Hospital Playlist (2020)

Let's state the obvious first, among a lot of incredible things in this drama, the cast stands out from the get-go. There's nothing more to explain about the cast; their acting was impeccable and I don't think anyone else from the list of actors/actresses can be replaced.

All of the music used in this drama was nice! I think most of the songs were covered, but nonetheless suited the drama best. I'd say even non-watchers of this drama would stumble upon the songs from this drama in youtube and add them to their playlists. So good in fact that one song sang by Jeon Mi Do managed to top the charts for a short moment at a time when IU, Taeyeon, Chungha, BOL4, and other musicians released comeback songs.

And lastly, the most important part, the story. The story was superb! I just want to clear things out, this is a light drama. Don't expect heavy episodes where you feel suffocated, and that's a good thing. I personally think that friendship-comedy dramas are arguably the best genre combinations out there. I just felt a bit weird that there was barely any turmoil and strife in the drama --mostly because I haven't watched enough dramas to watch something similar to this. The story was light but quite impactful, especially during times like this where medical workers hold a lot more responsibility than they usually do (COVID-19). You'll appreciate them more and get a taste of how medical workers sacrifice so much to live a life of saving people.

Honestly, this drama was just so nice and heartwarming. I actually cried a bit which usually entails that I watched a masterpiece. But the strange thing is, I didn't cry from something painful; I cried from how warm the story was -- which says a lot. Overall, I would definitely recommend this drama. The worst thing about this drama is that you'd have to wait a year for season 2 upon finishing the drama on May 28, 2020 ㅠㅠ ㅠㅠ ㅠㅠ

(One thing's for certain, Jo Jung Suk has solidified his spot as my all-time favorite actor after this drama <3)

Leia Mais

DIFFERENT and UNIQUE

I have seen at least three Hospital themed K-drama and I can say that this gives viewers a very balanced vibe when watching each episode. It still gives you a depiction of Hospital life and reality (I may be wrong in my assumption) yet has a twist that takes you with the characters as they shrug off and unwind from the burdens and stress their roles in the hospital. Music appeals to all and has a healing effect regardless of your background, experience and personality. Really good option to spice up the drama and present uniqueness.

What I like most about this drama is that they really played the instruments and sang in all the band meeting they had. Unlike other drama and characters, some are a quick shot or blurry image of them playing the instrument. Each instruments assigned to the characters suits them well. Oh, the repertoire....so good that I have it in my playlist (even though I rely heavily on subtitles). The OST is superb....no bad apple!

Another thing I like about this drama, is that each character has a different take on their role as doctors. Whilst some may be perceived lacking with passion -- just the same as dedicated to the profession and patients. The various scenarios presented in the hospital scenes gives viewers an opportunity to relate with their own experience or even understand what others' predicament may be.

Romantic aspect of the drama is presented in a well-balanced manner, without having to dilute the theme (hospital, music and relationships).

I can't wait for the next season!

Leia Mais

I love this drama.

My heart warming to see how interaction between all character. I really love how they're caring each other, how they're grow up together.

The story-line is good overall, but so many questions until the last episode, I'm very disappointed how they're just give us 12 episode, I'm need more, next year is too long.

As always they're veteran! The acting is soo goooddd! I love how Jeon Mido acting like she can't singing, honestly she's best singer.

THE OST TOTALLY LIT! Drama version or other artist version I love it, they're make us love the ost, not just the background of the drama, but I'm totally enjoyed all the ost.

I will rewatch it if I miss them, next year please come faster!

Leia Mais

In Shin WonHo PD and writer Lee WooJung we trust

I've been looking forward to this since Shin Wonho PD announced the series in 2019. I've loved all of his dramas; Prison Playbook remains as one of my best life dramas and is a drama I re-watch at least once a year. I knew this drama would be the same because it is Shin Wonho PD and writer Lee Woojung after all.

