“Hospital Playlist” had a stellar first season which left some very large matters unresolved at its conclusion. So there had to be little doubt that there would be a season two, but considerable question about whether it would be able to maintain the same degree of excellence. With its return engagement now fully released, Hospital Playlist does, for the most part, match the high bar set by season one. The primary ensemble is not only splendidly cast, but the characters are deftly written. The dialogue and production values are excellent. There are few scenes that are not entertaining or meaningful. If only it could have built up to a higher pitched conclusion, the second season of “Hospital Playlist” might have ended up as one of the very top productions of 2021.

In fact, the first four episodes of season two are far and away the best run in either season and among the best of any drama. Much of the credit goes to some outstanding material for Jung Kyung Ho’s Jun Wan as he struggles with a relationship that is both long distance and secret leaving him unable to share his woes. Alongside this arc is a marvelous narrative of a mother waiting for her child’s heart transplant and Jun Wan’s perseverance when her resolve falters. Jung Kyung Ho is tremendous here and, of the five main actors, his performance stands out.

It stands out to some degree because the other four are less compelling in season two. It is only by a small degree, but it is a decline nevertheless. For Jo Jung Sook and Jeon Mi Do, the main issue with the characters of transplant surgeon Lee Ik Jun and neurosurgeon Chae Song Hwa are that they are as superhuman as any comic book hero could be. They are both brilliant doctors, warm friends, funny, terrific bosses, etc etc. Song Hwa’s largest flaw is that she can’t sing. Ik Jun’s flaw? He’s nosy but he has the best of intentions. Without more serious flaws, the characters lack depth.

As for Yoo Yeon Seok’s Jung Won, with the possibility of priesthood out of the picture and the only one of the main five in a relationship for the entire season, his personal narrative became boxed in and without suspense. Despite that, the relationship between Jung Won and Shin Hyun Bin’s Gyeo Wool is a delight. It is so delightful, in fact, that just a series of small day-to-day interactions between them is as captivating as almost any of the heavier storylines.

Kim Dae Myung was quietly the star of season one. And Suk Hyung’s personal life is set up to continue to push him forward as the most compelling character. Professionally, his child deliveries always have potential for high emotional impact. Personally, his complex relationship with his mother makes his story fertile ground for big moments. Mostly, however, it is Ahn Eun Jin’s Min Ha that stands out here. Her pursuit of Suk Hyung despite his intransigence delivers because of the splendid work by Ahn Eun Jin. Now that Shin Hyun Bin is getting leads in other productions, Ahn Eun Jin should absolutely be next in line.

If there is a serious flaw of season two, however, it is not in the main characters or the actors portraying them. The ensemble, rather, is as good as any cast save perhaps “Vincenzo”. But the storytelling takes a noticeable dip in quality after episode five. The passage of time lurches forward irregularly for several episodes. A patient that seems to be a long term ICU inhabitant is prominent for a couple of episodes and then never reappears. Another recovering from a brain injury intermittently pops up but not often enough to leave an impact. Jung Won’s mother, played by Kim Hae Sook, has the most consistent screen time of any supporting character but outside of a brief health crisis, has an almost indistinguishable relationship to the primary narratives. And there is a deliberately painfully long build up of the central relationship of both seasons of “Hospital Playlist”. The length of the suspense is not an issue. Whether the payoff delivers is questionable. It’s a solid scene, but not the devastatingly memorable one fans were undoubtedly expecting.

A more minor quibble - the episodes are incredibly long. Very easily, the season could have been sixteen or twenty episodes of more manageable viewing time.

And a major plus - where season one excelled with the development of the main ensemble of five, season two is borderline magical when it allows supporting characters to take the reins. Shin Hyun Bin, Ahn Eun Jin and Ha Yoon Kyung all have episodes where they are captivating. Jung Moon Sung, however, is hands down phenomenal throughout season two. The relationship between his Do Je Hak and Jun Wan is more entertaining than any of the romances. The arc of his wife’s pregnancy is the most poignant of the second half of season two.

While it is a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion, “Hospital Playlist” is a captivating production with one of the best casts assembled and is highly, highly recommended.