Hospital Playlist has been written by the same writer who wrote "Reply 1988", Lee Woo-jung. The producer is also the same, Shin Won-ho. The work that this combination creates is absolutely fantastic. Hospital Playlist shares a lot of the same vibe of "Reply 1988".
Hospital Playlist does not have a central storyline. Instead, we see the storylines of the 5 main characters, who are all medical doctors in the same hospital, friends, and also musical band mates. There are plenty of smaller subplots that stretch out over multiple episodes, be sure not to miss those. And do not miss the easter eggs or cameos that the creators added that refer to "Reply 1988". This TV drama requires some attention span in the beginning, but once you are suck in their worlds, you will share their heartwarming joy and heartbreaking tears.
Like Reply 1988, we have a group of 5 friends: 4 guys, 1 girl. We get a look in their lives. It is very realistic and funny. All the cast is sublime and excellent. They bring their characters to life in such a wonderful way. Each episode you get a very welcome musical intermezzo near the end when the 5 friends come together to play a song live as a band. The songs they play are older Korean power ballads with strong lyrics that capture perfectly the main feeling of each episode. And there is a running gag of the female neurosurgeon Chae Song-hwa, played wonderfully by Jeon Mi-do, who is tone deaf and does not have a feeling of rhythm, but still wants to be a vocalist. It makes you smile from ear to ear.
I absolutely enjoyed Hospital Playlist, season 1. It is such a wonderful TV drama that is heartwarming and heartbreaking. You get to laugh and to cry. Definitely recommended, get started and watch it!
