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Shin Shi Ah expresses her affection for Resident Playbook and shares how her family reacted to her performance.
Hospital Playlist spin-off Resident Playbook is a drama about OB-GYN residents working at Yulje Hospital as they walk the path to becoming wise doctors.
Shin Shi Ah played the role of first-year resident Pyo Nam Gyeong.
She shared her thoughts on the series' conclusion, saying, "I'm honored that the end of this long wait could be wrapped up so happily and joyfully. I was grateful to be able to film my first drama on set with such warm-hearted people. I sincerely thank all the viewers who loved and supported Nam Gyeong."
Shin Shi Ah discovered many commonalities while developing the character of Pyo Nam Gyeong. "Nam Gyeong wants to be sharp and capable, but if you look closely, she's a bit clumsy and very emotional and affectionate. I often hear that I seem standoffish if I don't speak, but the more people get to know me, they realize I'm actually clumsy and very affectionate."
She continued, "Among the first-year residents, I think Nam Gyeong is the most ordinary. She wasn't the top of the class but did come in second. She didn't get into the school she wanted at first, but she eventually got into med school after trying again. I'm not exceptionally good at anything either, but the one thing I can do well is work hard. I think that's something we have in common."
When asked if there were any challenges in playing Pyo Nam Gyeong, Shin replied, "I often wondered why Nam Gyeong would say things others could hear and end up getting caught. If it were me, I would never do that. But the way I interpreted Nam Gyeong is that all her emotions are transparently visible. I understood it as a result of her having received a lot of love and positivity from her parents since childhood. So I tried to express everything she said in the most non-malicious way possible."
The episode depicting Nam Gyeong bickering with her mother deeply moved many viewers. When asked about her own family's reaction to the scene, the actress said, "If nothing else, I really wanted to watch that episode live with my family. While filming that scene, I thought a lot about my own mom. We've always been close, like friends to each other."
She added, "Unfortunately, I couldn't catch the broadcast live because I was filming at the time, but afterward, I got a text from my mom that said, 'I cried so much.' It made me think that, just like Nam Gyeong's mom, my mom really loves me, and she must've reflected a lot about me [while watching that scene]."
She continued, "While watching that scene, I read a comment that said it was touching because Nam Gyeong cried without fully understanding her mom's words. Up until the time we filmed that scene, I had never lived apart from my mom. So when Nam Gyeong's mom said, 'These were the best two nights and three days. I haven't slept next to you since middle school,' I don't think I fully understood it. I think I cried in a way that felt layered, [the way a daughter cries without fully grasping everything, but still feeling it deeply]."
She added, "Isn't it often the case that daughters don't fully understand their mothers' feelings? These days, I've been so busy with filming that I don't get to see my mom as often as I used to. I've come to realize just how precious the time spent simply eating a meal with her is. Watching the broadcast, I realized that even though Nam Gyeong's mom was unwell, what truly mattered [to her] was the time she spent with Nam Gyeong. I think what made it meaningful and interesting was coming to understand, 'Ah, she cried without fully understanding everything.'"
For Shin Shi Ah, Resident Playbook also brought the opportunity to appreciate her grandfather's life as a doctor on a deeper level.
She shared, "My grandfather worked in the field for a long time before retiring last year. He's now over 80 years old. I've never seen anyone work as hard and live as honestly as he has."
Shin Shi Ah said joyfully, "When I was cast in this role, I thought about my grandfather the most. It meant a lot to portray the profession he dedicated his whole life to, and I was grateful I could show it to him while he's still alive. I asked our medical advisors many questions, but I also went to my grandfather for guidance. I loved seeing how excited he got when he talked about it. Even just having that extra bit of conversation with him was fun. It gave me a small, meaningful memory I'll have with him."
The actress described the K-drama as a gift-like project. She said, "The best thing is I was gifted with truly wonderful people. The production team, staff, and fellow actors were all so warm and genuinely passionate about what they were doing. I also received a lot of love on set... It truly felt like a gift, both for my acting career and personally."
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