Fans of Hospital Playlist and Moving are buzzing with excitement as Kwak Sun-young is set to make a special appearance in Resident Playbook, raising hopes for a touching mother-daughter reunion.
Resident Playbook, a spin-off of the beloved Hospital Playlist, follows the lives of young obstetrics and gynecology residents at Jongno Yulje Medical Center. The series premiered on tvN on April 12, 2025, and airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:10 p.m. KST. It’s also available for streaming on Netflix in select regions. With a growing list of Hospital Playlist cameos, Kwak Sun-young’s appearance has fans eager for a unique connection between her roles in Hospital Playlist and Moving, where she played the mother of Go Youn-jung’s character.
Kwak Sun-young’s Role and Cameo Details
Kwak Sun-young is best known for her role as Lee Ik-sun in Hospital Playlist, where she played the lively younger sister of Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung-suk) and the love interest of Kim Jun-wan (Jung Kyung-ho). On April 18, 2025, multiple Korean news outlets, including iMBC Entertainment and Joy News 24, reported that Kwak Sun-young, along with Shin Hyun-been, Jung Moon-sung, and Bae Hyeon-seong, will make special appearances in Resident Playbook.
The drama’s production team responded to the reports with a brief statement:
While the exact details of Kwak Sun-young’s cameo remain under wraps, fans are thrilled at the prospect of seeing Lee Ik-sun return. Her character, a commissioned officer in the South Korean Army, brought humor and heart to Hospital Playlist, and viewers are eager to see how she fits into the new series.
The Mother-Daughter Connection with Go Youn-jung
What makes Kwak Sun-young’s cameo especially exciting is her connection to Go Youn-jung, the lead actress of Resident Playbook, who plays Oh Yi-young, a first-year OB-GYN resident. In the 2023 drama Moving, Kwak Sun-young portrayed Jang Hee-soo’s mother, a character who never met her daughter, played by Go Youn-jung, in the series’ storyline.
Fans on X have pointed out the emotional layers of this cameo:
this cameo has so many layers like??? to hospital playlist fans, she’s lee iksun but to moving fans, sunyoung acted as younjung’s mother whom she never met in the series and now she’s having a special appearance in resident playbook where mothers are highlighted 😭 I’M SOBBING
The Resident Playbook storyline, set in the OB-GYN department and focusing on themes like motherhood and low birth rates in South Korea, adds a poetic touch to this reunion. Fans are speculating whether Kwak Sun-young’s cameo will include a subtle nod to this mother-daughter dynamic, even if it’s just a symbolic moment.
A Growing List of Hospital Playlist Cameos
Resident Playbook has already delighted fans with several Hospital Playlist cameos. Ahn Eun-jin appeared in Episode 2 as Chu Min-ha, now a confident fourth-year resident and happily married to Yang Seok-hyung (Kim Dae-myung). Her cameo confirmed their marriage, a major highlight for fans, as she was heard calling Yang Seok-hyung “yeobo” (honey) on the phone.
Other confirmed cameos include:
Ahn Eun-jin shared insights about the cameos:
Characters from ‘Hospital Playlist’ will appear as cameos in nearly every episode. Some will be lighthearted moments, while others will serve as meaningful links to the story. The writer included major ‘Hospital Playlist’ characters where they felt necessary.
Fans have jokingly suggested that with so many Hospital Playlist actors appearing, the team might as well produce a Season 3. One X post read:
With almost the entirety of Hospital Playlist characters getting featured in the Go Yoon Jung starrer, fans have jokingly stated, “Just make a season 3 at this point.”
Fan Reactions and Expectations
The announcement of Kwak Sun-young’s cameo has sparked a wave of excitement on X. Fans are sharing their anticipation:
Kwak Sunyoung as Lee Iksun will make a special appearance in tvN Resident Playbook 💛✨
kwak sunyoung cameo-ing in #ResidentPlaybook and coming back to us as iksun
Some fans hope to see Kwak Sun-young and Jung Kyung-ho share a scene, as their characters Lee Ik-sun and Kim Jun-wan were a fan-favorite couple in Hospital Playlist. Others are excited about the emotional weight of seeing Kwak Sun-young in a drama led by Go Youn-jung, given their Moving connection.
The series’ focus on the OB-GYN department, combined with Kwak Sun-young’s past role as a mother, has fans speculating about a meaningful cameo that ties into the show’s themes.
About Resident Playbook and Its Cast
Resident Playbook is created by Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung, written by Kim Song-hee, and directed by Lee Min-soo. The series stars:
The show explores the challenges faced by young doctors in an understaffed OB-GYN department, tackling real-world issues like South Korea’s declining birth rates. It blends humor, heart, and drama, much like its predecessor, but focuses on less experienced residents.
Kwak Sun-young, born on May 11, 1983, is a seasoned actress who began her career in musical theater in 2006 with productions like Dalgona and Full House. She transitioned to television in 2018, gaining fame through roles in Encounter, VIP, and Hospital Playlist. She married in 2015 and has a son born in 2016. Her extensive stage experience and emotional depth make her a perfect fit for a memorable cameo.
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Credits: MyDramaList
