Hospital Playlist (2020)

4 REASONS WHY I DROPPED THIS SERIES AFTER WATCHING HALF OF ITS FIRST EPISODE

I was expecting a lot from this series mainly because it came from the director and screenwriter of REPLY 1988 and PRISON PLAYBOOK, two of my favorite Korean series. Then, there’s YOO YEAON SEOK who became my favorite after watching MR. SUNSHINE and DR. ROMANTIC.

I don’t usually drop a series, once I start watching. I give it until Episode 3 or 4 to decide whether to continue or not. But for the first time, I’ve decided to drop a series after watching only half of its maiden episode. Why?

1. STUP*D ELECTRICIAN. The series opens with two of our doctors (there are five to them, 4 male, 1 female, just like the group in REPLY 1988). There’s a problem with the ceiling light so they called two electricians. The female doctor warned one electrician to wear a protective glove and first shut off the circuit breaker. But even before she can finish her precaution, the stup*d electrician fell to the floor and lost consciousness. Are all electricians this stup*d?? Why did the series open with this stup*d scene? Did it help us know the characters better? No, all we got was the male doctor is a “mama’s boy” and the lady doctor is, well, a busy doctor. To me, this opening scene is not only bleak, it’s quite useless. Big turn off and it’s just the opening scene.

2. STUP*D FRIENDS. These five people have been friends for TWENTY YEARS and yet they don’t know that one of them is the son of the Chairman of the hospital they work for?? They only found out when the Chairman died. Are these really friends?? When asked about it, the son of the Chairman’s reason was: “I was waiting for the right time to tell you, guys.” Duh. For TWENTY EFFIN YEARS, you didn’t find “the right time”?? And those friends really didn’t care?

3. STUP*D DARTH VADER. One of our main doctors was playing with his son when he was asked to perform an emergency liver transplant surgery. After hesitating, he agreed to do it. Only, he did the operation while still wearing the Darth Vader helmet – topped with a surgeon’s cap. How stup*d is that? Do they really find this amusing??

4. STUP*D CONDITION. After the Chairman died, the son gathered his doctor friends to form a “VIP WARD” group. He doubled their pay so they would agree. Only one didn’t agree right away. He said he has one condition: That they form a (musical) band. What??? Ok, so now I get it. That’s the reason for the title. Still, it turned me off, coming from nowhere.

That’s when I decided not to continue watching this series. Lots of stup***ty in half of the first episode alone. Also, the characters were not endearing. They came off as aloof, haughty, no charm. This is far from the genius of DR. ROMANTIC.

Sorry.

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Unexpected Masterpiece

I love watching medical dramas and this one delivers all the feels without any of the angst. Never expected a medical genre with a team of highly qualified surgeons playing in a band, with no discernible plot lines would be a recipe for success. But the pure simplicity of it all made it an unforgettable masterpiece centred on the lives of:

Ik Jun, the carefree, funny man, lead singer, doting father, matchmaker and guardian angel
Song Hwa, the only female of the quintet, cool, personable, professional, perfect role model
Jun Wan, the sensible, arrogant but caring surgeon with a sexy side
Suk Hyung, mama boy but with deep empathy for his patients
Jung Won, generous, loving paediatrics surgeon conflicted between wanting to save lives, serving God and his growing attraction to Gyeo Wool

Each character in Hospital Playlist is done just right. Hard to pick one favourite over another. Love them all but the fellow romantic in me with a penchant for unrequited underdog love stories, Gyeo Wool's story tops it among the supporting characters. Despite being highly sought-after as the only GS resident, she remains humble, steadfast and hardworking even after being rejected by Jung Won. She reminds me of Jang Geu Rae's character in Misaeng.

This one is for keeps! Can't wait for Season 2.

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Shin PD back at it again with another one!

At this point, I no longer watch Shin PD’s dramas because of who they cast but because of the creators themselves. What the creators do really well in this drama is hook you in and make you feel emotionally attached to the characters that it LITERALLY hurts to see it end.

Nothing in this drama was rushed. You get to witness how important each character is and how intertwined every one is. They give you enough time to experience, appreciate, love and understand each character. Though it was only 12 episodes, the creators were successful in making the viewer feel like you’ve known them for a lifetime. (Fret not, they are confirmed for season 2!)

Overall, this drama was fun, unpredictable and refreshing. If you enjoy dramas that are light and NOT stress-inducing, has good music/osts, great character chemistry and visuals, this is the drama for you.

