In the world of fiction and dramas, it’s rare to be treated to a series as delightful as what they serve us through the Korean drama, Hospital Playlist.
With only 12 episodes, this medical drama doesn’t follow the usual length of K-dramas (or even some of its longer counterparts). It doesn’t feature action-packed scenes or mind-boggling, multi-verse possibilities. Neither is it a sweet, sappy romantic comedy leaving you alternately laughing at the antics of the characters or swooning over the romantic scenes. No evil chairmen are trying to get all the hospital’s funding while marrying off their eldest sons to the rich heir of a pharmaceutical company. There are no doctors who are coveting the highest positions while receiving bribes for them to be able to live with the luxuries they’ve grown used to.
Rather, it’s one of those slice-of-life K-dramas that peeks into the ordinary lives of five middle-aged doctors who have been best friends since medical school. Hospital Playlist was written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho. It is the second installment of the Wise Life series, following Prison Playbook, which was released in 2017-2018.
The series begins in the doctors’ present lives. It’s been twenty years since our beloved characters met for the first time during freshmen night and they are now grown up. Each of them is a successful surgeon working at Yulje Hospital. Hospital Playlist gives us glimpses of the challenges they face in their profession as well as how they deal with personal issues. We are also given a look at the lives of the resident doctors who assist them and the patients they look after. (If you don’t have much prior knowledge of medical terms, this drama will leave you feeling a bit smarter when you’re done with it.)
If you think this Hospital Playlist is a bit boring, think again! Despite the little, day-to-day things that might seem mundane, you will soon find yourself drawn to what is going on in their lives and how they will overcome the challenges they face. You will find yourself worrying about their problems, weeping alongside them, and rooting for them. (Also, they play some really catchy tunes because they formed a band during their college years and play during their downtime.)
Not yet convinced? Here are four reasons why you should watch it (contains minor spoilers):
1. You Value Beautiful Friendships.
A few episodes into Hospital Playlist, after sorting through all the names of the doctors and their specializations, you’ll find that these five friends are so different from each other—in a good and humorous way. Dr. Lee Ik-jun, the professor of general surgery, is the clown of the group. We see how extroverted and playful he is, but we also catch glimpses of how caring he is towards his patients and how he is a good father to his son, U-ju. Despite his playfulness and the amusing antics he brings to the group and the scenes, Dr. Lee can be quite discerning about the things going on around him.
Dr. Ahn Jung-won is a pediatric surgeon, and in the first episode, we see his tender heart for his patients. He is quiet but, as his friends say, they can tell if a patient is doing well or not by just looking at his face. Early on, we learn that he is targeting this year to be his last in the medical field as he is thinking of becoming a priest like his two brothers. As the episodes progress, we see the internal struggle Dr. Ahn faces: go through with his vow to become a priest or stay in the job he loves?
Dr. Chae Song-hwa is the only girl in their band of five, but her competence is praised throughout the hospital. You see her resilience in the operating room where some of her surgeries last more than thirteen hours. She is described to have several extracurricular activities, help out different people in the hospital, and yet she is never late to do her rounds. She is patient towards her resident doctors and when they mess up, she’s not the type to shout at them but helps them see where they can improve.
At first glance, Dr. Kim Jun-wan, the professor for cardiothoracic surgery, appears to be the coldest and most heartless of them all. His resident doctors complain that he doesn’t care about the personal lives of the others, but as we watch on, we learn that while he may not say anything about it, he moves quietly and quickly behind the scenes to resolve issues, whether they concern the doctors under his care or involve his patients who are going through hard times.
Dr. Yang Seok-hyung, obstetrics and gynaecologist, is the shy one of the group and is often accused of being socially inept. After the first few episodes, when we catch glimpses of how he deals with the patients, we see nothing but compassion, much to the surprise of the medical staff he works with as well. He is gentle with the soon-to-be-mothers as he conducts their check-ups. He may not be as outgoing as Dr. Lee or as popular with his resident doctors as Dr. Chae is, but he is observant and sensitive, especially where his patients are concerned.
Different people, different challenges, and yet they are held together by a beautiful bond of friendship. Flashbacks scattered throughout the series reveal to us that Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim are childhood friends who came to the city to become doctors. Dr. Ahn and Dr. Yang are family friends and all four of them meet with Dr. Chae on a chance encounter and in the most unlikely way possible. But if you think about it, isn’t that how the best of friendships start? When a group of people you never thought could have a common ground (other than the fact that they are all studying to be doctors) come together and weather through life’s storms with each other?
Their friendship is the kind you want to have—the kind where people will go with you through bad times and be there for you when you need them. The kind where openness and frankness through the years have built trust and where they’re not afraid of demanding accountability for your own good. The kind where everyone supports one another and your friends will give you advice when you need it, or sit with you through your pain.
In one of the episodes, one of the doctors has to go through a biopsy. As soon as the results are out, you have the other doctors rushing into their office to hear what happened. It’s sweet how supportive they are, or how worried they are when one of them is going through a rough patch.
It’s not only these five that have a solid relationship. We also get to know Rosa, Dr. Ahn’s mother, and Mr. Ju, the current hospital chairman, who happen to be best friends. Their friendship is sweet and funny as they navigate through technology and their children’s love lives.
2. You’re Passionate About Your Career (and All the More So If You Aren’t).
One thing evident in the lives of these five doctors is their love for their jobs. Never mind the long hours and the fact that they are on call during weekends. You can see the joy in what they do. The ear-to-ear smiles when a patient has recovered. The way they celebrate after a successful surgery.
