10 Medical K-dramas To Watch If You Love 'Resident Playbook'
Step into the world of healthcare heroes through these dramas
By Hana Lee -
Share this article
Medical drama is not a new genre in K-dramas. Over the years, there have been many good ones, including the OG, Jewel in the Palace. The subgenres are pretty varied as well: from thrillers to slice-of-life, and even sageuk or historical dramas. The fresh plots could be why medical K-dramas are so fun to watch, regardless of whether you understand medical jargon.
Here are 10 to watch, including Resident Playbook, which is currently streaming on Netflix. If you're squeamish, we'd recommend watch the slice-of-life ones, which focus more on the characters and less on medical procedures and operating rooms.
1. Resident Playbook
This new medical K-drama is a spin-off of the popular series Hospital Playlist. It centres around the lives of a group of obstetrics and gynaecology residents working in Jogno Yulje Medical Centre. Despite entering the unpopular department in an era of low birth rates, they strive to become good doctors while navigating their turbulent personal and professional lives. The cast members are led by Go Youn-jung, Kang You-seok, Shin Si-ah, and Han Ye-ji. Hospital Playlist's Jung Kyung-ho and Yoo Yeon-seok appear in episodes four and five.
Available on Netflix.
2. Hospital Playlist
You can't talk about medical Korean dramas without mentioning Hospital Playlist. The popular drama first aired in 2020, and was so well-received that it got a second season in 2021. If you're expecting the drama to focus on surgery and medical issues, that is just a taste of what the drama is about. This slice-of-life drama revolves around the lives of a group of doctors who have been friends since undergrad school. They also share a love for music and remain close despite working in different departments. The drama stars Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, and Jeon Mi-do.
Available on Netflix.
3. The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call
In this drama, Ju Ji-hoon plays Baek Kang-hyuk, an arrogant and eccentric doctor who is gifted with exceptional surgical skills. He is quick-thinking and efficient, having worked in conflict zones previously. He is the new addition to a trauma team at a university hospital. However, his unconventional methods cause him to constantly be in conflict with his teammates. As time passes, he gradually earns their respect and starts to lead the unit effectively. The drama is based on a webtoon.
Available on Netflix.
4. Hyper Knife
Looking for a medical drama with a dash of thriller? This one will be right up your alley. It follows the story of Jung Se-ok (Park Eun-bin), a gifted neurosurgeon who was stripped of her medical license due to a past incident. She now performs illegal surgeries, as she is still determined to push the boundaries of neuroscience. One day, she meets her former mentor, Choi Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu), who was responsible for her downfall. They confront each other, and she finds out the reason he sought her out. As she performs more surgeries, she grapples with the moral consequences of the illegal procedures.
Available on Disney+.
5. Dr. Romantic
Started in 2016, Dr. Romantic has spanned three seasons. The series tells the story of Dr Boo Yong-joo, a well-known surgeon who disappeared and changed his name to Kim Sa-bu following a traumatic incident. He starts working at a small hospital named Doldam, where he meets Kang Dong-joo and Yoon Seo-jeong, and becomes their mentor. In season three, which was released in 2023, Kim Sa-bu finally realises his dream of opening a regional trauma centre in the hospital. However, this means that the scale and number of cases that the team has to deal will also increase.
Watch all three seasons on Disney+. Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix and Viu.
6. Doctor Lawyer
You cannot skip a So Ji-sub drama. He acts as Han Yi-han, a surgeon who becomes a lawyer specialising in medical litigation. He embarked on this career change after losing his job due to a rigged operation. While helping his clients redress their grievances, he investigates the truth behind his case to seek revenge. The drama also stars Shin Sung-rok (who aces every villain role, to be honest), and Im Soo-hyang as a prosecutor in the medical crime division of the prosecutors' office.
Available on Disney+.
7. Poong the Joseon Psychiatrist
If you're looking for a historical drama that also revolves around the medical field, add this to your to-watch list. The drama follows the story of Yoo Se Poong (Kim Min-jae), a physician who was exiled from the Palace following a conspiracy. He moves to a village and meets Gye Ji-han (Kim Sang-kyung), an eccentric teacher, and widow Seo Eun-woo (Kim Hyang-gi), who teach him to heal people's emotions. He eventually becomes a doctor who not only treats physical ailments, but also mental ones. Season 1 aired in 2022, while Season 2 aired the following year.
Watch Season 1 on Netflix.
8. Doctor Cha
Want a medical drama that leans more towards the "slice of life" genre? This one's for you. It follows the story of Cha Jeong-seok, a doctor who left her medical career to become a housewife for 20 years. She now rejoins the field as a first-year resident. However, she realises a lot of things have changed since then, and struggles to adapt to new things. Her husband is the chief surgeon at a university hospital. This medical K-drama, which aired in 2023, was one of the highest-rated series in Korean cable television history.
Available on Netflix.
9. Daily Dose of Sunshine
Daily Dose of Sunshine is a bit different from the other medical dramas because it focuses on mental health issues. It follows the story of a nurse (played by Park Bo-young) who was transferred to work in a psychiatry ward and has to navigate the unfamiliar field. She tries her best to be the daily dose of sunshine for those under her care through her interactions with them. The drama covers various mental health conditions that we might be familiar with, but don't really see portrayed in a lot of Korean dramas.
Available on Netflix.
10. Ghost Doctor
Cha Young-min (Rain) is a genius but arrogant cardiothoracic surgeon who is the top doctor at his hospital, as he is able to perform difficult surgeries. A car accident leaves him in a coma, but his spirit has the ability to possess the body of Go Seung-tak (Kim Bum), a first-year thoracic surgery resident. Seung-tak is a smart student, but is clumsy. Being the grandson of the founder of the hospital and the son of the foundation's chairman, he is known as the "silver spoon" resident. Young-min and Seung-tak's personalities are poles apart, and they often clash, but they agree to work together to save lives.
Available on Viu and Netflix.