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I know this show is still airing, I've watch so far 7/12 episode, but I wanna share my opinion on this first half of the drama.

1. The cast is top, I'm watching this drama just for the cast honestly, I didn't even took the time to read the summary cause Jung Kyung Ho is one of my favorite actor so fidelity oblige. I glad to see Jo Jung Suk and You Yeon Suk too. So the cast is really good.

2. The story line is basic, there is not something memorable, a easy going drama to watch on a sunday afternoon or between 2 intense drama. I'm sad to say that I don't wait with impatience and restlessness so next episode. Relationship aren't very exceptional, too much action aren't really well elaborate. And I saw it will be a second season ? But whyyyy ? What will happen ?

3. The music, by reading the title of the drama I excepted better music and the music to be in the center of the story with hospital stories but none, just some cover of songs. Even practice and repetition of the band doesn't make importance.

Don't misunderstand me, I like this drama. I really do but I just don't understand why people feel it exceptional. It's just an easy going and lovey-dovey drama. I'm really waiting more for the second half of this drama so to be waiting the 2nd season. Just to remember that's my personal opinion, maybe I'm wrong that's just how I feel !!!

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I have loved all the other series by these writers - all the Reply series and Prison Playbook. I really just expected.....more...from this story. It felt incomplete at the end -- I'm sure it's because they've set up a second season, but that is not why I watch Korean drama. I want a complete story.

The acting from the main cast was top notch - Jo Jung Suk is always a treat to watch as is Jung Kyung Ho. They did an excellent job, as did the others - no complaints at all for the acting. It was fantastic.

The music - from the band was a nice touch, but was a really strange addition to the story. It just seemed like some random thing thrown in even though it was fun.

There really didn't seem to be a real plot line, but just a bunch of stories about a group of friends who happen to work in a hospital. I did love the friendship between the characters and that was probably the show's strong suit and what I think these writers do very well. There were lots of loose ends that I wanted to see tied up that were left undone, hopefully that will be resolved next season. I'll end up having to read a bunch of recaps (because I don't have time to watch the whole thing over again) to refresh myself on what happened.

Anyway, I didn't hate the show - I enjoyed it but am bummed that it didn't feel completed. And I'll have to admit that towards the end, the excitement started to fade for it - like it was fine to wait several days to watch the newest episode.
(Sorry for all those that gave this a 10/10 - I wanted to love this and maybe I'll love it more when it's finished.)

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Fun, Unique and Brilliantly written.

Short: Medical drama following five long-time friends at the same hospital but in different disciplines. Each dealing with life and death, and then gathering together to play music in a band that never performs publicly. Great music throughout. Happy moments and sad moments cleverly woven together to the conclusion of Season 1. Doesn't feel like a cliffhanger ending or cut-short story. As always, when the kids are on screen, they steal the show. :)

Detail:
This one was so different, it's a medical drama and in that respect it's a fairly predictable set of cases for each of the cast to deal with some of which are going to have happy endings and some sad endings. Where this one stands out however is the unique production and direction, and the way the writer has woven these episodes together. The inclusion of the band element where they get together and play music as a group but never publicly is really interesting and forms a great release for them to spend time together as a group and forget the worries of their working lives.

Each of the doctors is in their own field, whether it's kids, babies, brains, hearts or general surgery. This leads to a nice variety of different challenges for them to deal with.

For those who are squeamish, it's not bad, a few blurry shots of insides of bodies but honestly not that often.

There's lots of things going on in each of their personal lives, whether it's within the group, with other doctors, or even outside of the hospital altogether. I felt this gave some nice variety.

I held off watching this one because it seemed like it was going to be a half-story waiting for season 2 to finish it much like Love Alarm was - but - that doesn't seem to be the case, while there are certainly some loose threads at the end they are minor and actually some of them are fresh new threads caused by the resolution of previous happenings. There is one that's left open, and had there not been a season two that would have been disappointing but I would have still felt that this show actually did its job well. Great news is that Season 2 is now here, so now that i've just finished bingeing my way through Season 1 I can click "next" and see what happens!

The cast are absolutely brilliant, my favourite by a long shot was Jo Jung Suk - all the scenes with his son are an absolute joy to watch, he's a comic genius matched up really well with the young actor playing his son.

Definitely well worth a watch. I'm hopeful Season 2 will be great, but this stands up and (mostly) ends very nicely on its own.

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Wholesome, BUT...

