The songs we featured during the recap:
Aloha by Jo Jung-suk
Sorrowful by Kim Jin-hak
How this episode shows that hospitals are places where some of life’s most emotional moments happen, and how the five doctors balance their medical responsibilities with deep compassion for their patients.
Kim Jun-wan’s gruff exterior versus the care he shows his patients, especially the young mother terrified about her baby’s heart surgery.
The baby born with transposition of the great arteries, why the baby’s chest had to remain open after surgery, and how doctors can safely touch a beating heart.
How Kim Jun-wan inspires two medical students to pursue cardiothoracic surgery by letting them touch a beating heart, just as his own mentor once did for him.
Lee Ik-jun’s devastating discovery that his wife wants a divorce—and that she has apparently been seeing another man while living abroad.
Jang Gyeo-ul’s crush on Ahn Jeong-won and how she uses Lee Ik-jun to learn more about him, only to discover that Jeong-won wants to become a priest.
The heartbreaking story of Lee Ik-jun’s former patient, who becomes brain dead after a traffic accident, and our discussion of how organ donation works in South Korea and the United States.
The significance of jesa, the Korean tradition of honoring deceased family members, and how it influences Lee Ik-jun’s decision about the timing of his patient’s death.
The episode-ending surprise when Kim Jun-wan treats an injured soldier in the ER and realizes that she is Lee Ik-sun, Lee Ik-jun’s younger sister.
Jeon Mi-do, the actress who plays Chae Song-hwa, including her career in musical theater, her television roles, and how she originally auditioned for a patient role in Hospital Playlist before being cast as one of the five leads.
What we’re watching now, including Agent Kim Reactivated and The King’s Warden.
References
K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora.
My schoolfriends/uni friends who were Catholic used to call the cute youngish priest in their parishes 'Father What-a-waste'.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the Korean version of that is? Especially since they apparently have an age cut-off for entering the priesthood, according to HP!
Delete"Father What-a-waste", that's hilarious!
Delete*I am afraid I am calling it a day on the series. I was watching E03 and I found myself drifting after a while. So, I am going to follow my own advice, and stop.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is the first series I am dropping (and I dropped tens of them) for no major reason and with a positive overall assessment.
And, it is certainly not because medical dramas are not for me.
I was an addict of American medical shows. Chicago Hope, ER, Scrubs, first 4 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, and one of my all times favourite shows House, which I watched in its enteritis twice in addition to various miscellaneous episodes.
When I started watching Kdramas, one of the first shows I chose was a medical one “Dr Romantic”.
Maybe I just maxed out on medical dramas :)
My system just can’t take more.
I am, however, going to keep listening to the podcast, because I am absolutely LOVING all those medical insights from Sung-hee and the various interactions with Joanna. I had a blast about that heart’s discussion lol.
Also, I know the main characters, and the settings, so I will have a rough idea.
*The Karaoke scene. I thought the song itself was meh (sorry), and just went over my head. But, the scene itself was great, and I loved it. They were so deliciously chaotic. It felt so real.
*Crushes. I thought students/work juniors having crushes on teachers/mentors is one of the most common things. I had so many crushes on my teachers lol.
Idk. Lots of teachers/mentors are people who you look up to, they teach you, guide you, and on the whole have a positive impact on you. Also, you spend lots of time with them, so it is hardly surprising you develop feeling for them.
And Sung-hee: How do you know you haven’t broken the hearts of many of your interns hahaha ?
*Joanna: That Bisons story was so interesting. That must have been an awesome sight! Btw, I didn’t know “The Badland” was an actual place lol. I thought it was metaphorical.
*I have finally started watching a new Kdrama. I have watched 2 episodes of “In Your Radiant Season” (Disney+). I don’t think this will be amazing, but it is good so far.
Seven Seas, while it's too bad that HP doesn't hold your interest, it is a HUGE compliment that you will still listen to the podcast. Joanna and I were actually wondering if we were talking too much about the medical issues vs the story line and the characters.
DeleteAs for crushes, I've personally never had one on someone I worked with because, for me, when I spend that much time with them at work, it feels more like they're a member of the family as opposed to a romantic interest. I've seen people at all hours of the day and night, at their best and at their "not so best," so it's much less likely that I'll romanticize them. Now, as for whether I've been on the receiving end of such feelings, I'll likely never know, since I can be quite obtuse in that regard.
Seven Seas, I am sure you are right. I bet Sung hee has left a trail of broken hearts at hospitals throughout the country, which would be a major problem if she was a cardiologist, but I am sure it’s fine as an anesthesiologist! 😉
DeleteIn fact, I heard that once one of Sung hee’s patients woke up from his anesthesia and saw her standing over him and said “Am I dead? Am I in heaven? Because I see an angel!” True story!
I must admit the Aloha karaoke scene is maybe my second most favorite scene in a K Drama. It always cracks me up. Poor Ik joon is trying to seriously sing his song and his friends are just ruining it for him. I’ve been in karaoke rooms like that!
Here is IU singing it with Jo Jung-suk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLYPU97YlE0
Here’s the original with some great early 2000s vibes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALGx8zvkV84
And a cover by Davichi!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg41ilbMQz8
Seven Seas, sorry to hear you're calling it quits on Hospital Playlist. Your bar is very high! But thank you for continuing to listen.
DeleteMalcolm, I loved that Aloha karaoke scene. Kim Jun Wan singing "I believe" was the best! Thanks for the links.
My favorite scene was in the OR when Jun-wan let the student touch the tiny, strong little heart and flashed back to his own inspiration. This despite his professed motive on the money. I love all these characters, but to me he is the most complex and interesting one. It takes real courage to literally hold someone’s life in your hands. Having Sung-hee’s perspective on this role, so vital in all of our lives, lends a depth to this series that we’re all so lucky to experience!
ReplyDeleteIn this regard, Joanna represents the rest of us, asking the questions we would ask. As usual, you guys picked the right show for this season!
Ellen, thank you! You are right that I am enjoying asking Sung Hee all these medical questions. Glad you are enjoying the discussion as well. Sung Hee is the best!
DeleteAnother enjoyable episode (podcast and show!).
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of the mother and Dr. What-a-Waste (haha, now you've got me doin' it): the pushy mom was barking out her "strong suggestions" to the doctor (go ahead, pretend to threaten my kid w/ the big needle!) and he paused and sorta blanched like "this is not AT ALL how I'd do this" but out of respect to the parent of the child and against his own better judgement, he went along with her strategy -- and of course, it didn't work! I'm sure he was kicking himself afterwards, and thinking "next time I'll do it the RIGHT way!"
Jeff, I can't even imagine dealing with worried parents of sick kids. That must be rough! Dr. What-a-Waste! Love it!
Delete