Resident Playbook (2025) 언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의생활
Directed by Lee Min-soo, starring Go Youn-jung as Oh Yi-young, Jung Joon-won as Ku Do-won, Shin Si-ah as Pyo Nam-kyung, Kang You-seok as Um Jae-il, Han Ye-ji as Kim Sa-bi, Lee Bong-ryun as Seo Jeong-min.
Watched 7 - 12 February 2026 — 12 episodes (NETFLIX)
*Finally decided to watch this medical series, a spin-off of Hospital Playlist. Set at the Jongno branch of Yulje Medical Center, the series depicts the lives and friendships of young obstetrics and gynaecology residents. Focus is on first-year ob/gyn resident Oh Yi-young, played by Go Youn-jung (from Moving and the recently watched Can This Love Be Translated?). I like her very much.
*Since I love Hospital Playlist, I had expected to enjoy this spin-off too, and I did. Very much so. Apart from Oh Yi-young, 3 other first-year residents share the spotlight: Pyo Nam-kyung, Um Jae-il, and Kim Sa-bi. I think the characterisation of the four residents is done really well. They all have their different traits and quirks, and sufficient time is spent on the development and growth of these characters.
*I love the character arc of Oh Yi-young! She's a reluctant resident (former drop-out) and forced to do her residency in order to pay off her debts. I love how she acts and talks hesitantly when it concerns medical stuff, insecure of herself, but when push comes to shove and she has to deliver (literally, as in child delivery), she pulls it off. She acts quickly and is braver and more courageous than she thinks she is. She looks moody and apathetic, but she has a sense of duty, is empathic and cares about her patients.
*I knew there was some romance incorporated but I had expected a hint at and not a real romance. I was surprised in a good way. I had never seen actor Jung Joon-won before, playing Ku Do-won (fourth-year and chief resident of ob/gyn department), and I like him. I love the romance between him and Oh Yi-young. They are so adorable together. Still, the handholding, the dropping of honorifics, being shy at the thought of being alone together at the apartment — I know it's an exaggerated romantic style K-dramas have developed (and I'm all for cute and restraint, heartfluttering longing and eye contact, building of romantic tension) but at times I get a bit antsy when adults in love act as shy teenagers.
*I love episode 7 where it looks like Yi-young has to lead an operation and she's scared. The pediatrics resident and anesthesia resident are so sweet and supportive, saying "we're all here". It was just heartwarming. But then Ku Do-won comes to the rescue and all is well. This incident made Yi-young bond with the anesthesia resident (Kim Yi-joon as Ham Dong-ho) and it made Do-won jealous. I was glad they didn't make this a love triangle and Dong-ho was smart enough to know he didn't stand a chance.
*I like Lee Bong-ryun as professor Seo Jeong-min, nicknamed The Witch. She's maybe a bit stern but never a witch, and becomes likeable very quickly. I love the scene where they are operating and performing a delivery and professor Seo asks Yi-young to do the surgical suture. Yi-young acts reluctantly but professor Seo and Do-won support and trust her, so she does the job.
*Fortunately no villains or corrupt higher-ups. The most 'villainous' characters are Kim Hye-in as Myung Eun-won (I hated how she treated Do-won and that he was such a pushover and didn't stand up for himself) and Lee Hyun-kyun as professor Jo Jun-mo.
*I love Lee Chang-hoon as professor Ryu Jae-hwi and how he stood up for Kim Sa-bi against professor Jo. He was also funny in wanting to be funny.
*I liked the rivalry between professor Seo and professor Kong (played by Son Ji-yoon, seen her in The First Responders — Season 2).
*We definitely need a second season, to follow the story of our now second-year residents! I want to see more of Um Jae-il and Kim Sa-bi as a romantic couple. And will romance blossom between Pyo Nam-kyung and the intern Tak Gi-on (played by Cha Kang-yoon, seen him in Head over Heels)? Or will Nam-kyung meet someone else? I like Nam-kyung, so I hope she'll find happiness in the love department.
*A big bonus is the cameos of our beloved cast of Hospital Playlist. My fave cameos are those from Jo Jung-suk as Lee Ik-jun and Jeon Mi-do as Chae Song-hwa. They are so cute together!