''Hospital Playlist'' () is a South Korean television series written by

Lee Woo-jung Lee Woo-jung is a South Korean television screenwriter. She is best known for writing the tvN television dramas '' Reply'' series: ''Reply 1997'' (2012), ''Reply 1994'' (2013) and ''Reply 1988'' (2015–2016). She also wrote the popular variety- ...

and directed by

Shin Won-ho Shin Won-ho (born 23 October 1991) is a South Korean singer, actor and member of multinational idol group Cross Gene. He was notable for his supporting roles in television series ''Bachelor's Vegetable Store ''Bachelor's Vegetable Store'' () ...

. It is the second installment of the ''Wise Life'' series, following ''

Prison Playbook ''Prison Playbook'' () is a 2017 South Korean television series directed by Shin Won-ho and starring Park Hae-soo and Jung Kyung-ho. The series marks Park Hae-soo's first-ever lead role. It aired from November 22, 2017 to January 18, 2018 on tv ...

'' (2017–18). It stars

Jo Jung-suk Jo Jung-suk (born December 26, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in theater, starring in '' Spring Awakening'', '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', and the stage adaptation of '' The Harmonium in My Memory'', among many other musi ...

Yoo Yeon-seok Yoo Yeon-seok (born Ahn Yeon-seok on April 11, 1984) is a South Korean actor. After making his acting debut in 2003 with a small role in '' Oldboy'', he resumed his acting career in 2008. His notable works include the films '' Re-encounter'' (2 ...

, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, and

Jeon Mi-do Jeon Mi-do (; born August 4, 1982) is a South Korean actress and singer. She is known for her role as Dr. Chae Song-hwa in ''Hospital Playlist''. In 2022, Jeon appeared in lead role alongside Son Ye-jin and Kim Ji-hyun in JTBC's TV series '' T ...

. The first season aired on

tvN TVN may refer to: * TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel * Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster * TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi * TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...

every Thursday from March 12 to May 28, 2020. Each episode was released on

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

Asia-Pacific Asia-Pacific (APAC) is the part of the world near the western Pacific Ocean. The Asia-Pacific region varies in area depending on context, but it generally includes East Asia, Russian Far East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia and Pacific Isla ...

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and English speaking countries after their television broadcast. By the conclusion of the first season, the series became the ninth highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history at the time. The second season aired between June 17 and September 16, 2021. According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode recorded 10.007% viewership, setting the record for the highest premiere ratings in the

network Network, networking and networked may refer to: Science and technology * Network theory, the study of graphs as a representation of relations between discrete objects * Network science, an academic field that studies complex networks Mathematics ...

's history.

Premise

''Hospital Playlist'' follows the lives of five

doctors Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

in their forties, Lee Ik-jun (

), Ahn Jeong-won (

), Kim Jun-wan ( Jung Kyung-ho), Yang Seok-hyeong ( Kim Dae-myung) and Chae Song-hwa (

), working at the Yulje Medical Centre, who first became friends during

medical school A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...

. Lee Ik-jun is an

assistant professor Assistant Professor is an academic rank just below the rank of an associate professor used in universities or colleges, mainly in the United States and Canada. Overview This position is generally taken after earning a doctoral degree and general ...

general surgery General surgery is a surgical specialty that focuses on alimentary canal and abdominal contents including the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, appendix and bile ducts, and often the thyroid ...

specializing in liver transplants and a single father to his only son Woo-joo (

Kim Joon Kim Joon (born Kim Hyung-joon on February 3, 1984 in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, South Korea) is a South Korean rapper and actor who rose to stardom with his portrayal of one of the famous F4 members in the 2009 hit drama '' Boys Over Flowers''. Ca ...

) after getting divorced from his absent wife. His cheerful charisma allows him to connect with both patients and doctors, making him a popular figure in the hospital. A devout

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, Ahn Jeong-won is the son of the founder of the hospital and an assistant professor of

pediatric surgery Pediatric surgery is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. History Pediatric surgery arose in the middle of the 1879 century as the surgical care of birth defects required ...

, cherished by his patients for his caring and sensible personality. However, seeing his patients suffer causes him distress, so he is secretly planning to become a priest against the wishes of his mother, Jung Ro-sa (

Kim Hae-sook Kim Hae-sook (; born December 30, 1955) is a South Korean actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such ...

