Resident Playbook- Episodes 3-4

Crushes, Chaos, and Unexpected Tears

Episode 3 of Resident Playbook kicks off with a rom-com vibe—at least from Oh I-yeong’s perspective. She’s still hopelessly crushing on Doo-won, who, unfortunately, seems to view her with the same fond detachment you’d give a golden retriever who’s just peed on your shoes. In a move both desperate and hilarious, she fakes a hospital meeting just to hitch a ride with him, only to find out he’s tied up working on a research paper... with Dr. Myeong, of all people.

Naturally, I-yeong snoops. She overhears that Doo-won basically lives at the hospital, juggling work, papers, and more work. This man doesn’t have time to breathe, let alone flirt.

In a sweet crossover moment, Hospital Playlist fans are treated to the return of Seon-bin and Seok-min. She’s still working with Song-hwa, and he’s now a full-fledged professor. Their love is still strong—tiny cameos, big nostalgia.

Back in intern land, the residents meet their senior, who casually drops a bomb: a professor is furious with I-yeong for delaying surgery preps. Yikes. Meanwhile, Jae-il, once a walking disaster, gets a rare win—a patient thank-you note. This turns him into an accidental legend among the residents, with everyone suddenly treating him like a patient-care guru.

I-yeong starts handling a heartbreaking case: a young girl diagnosed with cancer. Her mother is devastated, and I-yeong doesn’t know how to comfort her. Doo-won gently advises her to just show up—sometimes presence matters more than words.

Elsewhere, Nam-kyung notices Jae-il's magic touch with patients and asks for his secret sauce. His answer? “Eat well and exercise well.” Not groundbreaking, but weirdly effective. Nam-kyung tries it and sees actual results.

Still, I-yeong can’t seem to connect with her patient’s mom. She finally gets a meal with Doo-won but—surprise—it’s just a casual bite, not the dreamy bonding moment she imagined. He ends up stepping in during a patient consultation anyway, calmly explaining things while I-yeong watches, a little crushed and a little awestruck.

In a different department, Sa-bi’s tasked with helping a pregnant university student whose father nearly collapses from the shock. The baby’s dad? AWOL. Sa-bi turns to Jae-il for advice, and he offers up a vague nugget about hearing the baby cry. Not super helpful, but it comes full circle later.

Back in I-yeong’s story, she gets reamed out again for surgery delays—just as the patient’s mother pulls her aside and drops a gut-punch: “I hope my daughter gets to live a life like yours. One where she can get scolded and mess up sometimes.” It's a moment that floors I-yeong and fuels her commitment to do better.

Later, the pregnant student gives birth to a healthy baby girl. Right on cue, the missing boyfriend returns, having been quietly fighting to be part of their lives. His sincerity wins over the girl's skeptical father, who softens in a touching family moment.

I-yeong, meanwhile, escorts her young cancer patient to the OR for a hysterectomy. The girl has been brave up to now, but breaks down before the surgery. I-yeong, reading the room, delays the procedure—earning another round of fire from her professor, but also showing real heart. When it’s finally done, she gets to deliver good news to the family.

In another quietly powerful moment, Sa-bi finds the discarded gift from her patient’s father and gives it to the girl. She reads the letter, breaks down in tears, and finally allows her boyfriend to comfort her. Sa-bi—who’s not known for emotional finesse—facilitates a real connection.

Nam-kyung has her own twist of the week: her elderly patient has been working out at midnight, trying to recover fast enough to attend a wedding. Plot twist: it’s her wedding. The woman’s the bride. Cue everyone crying. The big day is postponed, but only until she’s strong enough to walk down the aisle.

As the episode winds down, the residents learn a tough truth—there’s no shortcut to praise. This week’s compliment board champion? A nurse, recognized for her quiet, consistent empathy.

The final scene is pure gold. The OB-GYN department gathers for a photo, and I-yeong, in a bold moment of chaotic courage, grabs Doo-won’s hand right as the shutter clicks. His stunned face says it all.

Three episodes in, and this show is nailing the balance between emotional gut punches and quirky intern chaos. Let’s see what kind of mess they get into next week.

Sabotage, Regret, and an Unexpected Bond

Episode 4 of Resident Playbook brings the drama, the tension, and some very questionable decisions. It starts off innocently enough—Oh I-yeong is buried in her work when her sister drops by for a surprise visit. But while I-yeong’s distracted, she leaves her laptop wide open, and the other residents catch sight of a message thread where she talks about quitting medicine. Red flags go up—especially for Sa-bi, who starts watching I-yeong more closely, concern mixed with something... pricklier.

