119 Comments
Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I felt the loose ends in season 2 isnt what I expects it to be. Sighh. Honestly I dont know what to feel now? Feeling content? No. Feeling empty? Not really. Angry, a bit?

Even tho the focus is the inner workings of the hospitals and patients' story, as you have mentioned other characters' lines had to take a backseat. The way they can do to bring a closure to the characters, then the patients' story should be shortened. They introduced new patients, what for? I honestly am moved by all of their stories, but the story of characters 99z, they havent reached the climax of their story. It felt stuck in our throats. Life goes on? Yeah, their lives as doctors. Its their duty to anticipate new and old cases. How about a person, a human being? We don't see any of it in depth but instead they teased us with a passing line . They only touched the tips of it.

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Thank you for this. Reading your thoughts made me feel a lot better with how everything ended. To be honest, I also have my own fair share of dissatisfactions with how they chose to execute some stories, especially the lovelines. But still, Hospital Playlist will always be THAT show for me…like what you said “warts and all”.

Thank you once again for sharing your thoughts and this space with us. 💕

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Thank you once again for sorting out my own thoughts and impressions with your calm, composed, and overall brilliant writing. I'm so lucky to have stumbled upon your blog. <3<3

When your concept is “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue”, you can get away with a lot of things.

You can get away (albeit barely) with not giving the audience the much-hinted marriage, proposal, or secret relationship reveal.

You can give them another non-flashy confession, this time a kiss-less one (because the unspoken quota of one kiss per episode has already been spent on the excellent GomGom couple), and that confession would basically serve the same purpose. (Of giving more hints, lol).

Everyone was hoping for a big bang in the finale, but we got a poetic sunset instead, alluding to “Me to You, You to Me” lyrics. And Jeong-won’s story went back to its genesis, only with him embracing his true vocation and setting out to become even a better doctor with a helper by his side.

I always spoke about how I love HP’s “showing, not telling” principle. After this episode, I realized that ShinLee mastered “telling, not showing” too. There were so many things we haven’t been shown (i.e. the ocean), though TV production would make it beautiful and memorable. But the dialogue was just as effective, if not more effective, in its simplicity, it was never too expository. Each episode is like a Polaroid photo - at first, it’s just bits, and pieces, and spots,

but the more you wait and observe, the fuller the picture is.

I am in absolute awe of this show. It’s one of the kind on every level. It is perfect even in its imperfection - you could guess that the production of the last episode was a tad bit rushed, and a lot of material (around 20 to 30 minutes of screen time) ended up on the cutting room floor.

The scenes are very trimmed, they barely have “air” around them, and some of them felt like surgical replacements of some other ideas (the dinner-confession and the Jeong-won's sudden decision to go to the US for a year); and the team definitely had to choose what to put into their patchwork script and what to take out, so they left only the essential plot vehicles (the staircase hug, the double date, closure for patients’ stories) and crème de la crème entertainment (the joint performance of the Lee siblings a special highlight among them). Even the throwbacks (something old) were used to show the growth of the character - same people, same situation, but Seok-hyeong is somehow chill about riding crowded elevators, and Jun-wan may skip the quiz and offer the exhausted interns a ride home.

I am mostly stunned with how intricately (though imperfectly) everything was done in this episode. Also melancholic, because I don't want it to end, and rewatching my favorite parts would only make the longing worse. But I'm here today with a grateful heart and a sincere hope for another season in a couple of years.

It’s been a pleasure and an honor watching Hospital Playlist 2. And sharing this pleasure with you, wonderful ladies, tripled my weekly joy. <3<3<3

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I know I repeat myself but again as always, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

There are many things I wished to see as well but just like you perfectly summarised it, "where others see pointless patient arcs or unwanted romance, I see inspiring stories of underdogs overcoming impossible odds and character triumphs."

ShinLee really did what they said they wanted to, giving viewers a "healing drama". The ending shot with the lacking 5 looking at the sun set is such a beautiful shot. Filled me with so much melancholy and hope. Life is a journey with never ending twists and turns, but with any change comes growth. Not forgetting that besides our loved ones supporting us every step of the way, we also encounter other people who teach us a lesson or two 😊 this is we saw in all of the lacking 5 and the supporting characters around them.