). Kim Jun-wan is an

associate professor Associate professor is an academic title with two principal meanings: in the North American system and that of the ''Commonwealth system''. Overview In the ''North American system'', used in the United States and many other countries, it is a ...

and later head of the

cardiothoracic surgery Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of medicine involved in surgical treatment of organs inside the thoracic cavity — generally treatment of conditions of the heart ( heart disease), lungs (lung disease), and other pleural or mediastinal st ...

department at Yulje, admired and feared by his subordinates due to his exceptional surgical skills and his cold demeanor. He has known Ik-jun and his family, including his lively sister Ik-sun (

Kwak Sun-young Kwak Sun-young (born May 11, 1983) is a South Korean actress. In 2006 she began her career in musical theater, starring in musical Dalgona. She starred in the stage adaptation of '' Goong'' and ''Full House'', among many other musicals and pla ...

), since childhood. Yang Seok-hyeong is an assistant professor of

obstetrics and gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

perceived as aloof and sometimes detached due to his introverted personality, but he is in reality attentive and understanding toward his patients. He is divorced and has a complicated family history, but deeply cares about his mother. The only woman in the group of friends, Chae Song-hwa, is an associate professor of

neurosurgery Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty concerned with the surgical treatment of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord and peri ...

, considered as the perfect doctor by her colleagues and patients alike thanks to her brilliant career, accommodating disposition and bright personality.

Cast

Main

as Lee Ik-jun, an assistant professor of

. He is recently divorced after his wife decided that a long distance marriage like theirs was not an ideal situation. He is currently raising his son on his own. *

as Ahn Jeong-won/Andrea, an assistant professor of

. He is the son of the founder of the hospital. His older brothers are priests and his older sisters are nuns. He has been applying to enter a seminary and become a priest. * Jung Kyung-ho as Kim Jun-wan, an

, became chief of the CS department later on. He is currently in a relationship with Ik-jun's younger sister. * Kim Dae-myung as Yang Seok-hyeong, an assistant professor of

obstetrics and gynecology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

. *

as Chae Song-hwa, an associate professor of

Supporting

Doctors

Shin Hyun-been Shin Hyun-been (; born Kwak Hyun-been on April 10, 1986) is a South Korean actress. She started her acting career by starring in the film '' He's on Duty'' (2010) and television series ''Warrior Baek Dong-soo'' (2011). Career Shin Hyun-been w ...

as Jang Gyeo-ul, third-year

resident Resident may refer to: People and functions * Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country * Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training * Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceuti ...

, later fellow in general surgery. As the only resident for general surgery, specialist doctors typically rely on her assistance for cases outside their scope. *

Jung Moon-sung Jung Moon-sung (Korean: 정문성; born January 13, 1981) is a South Korean actor. He is perhaps best known for his role in ''Hospital Playlist ''Hospital Playlist'' () is a South Korean television series written by Lee Woo-jung and directed b ...

as Do Jae-hak, chief resident, later fellow in cardiothoracic surgery. * Ahn Eun-jin as Chu Min-ha, second-year, later chief resident in obstetrics and gynecology. *

Kim Jun-han Kim Jun-han (born March 29, 1983) is a South Korean actor, film director and screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing sc ...

as Ahn Chi-hong, third-year resident in neurosurgery. * Moon Tae-yoo as Yong Seok-min, chief resident, later fellow in neurosurgery. * Ha Yoon-kyung as Heo Sun-bin, third-year, later fellow in neurosurgery. *

Choi Young-joon Choi Young-joon (born 7 July 1980) is a South Korean actor and singer. He is known for his roles in '' Flower of Evil'' (2020), ''Hospital Playlist'' (2020–21), '' Vincenzo'' (2021), and '' Our Blues'' (2022). Career Choi made his debut in 20 ...

as Bong Gwang-hyun, assistant professor of

emergency medicine Emergency medicine is the medical speciality concerned with the care of illnesses or injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Emergency physicians (often called “ER doctors” in the United States) continuously learn to care for unsche ...