Oh, Hospital Playlist. It's wholesome and heartwarming, and ends in a way that's oh so lovely to watch during the holidays (i.e. with a Christmas episode). The five friends are all so lovely (in fact, there really wasn't a single annoying character in the whole series!). I like music, food, and subtle references and jokes to past works / pop culture.

However, this drama suffers from its ties to Netflix, and the awful habit of western shows to drag things on for multiple seasons. My favourite thing about the kdrama format is that shows tend to be contained in 12-20 episodes. I hate that this show ended with a bunch of loose ends and cliffhangers. Only one character had his storyline tied up neatly, argh!! Maybe I should've just waited for season 2 to come out before watching.

The pacing is a bit slow, and I had to hide my face during the operation scenes (because I'm a bit squeamish). But otherwise, this show has all the best characteristics of a Shin Won Ho / Lee Woo Jung collab. There are meaningful scenes set up for maximum payoff later on, some nostalgia, and a wonderful group of friends. Worth a watch for sure.

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A show I could turn off in the middle of an episode

Hospital Playlist is highly overrated in my book. It took me well over a year to finally finish these 12 episodes because I simply didn’t care about any plot line or character enough to watch. I picked it back up because I wanted to finish the top rated dramas on MyDramalist.

This is a slow-paced, slice of life drama - which does have its charm and appeal to some. It’s not often that I watch a show and feel comfortable turning it off 20 minutes into an episode and going to sleep instead. I definitely prefer shows that make me want to keep watching well into the night. The hook just wasn’t there most of the time.

I was not a fan of any of the romances. They all fell flat for me. I didn’t see the chemistry and was actively hoping the couples wouldn’t get together or would break up. I haven’t finished season 2 yet at the time of this writing, but this review is for part 1 and I’m still not rooting for any couple in the second half.

The show does have a few touching moments sprinkled throughout and I did cry at one point. There were some moments I laughed out loud. However, those few moments of brilliance aren’t enough for me to rate the drama highly.

Overall, this show is watchable but not amazing. If you enjoyed Reply 1988, I assume you’ll enjoy this too. I compared its pacing to Reply 1988 without knowing it was indeed from the same writer. It’s wholesome, campy, relationship-heavy, and something I’d watch while grinding an online gatcha game because it just wasn’t that interesting.

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More than just a medical drama - life, death, happiness, sorrow, love, friendship and more

I'm glad I have finally watched this drama. I was hesitant at first because there are 2 seasons for this drama and I haven't watched medical dramas for a while now. I feel like it's too long however I didn't regret that I invested watching this. At the time of writing, I haven't watched Hospital Playlist 2 yet and I am excited on what kind of memories and experiences will the professors, residents, interns and patients will encounter. The 1st season ended with a lot of cliffhangers.

There are lots of things that I love about this drama. Let me start with the storyline. First of, the story isn't as complicated as most medical dramas. You've get pieces of stories from here and there which will help you see that beautiful image it is trying to create. I love how the writers try to make you feel like you know what will happen but then surprise you with something unexpected. And the best part is it surpasses your expectations everytime. Well played really.

Next thing I love is the characters. There's a LOOOOOT of characters in this drama from the medical staff, patients, and other characters coming in and out every episode. It's really hard to memorize their names however I definitely remember their stories. I was expecting that some of the characters will have shallow stories but I was wrong. Most of the characters have depths of their own and even the patients which is why I think this drama is very emotional. It will definitely make you laugh and cry while watching it. It personally made me reflect about my life and all the emotions I have. The friendship of Mido and Falasol was very dreamy but is definitely the kind of friendship you should experience at least once in your life. One of the charms of this drama is the realistic storyline that is very relatable and since the writer also made sure you know most of the characters, it's easier to understand why they did this, what made them to do that. In short, you understand where the characters are coming from. Super amazing for the casts to really portray their characters and the chemistry among themselves. I can say that the story was given the right justice thanks to the great acting of the casts.

Last but not the least, who would've easily forget the OSTs in this drama. There's just so much feels. I am not sure if the songs were from the late 90's or early 2000's and for sure for Koreans it must've felt nostalgic watching the show and hearing those songs. For me though, it made me really emotional a lot of times. I searched the songs right away and was even singing it along with them while I repeat their band scenes.

I highly recommend this drama. Overall, aside from the tearful scenes I have seen, it's a very feel good drama. I felt like this actually have a healing effect on me. Please do watch this if you have the time.

