Resident Playbook Episodes 1-2 Recap: Oh Yi-young’s Rocky Return to Residency in Resident Playbook Shines Light on First-Year Struggles at Yulje Medical Center
The new K-drama Resident Playbook kicked off with a bang, showing the messy, real lives of rookie doctors. Airing on April 12 and 13, 2025, on tvN and Netflix, the show follows Oh Yi-young and her fellow first-year residents as they stumble through the high-pressure world of Jongno Yulje Medical Center. From Oh Yi-young’s fight to stay in the game to Kim Sa-bi’s clash with empathy, episodes 1 and 2 deliver raw moments of growth and grit.
Oh Yi-young’s Reluctant Comeback
Oh Yi-young, played by Go Youn-jung, starts episode 1 haunted by a wild dream. She’s in an emergency room, unprepared for a sudden surgery. The head surgeon scolds her, saying she already quit.
“You walked away from this,” the surgeon snaps in her dream.
The scene shifts to a massage parlor, where a masseuse mentions a 100,000 won package. Oh Yi-young panics, recalling her family’s bankruptcy. Her dream flips again—she’s tied to an operating table, with a saw-wielding surgeon looming over her debt.
Reality hits harder. At the bank, Oh Yi-young learns she’s maxed out her credit card, owing 50 million won. Without an employment certificate, she’s at risk of legal trouble.
Her past comes up fast—she quit her residency years ago. Now, she’s dragged back to Jongno Yulje Medical Center to start over.
“I don’t belong here,” she mutters, stepping into the hospital.
She runs into Ku Do-won, a fourth-year resident played by Jung Joon-won. He greets her warmly, but she shuts him down.
“Act like you don’t know me,” she says coldly.
They live together, though—Ku Do-won is her brother-in-law’s younger brother, tying their personal and work lives tight.
Meet the Rookie Residents
Oh Yi-young joins three other first-year residents, each with their own quirks. Pyo Nam-kyung, played by Shin Si-a, is a stylish former classmate Oh Yi-young doesn’t recall.
“We went to high school together,” Pyo Nam-kyung says, a bit hurt.
Kim Sa-bi, portrayed by Han Ye-ji, is a top student who aces exams buts struggles with people. Um Jae-il, played by Kang You-seok, is a former K-pop idol trying to prove himself as a doctor.
“I’m starting fresh,” Um Jae-il tells the team, grinning.
Their first days are chaos. Oh Yi-young assists Professor Seo Jung-min, nicknamed “the witch” and played by Lee Bong-ryun. She’s told to stand still and does nothing else.
In the operating room, Seo Jung-min asks her to toss a suture. Oh Yi-young freezes, unsure where it goes, and gets banished to the corner.
“Stay there for the rest of the surgery,” Seo Jung-min orders.
Um Jae-il keeps calling senior resident Lee Da-hye with patient questions, but his diagnoses are wrong every time.
“You’re killing me here,” Lee Da-hye groans after his second bad call.
Kim Sa-bi faces a patient with recurrent cancer. She bluntly explains the need for a consent form, showing no warmth. The patient, shocked, hesitates.
“You need to sign this,” Kim Sa-bi says, her voice flat.
Mistakes Pile Up Fast
Oh Yi-young’s errors stack up. She misses key checks on a pregnant patient, leading to an emergency delivery in a hallway. She catches the baby just in time, but Seo Jung-min isn’t impressed.
“You know exactly what you did wrong,” Seo Jung-min says, relieved but stern.
Kim Sa-bi sees the cancer patient hasn’t signed the form. Facing her, Kim Sa-bi cries, upset about life’s unfairness, but still can’t connect.
“Why does this happen to good people?” Kim Sa-bi sobs.
Ku Do-won steps in, talking to the patient gently. He later schools Kim Sa-bi.
“Coming first at school doesn’t matter here,” he says. “If your goal is just a signature, you’re wasting time.”
Um Jae-il finally nails a diagnosis after Lee Da-hye’s scolding.
“You got it right this time,” she says, half-smiling.
Episode 1 ends with Oh Yi-young rattled but still standing, her bond with Ku Do-won hinting at support to come.
Episode 2 Brings New Challenges
Episode 2 dives deeper into the residents’ struggles. Um Jae-il transfers a tricky cancer patient to Pyo Nam-kyung after more slip-ups. The patient needs dressings changed four times daily, overwhelming Pyo Nam-kyung.
“I can’t stand her,” Pyo Nam-kyung vents, not knowing the patient overhears.
Mortified, she’s left scrambling to fix it. Later, the patient walks the hall, and Pyo Nam-kyung thinks she’s died. Seeing her alive, she bursts into tears.
“I’m so sorry,” Pyo Nam-kyung says, redoing the dressing while crying.
The patient forgives her, noting a professor praised Pyo Nam-kyung’s work.
“You do the best dressings,” the patient says kindly.
Kim Sa-bi gets an earful from Professor Kong Ki-sun for not apologizing to a patient upset by her dressing change.
“You need to own your mistakes,” Kong Ki-sun snaps.
She tries talking to the patient again but chokes up, unable to speak. Seo Jung-min offers advice.
“Don’t beat yourself up,” Seo Jung-min says. “Just do what you can.”
Kim Sa-bi takes it to heart, slowly softening her approach.
Oh Yi-young Faces a Breaking Point
Oh Yi-young hits a wall. Senior resident Min Eun-won tells her to prep for an emergency surgery, but shows up 20 minutes late. Other residents think Oh Yi-young lied about the urgency.
“You can’t pull that here,” one says sharply.
In another OR, an anesthesiologist accuses her of lying about a call. Ku Do-won defends her.
“She wouldn’t do that,” he says firmly.
Proof clears Oh Yi-young, and she sees Ku Do-won differently—someone in her corner. Still, she packs to quit, fed up. A code blue rings out, and she races back.
Seo Jung-min notices her effort.
“You showed up when it counted,” she says, nodding.
Chu Min-ah, a senior from Songdo Yulje, spots Oh Yi-young during a patient transfer. Over coffee, she shares her own rookie struggles.
“I messed up plenty,” Chu Min-ah laughs. “You’ll find your way.”
Team Bonds and Runaways
Um Jae-il vanishes, thinking he’s not needed after Lee Da-hye tells him to rest.
“Take a break,” she’d said, exasperated.
Pyo Nam-kyung calls him back for a group report.
“We need you here,” she insists.
He returns, only to learn senior Min Eun-won won’t take first-year reports. His relief fades fast.
By episode 2’s end, Ku Do-won meets third-year residents. Ki Eun-mi admits buying food to keep rookies from quitting.
“They need a reason to stay,” she says.
Lee Da-hye reveals she covered Um Jae-il’s work all day, giving him a break.
“He’s trying,” she says, shrugging.
The first-years—Oh Yi-young, Pyo Nam-kyung, Kim Sa-bi, and Um Jae-il—are raw, flawed, and learning fast. Their stumbles feel real, and their small wins hit hard.
