Due to the prolonged medical strike, the scheduling of 'Resident Playbook' has been postponed several times. Although the situation has not yet calmed down, various eyes are focused on the 'Resident Playbook,' which has been decided for release.
On the 10th, a production presentation for tvN's 'Resident Playbook' was held at the Ramada Seoul Sindorim located in Guro District, Seoul. Attendees included Go Youn-jung, Shin Si A, Kang Yoo-seok, Han Ye-ji, Jung Joon-won, creator Shin Won-ho, and director Lee Min-soo.
The new tvN Saturday-Sunday drama 'Resident Playbook' (creator Shin Won-ho, Lee Woo-jung / directed by Lee Min-soo / written by Kim Song-hee / planned by CJ ENM Studios / produced by Egg Is Coming) is a spin-off drama of 'Hospital Playlist', depicting the journey of residents dreaming of a wise doctor's life as they go through a period of adjustment.
'Resident Playbook' is a project featuring Shin Won-ho, the director who hit the screen with tvN's 'Hospital Playlist' series aired in 2020 and 2021, as well as writer Lee Woo-jung. The screenplay is led by writer Kim Song-hee, who participated as an assistant writer on 'Hospital Playlist' and 'Reply 1988', while direction is handled by director Lee Min-soo, who directed 'Stain' and 'Meeting in a Strange Season'.
While 'Hospital Playlist' depicted stories based in Yulje Medical Center, 'Resident Playbook' moves the setting to Waryong Yulje Hospital to portray the lives of obstetrics residents. Actors Go Youn-jung, Shin Si A, Kang Yoo-seok, Han Ye-ji, and Jung Joon-won have been cast as obstetrics residents and have garnered significant attention even before the show's release.
As a result, 'Resident Playbook' was scheduled to premiere in the first half of last year, and it was specifically announced that it was expected to air in May during the 'MEET&GROW 2024' event held by CJENM in January last year.
The issue began in February of the following year when residents from major hospitals collectively resigned, leading to a medical vacuum. Consequently, there was criticism aimed at medical dramas, and opinions towards 'Resident Playbook', which features a protagonist who is a striking resident, were not favorable. Eventually, tvN decided to postpone the airing to the second half of the following year, and instead of 'Resident Playbook', 'Graduation' was set to air as a successor to 'Queen of Tears'.
However, subsequent delays in scheduling continued. 'Thank You' was scheduled to air instead of 'Resident Playbook' as a follow-up to 'Graduation', further pushing back its broadcast. As 'Mom's Friend's Son' and 'Retirement Age' entered the lineup for the second half of the year, the possibility of airing in the current year was effectively canceled. With concerns surrounding the long-term postponement, tvN confirmed the airing of 'Resident Playbook' for April in the major lineup of dramas for 2025 this January.
Having finally found its audience after a long wait, questions directed towards Shin Won-ho and director Lee Min-soo during the production presentation also revolved around the topic of 'prolonged medical strikes.' When related questions arose, Shin Won-ho cautiously responded, "If it weren't for such an environment right now, I wouldn't be here. The friends who directly directed and prepared would have managed to promote it beautifully on their own. Since I am playing a protective role, I end up showing my face more often."
Shin Won-ho revealed, "I was very anxious. To be honest. We were handing in the scripts and filming, and in the middle of filming, such incidents happened. I don't know when this will end, and I still don't know. What we were worried about was one thing. The beautiful stories of young people we prepared should be enjoyed as is by the viewers, but I was concerned that they would be interpreted in a twisted way due to other logic."
"Therefore, we have been discussing and postponing the schedule bit by bit from what was originally planned for last year," he continued. "I don't know. I always say this, but I think it's up to us to create and deliver. Whether viewers criticize or bite down on it, all the perspective of the audience is up to those watching. It seems like we just have to wait for a resolution. If I were the director, I would end my remarks here, but since I am a father, please watch it a lot," he added, emphasizing, "They have all worked really hard. The direction, writing, and acting. They are all just starting, and they made it really fun and beautiful. But it would be heartbreaking if it doesn't get much viewership for some other reason. I won't do this when it's my turn. I hope everyone watches and supports it a lot."
Director Lee Min-soo also conveyed the atmosphere on set due to the impact of the medical strike. "I heard about the medical news around the latter half of the shooting, but surprisingly, it seems the filming atmosphere was not really affected. Both I and the actors were enjoying filming the scripts that had been prepared, and it was somewhat disappointing to see it coming to an end, as we all became close. There weren't any instances where the atmosphere on set was dampened due to any other social issues," he reported.
In particular, the production team clarified the boundary between 'reality' and 'drama.' Addressing voices of concern regarding 'reflection of reality,' Shin Won-ho stated, "This is a common type of question we receive. There's an image that we are focusing on realism, so we get a lot of questions about whether reality and this align. However, we are the team that takes plausible things from reality and transforms them into fiction, filling in the details with realism. It is difficult to reflect everything. After all, creating fictional stories is what drama is about."
"The writer also mentioned during interviews that it would be good to have more residents. It seems that there is a shortage of applicants for surgery covered in the previous series. In a way, many people say we create a fantasy. We are a team that draws what many people desire. If it turns out good and leads to good results, I think that's what matters, rather than what it's called. It seems like it has been structured in line with what we wanted," he added.
Finally, Shin Won-ho noted, "Initially, I thought it would be a younger version of 'Hospital Playlist'. However, after watching the edited version, I realized it was a completely different work. It's truly a fresh youth piece that I haven't seen in a long time. It has been continuously entertaining in a way that is more fascinating than anything I have watched. Please don't miss it and show a lot of love for it."
'Resident Playbook', which has finally seen the light, will reach the hearts of viewers with its beautiful story. It will make its first broadcast on the 12th (Saturday) at 9:10 p.m.
[Photo] OSEN DB / Provided by tvN
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