Life (2018) 라이프
Directed by Hong Jong-chan and Im Hyun-wook, written by Lee Soo-yeon, and starring Cho Seung-woo as Koo Seung-hyo, Lee Dong-wook as Ye Jin-woo, Won Jin-ah as Lee No-eul, Lee Kyu-hyung as Ye Seon-woo, Yoo Jae-myung as Joo Kyung-moon, Moon So-ri as Oh Se-hwa.
Watched 12 - 19 February 2026 — 16 episodes (NETFLIX)
*From the same writer as Stranger, this show, with minimal medical scenes and focus on the business side of the profession (cutting costs & making profits), is enjoyable but unfortunately gets a bit messy, at least for me. I finished it within a week.
*I love Cho Seung-woo (he has become one of my fave actors) but never sought out this show because I thought he played the antagonist/villain. Then I read online that underneath his character's cold exterior is a different man. The blogger also mentioned the easy banter and interactions between him and Won Jin-ah (as Lee No-eul) and how his eyes light up when he's with her. I'm glad I knew these things beforehand.
*Cho Seung-woo plays Koo Seung-hyo, the new president/CEO of Sangkook University Hospital. Being set up as a ruthless business man, only thinking of making the hospital profitable and initially planning on relocating three money-losing departments to rural areas, it's immediately clear whose side we are supposed to take. But I didn't really like the chief doctors of the various departments (except for Yoo Jae-myung as dr. Joo Kyung-moon), and Cho Seung-woo makes his character already early on likeable. He's appointed by the Chairman of Hwajeong Group (played by Jung Moon-sung, the likeable doctor from Hospital Playlist) and is seemingly just following orders.
*The series does a good job of gradually showing positive traits of Koo Seung-hyo's character. It's really showing instead of telling, small things that are illustrative of his character. I liked how he stands up for his secretary when someone makes a remark about her weight, and how he helped the old man with his wood pile (despite having an ulterior motive). I LOVE the dog shelter episode and how cute Seung-hyo is when he brings the dog home, and his interactions with his parents.
*Around episode 10, the plot becomes more complicated and intense, with more intrigue surrounding the hospital's corporate politics. There is a tonal shift, and the series showed thriller elements. I was confused and didn't get everything. It also showed Seung-hyo's cold and corporate side when he fired the doctors, apparently without any scruples. I was hoping he'd have his own agenda to take the corporation down because I didn't like how he made people hate him through his actions.
*Ye Jin-woo, the main character, an emergency medicine specialist, comes off really poorly. For me, actor Lee Dong-wook doesn't stand a chance next to Cho Seung-woo. And his character is not very engaging, a bit uninteresting, especially in contrast with Koo Seung-hyo. It's totally understandable that Lee No-eul is attracted to/intrigued by Seung-hyo. Jin-woo fared a bit better as the series progressed and I like him in his interactions with his brother (Lee Kyu-hyung as Ye Seon-woo, another great performance from this actor) and how he cares about him and stands up for him. Actually, it feels as if this subplot is from another drama, and I would have loved this to be a story on its own. I also found the flashback scenes, where Jin-woo reminisced about the deceased director Lee (who embezzled government money), to be emotional.
*Jin-woo's relationship with the female reporter was unexpected. It was the first time that he really smiled (most of the time he has a stoic face) and it was sweet.
*For two male leads (Jin-woo and Seung-hyo), who are on opposite sides, there's surprisingly little interaction and not a real antagonistic relationship. It was remarkable how Jin-woo's brother at one point had a long talk with Seung-hyo, while Jin-woo and Seung-hyo had barely spoken to each other. In episode 14, Jin-woo and Seung-hyo had a real confrontation for the first time. Finally!
*I love Moon So-ri in When Life Gives You Tangerines, but her role here as Oh Se-hwa, Chief of the Neurosurgery Department and later the hospital's director, is not very likeable, initially. But I liked her better towards the end and I also like her sparring with Seung-hyo — they are well matched.
*I felt for Sunwoo Chang (played by Tae In-ho), coordinator at the Transplant Center. He seemed miserable all the time, and it was no surprise he hated his job. It must be really hard to deal with organ donor and confront the families of the deceased. I think he liked nurse Kim Eun-ha from the Emergency Department but she didn't treat him nicely and I didn't really like her.
*Love Seung-hyo's secretary, Manager Kang (I saw the actrice Yeom Hye-ran in When Life Gives You Tangerines but didn't recognise her here), and her banter with Seung-hyo. Also love how she treats Jin-woo's brother and her relationship with No-eul.
*The series has a stellar cast with many familiar faces. Kim Won-hae plays the Chief of the Emergency Department, Ahn Eun-jin is the beauty clinic employee, and there's a nice cameo of Lee Joon-hyuk as the new hospital president (with a nod to Stranger where he starred with Cho Seung-woo).
*What's with the ominous, suspenseful background music all the time?
*The ending is not completely satisfying. There's no neat tied-up bow, things stay murky and unexplained, and the suicide/murder of director Lee stays unresolved. Also, I would have loved for Chairman of Hwajeong Group to be punished, but his power stays intact.
*I love Jin-woo taking his brother on a boat trip and how he finally lets go of his imaginary brother in the water, it was beautiful and poignant. I also welcomed the happy ending of Koo Seung-hyo and Lee No-eul. Even though the actors don't make the most believable pair, I love Cho Seung-woo, and just to see him get some romance in any series makes me happy.