. * Seo Jin-won as Min Gi-joon, professor of neurosurgery. * Kim Hye-in as Myung Eun-won, second-year, later chief resident in obstetrics and gynecology resident. * Choi Young-woo as Cheon Myung-tae, professor of cardiothoracic surgery. *

Shin Do-hyun Shin Do-hyun (Korean: 신도현; born November 5, 1995) is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for her roles in television series such as ''First Kiss'' (2018), '' Just Dance'' (2018), ''The Banker'' (2019), '' Love with Flaws'' ...

as Bae Joon-hee,

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

in emergency medicine. * Jeon Kwang-jin as Jong Se-hyuk, fellow in orthopedic surgery. *

Lee Se-hee Lee Se-hee (; born on December 22, 1991) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 2015 with a music video "364 Days of Dream", since then, she has appeared in number of films and television series. She got recognition for portr ...

as Kang So-ye, fellow in emergency medicine. * Woo Jung-won as Yeom Se-hee, professor of obstetrics and gynecology. * Lee Do-hye as Ki Eun-mi, first-year resident in obstetrics and gynecology.

Nurses and medical students

* Kim Soo-jin as Song Soo-bin, surgical ward

nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...

. * Yoon Hye-ri as So Yi-hyun, cardiothoracic surgery

medical assistant A medical assistant, also known as a "clinical assistant" or healthcare assistant in the USA is an allied health professional who supports the work of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other health professionals, usually ...

. * Yang Jo-ah as Hwang Jae-shin, neurosurgery medical assistant. * Lee Noh-ah as Lee Young-ha, surgical ward nurse. * Lee Dal as Kim Jae-hwan, surgical ward nurse. * Lee Hye-eun as Kook Hye-sung, general surgery medical assistant. * Lee Ji-won as Han Hyun-hee, pediatric surgery medical assistant. * Lee Soo-hyun as Nam Ji-min, pediatric intensive care unit nurse. *

Lee Jong-won Lee Jong-won (born September 25, 1969) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Television series * ''Love Is Blue'' (SBS, 1994) * ''The Last Match'' (MBC, 1994) * ''Partner'' (MBC, 1994) * ''Our Sunny Days of Youth'' (KBS2, 1995) * ''The Sce ...

as Kim Geon-eun, second-year medical student. * Lee Jung-won as Hwang Ji-woo, second-year medical student. * Kim Ji-sung as Han Seung-joo, obstetrics and gynecology delivery room nurse. * Seol Yu-jin as Eun Sun-jin, obstetrics and gynecology medical assistant. * Kim Bi-bi as Ham Deok-joo, transplant coordinator. *

Park Han-sol Park Han-sol is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as ''Hospital Playlist'', ''Soul Mechanic'' and ''Please Don't Date Him ''Please Don't Date Him'' () is a 2020 South Korean romantic comedy television series, ...

as Sunwoo Hee-soo, emergency room nurse. * Cho Yi-hyun as Jang Yun-bok, third-year

medical student A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, MB ...

, later intern and Hong-do's twin sister. *

Bae Hyun-sung Bae Hyun-sung (born May 3, 1999) is a South Korean actor under Awesome ENT. He starred in the Korean web series ''Love Playlist'', the television series ''Extraordinary You'' (2019) and '' Our Blues'' (2022). Career 2018–present: Acting debut ...

as Jang Hong-do, third-year medical student, later intern and Yun-bok's twin brother. * Kim Kang-min as Im Chang-min, intern. * Lee Chan-hyung as Choi Seon-young, intern. * Chae Min-hee as So-yeon.

Family members of the main characters

as Lee Ik-sun, Ik-jun's younger sister. *

as Lee Woo-joo, Ik-jun's son. *Lee Soo-mi as Aunty Wang, Woo-joo's nanny. *Ki Eun-se as Yuk Hye-jeong, Ik-jun's ex-wife. *

as Jung Ro-sa, Jeong-won's mother. *

Sung Dong-il Sung Dong-il (born April 27, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Sung made his acting debut in theater in 1987, then was recruited at the 1991 SBS open talent auditions. He rose to fame as the comic, Jeolla dialect-speaking character "Red Socks" in ...

as Ahn Dong-il/Peter, Jeong-won's eldest brother. *

Kim Kap-soo Kim Kap-soo (born April 7, 1957) is a South Korean actor. Since his acting debut in 1977, Kim has had a long career on the stage, in television dramas and film. In addition to acting full-time, he also has his own master class acting studio. F ...

as Joo Jong-soo, Chairman of the Yulje Foundation and Ro-sa's childhood friend. * Cho Seung-yeon as Joo Jun, Director of Yulje Medical Center. *

Moon Hee-kyung Moon Hee-kyung (born December 22, 1965) is a South Korean actress. Moon made her acting debut in musical theatre in 1995. She has also played supporting roles in films and television series, notably ''Skeletons in the Closet'' (also known as ''S ...

as Jo Young-hye, Seok-hyeong's mother. * Park Ji-yeon as Yoon Shin-hye, Seok-hyeong's ex-wife. *Shin Hye-kyung as Seok-hyeong's former mother-in-law. * Nam Myung-ryeol as Yang Tae-yang, Seok-hyeong's father. * Lee So-yoon as Kim Tae-yeon, Yang Tae-yang's mistress.