Dr. Lee (general surgery) is a favourite among patients because of how comfortable he makes them feel. He even goes great lengths to learn sign language so he can communicate with the son of one of his patients. Dr. Ahn’s (pediatric surgery) love for the kids he cares for is evident in the way he treats them. He is also patient with the family members and relatives and does what he can to help them understand what their child is going through.
When faced with the decision to run his father’s company (which sounds like an easier job as compared to the complexities of being a doctor), Dr. Yang (OB-GYN) refuses because he doesn’t want to waste his time doing something he doesn’t like: “I would rather spend my time doing the things I love.”
Dr. Kim (cardiothoracic surgery) is known to be the best surgeon in Yulje Hospital and works tirelessly and endlessly, sometimes accepting patients other hospitals are reluctant to admit. “Don’t give up on your patient,” he tells his resident doctor. “Once you give up on them, you cease being a doctor.” We learn that Dr. Chae’s (neurology) extra care for her patients began even when she was a resident doctor and would stay at her patients’ side day and night just to be sure they were receiving the care they needed.
They encounter a fair share of stress and sorrow in their jobs. It’s not easy to be a doctor, but for them, you can tell that it’s not just about work or their career. They love what they do as they save lives.
It begs the question from each of us: do I love what I do? Am I living out my dream? Am I passionate about my job? Our careers should be something that makes us excited to go to work, even on weekends and even on Mondays. When you’re doing what you love, it doesn’t feel like work at all.
At the same time, if you’re feeling discouraged and a little stuck, Hospital Playlist might give you that boost you need, to either start loving your career or shift to something that you love doing and would be happy doing for the rest of your life. Before you think it’s too late, we’re given the story of a Dr. Ahn Chi-hong who, we discover, used to be a military captain but had to be discharged because of his sickness. And guess what? He finds another passion for helping people and looking after their health.
3. You Like Stories with Mature, Realistic Characters.
A little fantasy and a little hyperrealism can be good if you’re tired or bored and are looking to escape the clutches of reality. Sometimes, however, you’ll come across nuggets like this TV series that gives you life as it is without dressing things up but is also a fresh take on what we might regularly consider tedious and unexciting.
Hospital Playlist is a drama without all the unnecessary drama. And it’s true. You don’t have exaggerated romances and overkill break-ups. Perhaps it’s because this is about doctors who are almost in their forties and are a lot more mature and secure about who they are.
The series sometimes shows us the contrast between middle-aged doctors and younger medical students. In one of the episodes, we are shown a scene where a medical student is picked up by her boyfriend who demands to see her phone in case another guy is texting her. Almost right after, we see Dr. Kim talking to his girlfriend who offers to show him messages from a guy, but he says she doesn’t need to because he trusts her. That, believe me, is such a breath of fresh air and is the kind of relationship you should aspire to be in: one where trust is the foundation.
Even as the five doctors sometimes get into disagreements and fights, they are not the kind to be angry with each other forever. They never let a simple situation mean more than the bond of their friendship. They’re wise enough to choose their battles and sort out the squabbles at the end of the day. Petty arguments, conflicts, differences, are all water under the bridge when they come together for meals or to practice for their band. They criticize each other, but they listen and accept the advice if they know it will help them. Their openness and the degree of comfort they have when they are with one another is inspirational.
As fun as melodramas are to watch, most friendships are not how some dramas portray them, and sometimes, you just want to watch something that reflects the sweetness of a real, down-to-earth friendship.
4. You Draw Encouragement and Inspiration from Little Acts of Kindness.
In the first few episodes, resident doctor for general surgery, Dr. Jang, is shown to be telling a patient’s mother that her child might not have much chance to live since the mother didn’t get to perform CPR on him. The conversation is observed by the pediatric surgeon, Dr. Ahn, who pulls Dr. Jang aside and scolds her for her harsh words.
While her facts might be true, he tells her that it is no way to speak to a patient or a patient’s relatives. The best thing they can do is to encourage the guardian and promise that they will do their best because it is their task as doctors—to do their best and to save lives where they can. It’s not for them to judge whether or not the guardian did right by the patient.
We see a lot more of these: the comparison and contrast between the doctors who care a great deal for their patients and those who don’t. We also see how the patients and guardians thrive under the care of the doctors who treat them with kindness. Likewise, we see how the patients under the less caring doctors suffer, become discouraged, and sometimes even lose hope of ever recovering.
It just goes to show that a little kindness goes a long way. Especially now while we’re facing a global pandemic. If there’s anything for you to take home from this series, it’s to appreciate those in the medical field who work long hours to care for their patients. You see them sacrificing food, sleep, weekends, just so they can ensure that their patients are receiving the best of care.
Hospital Playlist—A Beautiful Story Worth Watching
If this is your first time exploring the world of Korean dramas, then Hospital Playlist is a good one to start with. It’s a beautiful story with heartwarming characters and unforgettable lessons. The stories of the doctors and patients are not easily forgotten and you can’t help but carry a bit of them into your own life.
Hospital Playlist also gives you a deeper appreciation for doctors, nurses, and the other medical staff. The medical profession is not an easy one. It takes commitment, dedication, and passion. The ones who are working in the medical field?—they are our heroes!
Hospital Playlist also teaches you to value your profession and the people around you. The drama doesn’t just focus on the jobs of the people, but it also highlights the relationships within the hospital (between professors and their students and interns, between doctors and their patients, and between doctors with each other). It’s inspiring and touching. Even after the last scene has faded to black, the series will leave you a bit hopeful, a bit suspenseful, and wanting some more.
The good news is, there’s a Season 2 and we can only hope for more wonderful stories and happy endings for our favourite characters.
