*Disclaimer: Review contains spoilers. Please read only after you have completed the drama. For new viewers, it is best to start watching from Season 1 for continuity.
Main Cast:
Jo Jung-suk/조정석/曺政奭 – Lee Ik-jun/李翊晙
Yoo Yeon-seok/유연석/柳演锡 – Ahn Jeong-won/安政源
Jung Kyung-ho/정경호/郑敬淏 – Kim Jun-wan/金隽婠
Kim Dae-myung/김대명/ 金大明 – Yang Seok-hyeong /杨硕亨
Jeon Mi-do/전미도/ 田美都 – Chae Song-hwa/蔡颂和
Shin Hyun-been/申铉彬 – Jang Gyeo-ul/张冬天
Kwak Sun-young/郭善英 – Lee Ik-sun/李翊纯
Ahn Eun-jin/安恩珍 – Chu Min-ha/秋敏荷
Kim Hae Soo/金海淑 – Kim Rosa/ 程罗莎
Kim Kap Soo /金甲洙 – Joo Jong Soo/朱宗秀
Choi Young-joon – Bong Gwang-hyun
Jung Moon-sung – Do Jae-hak
Moon Tae-yoo – Yong Seok-min
Ha Yoon-Kyung – Heo Sun-Bin
Bae Hyun-sung – Jang Hong-do
Cho Yi-hyun – Jang Yun-bok
Shin Do-hyun – Bae Joon-hee
Lee Se-hee – Kang So-ye
Ratings for the Show:
Acting: 8.5
Storyline: 8
OST: 8.5
Overall: 8.5
Grade: B+
The sequel to the popular “feel good” medical drama, “Hospital Playlist 2”, has just recently ended its run on a high (yet bittersweet for viewers) note.
Didn’t expect that I would enjoy Season 2 so much better than Season 1. After 12 episodes of Season 2 and the ending song “Someday” that triggered many bitter sweet memories, I felt impelled to jot down some thoughts.
Truth be told, I wasn’t a big fan of “Hospital Playlist” Season 1, since I’m not usually captivated by slow-paced storyline without much climax. It took me an excruciatingly 2 long months to complete Season 1. There was no instant attraction to the storyline or characters, but it was considerably relatable.
Once Season 1 has paved the way for further story development, Season 2 just grows on you like an old acquaintance.
Watching S2 is akin to savouring a cup of hot camomile tea on a rainy day – providing the solace and comfort that we all need. Just like the little pleasures in life, it’s heartwarming and enjoyable.
We get more dips and involvement in their daily adventures and delve deeper into their personal lives. After the slow-burn budding romances in Season 1, they are all finally getting SOMEWHERE in their love lives, be it for better or worse.
It’s a heartwarming and feel-good drama to watch during the pandemic. It aids us in better understanding the emotional and mental struggles of healthcare workers too.
What do we like about Hospital Playlist S2?
While it is a medical drama, the screenwriter cleverly did away with the clichéd 101 power struggle plots that are potentially energy draining for the viewers during a pandemic.
Instead, they focused on the daily lives of these 5 doctors, showing their passion and sincerity in treating patients and bonding with them. The setbacks in their professional and personal lives show that they are not infallible.
Viewers would grow attached to the characters, by being so “involved” in how they have evolved in their respective professional and personal lives.
The healthcare workers, patients and their families do not feel out-of-this-world. They could be just anyone we know in real life. We were immersed in the joys and sorrows that the healthcare workers shared with the patients and their guardians. Watching how commoners like us grapple with sense of hope, loss, grief and despair in certain medical situations, brings about a sense of familiarity.
You do not need to binge-watch “Hospital Playlist 2”. It is equally enjoyable if you spread it over a few 30-min slots per day during your meals or break times.
While life and death situations are part of healthcare workers‘ “mundane” lives, we get to see more of their more “humane” sides, whereby it is alright for them to cry along if the patients that they had been treating for months or years, passed on.
To quote Jun Wan and Seok Hyeong “We are human beings, not Artificial Intelligence (A.I) after all.”
It’s true that doctors are entitled to how they feel as well. Being able to feel, is part of a pre-requisite to being a good doctor. A doctor who is apathetic or oblivious to patients’ feelings wouldn’t be able to empathize with what patients are going through, neither would they be able to gain trust or build rapport.
We should savour the sweet and sad moments in life as they come. No one should be deprived of feeling their emotions.
