The rise of services like Netflix has been fantastic for fans of international media. They’ve made it easier than ever to enjoy the best of foreign television, allowing global audiences to enjoy original shows that push boundaries or put new spins on classic genres.
Currently, the drama Hospital Playlist is doing well on American Netflix, as according to FlixPatrol it is the 11th most popular TV show this month. This is very impressive for a show that has received little to no promotion outside of its home country. The show is also generating a lot of hype on Twitter. Fans have been getting extremely emotional as season 2 ends expressing their deep love of the show.
Some were so inspired by the show they turned to music to express their emotions.
Hospital Playlist is a South Korean drama series written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho. It made its debut on the tvN network in 2020. Its first season was dramatically popular in South Korea, and it was quickly released in other markets and began a second season in 2021. The series is technically a follow-up to 2017’s Prison Playbook. However, you don’t need to have seen the former to enjoy Hospital Playlist.
The series follows five doctors who have been friends since medical school. This includes Lee Ik-jun, an assistant professor of general surgery. Ahn Jeong-won, an assistant professor of pediatric surgery. Kim Jun-wan, an associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery. Yang Seok-hyeong is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology. And finally, Chae Song-hwa is an associate professor of neurosurgery. Through these five friends, we witness the ups and downs of hospital life. As the group balances their work and their personal lives and finds solace in each other. Unlike many other medical dramas that focus on big or exciting medical cases that usually involve exotic diagnoses, Hospital Playlist is a very human story about relationships and people just trying to get by.
What sets Hospital Playlist apart from other hospital dramas is this group of friends’ hobby. To unwind, the group gets together and performs as a delightfully amateur garage cover band called Gongnyang Ridge, performing classic Korean pop and rock songs. These songs often reflect the things going on in the character’s lives and helps them confront the stress of their job. This varied soundtrack also helps the show stand out as most medical dramas usually rely on simple instrumental pieces rather than popular songs.
The series received great reviews from both domestic and international critics. Both NME and Teen Vogue put Hospital Playlist on their best K-dramas of 2020 lists. At the APAN Star Awards, Jeon Mi-do won Best New Actress for her performance as Chae Song-hwa. And she also won best acting for the role at the Asia Artist Awards. The show has also received numerous awards for its soundtrack, including Best OST at the Melon Music Awards.
Hospital Playlist is a very unique and enjoyable take on the hospital drama genre. The cast plays their roles perfectly, and the character’s relationships and struggles are very well written and extremely relatable. This, mixed with the fantastic OST, makes Hospital Playlist a must-binge drama for everyone who loves medical dramas and K-Dramas. By the end of the first episode, you’ll see why everyone is raving about it.