BokHee, the longest-lasting supporting character on Grey’s Anatomy, is played by an actual scrub nurse who certainly takes her role seriously. Actor Kathy C. An, also known as BokHee An, portrayed BokHee on both Grey’s Anatomy and its six-season spinoff Private Practice. She has garnered a massive following among Grey’s Anatomy fans and for good reason — she is undeniably one of the most dedicated actors on the show.
Designated as a “protect-at-all-costs” character, BokHee has appeared in every Grey’s Anatomy season to date. She has very few speaking lines throughout the series, usually being spoken to by other characters rather than driving the narrative herself. She didn’t actually talk until Season 10 when she recommended a bypass surgery for Alex’s father in “Get Up, Stand Up.” She spoke again in Season 15’s “I Want a New Drug,” praising Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Grey as “Wonder Woman.” Aside from these two instances, BokHee largely communicates through facial expressions and reactions, often telling the main characters what they need to hear without ever saying a word.
BokHee An Is a Special Part of Grey’s Anatomy
An currently works as a scrub nurse in Los Angeles when she’s not on set for Grey’s Anatomy. Actor Giacomo Gianniotto, who played Andrew DeLuca from Season 11 through Season 17, watched a surgery An assisted in to prepare for his part. Though it’s unconfirmed, it’s quite possible Gianniotto is not the only member of the Grey’s Anatomy crew that has shadowed An over the last 17 years. After all, many cast and crew members regularly watch real-life surgeries in the Los Angeles area to prepare for specific episodes and scenes that include those surgeries.
BokHee An adds to the authenticity of Grey’s Anatomy just by being on-screen. Whether we consciously realize it or not, we can catch small details and tell whether they’re fake. This is the reason why Tom Cruise hangs out of actual airplanes when doing his stunts and why CGI car chases aren’t as appealing in action movies. An actor can train to play a nurse for as long as they want, but it’s near-impossible to replicate the simple, natural, swift hand movements that only an experienced nurse has. BokHee is the only Grey’s Anatomy cast member to have a medical career outside the show. Behind the camera, however, there are a few more medical professionals.
Grey’s Anatomy Has an Astounding Level of Realism
While the Shonda Rhimes-created show makes the occasional suspension of reality for the purpose of storytelling, Grey’s Anatomy is consistently accurate according to most medical professionals. Executive producers Zoanne Clack and Fred Einesman, both doctors themselves, play a huge role in the fact-checking process. Many other real-life doctors and medical professionals are also brought on to advise and fact-check the work, often adding medical text to the scripts wherever the writer’s room puts “medical medical.”
Given her surgical background, having Kathy C. An star on Grey’s Anatomy as a recurring character is a testament to the show’s incredible attention to detail. Not only does it add to the medical drama’s nuance, but it also makes BokHee an even more lovable character. Though it’s unlikely BokHee will ever get her own Grey’s Anatomy episode, knowing this piece of information about Kathy C. An makes her appearances all the more entertaining to watch.