Be it walking through the good, fun, happy, hilarious times, or scrambling through the distressing times when they were met with obstacles and challenges in their work, love lives or with their families, viewers can resonate with what they were going through.
Perhaps it’s the longwithstanding friendship of these 5 doctors that we yearn to possess, or reminds us of our close friends. Their everyday “mundane” lives and interpersonal relationships are pretty much relatable.
While Director Shin Won Ho had initially planned for the drama to end at S2, he may consider S3 since the drama is so well-liked and the cast has such a good camaraderie, with so many stories left untold.
It’s okay even if the story ends at S2 though. We can almost visualise the quintet’s bickering and annoying one another to continue for many years to come. One can be sure that they would always be there, catching one another’s back no matter what happens.
If you have decade-long friends, you’d probably understood what friendship stands for these 5 middle age doctors.
It doesn’t mean you need to know everything that’s happening in your besties’ lives, to qualify as best friends.
The fact is, we all don’t, and we won’t.
Some are more willing to share, while others prefer settling issues on their own. They don’t share everything till they were ready to tell.
In fact, some of them still have secrets untold.
Friendship in your 30s and 40s, is more about giving each other sufficient space and privacy to lead their personal lives. There are things that we don’t share with our closest friends as we age, since everyone’s busy. You know that they would always be there when you are ready to share or require their support. All you need is their accompaniment and you will feel better automatically.
They are individuals with diverse temperaments, but they respect and complement one another perfectly.
With the impeccably chemistry between the 5 leads spilling over from Season 1, it felt like they were just “being themselves” during the shoot. It’s so comfortable watching them act.
Whenever the quintet gets together, it just seems like time never passed. They are still as childish, snatching food on the table, vying for chances to be the 1st to get onto the car’s front passenger seat and avoiding the middle seat, etc. Song Hwa seems like the nanny over these boys at heart. The only thing that would make her lose sanity, is food.
You would be only this relaxed and comfortable around people whom you love and love you too. What did not change despite 2 decades is, they would make time for one another, during quick lunch breaks and have band jamming sessions every weekend.
There are many roles that we play in our daily lives and each facet would be different, depending on the situation that we are faced with – as an employee, subordinate, supervisor, colleague, parent, child, sibling, lover, friend.
This drama isn’t just entirely about these 5 buddies. It also lets us in a little on their parents and co-workers, for example Jeong Won’s mother, Rosa and the hospital chairman. How they have been good friends all their lives, and her having to deal with loss of memory, while him having to deal with children who are only concerned about money and assets.
You’re never too old to pursue your dreams. It felt so good when you watch how Rosa jammed with Mido and Falasol as a keyboard player.
Having been worrying about children all their lives, it is time for them to pursue their dreams and accomplish what they couldn’t during their younger days.
My Takeaway from this Drama:
Reunions and partings are part and parcel of life. Cherish whoever and whatever you have and take things as they come.
Tomorrow is never promised, so let your loved ones know how you really feel. Set out to do what you have always wanted to as well, for time waits for no man.
It is never too late to chase your dreams.
We often question our life choices when things don’t go as planned, but that’s the way life is. Fumbling along the way and gaining more experiences is how we come to this phrase of “Practice makes Perfect”.
The only exception, is when it comes to Song Hwa’s singing. =X
No one, not even our favourite 5 doctors are perfect. We ought to cut ourselves some slack if we have tried hard enough.
How their Personalities Prevail in their Professional Lives
The 5 buddies lead an extremely busy lifestyle as professional doctors who are on call 24/7. Often, they need to sacrifice sleep, rest, meal times and most importantly, time with their loved ones.
They spend so much time caring for their patients, but ironically miss out on spending quality time with their loved ones. This is evident in Ik Jun missing the growing up of Woo Joo, being unable to bring him to weekend camping trips, while the rest neglecting their aged parents.
We particularly enjoy the interactions with their co-workers, subordinates and interns. Even as veterans, they continue to learn from one another and are co-dependent on their co-workers as well.
They are stern with their interns but try to slowly mould them into better doctors in the process, they have great camaraderie with their co-workers and subordinates, which lets us in on how you can also make “friends” at work.
Just like how Jun Wan slowly opened himself up to Jae Hak, and they provided mutual support when Jun Wan was going through his break up and Jae Hak having to deal with his wife’s pregnancy and cancer treatment concurrently.
