Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung, creators of "Hospital Playlist," are set to unveil "Resident Playbook" after a prolonged scheduling delay. However, the cause of the scheduling delay, the "medical strike," continues, raising ongoing concerns.
The new tvN drama "Resident Playbook" (creators 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 set to premiere on April 12. It is a spin-off of "Hospital Playlist," depicting the journey of residents dreaming of a "Seulgi"-like medical life as they grow through their initial challenges.
"Resident Playbook" was originally scheduled as a follow-up to last year's tvN drama "Queen of Tears," but its release was pushed to the second half of the year due to the medical strike issue. However, even after the delay, the strike continued, and "Resident Playbook" was not included in the lineup announced by tvN for this year.
After a long wait, "Resident Playbook" is set to debut on April 12, finally giving viewers a chance to meet the show. Regarding this, creator Shin Won-ho noted at a press conference on the 10th, "If it weren't for the current environment, I wouldn't be here today. The friends I directed and prepared would have promoted it beautifully on their own. As a caretaker, I often find myself stepping forward," expressing his concerns regarding the strike situation.
Shin Won-ho said, "I was anxious. To be honest, we had completed the script and began shooting when this situation occurred. I don't know when it will end, and I still don't. We are worried about one thing: that the beautiful stories of the young individuals we prepared must be seen joyfully by viewers, rather than being misinterpreted through a different logic."
He added, "So we've been discussing and postponing the release a bit more than originally planned. I don't know. As I always say, our role is to create and provide. Whether viewers chew on it or pick it apart, their perspective is up to them. It seems we have no choice but to wait for their judgment."
Scheduled to be unveiled after a wait of over a year, "Resident Playbook" announced that it will leave judgment to viewers without extensive explanations after its release. In fact, with recent medical dramas receiving acclaim and achieving success, responses are emerging that "Resident Playbook" must be examined critically.
In particular, the Netflix series "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," released earlier this year, focused on the stories of doctors and nurses working in the trauma team and center, adding a somewhat exaggerated fantasy element for entertainment value. Additionally, as the chemistry between Ju Jihoon, playing Baek Kang-hyuk, and Choo Young-Woo, playing Yang Jae-won, developed, the demand for a second season has been growing.
The recently ended Disney+ series "Hyper Knife" differs somewhat from "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call." While the protagonist is a doctor, the story largely deviated from reality. Moreover, combining the medical and thriller genres, Park Eun-bin, portraying the doctor Jung Seo-ook, who falls into despair due to a respected mentor, received acclaim as her performance shone throughout each episode.
In the midst of the success of medical dramas, "Resident Playbook" is set to make its debut as the next contender. The series will chronicle the ups and downs of residents dreaming of a "Seulgi" lifestyle. As it moves away from the reality of the "medical strike," it will be interesting to see if "Resident Playbook" can continue the trend of successful medical dramas.
[Photo] OSEN DB, tvN, Netflix, Disney+
[OSEN]