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If you just finished Hospital Playlist or Doctors and are craving more medical Korean dramas, you have come to the right place!
Here’s a list of the top 10 medical Korean dramas that you won’t be able to stay away from.
What are Medical Korean Dramas?
Medical Korean dramas explore the personal and professional lives of characters in healthcare, usually set in a hospital or medical environment. They showcase how the characters balance their medical career and hospital politics with their personal lives, usually having romantic and friendship storylines.
1. Dr. Romantic
Dr. Romantic is one of the most popular medical Korean dramas out there and a great place to start for those venturing into the world of medical dramas. The series follows the story of a talented but unconventional surgeon, Kim Sa Bu, who works at a rural hospital. His unique way of treating patients and mentoring younger doctors is a key highlight. Packed with medical emergencies and deep emotional moments, Dr. Romantic portrays the highs and lows of working in the medical field while also giving insight into the personal lives of doctors.
2. Hospital Playlist
Next on the list of top medical Korean dramas is Hospital Playlist. The charm of this show lies in the camaraderie between five long-time friends who are doctors at the same hospital. We follow their stories as they balance their demanding work life with their personal relationships, giving us a warm and delightful “slice-of-life” drama.
3. Good Doctor
Good Doctor is a heartwarming story that follows pediatric surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, who faces discrimination and struggles to be accepted by his peers. This drama not only showcases complex medical cases but also dives into the importance of empathy, acceptance, and growth.
This series has an American remake that came out a few years later and, although I havent personally watched it, I have heard good things about it.
4. Life
This Korean drama is one for those who enjoy intense hospital politics in addition to medical storylines. Set in a university hospital, this show follows the conflicts between doctors, the hospital administration, and their ethical dilemmas. This series highlights the dark side of healthcare while keeping viewers hooked with its realistic portrayal of hospital life and patient care.
5. Doctors
For the Park Shin Hye fans out there – this one is for you. As one of the best romantic medical Korean dramas, Doctors is a love story wrapped in a hospital setting. The plot centers on a troubled high school student who eventually becomes a skilled neurosurgeon with the help of a mentor. Years later, they meet again as colleagues. This drama successfully blends romance, medical storylines, and reconciles with the past.
6. Emergency Couple
Emergency Couple blends romance and comedy into the fast-paced life of doctors. The story follows a divorced couple who unexpectedly reunite as interns in the same hospital’s emergency room. As they face medical crises together, they also deal with unresolved feelings and tensions from their past. This drama gives an interesting twist on both medical Korean dramas and rom-coms.
7. Doctor John
Another great series among all the medical Korean dramas is Doctor John, which revolves around anesthesiologists specializing in pain management. The series tackles ethical questions surrounding euthanasia and the struggles patients endure when faced with incurable diseases. With its unique focus on pain medicine, Doctor John stands apart from other Korean dramas about doctors, presenting a more specialized look at the medical world.
8. Hospital Ship
Combining adventure with the medical genre, Hospital Ship tells the story of doctors who travel to remote islands on a hospital ship, providing medical care to underserved communities. This drama is not only about saving lives but also about the doctors’ personal journeys as they learn to work together under challenging conditions. The scenic views of coastal Korea add a unique touch, making it one of the more visually stunning medical Korean dramas.
9. Blood
I can’t believe this series is almost 10 years old! It’s an oldie but a goodie!
Blood adds a supernatural twist to this medical Korean drama by introducing a vampire doctor! The protagonist, a vampire working as a doctor, struggles to control his thirst for blood while also saving lives.
> Find more supernatural Korean dramas here!
10. Doctor Slump
We were blessed with yet another Park Shin Hye medical Korean drama when Doctor Slump came out at the beginning of 2024. This slice-of-life drama is one for those who are feeling burnt out with life. It follows the story of two doctors reuniting with each other while they are both at a low point. We watch as they help lift each other up while they are down.
Whether you’re a fan of intense medical storylines or for some good romance in a medical setting, these top 10 medical Korean dramas have something for everyone. If you haven’t already, diving into these medical Korean dramas will open your world!
[…] Find more medical Korean dramas here. […]