The bromance between this 欢喜冤家 cum 难兄难弟 duo had us cracking up whenever Jae Hak tried to disturb the seemingly aloof Jun Wan, yet Jun Wan unconsciously answered all his questions obediently. They were like a self-support system.
Just as no one is perfect, they acknowledge the fact they are unable to save every patient. There are days when things would go wrong, surgeries would fail and they would want to hide away.
The quintet are dedicated and thoughtful doctors who put their patients’ well-being as their top priority.
How do their personalities affect how they handle various situations in their professional lives?
Jun Wan – The Doctor with the Pokerface but Caring Heart
Jun Wan is undeniably the most temperamental and grumpiest in the group. He usually appears cold, hostile and professional as an expert in Carthiothoraic surgery.
However, there’s a soft and caring side that he would only reveal to his friends, certain colleagues and patients after some time.
When Jun Wan’s resident doctor had to take on a difficult task of announcing a patient’s time of death (whom he has been taking care of), but burst into tears, Jun Wan took on the task instead.
The resident doctor later apologized but the usually poker-face and seemingly hostile Jun Wan let out his thoughts that warmed out hearts.
He felt that it is human to cry and he doesn’t wish his juniors to hold back or hide these feelings particularly. They still need to complete their tasks, but it is human to feel.
Jun wan recounted the time he had to go to the bathroom to cry secretly and Seok Hyeong remembered how he was also taught not to express emotions before his patients, but that isn’t possible.
They are not artificial intelligence after all.
As Assistant Professors now, they take on a better and alternative coaching approach to “teach” their juniors, so that they would not have to go through the “铁的纪律“ that were passed down by generations.
One should not be afraid to change, if change is for the better.
Seok Hyeong – The Most Reassuring Gynaecologist
Seok Hyeong is soft-hearted and introverted. He doesn’t like socialising or mingling with his resident doctors, but he would always be there whenever they need his help. He would always go the extra mile and cares genuinely for his patients in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (O&G).
While another gynaecologist turned down a pregnant lady’s request to give birth to a baby who’s too prematured, Seok Hyeong took on the uphill task.
While there’s a high chance they would fail and they did ultimately, he took into consideration the mother’s wishes and tried his best to keep her healthy till the baby was due to be delivered.
He was afraid but he would never be able to move forward if he focused on what could go wrong. He had rather channel those energy into focusing on doing his best for the mother.
The distraught couple eventually had to cope with the grim reality but sent a Thank You card to Seok Hyeong, which is a framed up message that he sent them “Bad things at times do happen to good people”.
I guess this is the same message that the director and script writer would like to send to all viewers out there.
We cannot control what happens in our lives sometimes, but it is our attitude that makes a difference.
Ik Jun – The Happy Pill Who Makes Everything Seem Possible
Ik Jun has a positive and cheerful personality and makes many friends, popular among patients and doctors. He’s your favourite “Happy Go Lucky” guy or “Happy Pill” who doesn’t usually show his sadness or discusses his worries, but would find ways to resolving them. His expertise is in liver transplant surgeries.
He not only makes your day with his lame jokes, but would make the most challenging tasks seem easily attainable.
Ik Jun and his team had to handle a patient’s difficult family member, who would breathe down their necks all the time, demanding prompt response and follow ups to his sister’s situation. The junior doctors were all fearful and resented the sight of him.
However, he sent them food and snacks one day as an apology for his over-sensitivity. A junior doctor still felt discomfort at the his attitude while Ik Jun explained that although this may be a common experience to them, it was the biggest hurdle in the patients and their families’ lives at that point in time.
He would become sensitive as well, if it were to happen to his own family members. It wouldn’t matter how others look at him. The family members surely know the challenges that healthcare workers face, but they need to make an effort to understand the patients and their families.
Well, we have seen a more delicate and compassionate side to the usual playful Ik Jun.
There was only once when viewers saw him with a stern face and decided to turn away a patient, who continued to ruin his liver even after several liver transplants from his daughters.
对于这种太经典的酒鬼台词，是再也熟悉不过了。周遭有不少这种死性不改的人，把责任都怪罪在他人身上，也把家人的牺牲当作理所当然。
Many patients die before finding suitable donors, yet this patient took it for granted that his family members should continue to risk their lives for his health. The usual “happy-go-lucky” Ik Jun was enraged and told the patient that he would not see him again in future.
It pained him too much and that was done as a form of respect to his patients and himself.
