In this podcast episode, absoluteM and I yakked about the final episode of HosPlay S2. We talk about what we like. We respond to criticisms about the season finale and put in our two cents about that and the possibility of a S3. We also managed to sneak in a plug for PD Shin Won-ho’s masterpiece, Prison Playbook.
Apologies about the tapping here and there. It’s probably the teacher in me getting a bit carried away. I don’t think I was firing on all cylinders at the time during the time of recording.
This came out a bit later than I had planned to but all sorts of things came up and this got put in the too hard basket and was almost forgotten.
Recorded on 28 September 2021.
Podcast: Hospital Playlist Season 2 (2021) Part 3
Was just thinking if you already dropped your podcast to close off the end of HP season 2 :)
I think my disappointment in not being able to see Jeongwon's and Gyeoul's conversation about the move to US, overrides the disappointment in not getting their wedding. Like you guys discussed, it's not just the romantic bit but this also involves Gyeoul's career and professional development....Is she following him in the capacity of just a partner or continuing her fellowship in that year as well? Though again like you said, it depends on one's viewing lens... one viewer could be perfectly pleased with the fact that Jeongwon and Gyeoul are still going on strong but another (re: me) wondering if the 1 year in the US involves Gyeoul putting her career on hold in the name of love. I share the same thoughts that ShinLee held back on lots of bits in the hopes that season happens. Overall I am still satisfied with season 2. So many wonderful stories and to me, season 2 was filled with a stronger message of hope and encouragement complete with apt song choices.
Prison Playbook!! I believe I cried far more watching PB than the 2 HP seasons. Indeed brilliant and gave a human side to the people serving their time, and also the people who work in the prison system.
Thanks for taking the time to do this podcase - enjoyed it! After stepping back to review the entire season's narratives, I think WinterGarden did have the most well developed relationship arc, with quite a lot of screen time.... all the way till Ep10. Then they kind of dropped off the radar, and left those few key moments unresolved. The most significant gaps to me were not having a scene with Gyeoul's mum (which would have made the DV plotline more poignant and end on a very positive/healing note), and the proposal (which was talked about way too many times not to have a follow through! And they did tell us that it ends at Season 2...so I'm not holding out for a continuation). I really liked that in Ep12, they chose to give some (precious) screen time to show Gyeoul's progress as a surgeon, which probably fits with ShinLee wishing to show different aspects of their characters (not just as a love interest).
As you both shared, it must have been a painful and difficult decision about what to cull/change so as to wrap things up in the few final episodes, especially if they had plotlines planned for 3 seasons. The writers were probably grieving as much (or more) than us! Overall it's just been a great drama with amazing characters.