And they delivered. Hospital Playlist was a humane, heartwarming, beautiful drama about the life of people in the medical field. The friendship, the growth, the bond they forged through the years reflect beautifully through the screen because the cast were great actors and the script was beautiful to begin with. It's so easy to cry with their sorrows, laugh with their foolishness, and be happy with their successes because the bond is so organic that you will readily root for all of them.

One of the things I've always loved with Shin Wonho PD's shows were the cameos and this series didn't fail to give me the nostalgia and warmth that all those previous characters gave me. Reply 1994? We got Go Ara still the strong independent woman and Kim SungKyun! Reply 1988? We got Choi MooSung and Kim SunYoung still happily married! Prison Playbook? My mans Kim SungCheol selling insurance and Jung Min-sung still being the family man who will do everything for the people he loves! And our favorite father? Sung DongIl comes back as a priest I am wheezing.

All in all, this show delivered and I will be looking forward to season 2! Now I'm off to re-watching NJTTW because of that mini-crossover lol

Leia Mais

I've always been a fan of the team behind the Reply series and Prison Playbook. Shin PD and Writer Lee is THE dream team. They've made characters which both relatable and have the natural relationships with other characters. They are like people from your neighborhood you want to be friends with.

Whoever casted the actors should be given a pay raise, to be honest. It felt like the characters were written for the actors. I could not imagine any other actor who would perfectly convey the emotions and story of the characters so well. The relationship between the group of friends would be the envy of many. Each of the main leads could hold their own.
Lee Ik Jun is that crazy genius of a doctor and a solo father. Ahn Jung Won is a doctor who defied his catholic family to become a doctor. Kim Jun Wan is that arrogant, doctor. Yang Suk Hyung is that mama's boy but a very empathic doctor. Chae Song Hwa is the glue that holds their group. Everyone had their story to tell and I liked the fact that it was more of a synergy of stories rather than who's story is better.

Also, I love the scenes where they were practicing as a band. Thus, the name "Hospital Playlist". It's so funny to see the legend of a theatre actress Jeon Mi Do to act like a tone deaf vocalist. She is that good. And the time they invested to learn all the songs to make it as authentic as it ought to be is admirable. Especially the part where they practiced Canon Rock. That was hard but they pulled it off. But I think my favorite performance would be the song "Met You By Chance" which by the way is not included in the physical album. WHY??? Aloha will always have a special place in my heart. Them singing it in karaoke is reminiscent of how me and my friends sing karaoke. This is why their friendship is so convincing. They definitely had the friendship chemistry down to a T. Oh, and I especially love that Aloha is winning in the charts.

Can we just talk about the chemistry between Ik Jun and his son, Woo Ju? It's tooooo cute. They have the perfect chemistry. I really can't wait for the second season. 12 episodes is to short for me. I need more!

Leia Mais

**This review was cross-posted on r/KDRAMA subreddit with a few changes

This was my first """medical""" drama (and Shin PD drama), and I gotta say that I was always interested in the human aspect of medicine, as I spent years studying animals. This allowed me to easily emphatize with the cast. But if there's one thing we probably have in common, its that some types of clients make us frustrated and drained lol. But at the end of the day, we have to try our hardest to understand where they are coming from. And at times, not all cases have a happy outcome. These circumstances, when combined, sometimes lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. I also liked how it was highlighted in one of the episodes that medical professionals always have to take responsibility for the things they say and do. Ultimately, the writers did an excellent job in depicting a typical hectic routine in a hospital setting, as well as the hardships medical professionals and even clients experience.

On the other hand, I am by no means criticizing medical dramas. I liked how HP was realistic and not overly dramatic to convey heartfelt emotions and messages. And I admire the efforts they put in to make the drama as accurate and realistic as possible. But I do understand that storylines may have to altered to serve the purpose of the characters and plot, as well as for entertainment.

The show wasn't something I fell in love with at first watch. Rather, it grew on me as we got to know more about the characters -- although I wasn't deeply invested emotionally in some of the characters as the show jumped from a multitude of cases. Anyway, I just love how its very wholesome and feel good. And the same can be said for its OST, which I think is incredible and one of the best I've heard over the course of dramas that I've watched. HP gave off a vibe that not all episodes were entirely connected, wherein the next episode picks up from the events of the previous one. It always starts off fresh, which was refreshing.

