It’s no big secret that I’m someone who thinks the Hospital Playlist is as good as ever and in essence, nothing’s really changed and as far as I’m concerned it is still a wonderful work of art that is a fascinating exercise in minimalist storytelling.
Hello, I love your reflections. When I found your blog, I have enjoyed each of your posts. I'm on the other side of the world and I love this drama. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this much-needed palate cleanser re: romance and much-appreciated take on Ik-jun's Cupid tendencies! I agree with EVERYTHING! ~ Esp. that the authors are "ridiculuosly generous" this season and that Jun-wan is a noble idiot in his own right <3
I always appreciate your feedback and encouragement dear. I can't say enough that you and some others have contributed so much to the blog in recent times.
Hello. I found this blog by chance a few months ago looking for something to fill the void while waiting for season 2. And I can't thank you enough for all the insights you have posted since Season 1 up to now and I know I will always be waiting for your new posts. Thank you for giving us another space to exchange thoughts about this drama. I enjoy reading the comments too, as much as I enjoy reading your posts. Cheers everyone!
When I first watch HP a few months ago, I admit was a bit underwhelmed. When I saw Jo Jeong Suk in Oh My Ghost, I rewatched HP and had a much better appreciation of it to the point that I have watched it at least 10 times. Hahahahaha! :)
When I rewatched HP, I saw the nuances, the symbolisms, the subtleties and I realized what a gem this series is.
I have only watched 4 KDramas to date and my favorite is What's Wrong with Secretary Kim because of how much trope and fan service the series gave.
But HP is on a different level altogether because it showed me the power of storytelling not just in words but in visuals. The OB-gyne hallway scene (with the miscarriage) took my breath away.
I love that romance is neatly integrated in the stories and how each patient story mirrors or serves as contrast to the lives of our favorite doctors. It's not romance for romance's sake but to enhance other stories and that's what makes HP such a treat to watch.
This is why I only go to Twitter for screencaps rather than discussions because I feel that some viewers have veered away from what the intent of PD is. I've even read complaints that Jeong-Won should have been partnered with Song-Hwa. Hahahahaha! I mean, if that's what they want, then I think writing fanfic themselves would help their dreams come true.
Mr. Fix-It Ik-Jun will definitely try to fix her sister's illness. As for the possibility of Ik-Jun playing a reconciliatory role for Ik-Sun and Jun-Wan, maybe this is another character development we will see in the next episode. We've seen that Ik-Jun can get angry. Will we see another side of Ik-Jun next episode?
I'm not sure I entirely understand the impulse to pair Jeong-won up with Song-hwa. While they might have some things in common, she comes across as being older than he is not just chronologically either. He's more like a little brother to her. Besides, they've had 20 years to get their act together. Moreover it wasn't Song-hwa who stopped him from going into the priesthood. I personally don't know how this pairing would add to the drama in terms of character development or the overall messaging.
It seems to me that perhaps Ik-jun would be the one to sort this out, if indeed they're meant to be together for the long haul.
That is so tactful, lol. You say "impulse" where I would say "borderline obsession". :) While it's been an interesting experience getting acquainted with the numerous, numerous theories on the topic, I agree that the main argument against this pairing is that Song-hwa wasn't the reason why Jeong-won stayed with the hospital. Though seeing them developing the DLL project together is really cool.
Haha! Oh dear, yes I agree with you that "borderline obsession" is the term that comes to my mind... I fell down a rabbit hole while searching for different drama discussions and analysis and ended up at a blog that was all about the Jwon x Shwa pairing and their theories. Like some others have mentioned, I started to wonder if we were all watching the same kdrama.
It took me some time to warm up to HP too, to be honest. I skipped a lot during my first watch, and I can't even tell you, which plotline held my attention then (def not the romance). I got hooked with the "Min-ha is having a very bad day and dissing her professor somewhat helps" story first - that was very close to my heart somehow. And Captain Ahn was a favorite. And the angles. The angles are to die for, I live for this kind of detail. Then I did a rewatch just for that, and it gets better and better. An exquisite drama - and I watched a lot of those during the lockdown. So happy I stumbled upon this wonderful blog and can enjoy HP in real-time with a great company!