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Dear Hospital Playlist

Thank you for all the laughs, the relief tears, the butterflies, and the feels. You didn’t feel like a usual k-drama that is going from point A toward a certain targeted ending. You were so refreshing and original. You didn’t struggle to create the tension that Medical dramas strive for by employing hospital’s politics. You just told the mundane life of five doctors/best friends and their casual jam sessions in the basement.

You were there for me in moments of despair. In these hard times, away from my family and friends, staying alone and barely going out, you were the highlight of my week that comforted me and warmed my heart. During this crazy semester, when I have to stay up all night sometimes to finish an assignment your OSTs gave me company. The beautiful ‘Aloha’ by the tender voice of a very charming Jo Jung Suk was my ear snack and study break. ‘Oh! What a shiny night’ energized me during those starry nights. And, “Beautiful My Love” and "In Front of City Hall at the Subway Station" somehow made me feel relieved and safe during the most insecure times of my life. Hearing these OSTs weirdly reminded me of my childhood and high school days.

Your characters were not flashy, some may see them too perfect, but I could see how human and flawed they were. After all, you named them ‘The lacking five.’ Each of them is struggling with their own insecurity and dilemma. I could see their growth and strive to make the right decision. Ik-Jun’s goofiness never failed to crack me up. His scenes with Woo Jo always warmed my heart. His insecurity in one scene and quirkiness in the other fascinated me. He was my favorite character from the beginning and stayed throughout. A very fine Jo Jung Suk gave flesh and blood to the character and rocked his comedic timing. I felt I’ve learned a lot from these lacking five. Ik Jun taught me to never let someone’s departure from my life affect my self-esteem. While Jun Wan gave an example in assertiveness, he also showed that it’s important to give hope to others while trying his best even if rationally the chances of what they’re hoping for are thin. Song Hwa demonstrated that taking a break once in a while is a must no matter how busy it is for me. Jung won made a case to put the heart over the mind if a conflict ever happened between the two. And my favorite Suk Hyung showed that I can enjoy my loneliness, looking after my mom, not shying away when I make a false statement about someone, and accepting my social awkwardness.

The slow-burn romances were a delight to witness. But, the emotion that stands the most and was the core of you was the lively friendship between the leads. How they understand each other, get concerned if any one of them is going through a hard time. I loved how it’s easy when they’re together. You didn’t try to impress the viewers by friends sacrificing for each other to show us how thick their bond is. You showed that through simple scenes like them having a meal together, and enjoying their jam sessions.

I loved everything about you from the leads, supporting characters, patients/doctors interactions, overall feels, and all the good vibes that you give me.

Thank you so much for such a ride, and I hope next year will come soon, so we can meet again.

Sincerely,
One of your biggest fans.

Re-watching Hospital playlist three years after my first time was like a comforting hug from my warm best friend, whom I haven't seen in a while.

My first watch was while airing back in COVID as I entered my twenties, and it was one of the most stressful times in my life at the end of my first year of college away from home alone on my college campus just when my country's borders closed. HP was my solace in this tough time and the characters where a ray of sunshine that brightened my mood. Ik Jun was by far my fav at the beginning: His goofiness, silly jokes, cupid matching, and scenes with U-Ju never failed to crack me up. Little by little, I started warming up for Jun Wan: his assertiveness, soft spot for Buldugi, the way he cared for patients, and scenes with Jae-Hyuk made me fall for him that he became one of the ideal bf mls for me. At the end, I found myself in Suk hyung with his introvert personality, mama boy behavior, rather watching variety shows than talking to ppl, and akward moments was vary similar to who I am. Seeing him being the very same person I get shy to present myself as made me reconcile with who I am.

As a 23 yo who just graduated college with big dreams yet lost in what's next step. I wanted to take a moment to celebrate that accomplishment and re-connect with my fav drama with the characters that inspire me. Watching it now made me reflect on how hardworking and dedicated these characters are in daily lives in every aspect: career, impact, studying, relationships, family, friendships, and even their hobbies. They inspired me to be an impactful, good adult who has their life together. It made me re-connect with the kind of adult I wanna be: someone who is good in their job, successful, and who impacts others around in a good way, someone who nurtures their relationships constantly and takes good care of their family and loved ones, someone who takes good care of themselves and do what pleases them, and fully enjoy their meals and free time. I really wanna become that type op person and wanna work hard on it.
-Till my next re-watch, Dear Hosptal Playlist, I'll always cherish you ♥♥

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