Jeong Won – The Most Warmhearted & Dependable Pediatrician
Jeong Won is a pediatrician and he’s the most warmhearted doctor in the group.
He’s responsible, generous, caring and puts in his all for his patients. He’s also “Daddy Long Legs”, and has a dream of building a hospital just meant for pediatric care. However, he’s frugal and “stingy” to his friends, but not many know that he wanted to save more money to build a hospital and save more lives.
Jeong Won tried to reassure a baby’s mother and her family before a surgery that the new-born baby would recover and it isn’t anyone’s fault that he was sick.
The mother was guilt-stricken, especially after the mother-in-law blamed her for the baby’s illness.
After hearing what happened, Jeong Won told the mother-in-law that it’s not anyone’s fault that something like this happen. It’s something that just happens and it’s common. If anyone is to be held responsible, it would be both parents. Her daughter-in-law deserves compliments for carrying the baby full term.
Bravo! It was like a smack right on the mother-in-law’s face for having such 封建 thinking!
Ahn Jeong Won is such a dependable, kind and endearing doctor. He’s not only good with kids but also would try to protect his patients.
He has just saved the young mother from a potentially lifelong-blaming lecture from the Mother-in-law.
Song Hwa – The Highly Respected and Helpful Neurosurgeon
Song Hwa is the Ace in Neurosurgery. She’s a talented doctor with a kind and helpful personality, who would go the extra mile to guide her colleagues and extend help to her seniors.
As a result, many would frequently go to her regarding work matters. This has caused her to feel overloaded and it had an adverse impact on her personal health.
Song Hwa’s subordinate wanted to apologise to the doctor-in-charge for shouting at him and asking if he would assume all responsibilities should anything happen to a patient who was showing signs of further complications. If not for her quick response, the patient would have been in grave danger.
However, Song Hwa felt that her decision was right that she should fight fiercely to save a patient. She felt that the junior was indeed wrong for not escalating the matter earlier.
While South Korea is still considered a traditional and bureaucratic society in general, Song Hwa supported her junior for doing what is right.
Doing things right vs doing the right things.
It isn’t about just following procedures and going up the hierarchy for escalating matters. Time is of the essence when it comes to life and death matters and a doctor’s biggest responsibility is to save their patients’ lives.
A renowned violinist’s mother initially mistook Song Hwa for a resident doctor and used a demeaning tone when speaking to her. She clarified that Song Hwa was too young looking to be a top neuro surgeon.
Well, gender discrimination towards women at the workplace still exist today. Instead of being offended, she took this opportunity to “teach” the guardian that her resident doctors are also equally outstanding and qualified doctors who know their stuff well, implying that everyone deserves mutual respect regardless of their level.
She rejected an interview because her resident doctors were unable to make it, but this sends a clear message that she treats them as their peers and they deserve recognition for the team work.
This is why Song Hwa is one of the most respected doctors in Yulje Hospital.
Life and Death
This impactful scene whereby Song Hwa stood before 2 rooms at the ICU, looking on with mixed feelings as the diverse atmospheres unfolded before her, remained etched in my head even after the drama ended.
Hope and despair co-existed in the same space.
It’s just a thin line between the sparkly glow of a bestowed new beginning vs the gloom of an impending doom.
One room was filled with tears of joy whereby the children were overjoyed that their father pulled through a life-threatening condition, while the other family wailing their hearts out over a dying husband and father.
That’s the irony in life and how contradicting it could be. We’d never know if an accident or tomorrow would come first. This teaches us to cherish the people around us and live life to the fullest.
The above scenario was when the patients were fighting so hard for their lives, so that they could spend one more day with their loved ones.
There are patients who couldn’t find a suitable donor to have a new leash of life, while there are others who take it for granted and abuse their bodies time and again, after successful transplants.
Like the example in Ik Jun’s case, the said patient felt that it is only right his family members should “sacrifice” for his liver transplants. Little did they realise that, no one in this world owes them a living, not even blood-related family members.
Not everyone deserves a 2nd chance, but not everyone is lucky enough to have a go at a 2nd chance.
There were some real life difficult situations which would set you pondering:
– When a mum went against all odds and tried her best to carry the baby till the minimum term allowed for child birth, though she still lost the baby ultimately
– When a mum had to decide between keeping her baby or going for chemotherapy, or try to do both at the same time
– When a best friend wished to donate his part of his liver to save his best friend, they needed to produce “evidence” that they are lifelong friends.