(Speaking of things they never showed us (so far), my personal wish was to see that conversation between Min-ha and Seok-hyeong when he told her that he wasn't interested in dating. Now that would be interesting... for all his introvert tendencies, Seok-hyeong has the clearest personal boundaries among the Lacking 5.)
When I first watched Episode 2 of S1, I really struggled with it but as the show progressed I became very fond of the residents. When I go back and watch it now I see the entire episode in a completely different light. And Chi-hong... sometimes I feel like writing to the showrunners and demand that they bring him back. ;)
I remember reading a comment that if only Ik-jun has his own Ik-jun, then it would have worked out by now with Song Hwa. That statement is a testament to his inssa cupid skills.
With regards to Bidulgi couple, I'm still not over that noble idiocy route of Iksun, such a letdown of her character. But Junwan's was also a letdown coz he was also not very open with his communication with Iksun, he was holding back. Since we see it from his perspective, I can really feel the hesitancy and holding back.
Let's hope the authors plan to dissect and kill the noble idiocy trope in the most ruthless and efficient way! (3 more days to go). Yeah, Ik-jun could really use an Ik-jun here ) But what can you do? The only other person with this kind of skill in Yulje is Song-hwa :)
Agree. I love hospital dramas for the sake of hospital drama or in other words the happenings in the hospital, with patients and how doctors do the very important work that they do and take the critical life saving decisions- its always fascinating to me as a non medical civilian. Each of us would have experienced health issues with self and loved ones and prayed for a miracle. I remember my mom once saying if you need a perspective on life, go visit a hospital. Also I like that HP touches on topics that like miscarriage is not a disease, the one on c-section and many others. Of course the story of min-chan and eun-ji and their moms moved all of us.
Also a professor can still learn a thing or two from his resident be it talking to patients or sns.
Romance naturally shown as just one part of their lives is realistic.
Coming to the bidulgi couple, I too hope they show that the relationship can be saved and they both put the work into it
if not this season atleast in the next or towards the end of S2.
Okay- I had to say this somewhere, I am not on any sns - I don’t believe Ikjun wasn’t aware-a person who can predict when people are going to enter the room, didn’t figure out ‘Bidulgi’ call to Junwan during their dinner ride in S1 was Ik-sun..ha ha.
That was what I thought too. I was convinced he knew about Ik-sun and Jun-wan until this last episode. Now I'm not sure of anything in that regard. :D
I am super fond of medical dramas. I've been watching them since I don't know when. I used to watch a lot Japanese medical dramas because they are so good at making surgery scenes really exciting. I was often on the edge of my seat!
The most famous one is probably Team Medical Dragon or Iryu. It's based off a manga and that should give you an idea of what to expect. It's partly a superhero story and partly about team building. There 4 seasons in all. The Team Batista franchise is more of a medical murder mystery drama. I like the second season Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen the most. Especially because it has my one of my favourite actors Nishijima Hidetoshi in it. Code Blue was good. I'm not a fan of Dr X but a lot of people seem to like it. I liked Doctors: Saikyou no Meii as well. These are all probably really old now. I haven't caught any recent ones. Too busy with K and C dramas.
Hai, it's been a while i've becoming a silent reader, but i just can't stand to say how much i appreciate your work. I mean you always give us insightful thoughts and never judge any particular scene or character that some of us maybe disagree or not find of it. Instead you give us another point of view that we should think about whenever or if ever we meet the case in our life. That goes along with my thought on what we should do before judging something. Anyway thank you so much for your writings along with the beautiful words that you choose. I get to learn new words from it, cause english is not my first language.
Haha that's good because it warms my heart as a TESOL teacher.
Thank you for making yourself known to me and all the kind words. Maybe it's because I'm a writer too that I feel a certain obligation to be fair to the showrunners. I don't think anyone sets out to make a bad drama and it's always important IMO to put the best spin on things before assuming the worst.
I agree with you, that no dramas are made up to be bad for us the viewer. And that's what i like from kdrama, that they always give us something to learn, something to watch (altough sometimes there's cultural difference but that's not the essence), specially hospital playlist, the drama that we all love. Always waiting for your new insightful thoughts about this drama. Please be safe and healthy.
Hello, I love your reflections. When I found your blog, I have enjoyed each of your posts. I'm on the other side of the world and I love this drama. Thanks for sharing.
Hi. Thank you for swinging by and leaving behind a comment. Don't be a stranger and post whatever thoughts you have of the drama.
