The South Korean government’s policy to increase the number of medical school seats has led to a collective action by doctors. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Korea Bizwire) – The South Korean government’s policy to increase the number of medical school seats has led to a collective action by doctors, resulting in a healthcare gap that has left patients out in the cold. Amidst this backdrop, the upcoming tvN drama “Wise Resident Life” is facing backlash for its portrayal of medical professionals.
On February 25, it was reported that tvN had uploaded a 15-second teaser for “Wise Resident Life” on its drama promotion YouTube channel earlier this month, showcasing the daily life of medical interns.
While initial comments on the video were mostly about the drama and its actors, comments that started mid-month predominantly criticized the doctors’ collective action against the increase in medical school admissions.
Some comments expressed strong resentment, referencing media reports about derogatory messages exchanged among doctors in hospitals. Others felt that the timing of the drama’s airing was unfortunate, garnering sympathetic reactions.
“Wise Resident Life,” set to air in the first half of the year, is a spin-off from the popular “Hospital Playlist” series that aired its first and second seasons in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
While the original series featured actors like Jo Jung-suk, Jung Kyung-ho, and Yoo Yeon-seok as specialists at Yulje Medical Center, the spin-off focuses on the life of a first-year obstetrics and gynecology intern at the same hospital, played by Go Youn-jung.
The previous series enjoyed high viewership ratings of 16% and 14%, leading to the production of this spin-off. However, the drama now finds itself entangled in external social controversies.
Some critics argue that the drama inappropriately glorifies doctors at a time when their collective actions are under scrutiny. Although the 15-second teaser revealed little about the plot, it is expected to draw on the challenging hospital life of doctors to elicit empathy from viewers, similar to its predecessors.
If the conflict over medical school expansion and the resulting healthcare gap are not resolved before “Wise Resident Life” airs, negative perceptions towards the drama could persist.
Drama critic Kong Hee-jung commented, “The timing of the scheduling coincided with social phenomena, but it’s hard to say the producers intended to embed a social message in the drama. A drama should be viewed as just that.”
However, Kong acknowledged that connecting the drama to current issues is a natural response given the heated climate, advising caution against letting this reaction fuel further controversy.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
