Hey guys, it's been a while since I found a K-drama that I really enjoy watching and Resident Playbook is definitely one of them which I'll be sharing a review on! :)
A spin-off drama of the popular Hospital Playlist series, Resident Playbook is a 12-episodes TvN Drama starring Go Youn Jung, Shin Shi Ah, Han Ye Ji, Kang You Seok and Jung Jun Won that revolves around the daily lives of 4 first-year residents in the obstetrics and gynecology department at the Jongno Branch of the Yulje Medical Center. We have Oh Yi Young (portrayed by Go Youn Jung) who is forced to return as a resident doctor as she found herself in debt after quitting the local hospital. Whilst she is good at her job, she is an introvert who appears to be unbothered about everything except when it comes to food as she is a foodie. We also have Pyo Nam Kyung (portrayed by Shin Shi Ah), who is a fashionista when she is not in her hospital gown, Kim Sa Bi (portrayed by Han Ye Ji) who is a hardworking and passionate booksmart doctor, and Um Jae Il, also known as "Um Jay" (portrayed by Kang You Seok) who is cheerful and also a former idol member. Finally, we have Gu Do Won (portrayed by Jung Jun Won), a fourth-year resident who is also the chief resident and the younger brother of Yi Young's brother-in-law. As the 4 resident doctors begin their residency at the Yulje Medical Center, they experience the ups and downs as they navigate through their chaotic yet unforgettable first years as resident doctors in the OB-GYN department!
**spoilers alert**
Thoughts on the Drama...
As someone who enjoys watching medical-themed dramas, Resident Playbook is definitely one one of the best medical dramas I've watched in a super long time! I have not watched the Hospital Playlist series yet, but I have watched Reply 1988 from the Reply series which I really enjoyed! Rather than focusing more on the medical aspects like some of the other medical dramas, this drama focuses more on the friendships between the residents as they face hardships together as first year resident doctors, the relationship between doctors and patients, the dynamics between fellow interns, residents and professors, as well as the more humane side of the medical field through many heartwarming stories which despicts both the joy and sadness of life.
The acting and chemistry of the cast is definitely one of the things that made the drama really good, especially the love line between Yi Young and Do Won, and the friendships between Yi Young, Nam Kyung, Sa Bi, and Um Jay as they navigate through the ups and downs as first year resident doctors in the obstetrics and gynaecology department. Although the four residents don't seem to get along well in the beginning due to their different personalities, it was heartwarming to see them get closer as they face hardships together and spend more time in the hospital. The love line between Yi Young and Do Won definitely captured my attention as it was one of those slow-burn, heart-fluttering romance that keeps you on your toes! Their chemistry was suprisingly really good and it made me anticipate their next scene together! Both Sa Bi and Um Jay is also another unexpectedly cute couple especially how it was revealed that Sa Bi was a fan of Hi Boyz which is the idol group Um Jay was in before they disbanded, but it was definitely a shame that there was not much development to their budding relationship. Another thing that made this drama more wholesome is the excellent casting of veteran actors as supporting characters such as Lee Bong Ryun who plays Professor Seo and another one of my favourite professor is definitely Professor Ryu, played by Lee Chang Hoon, which made the drama so much more nicer! The other characters such as Yi Young's sister and brother-in-law are also great addition to the overall story as they portray a couple who has been trying to conceive using IVF for several years.
For a 12-episodes drama, I would say that the character development was pretty satisfactory. Although the first year resident doctors seem like a chaotic bunch at the beginning and appear like they don't know what they are doing, you can see how they grow as both a person and doctor as they experience the ups and downs at the hospital while working alongside professors and other senior residents. For example, at the start, Yi Young appeared cold towards the other resident doctors, but she slowly warmed up to them as they spend more time together, and the other resident doctors such as Nam Kyung became mature when she thought that one of her fussy patient had passed away when she tried to run away from the hospital, Sa Bi learning to get along well with her fellow resident doctors after she tried to sabotage Yi Young during the first few episodes, and finally Jae-Il who managed to bring the residents together and how he grew from someone who often got the diagnosis wrong at the start to someone who was praised and invited to write a paper with one of his professor. The characters of the four first year resident doctors were both relatable and lovable at the same time as each of them was unique as I found myself liking all of them towards the end of the drama. And finally, I was pretty satisfied with the ending of the drama and I feel like it was pretty open-ended which gives us the possibility of a second season!
The OST of the drama is also pretty good, especially "Forever" by Kyung Soo (D.O.) which is the main theme song for Yi Young and Do Won scenes, "When The Day Comes" by TXT and "It's You" by Seventeen, which have all been on my replay list! There were also two songs by Mido and Falasol (the main cast of Hospital Playlist) and another song by the main cast of Resident Playbook, which were all pretty good too! I would say the only cons would be how short the drama is with only 12 episodes and how the relationship between Yi Young and Do Won seemed a bit rushed towards the end. I would definitely be tuning in if there is a Season 2! Last but not least, if you are a Hospital Playlist fan, you will definitely enjoy the countless cameo appearances in this drama including Jo Jung Suk, Yoo Yeon Seok, Jeon Mi Do, Jung Kyung Ho, Ahn Eun-Jin, Shin Hyun Bin and many more! If you enjoy medical-themed drama and enjoyed watching the Reply series or Hospital Playlist series, I would highly recommend watching this drama!
Did you know?
This drama was supposed to be broadcasted back in 2023 but it was inadvertently postponed due to the ongoing nationwide medical strike by doctors, residents, and interns who resigned and suspended their studies to protest a South Korean government proposal to increase medical school enrollment in 2024. This drama was finally released in April 2025 and it has received positive reviews since their broadcast!
xoxo
Kdramayeowang
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