I'm very blessed to have attracted such well-mannered, thoughtful readers who are willing to interact.
Thank you for this much-needed palate cleanser re: romance and much-appreciated take on Ik-jun's Cupid tendencies! I agree with EVERYTHING! ~ Esp. that the authors are "ridiculuosly generous" this season and that Jun-wan is a noble idiot in his own right <3
I always appreciate your feedback and encouragement dear. I can't say enough that you and some others have contributed so much to the blog in recent times.
This has everything to do with you being a most gracious host :)
Hello. I found this blog by chance a few months ago looking for something to fill the void while waiting for season 2. And I can't thank you enough for all the insights you have posted since Season 1 up to now and I know I will always be waiting for your new posts. Thank you for giving us another space to exchange thoughts about this drama. I enjoy reading the comments too, as much as I enjoy reading your posts. Cheers everyone!
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us. Appreciate the comment.
When I first watch HP a few months ago, I admit was a bit underwhelmed. When I saw Jo Jeong Suk in Oh My Ghost, I rewatched HP and had a much better appreciation of it to the point that I have watched it at least 10 times. Hahahahaha! :)
When I rewatched HP, I saw the nuances, the symbolisms, the subtleties and I realized what a gem this series is.
I have only watched 4 KDramas to date and my favorite is What's Wrong with Secretary Kim because of how much trope and fan service the series gave.
But HP is on a different level altogether because it showed me the power of storytelling not just in words but in visuals. The OB-gyne hallway scene (with the miscarriage) took my breath away.
I love that romance is neatly integrated in the stories and how each patient story mirrors or serves as contrast to the lives of our favorite doctors. It's not romance for romance's sake but to enhance other stories and that's what makes HP such a treat to watch.
This is why I only go to Twitter for screencaps rather than discussions because I feel that some viewers have veered away from what the intent of PD is. I've even read complaints that Jeong-Won should have been partnered with Song-Hwa. Hahahahaha! I mean, if that's what they want, then I think writing fanfic themselves would help their dreams come true.
Mr. Fix-It Ik-Jun will definitely try to fix her sister's illness. As for the possibility of Ik-Jun playing a reconciliatory role for Ik-Sun and Jun-Wan, maybe this is another character development we will see in the next episode. We've seen that Ik-Jun can get angry. Will we see another side of Ik-Jun next episode?
I look forward to this.
Thank you again for your thoughtful essay.
I'm not sure I entirely understand the impulse to pair Jeong-won up with Song-hwa. While they might have some things in common, she comes across as being older than he is not just chronologically either. He's more like a little brother to her. Besides, they've had 20 years to get their act together. Moreover it wasn't Song-hwa who stopped him from going into the priesthood. I personally don't know how this pairing would add to the drama in terms of character development or the overall messaging.
It seems to me that perhaps Ik-jun would be the one to sort this out, if indeed they're meant to be together for the long haul.
That is so tactful, lol. You say "impulse" where I would say "borderline obsession". :) While it's been an interesting experience getting acquainted with the numerous, numerous theories on the topic, I agree that the main argument against this pairing is that Song-hwa wasn't the reason why Jeong-won stayed with the hospital. Though seeing them developing the DLL project together is really cool.
Haha! Oh dear, yes I agree with you that "borderline obsession" is the term that comes to my mind... I fell down a rabbit hole while searching for different drama discussions and analysis and ended up at a blog that was all about the Jwon x Shwa pairing and their theories. Like some others have mentioned, I started to wonder if we were all watching the same kdrama.
It took me some time to warm up to HP too, to be honest. I skipped a lot during my first watch, and I can't even tell you, which plotline held my attention then (def not the romance). I got hooked with the "Min-ha is having a very bad day and dissing her professor somewhat helps" story first - that was very close to my heart somehow. And Captain Ahn was a favorite. And the angles. The angles are to die for, I live for this kind of detail. Then I did a rewatch just for that, and it gets better and better. An exquisite drama - and I watched a lot of those during the lockdown. So happy I stumbled upon this wonderful blog and can enjoy HP in real-time with a great company!
(Speaking of things they never showed us (so far), my personal wish was to see that conversation between Min-ha and Seok-hyeong when he told her that he wasn't interested in dating. Now that would be interesting... for all his introvert tendencies, Seok-hyeong has the clearest personal boundaries among the Lacking 5.)
