi’s skills as a trauma surgeon were unmatched. This left a talent gap other doctors tried covering through cross-training.

– Halstead acting out – Without his close friend to serve as a moral compass, Will Halstead made more high-risk decisions.

– PTSD representation – Dr. Choi’s struggles with PTSD had helped shed light on this issue. Losing his perspective meant less exploration of this topic.

Overall, Dr. Choi had filled a unique role on staff and as part of interpersonal dynamics. The writers had to adjust ongoing story arcs and character motivations to account for his major absence. It took time for the show to find its groove again.

Conclusion

In summary, Dr. Ethan Choi’s surprising departure from Chicago Med during the season 7 premiere stemmed primarily from actor Brian Tee’s real-life decision to leave the show and relocate his family to Los Angeles. To align with these behind-the-scenes circumstances, the writers crafted a narrative rationale around Dr. Choi resigning to care for his ailing mother.

Dr. Choi did not receive an extended onscreen farewell, but got a modicum of closure through a video call with Dr. Natalie Manning. His exit left lingering disappointment and confusion among characters closest to him who reeled from the abrupt loss personally and professionally.

Going forward, Dr. Choi’s absence necessitated shifts in ED leadership,altered relationship dynamics, and impacted ongoing story arcs. But the door remains open for Brian Tee to potentially reprise his fan-favorite role as Dr. Choi in the future, allowing audiences to properly say goodbye to the beloved character.

Leave a Comment