On a cheeky note, do you think Jeongwon would have at least proposed to Gyeoul before their move to US? Cohabiting before marriage! 🤔🤭 I adore the staircase scene so so much as we finally got to see Jeongwon share his worries and self doubts with Gyeoul. Season 2 opened with Jeongwon advising Gyeoul, being the experienced doctor and a highly-empathetic person. And we have season 2 closing with Gyeoul now being the one giving advice to Jeongwon, never dismissing his worries as useless over thinking but gently reminding him on the best way to approach his worries. I do feel that they've had lots of these conversations and moments, which has helped both develop professionally; Gyeoul with her bedside manners and Jeongwon to accept that he has done his utmost best and there is no good in wallowing in guilt or regret.

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I made a mistake by watching this close to midnight after a long day at work and other commitments in the evening- perhaps I was tired but it did feel a little draggy at parts? Or was it the pacing that was a little off, I will definitely need to rewatch this weekend. Wasn't this meant to be a monstrous 2 hr 40 min episode? Hence was surprised that it clocked just over the 2 hour mark, feels like we were shortchanged 40 mins of content XD Wasn't GY's mom meant to make a cameo?

My hunch was right in that they've concluded S2 in a way that can either leave as is, or return with a third season some time in the future. Does anyone have further insight into the production team's challenge in continuing with S3? I recall Shin PD only briefly mentioned "unforeseen challenges" with the seasonal format. Put aside clashes with individual actor's busy schedules, I wonder if it's mainly attributed to Covid restrictions? For example, I felt Uju's screen time is significantly less than S1 and can't help wondering if it's due to high risk of Covid exposure on set (unless it's just me). They've already spent money on the production set, wouldn't it be an additional cost (pretty high one too) if and when they do decide to continue S3?

I will keep further comments until I've done my rewatch. Am just glad that there's more content in the coming weeks- including a variety show to tide me through or else I may have serious withdrawal symptoms lol

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

That "what could have been" 🥲 I'm so happy that WG got their happy ending, they stick together till the very end, even take a big move (US) not only for themselves personally but also their relationship. I also agree that comparing with other pair, WG has the clearest image of their future. But just like everyone already said, it's the execution that disappoints me.

They prolong Gyeoul's family issue only for in the end we can't even see Jeongwon meets her mom. Yes, I get that Gyeoul's background is the foundation of their next step of relationship but they can cut the phase of that issue.

Even without explicit proposal, I think the least they can do is to show Jeongwon's talk to Gyeoul about his plan with her, what he wants for their relationship which implies that this relationship is forever.

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Thank you for this post... I have been having the same struggle after E12 on how to put my feeling into words. I have been waiting for your post as your words always help me process better and present the same feelings I share in ways I could never do. And you certainly did it again with E12.

To start with the positive, I have to say that as long as E12 was, I enjoyed almost every second of it. I loved seeing Seokmin's and Gyeoul's growths in their skills and confidence handling challenging surgeries, the doctor-patient-family dynamics and the difficult dilemmas, the interactions between the 5 (esp. the conversation between SW and SK in the courtyard), and it was so nice to hear the two talented musical drama ladies sing in the karaoke. The challenge for me was feeling that there is still a void even after all those wonderful 120+ mins. To use some of your words, I did not "dislike" the episode as I laughed and cried with it just like the other ones, but I just wish there could be even more, esp knowing this could be the end and there are no more episode in sight to help tie up the loose ends / present finalities in the storylines that they have spent the last 23 episodes to develop.

I totally agree with you that they appeared to be in a hurry wrapping up all the storylines with a somewhat happy endings, maybe to please all the shippers now there is no definite S3, and it cost some necessary details in storytelling to more deeply touch and impact the viewers. It is almost like the Chinese term 隔靴搔癢 (trying to scratch your itch from outside your boots). Take WinterGarden for example, I, too, totally love their two scenes together, but I also wish they could have taken some more time to deal with the development a little deeper (and I wish the same for all the other couples). I am very aware of the fact that this is not a rom com, but if they have set up all these love lines and esp GW with all those hints on marriages, I somehow feel that we were robbed at the end with nothing more than these two scenes together and the news that they'd leave for the US together for a year.

