Early Access: Hospital Playlist E2

E2. I love Song Hwa. Usually, when dramas portray a female character who's successful, she also tends to be jaded, prickly, lonely &/or bitter, but Song Hwa is successful, well-respected, well-liked, smiles with genuine warmth, sincerely cares for people, trains her residents with a gentle yet firm hand, is secure in her singlehood, even if it might be nice to have a boyfriend, and is all-around lovely and pleasant, whether she's interacting with colleagues, patients or friends. She works hard, but doesn't complain about it. She pushes herself, but doesn't come across as trying to prove a point, or trying to be holier-than-thou. She seems to just sincerely want to do well. I love her, so very much. I want her to have all the good and happy things, and in great abundance, thank you.

I love the way she handles the entire situation where the resident is trying to persuade her to take over the surgery from Dr. Min, who's all smiles for the camera, but far from competent, in the operating theater. She demures, understanding the delicacy of the situation, and refuses to behave improperly. When the resident persists, citing Dr. Min's lack of experience and the danger to the patient, she says it'd be doable if the patient requests it - which is so true. If the patient asks for her, it would solve everything. But, the patient's already bought into Dr. Min's false assurance that it's a simple procedure and refuses to request a different doctor. And so, before even disciplining the resident for the rude way he talks to the patient, she goes to Dr. Min and asks to assist him during his surgery. Gah. She has to adopt such a posture of deference, when she's stepping in to save the day, and yet, she does it without chafing, because it's for the good of the patient. And then, she gently but firmly disciplines the resident by instructing him to apologize to the patient before the surgery. She saves the day, but doesn't even pause to bask in the glory, not even privately. What a champ.

Aw. I like the twin medical students, and it's clear that Show is hinting heavily that the doctor who'd inspired them to pursue medicine, is our very own Song Hwa. I'm looking forward to this reveal, both for the twins, and for Song Hwa too. 

I'm quite startled that the deadpan resident Jang Gyeo Wool is played by Shin Hyun Bin, not because she's not doing a good job, because Shin Hyun Bin is absolutely making her as deadpan as needed. It's just, Shin Hyun Bin was so terrible as the very wooden female lead in Warrior Baek Dong Soo, that I'm honestly rather shocked that she's managed to have a career as an actress for this long. :P So far, so good; she seems to be channeling just what this character needs, so I have no complaints as yet.

We see that Jang Gyeo Wool has a long way to go to learn the delicate art of bedside manners, as Jeong Won witnesses, but she also has the capacity to treat her patients with surprising humanity as well, like when she matter-of-factly starts picking the maggots off the patient's rotting leg, when all other medical personnel are wincing and wondering what to do. I'm glad that we see her potential so early, and here's hoping that she'll learn how to actually articulate the empathy that she already seems to feel, at some level.

Ahh. I love it when The Five hang out together, and it feels so rad, actually, that this bunch of respected professors round one another up and go for supper together and bicker, just like a bunch of students might. They might have progressed in their careers, but their group dynamic is comfortable, loud and youthful, and I like it a lot.

There's a theme of communication this episode. Like with Ba Ram's case, where she'd thought that 1, the grannies in her ward were staring at her because they were curious about her for having had one breast removed, and 2, her husband didn't care about her, being so far away in Indonesia. And she's proved wrong on both counts. 1, the grannies were curious to look at her not because she'd had surgery, but because she was youthful and beautiful in their eyes, and they longed for their own lost youth, and 2, her husband (a wonderful, perfect cameo by the very expressive Kim Dae Gon) does care, and a lot; his choked out tears say everything.

And then of course there's how Song Hwa handled the situation with Dr. Min, versus how her resident handled the situation with the patient.

And finally, there's also how Joon Wan doesn't tell Song Hwa that he'd seen her ex cheating on her, and gets taken to task for it, when in reality, he'd been the one to force the cheating ex's hand, to come clean. There's this mismatch between what's said and what's unsaid, and I'm intrigued to see what else Show has to say about this.

I already feel a good amount of chemistry between Song Hwa and Joon Wan, and I'm guessing (and fairly certain) that there'll be a loveline between them at some point. Joon Wan may have been acting in the capacity of a concerned friend, but there's definitely a little something in there, that hints that he might be hiding feelings for Song Hwa.

I'm quite startled at the nonchalant reveal that Seok Hyung is divorced. I didn't see that coming, he's seemed so.. innocent and childlike, I suppose. But I can see how his mama's boy tendencies might've been a problem for a wife to accept. 

It's rather early in the game to call it, but I'm already loving the band scenes. The Five, jamming and singing together, is such heartwarming goodness. Love.