Resident Playbook, a raw, sweet spin-off to Hospital Playlist: Nostalgia, realism and ramen await K-Drama fans

Different doctors, but the same fresh sweetness.

Resident Playbook, the spinoff from the medical successful drama Hospital Playlist, has kicked off to positive and overwhelmingly nostalgic reactions. While the earlier show focused on raw, complicated cases, the new series delves into the life of a newcomer in the medical field, with glimpses of burnout, exhaustion, and yet, friendships to survive the day.

The story

Set in the Jongno branch of the iconic Yulje Medical Center (sound familiar?), the series zeroes in on a quirky but determined group of OB-GYN residents navigating their first year. With operating rooms, late-night ramen, and friendships held together by sarcasm and shared trauma, these young doctors are out to prove that being last-picked can sometimes mean you're playing the long game.

The lineup

Go Youn-jung as Oh Yi-young: A first-year OB-GYN resident who's figuring it out one patient (and one panic attack) at a time.

Shin Si-ah as Pyo Nam-kyung: Another first-year with a no-nonsense exterior and a heart she pretends not to wear on her sleeve.

Kang You-seok as Um Jae-il: Think charming, a little awkward, and deeply committed to proving he belongs in scrubs.

Han Ye-ji as Kim Sa-bi: The wildcard of the group, juggling intensity and intuition in equal measure.

Jung Joon-won as Goo Do-won: The senior resident with just enough experience to look calm—until things go sideways.

And, we already got a fun guest appearance from Ahn Eun-jin’s  Chu Min-ha, now a confident fourth-year resident and happily married. It just means, we might get more from the original squad of Hospital Playlist.

What fans say

There’s an overpowering sense of nostalgia on the K-Drama timelines, with deep appreciation for the raw, gruelling realism of healthcare workers. Needless to say, there’s a promise of romance too, between Do-won and Yi-young, in the midst of all the medical chaos.

One fan wrote, “Resident playbook may be a spin-off, but it feels like a return to hospital playlist's roots. watching the disorganized and chaotic first-year residents makes you reflect on the unexplored journey of 99z before they became the calm, empathetic, and reliable figures we know.”

Another added, “These really capture the struggles of being a first-year. trying, not knowing, hesitating, afraid of annoying your seniors, wanting to quit, tired and frustrated but also guilty for feeling that way. it’s such a complex, real experience.”