I personally actually love the ending of JW leaving Yulje for a year to enhance his skills in small bowel transplantation. Like SW said, he is the person that is most happy when seeing others enjoy food, so the choosing of this specific specialty is very matching with his character, as it is the only way to help some of his little patients enjoy food like others. Even though it was just a one-year program, his mind probably was on something else (e.g. his earlier life plan) to give it a thought prior to this season, and his uneasiness shows he still needs more experience to help more kids. GU is the person that knew how difficult the procedure is, how JW is the best Yulje could offer, but at the same time how anxious he could be w/ only 1:2 success rate so far, and how she can help him focus. I have no doubt she was fully supportive of, probably even encouraged him to pursue the one-year stint. So as a contrast to S1 when he wanted to leave Yulje for good to run away from suffering patients and attraction towards GU, him leaving Yulje now just temporarily to fully embrace his calling to heal more children, and to have GU by his side, in my opinion, is a wonderful twist and ending message. However, all these wonderful and logical developments got rushed in the presentation, and I was first left wondering how did they go from him not even having met GU's mom, and not even thinking about this specialty, and within a 2-3 weeks span, to the point that he is already set for studying in the US and she is coming alone? It was not until later I got to appreciate the meaning behind this ending.. but how about GU? Surely he would not be that inconsiderate to her career to ask her to just take a break and follow him. And it is already not logical for him to get a study arrangement so quickly, let alone having another one arranged for her. And whether she is there to study or not, surely JW would not have her come with him without first making very serious commitment, with the only fitting one being, in my opinion, marriage, right? Then how did he manage to meet the mom (who has just recovered from DV), propose, and ask her to follow him all in that short span? And why did ShinLee not even give us any hints about all?

I think I was torn between what to expect... I expect this to be slice-of-life so I did not expect all happy fairy tale endings, but also because it is supposed to present somewhat realistic, "ordinary" life or doctors, I cannot reconcile all the quick / rushed developments with the lack of details 😣. And while I appreciate how this drama is not for lazy viewers and requires more detailed digestion to connect dots and comprehend the underlying message, I am noticing myself having to do a lot of interpretation and "extra scenes" in my mind this time - to the point I wondered if I was watching a detective show 🤣.

But having said all the above, I echo that I love this show, warts and all. The positive impact the show has brought to its viewers, me included, has been amazing. I will miss the weekly routine of waiting for content anxiously on Thursday, and looking forward to reading comments here the days after. I personally truly hope there will be a S3 or at least some special episodes to tie a even better bow on it, but with or without it, it is still one of the shows that touched me the most emotionally and helped many of us go through a challenging time with inspiring stories and positive energy.

Thank you again!

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I got my comfort right here. Although I am in awe of how brilliantly they showed us the character growth of each (including the supporting characters), I completely think Shin-Lee are still unsure of a future season and they went for a half empty script which although made us, yet leaves the door open for a future story.

I must confess when season 2 started, with wingar deeply in love and SongHwa's rejection, I secretly hoped that the closure of the drama with just these 2 seasons is probably for the best. Season 3 might simply be a drag which essentially will devalue the original concept. But Shin-Lee sure had 3 seasons in mind originally and some puzzles didn't fall into their rightful place.

I'm not even upset although there is a void. The patient stories were the core as always but the couples' stories stemmed from them. GyeoUl's support gave a once and for all break to Jeong-won's dilemma. JunWan becomes a much more empathetic human accepting IkSun with all her flaws. SeokHyung literally found the Ying to his Yang in MinHa. For Iksong, well they just remain best friends in love.

But what I don't get is the built-up of it all. Are we supposed to simply play mind games? Why did we see a build-up of WG proposal? JeongWon sure met GyeoUl's mom since the story took a 4 months leap so are we to assume that he has already proposed? She's going to the US with him so did she say a yes?

There was a long, long angst built for SeokHyung's mom. Her character itself demanded a face-to-face with MinHa. No? Not happening?

Bidulgi was by far the least explored couple for me with too much potential. And JeongWon going to the US? Yep. That was Shin-Lee's way of letting the audience know that the 99s are no more in the same hospital anymore and all have their respective partners to spend time with on weekends now.