Special appearances

Hwang Young-hee Hwang Young-hee is a South Korean actress and model. She is known for her roles in dramas, '' While You Were Sleeping'', ''My Healing Love'', and ''Nokdu Flower''. She also appeared in movies such as '' The Witness'', ''Stray Dogs'', '' May 18' ...

as liver transplant patient's mother (Ep. 1) *

Yeom Hye-ran Yeom Hye-ran (born October 30, 1976) is a South Korean actress. Career Yeom began her career in theater in 1999 and made her screen debut in 2003. She has since played supporting roles in film and television, notably ''Dear My Friends'' (2016 ...

as Min-young's mother (Ep. 1) *

Kim Sung-kyun Kim Sung-kyun (born May 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor. Kim began his career in theatre, then made his screen debut as a gangster boss's faithful henchman in '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'', followed by supporting roles in '' The Ne ...

as Jung-won's second eldest brother (Ep. 1) *

Ye Ji-won Ye Ji-won (born February 1, 1973) is a South Korean actress. Career She is best known for her leading role in the hit sitcom ''Old Miss Diary'', and her more serious turns in Hong Sang-soo Hong Sang-soo (홍상수, born 25 October 1960) is ...

as Jung-won's eldest sister (Ep. 1) *

Jang Hee-jung Jang Hee-jung is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as ''Mistress'', ''Hospital Playlist'', ''Late Night Restaurant'', ''Voice 2'' and ''Three Bold Siblings ''Three Bold Siblings'' () is a 2023 South Korean tel ...

as Bit-na's mother (Ep. 1) *

Song Duk-ho Song Duk-ho is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' Tracer'', '' Moonshine'', '' Hotel del Luna'' , ''Juvenile Justice'', ''Taxi Driver ''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American film directed by Martin Scorsese, wr ...

as KWMC resident (Ep. 1) *

Oh Yoon-ah Oh Yoon-ah (born October 14, 1980) is a South Korean actress and a former racing model. Career Oh Yoon-ah began her career as a racing model ("race queen" or "pit babe"), and in 2000 she won the first Cyber Race Queen Contest. She became an en ...

as Jung-won's second eldest sister (Ep. 1) *

Park Hyung-soo Park Hyung-soo is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as ''Arthdal Chronicles'', ''The Devil Judge'', ''Crash Landing on You'' and ''Happiness''. He also appeared in movies '' Confidential Assignment'', '' The Chase'', ...

as Lawyer Pyeon (Ep. 1 & 10–12) * Jung Jae-sung as Chief of Neurosurgery (Ep. 1) *

Lee Joo-myung Lee Joo-myung (; born December 1, 1993) is a South Korean actress and model. She debuted in the television and film industry with ''My Fellow Citizens!'' (2019) and is best known for her roles in '' Kairos'' (2020) and ''Twenty-Five Twenty-One'' ...

as Song PD (Ep. 1) *

Kim Gook-hee Kim Gook-hee is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for her roles in dramas such as ''Hospital Playlist'' and she is also known for her roles in movies such as ''Microhabitat'', '' Kim Ji-young: Born 1982'' and '' 1987: When the ...

as Gal Ba-ram (Ep. 2) * Kim Dae-gon as Gal Ba-ram's husband (Ep. 2) *

Kim Sung-cheol Kim Sung-cheol (; born December 31, 1991) is a South Korean actor. He achieved initial success in stage musicals before being cast in his debut television role as Kim Young-cheol (a.k.a. 'Jailbird') in ''Prison Playbook'' (2017). He is recognis ...

as No Jin-hyung (Ep. 2) * Kim Han-jong as Gong Hyung-woo (Ep. 2) *

Lee Soo-geun Lee Soo-geun (; born February 10, 1975) is a South Korean comedian who has worked on a number of comedy shows on South Korean television. He began his career as a comedian on KBS ''Gag Concert'', and is under the management of SM Culture & Con ...

