New Medical Drama '언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의생활' Makes Strong Debut Amid Controversy

The new medical drama '언젠가는 슬기로울 전공의생활' (translated as 'When the Time Comes to Be Wise in Residency'), which faced scheduling delays for over a year due to concerns surrounding the medical crisis, has made a promising debut. The series premiered on April 12, showcasing the tumultuous journey of first-year OB-GYN residents at Jongno Yulje Hospital, including characters Oh Yi-young (고윤정), Pyo Nam-kyung (신시아), Eom Jae-il (강유석), and Kim Sa-bi (한예지).

Created by the successful team behind tvN's hit series '슬기로운 의사생활' (Hospital Playlist), director Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jung, '언슬전' shifts the focus from the main hospital to the OB-GYN department, exploring the lives of residents in a new setting.

Despite the excitement surrounding the cast, which includes popular actors like 고윤정 and 신시아, the show faced significant challenges as many residents from major hospitals resigned en masse, leading to a healthcare crisis. This situation cast a shadow over the medical drama genre, and the portrayal of residents in '언슬전' drew skepticism from viewers. Consequently, tvN postponed the show's release twice before finally airing it after nearly a year.

Despite lingering concerns about the ongoing medical strike, '언슬전' managed to achieve a strong start. The first episode garnered an average viewership rating of 4.4% in the metropolitan area, peaking at 6.2%, and an average of 3.7% nationwide, with a high of 5.2%. In the key demographic of viewers aged 20-49, it achieved an average rating of 2.8% in the metropolitan area and 2.6% nationwide, making it the top show in its time slot across all channels. The second episode, aired on April 13, saw a slight increase to a 4.0% rating.

The response from OTT viewers has also been positive. As of April 15, '언슬전' ranked first in Netflix's 'Top 10 Series in South Korea'. It also performed well on Tving, securing the second spot in their 'Top 20' list, following '협상의 기술' (Negotiation Skills).

Despite the challenges of scheduling delays and controversies within the medical community, '언슬전' has made a favorable impression in terms of viewership and online engagement. It remains to be seen how the series will balance the realities of the medical field with engaging storytelling as it progresses.