But again, life isn't fair, we have to accept somethings with a heavy heart and we got that lesson with the 12th episode.

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I was waiting for this post! Always love reading your thoughts every week and so grateful that you share them with us.

Now that S2 is over, I can say for myself that it felt much less coherent than S1 in terms of its overall arc. What about Daddy Long Legs? Or the VIP cases? I wish we had gotten to see more. But that being said, the strength of the characters and their chemistry with each other really carried through - and in some episodes really shone. The patient stories also had their golden moments. On the topic of lovelines, as much as I love WinterGarden, I'm not really bummed out by the lack of a wedding or other scenes. In fact, I think WinterGarden has been greatly favoured by ShinLee especially when I compare it to the other lovelines, so I don't really think I can complain personally. In fact, I wish there had been less loveline scenes and more patient stories in Ep 12, but that's just me hahaha. Though the way it ended, it just doesn't feel complete without a S3.

Ultimately though, I think ShinLee did a spectacular job in pushing S2 out just a year after S1 given the pressure of Uju growing up, tighter COVID restrictions, adding new residents into the fray etc etc. It was full of heart and it made me glad to be there every step of the way.

More thoughts later, maybe! Also, I'm looking forward to reading your future posts! Have a good rest of weekend!

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Now i read all of your comments it kind of make sense even shinlee was pressured with public opinion and how story shld go on. I saw a soompi comment where it mentioned that lack of s3 might becuz of burntout of shinlee. That maybe true too. And if by chance they planned s2 with s3 in mind, i think s2 would have been more better. As i remember shinpd totally gave us negative hints about s3 if you can remember their s2 presscon, he said he isn't planning s3 for now and i thought they will change and didn't mind it much but now it makes sense too. Maybe even since then they wanted to end s2 to have a big much needed rest and time for creativity.

Iam always reminding myself hp isn't a romcom and wg isn't the only couple. But still i thought shinlee was good enough to give them justice. Even if jeongwon's love language isn't words, he would one day or another tell her he loves her right?(before marriage or proposal). This time too it was gyeoul who said "saranghanan saram/ person i love" and i was like "jeongwon, when will you tell her that too." Idk why shinlee thought jeongwon saying it isn't something peak in their story cuz for me it matters the most even more than a wedding. My guesses for a wedding in ep12 was less than 30%, cuz hp isn't reply series so i knew they wouldn't take that end. They rarely go away from hospital premises and even when they do they come back right away or only one will get to go.

What really broke me was lack of confession from jeongwon, he is the only hosplay boy who didn't confess verbally to his gf. *sobs*

For me US moving was a big shot from the back. Why jeongwon is the one who always have the biggest plot twists. Lol in s1e12 he kissed gyeoul, biggest twist the whole season, now he drops his plan to move with gyeoul, next biggest twist. Songhwa also had the same move in s1 end guess this is a hint for us that s3 will come.?. Lol now i give up seeing hints even if they are so obvious.

As a wg or any shipper of hosplay i think the sad part is we don't get to see their povs a lot. And iam also sure jeongwon wouldn't bring gyeoul along him for nothing, gyeoul might have liked studying or finishing her residency abroad so they both decided for it. Maybe them moving abroad in 4 months is shinlee's way of saying they will get married soon.

Iam sad the possibility i won't see them again on hp world is not higher than 50%.

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Will miss HP, the discussions and the people here big time. Thanks again for doing this. Love reading your reviews and might pickup shows from here😊

As for the last episode, I liked the contrast of life and death as seen from Songhwa’s eyes. It moves you no matter how many years experience you have as a doctor. But that family went through so much with the transplant and heart surgery and finally brain dead.

The mom who lost the baby came back pregnant, yay! Didn’t think Cheon nedded a redemption, well anyways happy for Eun-dam!

I was happy with the patient stories! For the lovelines, I wasn’t too disappointed with the lack of proposal or wedding. But wanted to see Gyeoul’s mother for having brought up two wonderful kids despite her situation. And was looking forward to JW meeting her, would have been as lovely as GU coming up to meet Rosa. As we say in this side of the world, marriage is between families too! And the move to the US - could have shown the talk and what GU was planning to do.