as radio host (Ep. 3; voice) * Eun Ji-won as radio host (Ep. 3; voice) *

Shim Dal-gi Shim Dal-gi (Korean: 심달기; born on 12 June 1999) is a South Korean child actress. She made her acting debut in 2018 and since then she has appeared in a number of films and television series. She is most well known for her role in the film ...

as Chan-hyung's mother (Ep. 3) * Gi Eun-se as Yuk Hye-jung (Ep. 3) *

Anupam Tripathi Anupam Tripathi ( ko, 아누팜 트리파티, Anupam Teuripati; born 2 November 1988) is an Indian actor based in South Korea. He has appeared in various South Korean television series and films. His first main role as Ali Abdul in Netflix's So ...

as Foreign patient's co-worker (Ep. 4) *

Go Ara Go Ara (; born February 11, 1990) is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for starring in the television series ''Sharp'' (2003), ''Heading to the Ground'' (2009), ''Reply 1994'' (2013), ''You're All Surrounded'' (2014), '' Hwara ...

as Go Ara (Ep. 5–6) * Kim Dong-kyu (Ep. 5; voice) *

Choi Moo-sung Choi Myung-soo (born January 12, 1968), better known by his stage name Choi Moo-sung, is a South Korean actor. Filmography Film Television series Awards and nominations References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Choi, Moo-su ...

as Ik-jun's patient's husband (Ep. 7) * Lee Ji-hyun as Shin Min-ji (Ep. 7) * Kim Sun-young as Ik-jun's patient (Ep. 7) * Cha Soo-rin as Oh Yu-min (Ep. 9) * Jung Min-sung as Lee Chang-hak (Ep. 11–12) *

Park Bo-kyung Park Bo-kyung is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as ''Now, We Are Breaking Up'', '' Beyond Evil'', '' Link: Eat, Love, Kill'', and '' Little Women''. She also appeared in movies '' Hello, Schoolgirl'', '' Mr. XX ...

as Chang-hak's wife (Ep. 11-12) *

Lee Jae-in Lee Jae-in (born February 6, 2004) is a South Korean actress. She first gained recognition through a blockbuster film '' Svaha: The Sixth Finger''. Career Lee Jae-in is one of the few South Korean celebrities born in Gangwon, a border provin ...

as So-mi (Ep. 11) *

Cha Chung-hwa Cha Chung-hwa (; born on 28 April 1980) is a South Korean character actress who has worked extensively on stage, screen, and television. She has been nominated for Baeksang Arts Awards for her role as court lady in tvN historical drama ''Mr. ...

as Yeonwoo's mother (Ep. 1) * Ahn Si-ha as Kim Soo-jung (Ep. 1) *

Ryu Hye-rin Ryu Hye-rin is a South Korean actress and model. She is known for her roles in dramas ''How Are U Bread'', ''Two Cops (TV series), Two Cops'' and ''The Game: Towards Zero''. She also appeared in movies such as ''Sunny (2011 film), Sunny'', ''Bi ...

as Seung-won's mother (Ep. 2) * Ko Na-young as Yoo Kyung-jin (Ep. 2–3) *

Lee Ji-ha Lee Ji-ha (; born October 7, 1970) is a South Korean actress and model. She is known for her roles in dramas such as '' The Smile Has Left Your Eyes'', '' My Unfamiliar Family,'' '' Sweet Home'' and ''Squid Game,'' the latter gaining her intern ...

as Yoo Han-yang and Yoo Kyung-jin's mother (Ep. 2–3) * Lee Ji-hyun as Min-chan's Mother (Ep. 2, 4) *

Lee Kyu-hyung Lee Kyu-hyung (Korean: 이규형; born November 29, 1983) is a South Korean actor. Though primarily a musical actor, Lee has also appeared in a variety of Korean films and dramas. In 2017, Lee shot to fame with his portrayal of Yoo Han-yang in ...

as Yoo Han-yang (Ep. 3) * Im Soo-jung as Chae Eun (Ep. 3) * Ahn Chang-hwan as Baek Hyung-do (Ep. 3; voice) * Jung Seung-gil as son of the brain tumor patient (Ep. 8) *

Yoo Jae-myung Yoo Jae-myung (; born June 3, 1973) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the series ''Reply 1988'' (2015), ''Stranger'' (2017), ''Life'' (2018), '' Itaewon Class'' (2020) and '' Voice of Silence'' (2020). He won Best Suppor ...

