When it was reported that a new tvN drama is in the works and the same tandem which brought the Reply series and Prison Playbook will work again, K-drama fans are eager to know what this new offering will be about.
With the recent success of Doctor Romantic Season 2, bringing another medical drama on-screen seemed to be a courageous move for the producers of the show. How will it live up to the expectations of the viewers? This creative tandem gave their answer when the first teaser of Hospital Playlist was aired. The answer is simple. They have something fresh to offer but will carry the same charm of their previous projects.
Currently with 2 episodes running, Hospital Playlist tells the story of five doctors, all in their 40’s, whose friendship dates back to their pre-med years. The cast features Jo Jungsuk , Yoo Yeonseok, Jung Kyungho, Kim Daemyung and Jeon Mido as the leads. Each of their characters are slowly being revealed as the episodes are progressing. If you are in need of something new to watch here’s a rundown on why you have to include Hospital Playlist in your weekly K-drama watch list.
- It has a fresh storyline that will leave you wanting for more. If there’s any downside into it, the current season only airs one episode per week. It’s a medical drama sans the drama. Sure there are tear jerking scenes to watch out for but the way it was tackled will make your heart feel warm after. The writer also infused a dash of comedy in the story. Here’s a bit of a teaser, see how Jo Jungsuk will channel his inner Darth Vader in episode 1. With a baby (with wife Gummi) on the way in real-life, you can catch a glimpse of his “daddy side” in this series also.
- Yoo Yeonseok is back in playing a doctor. If you loved him as Kang Dong-joo in Doctor Romantic Season 1, you will love him even more as the pediatric surgeon Ahn Jung-won in this series. An emotional yet dedicated doctor with keen attention to details. How his character was revealed became one of the highlights of Episode 1 too.
- It is a friendship story hinting on the possibility of romance on the side. Jeon Mido is the only female lead on the cast. As the neurosurgeon Chae Songhwa, how is her relationship with the four other doctors in the story? Purely platonic or do we see blossoming feelings in the upcoming episodes? Those who have seen the first two episodes will probably agree that something seems to be brewing. This plot twist is exciting.
- The characters of Jung Kyungho and Kim Daemyung are mysteries waiting to be unraveled. Aside from being an ill-tempered cardiothoracic surgeon, Kim Joonwan (played by Jung Kyungho) seems to be harboring a secret about himself. Is he trying to put on a mask to hide something? Like his own feelings perhaps? Then there’s Yang Seokhyung (played by Kim Daemyung), an ob-gynecologist and forever Mama’s boy who talks little but reveals alot when he does. He self-declared being divorced in Episode 2. The story on why he became one is worth looking forward to.
- The cameos are a must-see! Yes, there’s many and it is sure that you’ve seen them before. This part is worth keeping a secret. Just be ready to laugh or cry with them.
- The ending song played at the end of every episode somehow gives one a feeling of youth and melancholy. As a way to de-stress in their daily lives in the hospital, this pseudo-band of doctors regularly meets to play music together. Even with a tone deaf vocalist, they are a pleasure to watch during the last few minutes of each episode. The OST will surely be a mix of good old and new songs like the one recently recorded by Red Velvet’s Joy.
If you are a fan of the Reply series, then there is nothing that you will not like about this new drama. While it revolves around the same concept of a friendship-turned-into-a-family story, Hospital Playlist carries its own set of charm as it deals more on the human side of its lead characters as doctors rather than their chaotic life inside the hospital. A warm and witty approach to a genre that is usually associated with heaviness, blood (literally), saline, scalpel and tears.
With the crisis that the world is currently experiencing at the moment, it’s hard not to worry and feel at ease. Giving ourselves a momentary break might help forget even for a while the situation we are all facing right now. While K-dramas don’t have the answers we are all looking for, a good laugh or even a good cry while watching an episode or two can help unburden the uneasiness within.
In the midst of these uncertainties, may we never forget to step back and give ourselves a breather. In faith, light and love, this too shall pass.
Hospital Playlist airs every Thursdays on Netflix.