Hospital Playlist
Disclaimer: This is one of our “Christian-Adjacent” reviews for media that may not be explicitly Christian but was either created by a Christian or holds enough Biblical values to warrant a review here at Brainy Pixel. As with any story created by human hands, there may be some parts of it that are unbiblical, but it has been screened to ensure that it does not glorify sin as one of its main themes.
Summary
Hospital Playlist is a 2020 South Korean drama that follows the friendships of 5 doctors in their 40s working at the Yulje Medical Center. This quintet of doctors — a neurologist, liver transplant specialist, OB/GYN, cardiologist, and pediatric specialist — have been friends since medical school and after reconnecting at Yulje, they decided to form a garage band as a hobby.
Each of the doctors have distinct personalities and roles to fill in the group dynamic, keeping things interesting and leading to no shortage of hilarious and heartwarming moments. Each of the 24 episodes is packed with slice-of-life elements, comedic moments, romantic subplots, and enough medical drama to keep things grounded.
Assessment
Hospital Playlist maintains an overarching tone that is upbeat and playful, while taking time for the more serious moments in the lives of the doctors. The slice-of-life elements flow seamlessly with the traumas of working in a hospital and the romantic stories do not take away from the rich friendships that are found throughout cast of characters. At no point does it feel like Hospital Playlist is biting off more than it can chew in terms of genre. It stands as a complete and genuinely heartwarming look at the lives of the main characters.
The biggest reasons that Hospital Playlist has landed itself a review here on SALT are these two:
The example of mature and often selfless friendships.
The pro-life stance.
What makes Hospital Playlist so different from other shows is that it portrays friendships where the people — get this — actually like each other. There are no friendships of convenience, or friendships solely by proximity; the five main doctors actually enjoy each other’s company and spending time together. And it is selfless! When one of the doctors is having a hard time, the others crowd around to offer support. When one of the doctors has had something good happen, the others cheer and celebrate with them. They also work to navigate disagreements like adults [with a few exceptions for pretend arguments and fights] and treat one another with genuine love and respect.
Working at the hospital with an OB/GYN in the friend group, the plots involving pregnancies — including ones that are high-risk or perceived high-risk — are a significant feature. In a few of the cases where the mother is in a tricky health situation, abortion is mentioned as an option. However, the OB/GYN’s goal is to ensure that is unnecessary. He works to save both of the mother and the child, so abortion is never used in the actual plot. On the pediatrics (and cardiologic) side of things, the value of children as human beings is fully acknowledged and realized. Even the smallest of premature babies are given the utmost care by the doctors.
Light-o-Meter
Writing: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Filmmaking: 7 out of 7 Little Lights
Theological Message: N/A
Age-Appropriateness: Appropriate for at least young teens and older; some semi-graphic medical procedures and surgeries are displayed.
Cleanliness: Occasional cussing, but nothing severe. Some kissing, but no sex scenes.
Overall: 6 out of 7 Little Lights
Talk
This has been one of my Top 10 kdramas since I first watched it, and nothing has budged it from that well-earned spot. The characters are amazing and perfectly casted, the stories are rich and delightful, with plenty of excellent examples in mature ways to handle tricky situations. Even the few, light love triangles that could so easily blow up out of proportion are handled with amazing maturity and kindness.
There is also a real, strong Christian element in the show with the neurologist being Protestant and the pediatric specialist being Catholic, although it does not dive deeply into any theological debates; indeed, the characters’ religions are simply part of who they are, with no overarching message of “this religion over another” or “religion is bad.”
I would say the only area that I feel Hospital Playlist strays into my critique zone is that the characters can occasionally come across as a little too virtuous; a bit perfectly selfless, a bit flawless in how they perform their duties, etc. Now, the characters for certain have their charms and they do not, by any stretch of the imagination, always save the day. They lose patients and their tempers and cause issues for those around them. That keeps the characters from straying too far into the “perfect, flawless” heroes trope.
That said, Hospital Playlist is still a heartwarming delight of a show and breath of fresh air for everyone who is tired of dark and dramatic stories.
Wrap-up
If you are looking for a replacement for all the trashy, immature TV that has been presented in American media over the past few years, look no further than Hospital Playlist. With its heartwarming plots, sweet and mature friendships, and pro-life/pro-children stance, this show is a delight to watch!
Where to Enjoy:
Streaming: Netflix
DVD: Wise Doctor Life Season 1 / Hospital Playlist (Korean Drama, English Sub) https://a.co/d/a5PpBaZ
Disclaimer: This review is for this specific product and this product alone. In no way, shape, or form is this review meant to be an endorsement of the private lives, individual choices, lifestyles, or behaviors of those company(ies), publisher(s), creator(s), producer(s), author(s), artist(s), etc. associated with this product. It is God's sole providence alone to judge, and we make no claim to this right. With our reviews, we're simply looking at the value and merits of this specific product alone through the content and perspective of a Christian worldview. We pray you find it helpful and useful.