as Shin Sung-eui, professor of radiology (Ep. 9) *

Hyun Jung-hwa Hyun Jung-hwa (; born October 6, 1969 in Busan, South Korea) is a retired table tennis player from South Korea who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and in the 1992 Summer Olympics. Career National South Korean table tennis player Hyun Jun ...

as professor of nuclear medicine (Ep. 9) *

Lee Bom-so-ri Lee Bom-so-ri is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as ''The Miracle We Met'', ''Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation ...

as OB-GYN fellow (Ep. 9) *

Joo Sae-hyuk Joo Sae-hyuk (, ; born 20 January 1980) is a South Korean table tennis player. As a singles player, he was a silver medalist at the 2003 World Table Tennis Championships, a bronze medalist at the 2011 Table Tennis World Cup, and a bronze medali ...

as fellow in nuclear medicine (Ep. 9) *

Lee Il-hwa Lee Il-hwa (born February 24, 1971) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1991, and has since appeared in numerous television drama In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fict ...

as Gyeo-ul's mother (voice) *

Park Jung-woo Park Jung-woo (born 1969) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. Park is a screenwriter turned director, and probably ranks as South Korea's most well-known screenwriter for his famous stories such as ''Attack the Gas Station'' (19 ...

as Jang Ga-eul, Gyeo-ul's younger brother (Ep. 10) *

Na Yeong-seok Na Yeong-seok (, born April 15, 1976), often known by his nickname Na PD, is a South Korean television producer and director. Na is best known for producing the popular variety- reality shows '' 2 Days & 1 Night'', ''New Journey to the West'', ...

as Jang Young-seok, the father of Mo-ne and Ma-ne (Ep. 10) *

Choi Deok-moon Choi Deok-moon (born 1970) is a South Korean actor. Filmography Television series Film Theater References External links * * * Choi Deok-moonat Daum Choi Deok-moonat Naver Movies {{DEFAULTSORT:Choi, Deok-moon 1970 births Livin ...

as Chu Cheol-woo, Min-ha's father (Ep. 10) * Jang Hye-jin as Min-ha's mother (Ep. 10) *

as Ahn Chi-hong (Ep. 11)

Production

Development

In January 2019, it was reported that

would direct a medical television series and that the production team was in the early stages of casting actors. Screenwriter

and director Shin Won-ho previously worked together on the critically acclaimed '' Reply'' (2012–16) anthology series as well as the hit black comedy series ''

'' (2017–18). Actors Jung Kyung-ho and

also previously worked with the duo. It took four years for the script to be completed. In order to comply to the 52-hour week system and to avoid overnight filming with regard to the cast and crew's health, the production team decided to air one episode a week for a total of twelve weeks instead of broadcasting two episodes a week for eight weeks as it is usually the case for South Korean television series.

Filming

Principal photography for the first season started in early October 2019. Some scenes taking place in Gangwoon University Hospital and Yulje Medical Center were respectively filmed in Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital (in

Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Hwaseong () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It has the largest area of farmland of any city or county in Gyeonggi Province. Seoul Subway Line 1 passes through Hwaseong, stopping at Byeongjeom Station. Suin Bundang Line also passes t ...

) and Ewha Womans University Medical Center (in

Gangseo District, Seoul Gangseo District (Gangseo-gu) (Hangul: 강서구, Hanja: 江西區, ) is one of the 25 wards (''gu'') of Seoul, South Korea. It is located on the south side of the Han River. Gimpo Airport is in Gonghang-dong, where many flights fly to ci ...

), though the latter scenes of the season were filmed on set due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. Filming for the first season was completed in late April 2020. Originally scheduled to begin in early December 2020, filming for the second season was postponed to late January 2021 due to the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

pandemic. Filming ended on September 6, 2021.

Music

Albums

= Season 1

= The ''Hospital Playlist''

original soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of ...

produced by Ma Joo-hee was released on June 4, 2020, by Studio MaumC, Egg Is Coming and

Stone Music Entertainment Stone Music Entertainment (Hangul: 스톤 뮤직 엔터테인먼트), is a South Korean music distribution company under CJ ENM, along with music streaming store Genie Music. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea. The ...