Things get worse when I-yeong gets accidentally volunteered by Professor Seo and Doo-won to write a paper—a golden opportunity that Sa-bi had desperately wanted. Instead of lashing out, Sa-bi bottles it up, quietly simmering as I-yeong gets one leg up without even trying.

Meanwhile, Nam-kyung sneaks off for a quick salon break and runs into none other than Dr. Myeong. She overhears Nam-kyung venting about a nurse shifting her workload and, in classic Dr. Myeong fashion, offers some advice—revenge-style. This will definitely not backfire.

Back at the hospital, I-yeong is still trying—and failing—to flirt her way into Doo-won’s heart. Sa-bi stumbles upon her working hard on her assigned paper and then hears that I-yeong’s been added to a major case: a high-risk pregnancy involving a couple who previously lost a child to a heart condition. Professor Seo wants this one handled with precision. Sa-bi? Seething.

Then, she snaps.

Driven by jealousy, Sa-bi deletes I-yeong’s research files. Cold move. I-yeong gets chewed out, but instead of being booted from the project, she’s handed a punishment that’s actually a privilege: assisting Professor Seo in every surgery. Yep, the exact opportunity Sa-bi wanted.

That karma? Immediate.

During one operation, I-yeong accidentally pokes Doo-won with a needle (just a little injury, no drama), and is told to help with the suturing—awkward for everyone, especially her. Meanwhile, Nam-kyung takes Dr. Myeong’s “revenge” tip a bit too seriously and gives the nurse who wronged her the cold shoulder… until she remembers that same nurse saved her from a major mess in front of a professor. Guilty, Nam-kyung softens—a little. She tells Jae-il to keep her pettiness a secret, but the nurse gets the last laugh by waking her up in the middle of the night for a nonsense task. Petty revenge: complete.

Back in I-yeong’s orbit, she tries to apologize to Doo-won, but they’re interrupted by the arrival of the pregnant couple. A devastating update follows—low amniotic fluid, infection at 20 weeks. The baby can’t be saved. It’s one of those gut-punch moments that brings everyone back to reality.

In a rare moment of praise, Professor Seo leaves I-yeong a note asking her to send some documents. Sa-bi sees it… and removes it. But guilt creeps in fast. When she tries to put it back, it’s already gone. Too late.

Elsewhere, Nam-kyung, humbled by the nurse’s earlier kindness, makes peace, even if she still wants to keep her dignity intact. Growth, but on her terms.

Then comes the turning point. I-yeong catches Sa-bi copying the professor’s note. But instead of confronting her, she does something unexpected—she invites her to assist in a deeply painful procedure: collecting a DNA sample from the deceased baby for genetic testing.

In a flashback, we see I-yeong was originally reluctant to do it alone. Doo-won gave her a quiet nudge, and she chose to include Sa-bi, offering her both responsibility and trust. The two carry out the heartbreaking task together—no words, no fights, just quiet collaboration in the face of tragedy.

Episode 4 leaves us with a reminder: in the world of medicine—and life—jealousy, grief, and ambition clash more often than not. But every now and then, empathy sneaks in and levels the playing field. Even for rivals.

DramaZen's Opinion

Petty Drama, Surgical Tears, and Unexpected Grace

Episodes 3 and 4 of Resident Playbook are where things really start to sizzle—and sting. The show takes a bold leap from light intern mishaps into deeper emotional territory, all while keeping its signature chaotic charm fully intact. I-yeong’s slow-motion crush on Doo-won continues to be adorably tragic (someone give that girl a win!), and the surgical ward becomes a minefield of jealousy, guilt, and surprisingly tender growth.

Sa-bi’s spiral into quiet resentment is painfully well-done—her choices are awful, yes, but weirdly understandable. The moment she deletes I-yeong’s files? Petty perfection. But what really elevated these episodes was the emotional payoff. From Professor Seo’s subtle mentorship to I-yeong’s handling of a heartbreaking pregnancy case, the show reminds us that even in the most high-pressure environments, empathy can still sneak in.

Nam-kyung’s mini “revenge arc” was a delightful side dish—equal parts petty and poetic. And Jae-il as the accidental patient-whisperer? Iconic. There’s something quietly brilliant about how Resident Playbook lets its characters be deeply flawed and still wildly endearing.

Episodes 3 and 4 give us everything: surgical drama, emotional gut punches, accidental flirtations, and the kind of character tension that makes you want to binge the rest immediately. This show is stitching together a narrative that’s messy, heartfelt, and totally addictive.