# Life (2018)

> A dedicated ER doctor fights to protect patient care when a ruthless new hospital director threatens to dismantle the emergency department for profit.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/68689

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 16
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama
- Created by: Lee Su-yeon
- Network: JTBC
- Cast: Lee Dong-wook, Cho Seung-woo, Won Jin-ah, Lee Kyoo-hyung, Yoo Jae-myung, Moon So-ri, Moon Sung-keun, Cheon Ho-jin
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8243158/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, suspenseful, warm, tense

## Synopsis

Life (2018) is a South Korean medical drama series created by Lee Su-yeon for JTBC, a single-season run of sixteen one-hour episodes. Ye Jin-Woo (Lee Dong-wook) is a dedicated emergency room doctor who refuses to let patient care be sacrificed when a ruthless new hospital director arrives with plans to dismantle the emergency department for profit. Surrounding him are Koo Seung-Hyo (Cho Seung-woo), Lee No-Eul (Won Jin-ah), and Oh Se-Hwa (Moon So-ri), colleagues whose loyalties, friendships, and private struggles are tested as the institution pushes back. The engine of the show is a steady escalation of workplace power plays, boardroom maneuvering, and long nights in the emergency room, where every decision carries real consequences for the patients who arrive in crisis. Episodes move between clinical urgency and the quieter moments of mental strain and personal doubt that the staff carry home. The tone blends suspense with warmth, a register of earnest determination and bruised idealism. Fans of Hospital Playlist, Grey's Anatomy, and The Good Doctor will find resonance in its mix of medical stakes, professional loyalty, and institutional conflict.

## Shows like Life

- [Dr. Romantic (2016)](https://ember.film/tv/60040)
- [Emergency Couple (2014)](https://ember.film/tv/54574)
- [Resident Playbook (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/152564)
- [Doctor Lawyer (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/122915)
- [The Pitt (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/165607)
- [Doctor John (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/76872)
- [Code Black (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/56305)
- [Good Doctor (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/51603)
- [The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/137687)
- [Live Up to Your Name (2017)](https://ember.film/tv/63487)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt