Resident Playbook ending explained: Why didn't Hospital Playlist spinoff get a better goodbye?

And that's that. After nearly a month of late-night bingeing, Resident Playbook, the comforting spin-off of Hospital Playlist, aired its final episode on May 18, 2025, leaving fans emotional and demanding more. Set in the Jongno branch of Yulje Medical Center, the series follows four OB-GYN residents—Oh Yi-young (Go Youn-jung), Um Jae-il (Kang You-seok), Pyo Nam-kyung (Shin Si-ah), and Kim Sa-bi (Han Ye-ji), as they navigate the messy, magical journey of medical life and personal growth. Unfortunately, this might be the only season of the show, as Netflix has placed the limited series label on the series. We deserved at least more episodes if not another season, it was a rather quick ending to what promised to be a wholesome show.

Nevertheless, the finale gave us everything. Tears, smiles, growth arcs, romantic tension, and even a near escape from residency thanks to a lottery ticket.

Not quite. Yi-young has been vocal all season: Her OB-GYN gig is a means to repay debt, not a dream job. So when she wins the lottery in the finale, it looks like she's finally getting out, until she, in classic Yi-young fashion, misses the deadline to claim the prize. Back to scrubs and sleepless nights she goes.

Still, her journey comes full circle when she delivers a baby solo for the first time, fulfilling Dr. Seo Jeong-min’s (Lee Bong-ryun) wish.

On New Year’s Day, Gu Do-won surprises Yi-young with a ring. And cue, a sweet moment between the two.

As Sa-bi directly asks if he has feelings for her, Jae-il confesses. Sa-bi, admits she likes him too but stands firm on her personal rule: she needs to know someone for a year before dating them. Even when Jae-il pleads his case, she dashes away. Eh, romcom energy for the win.

Oh tough questions, there. While we got delightful cameos from our original cast, the answer is still up in the air. The original show was so popular that it spawned two seasons, as well, with many fans keen on seeing what their favourite couples are up to. While the future of Resident Playbook seems sealed, there might be a small window of hope for Hospital Playlist. Director Shin Won Ho had earlier explained the pressure for the show. "I gave a similar answer during ‘Hospital Playlist.’ It really all depends on the viewers. If we receive enough feedback and demand, we might consider it. Both the actors and the viewers are pressing us. If we do end up making it, it will probably be because of that stress."