It already is difficult enough to find a non-blood related person who is willing to and qualifies for the liver transplant, yet the law and regulations to prevent organ trafficking impede the progress.
– How parents, especially mums had to keep themselves hopeful while watching their kids suffering and waiting for suitable organ donors.
It is a marathon that they are taking part in. No matter how torn apart they are inside, they needed to keep themselves healthy and in best spirits, so that they could care for their sick children.
One person’s luck could spell misfortune for another.
Going through similar experiences bind people together. They would be happy for the kids who managed to get a new leash of life. Nonetheless, it’s impossible for anyone to be truly 100% happy for others, for it would mean more hopes dashed for their own child.
Waiting for an organ transplant is a contradictory feeling. It is a painful wait where one sees no end and they would lose hope gradually as time passes. We could see how happy, grateful, sad and guilty the mums were at the same time.
Someone had to die, in order for the transplant to be possible. They were grateful their children had another leash at life, but that’s at the expense of someone else losing their child.
– A mum kept returning to the hospital to visit the doctors and nurses, despite her child having passed away for several months.
Gyeol Ul could not understand and thought that she did something wrong.
However, what Jeong Won pointed out plainly, caught us all by surprise and gripped our hearts.
“她总有一天不会再来的。人们总要学着遗忘继续往前，在那之前请你温柔地对待她吧。”—安政源
Only someone as empathetic as Jeong Won could realise this.
Human beings behave differently when they are in grief. She probably only wanted someone to talk to about her kid, so that the child is still being remembered by those who knew her. No one spent more time with the kid than the doctors and nurses who took care of her for 3 years.
She needed more time to grieve over the loss of her kid. She would stop appearing at the hospital when she has moved on one day. Till the day comes, Jeong Won hope that Gyeol Ul would be more empathetic and warm towards this grieving mother.
True enough, the pace that we all take to recover from the loss of someone dear varies. No one method works the same for everyone
In fact, we never really get over losing someone dear. We only get used to the numbness as time passes.
Love Lives
The quintet showed us what it’s like to be in matured relationships in your late 30s and 40s.
这个年纪的爱情，追求的并非轰轰烈烈，炽热般的激情，而是像暖炉一样，保持在一个令人感觉舒服温暖，而不是令人窒息的温度。
They had their fair share of break ups, long-distance relationships, being together with a long-time friend, giving up the dream of being a priest after meeting a true love, opening up to a new romance once again after a divorce.
Everyone’s love language differs.
Maturity means being able to see things from the other party’s perspectives, not forcing them to make a decision but waiting patiently till they are willing to share with you. You are both independent and would be busy with your work lives, could settle issues on your own, but you would rely on each other for support.
Maturity may also mean that you would suffer breakups silently, not adding on to the burden of those around you.
However, this could imply a tougher healing period.
Jeong Won and Gyeol Ul
Viewers would undoubtedly be the happiest when they witnessed the hug and kiss between Jeong Won and Gyeol UL at the end of Season 1.
For it meant the “Winter Garden” ship has finally sailed!
The sweetest couple of this season FTW!
I like how their relationship is co-dependent in terms of being like mentor-student where they can share issues about work, good friends whereby they would be the greatest support and comfort to each other. Ahn Jeong Won being the most patient lover, would wait for Gyeol Ul to open up to him about her personal struggles.
One is cold like the winter who is levelheaded but doesn’t how to express her emotions, while the other is gentle, sweet, warm and ever so understanding. They complement each other fairly well.
Jeong Won has warmed the otherwise 慢热 Gyeol Ul, to be more sensitive to others’ feelings. Gyeol Ul is able to calm Jeong Won down and shares her thoughts rationally when he’s fretting over challenges at work or worried over his mother’s health.
While Gyeol Ul shied away from Jeong Won due to her family matters for a period of time, we are glad he was patient enough to wait for her to sort things out and filled him in, instead of questioning her.
This was a turning point and also a crisis for the 2 lovebirds.
I believe that we ought to come clean with how we really feel, so that our other halves would not have a hard time guessing or doubting what’s going on.
If you need some time off, just let them know. It’s best that we find time to communicate with our other halves.
In reality, not everyone could be as accommodating like Jeong Won. They may feel like feelings are not reciprocal, but we all know that Gyeol Ul is just a little “dense” when it comes to such.
Thumbs up to the 最佳男友!
Ik Jun and Song Hwa
Is there no platonic friendship between a guy and gal?