Yes, loved Gyeoul being the stoic support for JW, was wanting this since S2 beginning given our emotional JW.

Junwan - the sweet heart he has become, from him needing Jae-hak to him becoming his support system! Ik-sun had the most impact on me considering the lesser amount of scenes she was in!

Though I get that it seemed rushed and some things are still left hanging, HP is leaps and bounds ahead in quality and in the message it sends( not using past sense yet😇) I am singing high praise here, but this belongs to the league of free open source content for the world, if there is something as that!

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Sep 18, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Honestly, if I removed all the emotion of a fan out of it, especially as a fan of any particular lifeline, I think they did a good job.

A series has a lot of factors that go into the making some we can read about, others we can guess, some others we can infer however the multitude of factors that lead to the final product will always be behind the scenes and how much ever we see behind the scenes footage as viewers we cannot 100 percent comprehend what it took to make it. Broadly there are budgets to manage, actor schedules to shuffle, locations and sets to manage, all this further complicated by the pandemic. After managing all this everything has to go as per plan, the script has to be written well and the actors have to deliver true to the character and script, the director and production team has to make sure that the actors bring the script to life. After this comes in the ratings, commercial viability and how much focus remains on series and steaming platforms like Netflix after a year or so when people possibly we return to lives not as much impacted by the pandemic or hopefully opre pandemic normalcy. So there was possibly the sword hanging over their heads of the uncertainty of season 3. And then there are audience expectations. There would also be the original story that the director and writer wanted to cover.

With all the factors looming I think they did justice to the characters keeping them on the path that they charted out at the beginning and stayed true to the character sketch on most counts. Also to make season 2 a success is no mean feat by itself since season 1 was a hefty mountain to live up to.

Thank you Team hospital Playlist . Each member contributed and did well. The final product speaks volumes of their strife and struggle and the heart poured into it.

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Sep 19, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

I'll come back and write more, but thank you 40somethingahjumma and everyone in this community for being part of my Hospital Playlist 2 watch journey. I'm happy with the ending and sad that it's ended (never had my eyes leaked so much pre- last episode of a drama before. And I had another crying fit yesterday after seeing the last ep BTS clip). But... More later. Looking forward to reading all your thoughts :)

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Sep 20, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

Your review sums up my thoughts about this episode, despite its flaws it's a great medical drama.

I watch some reviews by doctors they explained the OR scenes are so well made that it's actually look like real operations they also love the patients stories and the messages the drama . In the end if the whole drama while it's not perfect (does that even exist ?) is well written. Of course some storylines are weaker than others for instance I'm still confused by Bidulgi storyline.

But you're right Junwan progression has been great and his relationship with Jaehak is one the great success of the drama. Not many people talk about it but i also think the Lee siblings relationship is really interesting, two extroverts who have difficulties to communicate with each other, i notice that Ikjun who is often right about people is most of the time wrong or off timings with his own sister .

I really wonder if with covid restrictions there some storylines which had to be rewritten or completely dropped, it would be interesting to have an interview of the writer, i doubt she's completely satisfied with everything they done or how it look on screen.

Wintergarden is my favourite couple and i really love theirs story from s2 episode 1 to episode 10.My hunch is since there is no confirmation for S3, they couldn't do what they originally planned for WG with two episodes left. Even if i love theirs scenes in this episode i think a scene we're they talk about going to US was needed (maybe it was cut out...). I have no problem with this storyline, whatever WG is doing they do it together now, but it was quite sudden.

Sending Jeongwon to the US for 1 year is also a way to put things on "hold" that's why I'm not really sad like you i don't think ShinLee is done with the franchise and i truly hope for a season 3.

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Sep 22, 2021Liked by 40somethingahjumma

As a fellow fan of WinterGarden, I’m so happy that you find the stairwell scene as significant as I did. You managed to put into words exactly how I feel about the whole scene. Admittedly, after the honeymoon phase of WinGar, I never felt that AJW and JGW at equal footing hence there was a hint of awkwardness for the lack of better word to the relationship. But the stairwell scene put everything to rest and although we did not get a proposal, that scene is enough to convince me they are in it for the long run.

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