Anne, we share the same sentiments! <3 I think we both agree, as well, that HP is like wine. It gets better with age (or after rewatch). <3
When I first watched Episode 2 of S1, I really struggled with it but as the show progressed I became very fond of the residents. When I go back and watch it now I see the entire episode in a completely different light. And Chi-hong... sometimes I feel like writing to the showrunners and demand that they bring him back. ;)
I remember reading a comment that if only Ik-jun has his own Ik-jun, then it would have worked out by now with Song Hwa. That statement is a testament to his inssa cupid skills.
With regards to Bidulgi couple, I'm still not over that noble idiocy route of Iksun, such a letdown of her character. But Junwan's was also a letdown coz he was also not very open with his communication with Iksun, he was holding back. Since we see it from his perspective, I can really feel the hesitancy and holding back.
Thanks again (as always) for your thoughts on HP.
Let's hope the authors plan to dissect and kill the noble idiocy trope in the most ruthless and efficient way! (3 more days to go). Yeah, Ik-jun could really use an Ik-jun here ) But what can you do? The only other person with this kind of skill in Yulje is Song-hwa :)
Agree. I love hospital dramas for the sake of hospital drama or in other words the happenings in the hospital, with patients and how doctors do the very important work that they do and take the critical life saving decisions- its always fascinating to me as a non medical civilian. Each of us would have experienced health issues with self and loved ones and prayed for a miracle. I remember my mom once saying if you need a perspective on life, go visit a hospital. Also I like that HP touches on topics that like miscarriage is not a disease, the one on c-section and many others. Of course the story of min-chan and eun-ji and their moms moved all of us.
Also a professor can still learn a thing or two from his resident be it talking to patients or sns.
Romance naturally shown as just one part of their lives is realistic.
Coming to the bidulgi couple, I too hope they show that the relationship can be saved and they both put the work into it
if not this season atleast in the next or towards the end of S2.
Okay- I had to say this somewhere, I am not on any sns - I don’t believe Ikjun wasn’t aware-a person who can predict when people are going to enter the room, didn’t figure out ‘Bidulgi’ call to Junwan during their dinner ride in S1 was Ik-sun..ha ha.
That was what I thought too. I was convinced he knew about Ik-sun and Jun-wan until this last episode. Now I'm not sure of anything in that regard. :D
I am super fond of medical dramas. I've been watching them since I don't know when. I used to watch a lot Japanese medical dramas because they are so good at making surgery scenes really exciting. I was often on the edge of my seat!
Any recommendations on Japanese medical dramas?
The most famous one is probably Team Medical Dragon or Iryu. It's based off a manga and that should give you an idea of what to expect. It's partly a superhero story and partly about team building. There 4 seasons in all. The Team Batista franchise is more of a medical murder mystery drama. I like the second season Team Batista 2: General Rouge no Gaisen the most. Especially because it has my one of my favourite actors Nishijima Hidetoshi in it. Code Blue was good. I'm not a fan of Dr X but a lot of people seem to like it. I liked Doctors: Saikyou no Meii as well. These are all probably really old now. I haven't caught any recent ones. Too busy with K and C dramas.
Thank you❤️
Hai, it's been a while i've becoming a silent reader, but i just can't stand to say how much i appreciate your work. I mean you always give us insightful thoughts and never judge any particular scene or character that some of us maybe disagree or not find of it. Instead you give us another point of view that we should think about whenever or if ever we meet the case in our life. That goes along with my thought on what we should do before judging something. Anyway thank you so much for your writings along with the beautiful words that you choose. I get to learn new words from it, cause english is not my first language.
Haha that's good because it warms my heart as a TESOL teacher.
Thank you for making yourself known to me and all the kind words. Maybe it's because I'm a writer too that I feel a certain obligation to be fair to the showrunners. I don't think anyone sets out to make a bad drama and it's always important IMO to put the best spin on things before assuming the worst.
I agree with you, that no dramas are made up to be bad for us the viewer. And that's what i like from kdrama, that they always give us something to learn, something to watch (altough sometimes there's cultural difference but that's not the essence), specially hospital playlist, the drama that we all love. Always waiting for your new insightful thoughts about this drama. Please be safe and healthy.