I believe it is still possible, but it largely depends on how you feel towards each other.
Just look at Song Hwa and the rest of the guys, they all got along well as longtime buddies.
It’s just that Ik Jun and Song Hwa had mutual crushes at the beginning and never had a chance to talk about their feelings. Though they moved on with their love lives, they still occupy a special place in each other’s hearts.
She told Ik Jun not to confess his feelings to her, for she didn’t want to lose her best friend and it would be too awkward for them to behave “naturally” before the rest of the group in future.
I would do the same if I were Song Hwa.
The stakes of losing a 20-year best friend were just way much higher than not having a potential partner. By maintaining status quo, they lose nothing.
You would never be afraid to lose if you have nothing in the first place.
As the episodes progressed, Ik Jun’s accident made her realise that she could have lost him for good if anything untoward happened to him. She should make her feelings known to him, else she would regret it for life.
That’s how they decided to open up to each other and move on as best friends cum partners. While it’s still a pretty awkward phase for them as they switch from besties to lovers, we know they would get on just fine.
Most viewers could sense that things would explode between Ik Jun and Song Hwa somehow.
No matter how subtle, such as through their body language, the way they look at each other, how at ease they were with each other, how only Song Hwa feels tickled at his lamest jokes, and how only he could tolerate her “off-pitched” singing, buying each other coffee, or driving each other when the other is too tired, were all acts of love.
When Song Hwa was bogged down by personal matters, Ik Jun would stand outside her door and “block” co-workers and interns from visiting her to seek help in their thesis or work issues. He would offer help on her behalf instead.
He would make the effort to buy her favourite Teppanyaki Hot Plate that she fancied at the restaurant they dined at.
This is their love language.
We are not at all worried how this couple would get along, for they just complement each other too well.
Jun Wan and Ik Sun
Jun Wan exudes his gentle, delicate, caring and considerate side whenever he’s with Ik Sun. Her bubbliness “melts” his coldness and she is the only one who could make him smile so heartily.
They are both very independent and would lead their busy work lives, while connecting with each other on video calls during leisure time.
Jun Wan has been the most accommodating towards Ik Sun, regardless of her decision to further studies overseas or being a good listener to her grouses. On the contrary, he only shares his happier moments with her, so that she would not be worried.
When Ik Sun realised that she was sick and had been selfish by only thinking about herself and never showed much concern towards Jun Wan, she requested for a break up in the worst way possible.
That is an imaginary 3rd party that does not exist in real life.
Jun Wan had to go through a heartbreak silently, for their underground relationship was never made known to anyone.
Ik Jun found out over time and tried to help them spend more time together.
Knowing that Jun Wan suppressing his emotions would be detrimental to his well-being over time, Jae Hak tried his best to accompany the lonely Jun Wan.
Jae Hak had been supportive since their dating days though he had no idea who Jun Wan’s girlfriend was. From teaching him how to post selfies and using hashtags on instagram, till giving him advice from time to time and accompanying him for meals, we could say that Jae Hak was the 5th dependable friend that he has made.
We are glad that he had Jae Hak to tide him through those heartbreaking moments.
Even when they have broken up for more than a year, the ex-couple realised they still had feelings for each other after a chance encounter and when Jun Wan finally got to know of Ik Sun’s illness.
They took a lot of time to heal, but nothing is more important than being able to clear their misunderstandings and sort out their feelings. While they were taking it slow, we could tell that they still have important places in each other’s hearts.
That makes us wonder how the rest of the gang would react when they find out eventually.
Seok Hyeong and Min Ha
This couple has come a long way since Season 1. We weren’t unsure if they could even get close to dating each other when Seok Hyeong had been so blunt and direct in rejecting Min Ha.
We must applaud Min Ha for her being so brave, determined and persistent. Her undying love and never-say-die attitude towards Seok Hyeong and how she made full use of her “3 chances“ deserves compliments.
While Seok Hyeong seems like the most dense guy on earth, we knew he did a lot of thinking and took him a lot of courage before he finally decided to give this new relationship a try.
It was so hard for him to get over his divorce, especially with a mum who wanted to control over every part of his life.
He’s not a proactive person and always have so much on his mind, but we can see how Min Ha has changed him in certain ways. He became more jovial and learnt how to open up and better communicate with his co-workers.
While he felt that he may not be a good guy, Min Ha reassured him that she is a good person, who’s good enough for him.