The star of the show was of course, the ensemble of five doctors, which all had a fair amount of screentime. Their chemistry and very close bond is just incredible. I also love how we get a glimpse of their varying personalities when they are together, and with their colleagues. And so it was HARD to pick a favorite character, though I always find myself sucking up to Ik-jun. This brought forth a newfound liking and appreciation for Jo Jung Suk. That said, I've always had an inkling that there was something between Ik-jun and Song-hwa. But I didn't actually expect him to act on his feelings. This storyline is definitely something I'll be looking forward to in Season 2. And I also thought that it was pretty comedic that they made fun of Jung-won's religious beliefs.

But but but I also have to give it to the supporting cast because they were stellar on their own. They were excellent in filling in the gaps, and giving us insights on the inner workings of the hospital and the 5 friends in its entirety. With this, Yoon-bok (Jo Yi Hyun) is also one of my favorite characters, partly because I can 100% relate to her when I was a student -- following doctors around like a sheep, absorbing new things like a sponge, and being downright amazed about learning (although a headache at times).

My favorite episode would definitely have to be the finale. I loved how they were able to depict and allowed the viewers to empathize with the different forms of joy and grief/loss, albeit through different circumstances and perspectives. I think that the complexity of these events is very unique in a way that it evokes the exact same emotion and message to a variety/multitude of viewers. A viewer may not be able to relate with one of the characters, but they could be a sobbing or cackling mess over another one. This may be the opposite for another viewer, and so on. While my heart broke for the mother who lost her child, with the expectant mothers holding their child outside the office -- y'all can bet that I cried the most when we got back to the med student (Yoon-bok) finding out that it was Song-hwa who operated on their mom.

Hospital Playlist is one of the best, if not the very best drama to have come out in 2020. I could see myself rewatching this if ever I need a good watch to soothe my soul.

Leia Mais

The slice-of-life drama I never knew I needed

There are so many things to love about this drama - from the soundtrack to the acting and the melt-in-the-heart moments. I find it really difficult to find a drama that's an "easy watch", especially as some days at work can get really stressful and all it takes is a drama like this to lift up my spirits. It highlights the struggles and joyous moments of each main character equally, but never ever lets either of those things drag on for too long. For example, in the episode after Ik-jun's wife wanted to divorce him, my gut feeling was that that would really impact upon his performance as a general surgeon, but that wasn't the case at all. Instead, those struggles were briefly captured when he opened up to a patient of his about being cheated on, thus allowing the patient to resonate with him.

Leia Mais

IT'S NOT JUST A MEDICAL DRAMA

as Hospital Playlist ended its run yesterday night, i'm here to say THIS IS SUCH A GOOOOOD DRAMAAA!! i have been having a kdrama slump and this drama just healed the slump. i just knew a drama from the Reply and Play Play producer won't disappoint. Hospital Playlist's main charm is that it's super heartwarming! it provides you warm friendships (BEST SQUADD), cute relationships, professional doctors who got golden hearts, and at the same time it presents you the reality of a hospital. life and death situations, unwanted outcomes, and of course there are some doctors with not-that-golden hearts (they're not being given any spotlight, thankfully). all the patients cases and stories are heartwarming and tear-jerking. [someone help i can't press the enter button :")] STORY — for a medical slice-of-life drama, the story is super good. i can't say much bcs it's that good and i'm not the best at describing, but i can say it'a really really really good. there are always warm scenes, funny scenes, and sad scenes. every episode is really balanced. ACTING/CAST — the casts are chosen well. they are able to potray the unique characteristics of each character well. even the patients' families acting!! the happiness and the heartbreak they got from hearing the medical news are potrayed really well. MUSIC — OLD SONGS REALLY ARE SOMETHING ELSE! the songs make you feel things. butterflies, sadness, they chose the music well for each scenes! REWATCH — i would love to rewatch this drama someday later, i believs it'll produce the same heartwarming feelings i get now and of course i would comeback for the friendship and super super funny scenes! CAN 2021 COME FASTERR