. It consists of covers of popular Korean songs released in the 1990s and 2000s. All songs charted on the

Gaon Digital Chart The Circle Digital Chart, previously known as the Gaon Digital Chart, is the music industry standard record chart ranking the 200 most popular singles in South Korea. It provides rankings on a weekly, monthly, and yearly basis, which is based o ...

and twelve on the

K-pop Hot 100 The K-pop Hot 100 is a music singles chart in South Korea, launched by ''Billboard'' in conjunction with ''Billboard'' Korea () on August 25, 2011. It is the second Asian ''Billboard'' chart after the Japan Hot 100. The chart used the same multime ...

, with some receiving several nominations and awards. Doyeon Lee of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' noted that the soundtrack "was well received by listeners of all ages for its remakes of popular 90s hits."

= Season 2

= The soundtrack album peaked on number 8 on weekly

Gaon Album Chart The Circle Album Chart, previously known as the Gaon Album Chart, is a record chart ranking the 100 most popular albums, extended plays and single albums in South Korea based on their Record sales, pure sales. It is a part of the Circle Chart, pr ...

and as of October 2021, 31,468 copies have been sold.

Tracklist

Singles

Future

Shin initially developed ''Hospital Playlist'' with three seasons in mind, which should've been released across three years, but at the end of season two he expressed uncertainty toward the future of the series, citing exhaustion and other problems as reasons. Both the cast members and the production team stated they would be willing to work on a future season. Jeon Mi-do said that she often talks about an eventual third season with her four other co-stars and they take "turns to nag the director" about it.

Episodes

Reception

Critical response

''Hospital Playlist'' received positive critical feedback. Comparing the series to ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...

'' and ''

Friends ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa ...

'', Ariana Yaptangco of ''

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

'' featured it on the list of "The 10 Best K-Dramas To Binge-Watch On Netflix". During an interview with ''

The Korea Herald ''The Korea Herald'' is a leading English-language daily newspaper founded in 1953 and published in Seoul, South Korea. The editorial staff is composed of Korean and international writers and editors, with additional news coverage drawn from int ...

'', film critic Yun Suk-jin praised ''Hospital Playlist'' for emphasizing the human aspect of the profession rather than the life-and-death situations, noting that the series "did away with the cliched power conflict, and focused on the doctors' sincerity in their work and their relationship with the patients." Pierce Conran of ''

South China Morning Post The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remained ...

'' named ''Hospital Playlist'' one of the best South Korean series of 2020, mentioning that "emotional tales of illness and grief play out against the gentle camaraderie of a group that finds solace from the hardships of their job in each other, and their delightfully lousy five-piece garage band." Jessicha Valentina of ''

The Jakarta Post ''The Jakarta Post'' is a daily English-language newspaper in Indonesia. The paper is owned by PT Niskala Media Tenggara and based in the nation's capital, Jakarta. ''The Jakarta Post'' started as a collaboration between four Indonesian med ...

'' named

's character Chae Song-hwa "one of the series' highlights," praising ''Hospital Playlist'' for its portrayal of strong female characters. Joel Keller of ''

Decider Decider is both a real word and a "Bushism". It may refer to: * ''Decider'' (website), a pop culture website operated by the ''New York Post'' *'' Bill Maher: The Decider'', a stand-up comedy special * Decider (Turing machine), a Turing machine th ...

'' gave a mixed review, saying that the series "is a bit of a strange amalgamation of different genres, but the cast makes it work. Just be ready for a slightly confusing first episode."

Viewership

;Season 1 ''Hospital Playlist'' aired on tvN, which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters ( KBS, SBS, MBC and

EBS EBS may refer to: Broadcasting * EBS TV (Ethiopia) * Educational Broadband Service, US TV service * Educational Broadcasting System, South Korea ** EBS 1, a South Korean television channel * Emergency Broadcast System, former US Warning system ...

). Its first season ended within the top 10 of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history. ;Season 2 A 10.0% viewership rating was recorded nationwide for the first episode of the second season, making it the highest premiere rating of

the network The Network was an American six-piece new wave band. they released their debut album ''Money Money 2020'' on Adeline Records on September 30, 2003. After a 15-year hiatus, the band became active again in 2020, releasing a follow-up album titl ...

. The last episode, aired on September 16, recorded an average national viewership of 14.080%, which is the highest ratings of the season.

Season 1

Season 2

Accolades

Notes

References

External links

* (season 1) * (season 2) * * * (season 1) * (season 2) * {{Lee Woo-jung TVN (South Korean TV channel) television dramas 2020 South Korean television series debuts 2021 South Korean television series endings South Korean medical television series Television shows set in Seoul Television productions postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic Korean-language Netflix exclusive international distribution programming