If you had never watched a medical drama before, we’re sure Hospital Playlist already changed your mind. Regardless of the genre, it’s one of the best South Korean dramas that got people hooked on the way it presented the doctors’ lives. And if, after the second season, you’re left craving more K-dramas featuring doctors and hair-raising hospital scenes, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best medical K-dramas to watch after Hospital Playlist that will make you fall in love even more with the genre.
Dr. Romantic 1 & 2 (2016, 2020)
Just like Hospital Playlist, Dr. Romantic is a medical K-drama that was so good it ran for a second season. It all began when a big-time doctor from Seoul transfers under a new name to a suburban hospital, where he mentors younger doctors with interesting personalities.
Doctors (2016)
Doctors is a heartwarming medical K-drama that follows the transformation of Yoo Hye-jung (Park Shin-hye) from being a rebellious girl to a passionate doctor with the help of Hong Ji-hong (Park Rae-won) as her mentor. It has a nice slice of life offering a glimpse of doctors’ jobs, melded with stories of love and life lessons.
Doctor John (2019)
Doctor John is another South Korean drama with realistic, heart-stopping hospital scenes that will get you hooked on the medical genre. A gifted anesthesiologist with a cold demeanor, Cha Yo-han (Ji Sung) works with resident doctor Kang Shi-young (Lee Se-young) in this soul-stirring quest to diagnose and treat mysterious illnesses.
Good Doctor (2013)
A highly acclaimed medical K-drama that was adapted into an American series, Good Doctor follows an autistic savant who finds his purpose in the medical field. Faced with ostracism and discrimination, Park Shi-on (Joo Won) demonstrates his capability to treat people, love someone, and rise in such an intricate profession.
Life (2018)
Beyond the emergency room, Life shows the clash between good and evil, the corporate arm and the doctors. This medical K-drama is riddled with dark politics, power struggles, and social issues that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It stars Lee Dong-wook as the patient-centric doctor on the frontline of the battle for life.
Watch on: Netflix
Hospital Ship (2017)
Not all medical dramas occur in a hospital—at least not on land. As the title suggests, Hospital Ship sets doctors on a floating medical facility that provides service to hard-to-reach islands. It sheds light on the unique challenges of rural health workers, featuring diverse characters and lots of heartwarming moments.
Watch on: Viu
D-Day (2015)
Another K-drama about doctors with a lot of action outside the hospital is D-Day, which will keep you on edge with its tragedy and rescue themes. A huge disaster strikes Seoul and three doctors join the rescue mission in the midst of crumbling buildings, power outages, and medicine shortage.
Watch on: Viki
If these K-dramas don’t make you want to become a doctor, you’ll at least have a greater appreciation of their work. Meanwhile, if you need more shows to add to your watch list, here are K-dramas that will make you fall in love with autumn in South Korea!
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