Leia Mais

Friendship so precious you want to be part of

I inserted a warning sentence before the part that is a slight spoiler :) after it the paragraph ends so you can know when it ends also :)
10 out of 10!
First of all if anyone asks me if they should watch this drama I will definitely say yes! It’s very beautiful story of 5 friends and their life as doctors. The first episodes might be a bit overwhelming with too many characters but soon you will get attached to them and know them all ^^ Honestly I thought I won’t like it when I first turned it on. But as soon as I reached even half of the first episode I loved this a lot. :) It's an epitome of my friendship dream! <3

Life in a hospital is not always sweet but it’s not always sour eirher, it’s not always easy but not always hard either, it’s not always cool with glorified doctors but it’s not always uncool either... it’s just life with it’s ups and downs and in this drama we see it through 5 main characters. Yes 5! Not a male lead, female lead and second lead, but 5 friends with different likes, different departments, different stories. Their friendship is the highlight of this drama and the most precious thing in this world of hospital playbook. This whole hospital life is not shown to us only through these 5 precious friends, but also nurses, some directors, and of course patients and their families. How each and every family is different, how doctors are in pain with their patients and are happy with their patients too.

Honestly I don’t like slice of life/ slow dramas. But this one is different. What I don’t like in those kind of dramas is the grey-ness and sadness they show. But here, they show that it’s not always bad, and even if the life can be horrible at the moment, there is always sun that will shine again later. They show that routine can be enjoyable too and even if it’s not it’s not that bad and can’t be just done. And that they can enjoy different hobbies! The next line is a slight spoiler but we all know how doctors can be called any moment and even if they get a call at night they have to run. So when Sung Hwa reaches her camping site and puts the tent she gets a call and has to clean up the tent right away and go back... she didn’t get to do anything but still she says that she enjoyed going there even if it was for a short moment.
And I just loved their band and jam sessions! It was always my dream so it was especially meaningful for me :)

Characters in this drama like I already mentioned are amazing. Each and every one is special, different and interesting. I love how this drama doesn’t have a villain. All of them are just people. And they are awesome people! All of this of course was possible by amazing directing, writing and acting! Actors did such a great job I got attached to each character and don’t want to say goodbye.

Yang seok young may seem like a boring loner and a mama boy, but is very sweet, had his own share of difficulties and is very strong, responsible and nice.
Chae Song Hwa is like a perfect woman but she too has her difficulties and her little hobbies she enjoyes a lot, she is also very strong and very nice.
Lee Ik Jun may seem like a crazy and irresponsible man, but in reality he cares for everyone and is very sweet, he doesn’t help only his friends but also absolutely everyone in this drama, friend of the world.
Kim Joon Hwan may seem cold and harsh but he also cares for everyone around him and does all the sweetest things without anyone knowing.
Ahn Jong Won may seem naive and week, but he has his own big special things that he is responsibly doing and a heart of big soft gold.
The nurses, residents and other staff had their share of screen time too which wasn’t even slightly brining. Each and every person was unique and interesting.
I love how they show us that you can start your career even later in life, even after you failed at another place. That you can find your love later in life too and that everything will be alright and life goes on.
I need to mention also parents of the main characters and other older cast. At first some of them are introduced in a tricky way making us think that they may be bad. But each and every one of them is so precious! I especially loved chairman’s Rosa’s friendship!
And of course patients and their families, we see all kinds of patients mean and kind but all in all everyone was human trying to live their lives.
Humor in here is another thing and I loved that even after the devastating tragical cases they always included comical scenes to not make the viewers sink in the sadness but give them some ray of light and hope that the sun will shine tomorrow and you can laugh!
Anyway it was really a phenomenal drama that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I cried and laughed with them and was extremely jealous of their friendship!!!!

P.S. I never rewatch dramas so I just put a random number in there :)

Leia Mais