The doctors and residents of Memorial Grey Sloan return to ABC at the end of September with new episodes, but to make the wait for the premiere on Disney+ of season 21 of Grey's Anatomy less long, Netflix has the perfect substitute: a South Korean series with drama, romance, touches of humor, and moving moments characteristic of the long-running Shondaland series.

Hospital Playlist tells the story of five surgeons who have been friends since they entered medical school in 1999 and follows their daily work at Yulje Medical Center, their everyday lives, and the friendship that has united them for over 20 years.

When things get tough during patient check-ups and surgeries, they are always there to encourage each other. They are all professionals in their work, but they find time to relax. And for that, they organize music sessions on the nights they have off with their Mido & Parasol group.

The five protagonists

Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung Suk)

He is a doctor and professor of general surgery and hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery. He is the life of the party in the group and in the whole hospital, gets along with everyone, and is very persuasive with patients. He has a daughter, is a single father, and has a great sense of humor.

Ahn Jung-won (Yoo Yeon Seok)

He is a doctor and professor of pediatric surgery and has a lot of heart when it comes to children.

Chae Song-hwa (Jeon Mi Do)

She is a doctor and professor of neurological surgery. She is intelligent, and her genuine compassion sets her apart. She is aware of everything, does her job well, but also knows how important it is to rest and have fun. She is the only girl in the group and is the glue that keeps the boys together.

Kim Jun Wan (Jung Kyung Ho)

Doctor and professor of cardiothoracic surgery who never holds back what he really thinks, so he can sometimes be hurtful, although he also has a soft side.

Yang Seok-hyung (Kim Dae Myung)

Doctor and professor of obstetric and gynecological surgery. At work, he is very considerate with his team, making him very easy to work with. Money doesn't attract him, only music sessions. And variety shows.

Alongside the five friends, there is a cast of supporting characters including nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff, as well as their family members or other close people.

Why you'll like it

Like all Korean dramas, Hospital Playlist also has a nostalgic element and embraces the importance of love for family and friends. It is a series that feels familiar and close, like a happy and safe place to which the viewer knows they can return when they need the refuge of life's simple things, conveying the idea that one must focus on work, but also take care of themselves outside of it.

Despite being best friends for two decades, and having a music group, the five protagonists maintain professionalism at work. When not wearing the white coat, they sing, dance, go out to dinner, confess their love, but within the hospital walls they take their work seriously. I also liked that the medical jargon was well explained for those new to the field and did not feel overwhelming.

Just like in Grey's Anatomy, here romance is not lacking either, and although they don't lock themselves in restrooms to relieve stress with sex, there is a lot of romance.

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence