Summary
Teamwork, the trauma of complicated pregnancies, and a reminder that medical professions often endure a stressful environment take center stage in episode 2.
This recap of the Netflix K-Drama series Hospital Playlist season 2, episode 2 contains major spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
It’s our favourite time of the week — #HospitalPlaylistThursday is a day we will always look forward to. Last week eased us in, and this week we are given more wholesome heartwarming moments.
Episode 2 opens with the usual chit-chat, with the friends deciding to use Lee Ik-jun’s card (that he left with Gye-ul) to buy as much from the cafe as possible. May as well take advantage of it — Ik-jun sees the transactions and panics, rushing into work. Never leave your card with others — lesson learned.
The complicated pregnant continues for Seok-hyeong and Min-ha that leads to emergency surgery
There’s an inevitability about this storyline; it’s so sad to watch and is relatable to so many parents who have had to go through with this. Hospital Playlist has dealt with this storyline appropriately.
The patient (Kim Su-jeong), with the complicated pregnancy, continues — Yang Seok-hyeong and Min-ha are anxious about the situation. They warn the patient that she may need to have emergency surgery if the cervix dilates even more. It’s an emotional time for the expected parents. Seok-hyeong tells Min-ha to keep monitoring the patient.
And then, there’s an emergency — Kim Su-jeong’s baby is now external from the mother, with both feet and cord out, and she needs surgery urgently — she rings Seok-hyeong and reports to him. He tells her to get ready and call paediatrics. Sadly, the baby does not survive, and the husband is updated. Yang Seok-hyeong tells parents that they tried CPR for 30 minutes on the baby, and they did all they could. He advises that they focus on recovery.
It’s a devastating moment and one that you wouldn’t wish on any expecting mother.
Jun-wan delivers bad news — young child Min-chan needs a heart transplant
From a complicated birth to doing significant surgery on a child, episode 2 does not lose its pace, and as a parent, these type of situations are my worst nightmare.
Jun-wan has to deliver bad news — that young child Min-chan needs a heart transplant, and VAD (VAD is a mechanical pump that supports the heart) is only a temporary solution, which could lead to complicated infections. He tells the mother that VAD will hold out until they find a transplant and work out costs. The mother is devastated — she looks lonely with the situation and begins to sob as Jun-wan walks away.
Jun-wan performs a successful surgery, and they close up.
Song-hwa takes on a client with a deep tumour that needs surgery
And then, another complicated surgery, and this time it is a VIP client, so the pressure is on as always.
Song-hwa is assigned a client (Yoo Gyeong-jin — a famous violinist) that needs surgery, and she breaks down to the young woman what she needs due to the tumour at the front of her brain. Ahn Jeong-won is concerned about how focused she is, despite taking on so much work (I mean, it’s more worrying if she isn’t focused, considering the job). The tumour is buried deep, so there may be complications, but Song-hwa ensures Yoo Gyeong-jin that she is in good hands. The mother raises how she knows the hospital director and that she’d like to speak to Professor Song-hwa. Song-wah tells her she is Song-hwa (the mother mistook her for a resident because she’s young) — she explains that residents are neurosurgeons too and can answer questions. I really loved how she defended her team.
Song-hwa performs the surgery with her team, and she’s having a hard time dissecting the tumour. However, the surgery is successful, and the parents are grateful.
Lee Ik-jun deals with a patient abusing his new liver
Lee Ik-jun meets patient Kim Jang-ho and asks him if he’s been using his medication, as results suggest he hasn’t — he feels he has been drinking too much as the blood results say so. He’s had a liver transplant, and Lee Ik-jun wonders why his friends are taking him out drinking. The wife tells Ik-jun that he’s drinking 5 days a week. Lee Ik-jun is clearly disappointed — he reminds him that many people die from liver damage and do not get the opportunity he gets. He insists he will not treat him again if he damages this liver — the man promises not to drink again.
Yang Seok-hyeong is at a loss for words and does not know how to comfort the mother that has lost her baby
Episode 2 reminds audiences that medical professionals are human too, and we see how recent events impacted Seok-hyeong.
Yang Seok-hyeong ponders to himself after the complicated surgery, and Lee Ik-jun joins him outside. He’s downbeat because he couldn’t save the baby, and he states how rare the situation is but admires the mother for her strength. He’s at a loss for words as he has no idea how to comfort the mother. Later on, Kim Su-jeong drops off flowers and a note for Seok-hyeong — she appreciates everything he did and the text he sent afterwards. She doesn’t want him to be sorry and appreciates the heartbeat she felt from her baby and describes them as precious moments between her and her husband.
Yang Seok-hyeong tells his ex-wife that they should put their relationship behind them
We return to the moment Yang Seok-hyeong’s ex-wife asks if they can have more dinners together. He tells her that he feels bad when he sees her, and it makes him feel uncomfortable. He believes they should put their relationship behind them and move on. She accepts what he is saying, and there’s a small sadness emanating between them.
Graceful Song-hwa declines a TV interview regarding her recent surgery
A German TV channel wants to interview Song-hwa for her recent surgery because the client was a famous violinist. However, Song-hwa turned it down because she wanted all her team to join her. She sees it as a team effort.
After a long day at work, Song-hwa sees two lattes left on her car bonnet — one decaf and the other caffeinated, depending on if she is tired or not. How sweet and well deserved.
Let’s reflect on Hospital Playlist season 2, episode 2
This episode serves a lot of importance; since the premiere, it has dived into the importance of stillbirths and how it traumatizes and impacts expecting parents. The emotional damage can be long-lasting, and it is good that the series is raising awareness to viewers of complicated births that are more regular than we believe. The series is also a fond reminder that doctors have to perform on young children, which must add to the stress of the job.
Episode 2 also reminds viewers that behind every surgeon, there’s a team!
The story of the man with the liver transplant is fascinating. We often hear about those who abuse their liver due to alcohol and then continue once they’ve had a transplant; alcoholism is an awful addiction that can rip people and their families apart.
Doctor’s notes
- Ahn Jeong-won has to deal with a child (Seong-won) who will not let him deal with the surgery staples in his back. He advises the mother to calm him down and come back. When the kid comes back, it’s the same problem with the kid crying, and the mother loses her patience. The professor reassures the mother that she’s doing a good job.
- Yang Seok-hyeong joins other people in the elevator in episode 2, which shocks a few of his colleagues.
- As the episode nearly closes, Yoo Gyeong-jin’s mother asks Song-hwa if she’d like to meet her son, who is the same age as her.
What did you think of Hospital Playlist season 2, episode 2? Comment below.