While we foresee potential “clashes” between Min Ha and Seok Hyeong’s mum (due to an incident) when they finally meet, the story hints at how Seok Hyeong’s mum is grateful to his current girlfriend for “persuading” him to stay in South Korea.
All thanks to Seok Hyeong’s ability to “predict” the future, this would inevitably help to elevate Mn Ha’s “status” in his mum’s eyes in future.
Friendship Goals
These 5 are literally friendship goals and the envy of many.
They remain close even after graduation, working at the same hospital, forking time out for regular band practices and catch-up sessions during lunch breaks.
No matter what happens, they will always catch one another’s back.
They bicker and fight over the most trivial matters, but would make up in no time.
No matter how much the guys can’t stand her off-pitched singing, they still gave in to her and let her be the lead singer whenever it’s her birthday.
It must have been hard on Jeon Mi Do, for she is an award winning musical actress in real life.
While they tried to persuade Jeong Won to do his research in South Korea, they knew they had to respect his decision and let him go.
One year may seem like a long time when these buddies had been seeing one another for everyday the past 20 years.
Mido and Falasol Playlist
I really love the songs in S2, which would relate to their respective experiences in each episode, such as going through heartbreaks or self-doubt periods.
Ep 1 – The Rain and You by Park Joong Hoon
Ep 2 – Autumn Outside the Post Office by Yoon Do Hyun
Ep 3 – I Like You by Cho Yong Pil
Ep 4 – Let’s Forget It by Kim Wan Sun
Ep 5 – Already One Year by Brown Eyes
Ep 6 – Superstar by Lee Han Chul
Ep 7 – To You by Kim Kwang Seok
Ep 8 – Still Beautiful by Kim Yeon Woo
Ep 9 – Met You By Chance by Songolmae
Ep 10 – It’s my life by Bon Jovi
Ep 11 – Run Across the Sky by Lee Juck
Ep 12 – Butterfly By Loveholics
You would also laugh real hard at their “retro” 90s rock outfits during “It’s My Life”.
“Superstar” in Ep 6 was a really “healing” song. It seems that everything would be alright, just like how the 5 leads sang.
“It’s Okay, you will be fine.
You have a bright future ahead of you.
It’s Okay, you will be fine.
We believe in you.”
The final scene when the besties took a breather and enjoyed the lovely sunset view, with Ik Jun making his lame joke that you would love sunsets more as you age since it’s time to knock off, is probably the director’s way of signaling the end to this 2-season drama.
We are pretty sure he wasn’t planning for Season 3 initially, but he was swayed after viewers’ hyped up responses.
Sunsets signify an end, but also a brand new day/chapter to look forward to.
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。天下无不散之筵席.
With the final scene, it hints at the end of their band practices for the next 1 year when Jeong Won is not around.
Jeong Won’s decision to leave again, but to further his studies in pediatric intestinal transplant with Gyeo Ul this time, brings us back to the final episode in Season 1. He is leaving for a totally different cause this time, not to escape, but to become a better surgeon, so that he could return to save more lives.
We know that their friendship could pass the test of time. One year would fly by and they would meet once again with an “upgraded” version of themselves.
Friends who grow up and have been through thick and thin together, would grow old together.
As these 5 friends embark on their life adventures ahead, they will continue to meet with hardships, obstacles and heart breaks, but we are certain that love, friendship, strength and perseverance will help them navigate through life’s ups and downs. They will weather through the storms and the sun would still rise and shine.
Just like how they have always conquered them all.
Should there be a Season 3, we hope to have all our 5 main leads back, which would mean having Jeong Won and Gyeol Ul back from their overseas study.
While there’s always room for more if the story progresses, it wouldn’t be considered too bad an ending at Season 2. Most of the loose ends have been tied up, though viewers would appreciate scenes of how things between Min Ha and Seok Hyeong’s mother would turn out.
Tears almost welled up as they played the series finale song “Someday”. It means goodbye for now, but we will meet again, someday.
Who knows what’s in store for the characters and perhaps, the viewers in future? Life’s full of uncertainties, but also full of possibilities for us to explore.
Am hoping very hard that they could stage a “live band performance” in the outdoor for the patients, should there be a Season 3.
Not just a closet live band, but one that will enjoy applause from their audience.
A big Thank You to the cast and crew of Hospital Playlist 2, for giving us such a beautiful and comforting drama during such trying times.
Not forgetting, our leads who trained so hard to give us melodious band jamming sessions.
