
In the tvN drama Hospital Playlist, Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung-suk) is a single father to his only son Woo-joo (Kim Joon) after getting divorced from his wife. In the series, Uju is shown to be close to Songhwa, who is referred to as Appa's friend by Ikjun. There is fan speculation that Songhwa could be Uju's mother, as she is shown sleeping next to him and looking after him when he is sick.
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What You'll Learn

Uju's mother is divorced from Ik-Jun
Hospital Playlist is a Korean drama series that follows the lives of five doctors in their forties working at the Yulje Medical Centre. One of the doctors, Lee Ik-Jun, is a single father to his only son Woo-Joo, also referred to as Uju, after getting divorced from his absent wife.
Uju and Ik-Jun share a close bond, and viewers get to see the two spend quality time together throughout the series. In one scene, Uju visits Ik-Jun at the hospital and sobs while clinging onto his father. In another, Uju tries to give Ik-Jun a multiple-choice quiz about what he wants to eat, with all the options being variations of a hamburger.
Ik-Jun's marriage and subsequent divorce are not central to his character in the series. However, some viewers have speculated about the reasons for his divorce and his ex-wife's motives. One theory suggests that Ik-Jun's ex-wife realised their unhappiness would likely negatively impact their son and gave him a chance to move on, despite her own affair. Another viewer suggests that she was too busy chasing Ik-Jun to notice his admiration for someone else and that she eventually walked out on them to make it easier for Ik-Jun to move on.
While the series does not explore Ik-Jun's relationship with Uju's mother in great detail, it does portray the father-son dynamic between Ik-Jun and Uju and how they navigate their lives after the divorce.
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Ik-Jun is Uju's father
In the South Korean television series Hospital Playlist, Lee Ik-jun (played by Jo Jung-suk) is a single father to his only son, Woo-joo, also known as Uju. Ik-jun is divorced from his absent wife, who decided that a long-distance marriage was not ideal and already has a new partner.
Uju has a close relationship with his father, and they share many heartwarming moments throughout the series. Ik-jun is devoted to his son, and his cheerful charisma allows him to connect with both patients and doctors, making him a popular figure in the hospital.
There is some fan speculation about the reasons for Ik-jun's divorce and his wife's absence. Some suggest that Uju's mother may have felt resentful or unhappy in her marriage to Ik-jun, realising that the idea of being with him did not match the reality. It is also implied that she may have had an unplanned pregnancy with Uju, which could have been an attempt to bring meaning to their struggling relationship. However, after Uju was born, she may have decided to leave, realising that she was not ready to be a mother and leaving the parental duties primarily to Ik-jun.
While Uju's mother is not a central figure in the series, her potential identity is a topic of interest for fans. Some fans have speculated that Chae Song-hwa, a close friend of Ik-jun and one of the only female characters in the group of friends, could eventually become Uju's mother figure or even stepmother if she and Ik-jun were to get together. Song-hwa is an associate professor of neurosurgery and is considered the perfect doctor by her colleagues and patients. She has a close bond with Uju, caring for him when he is sick and even sleeping next to him. However, the show has not explicitly confirmed this potential relationship development.
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Songhwa is referred to as Appa's friend by Uju
In the tvN drama Hospital Playlist, Lee Ik-jun is a single father to his only son Woo-joo, also referred to as Uju. Ik-jun is divorced from his absent wife, Uju's mother. Chae Song-hwa is one of Ik-jun's friends from medical school.
Uju and Song-hwa are quite close, and she has been seen sleeping next to him and taking care of him when he is sick. However, it is unclear what Uju calls Song-hwa, as they have not been shown interacting much in the show. Ik-jun has been referring to Song-hwa as "Appa's friend" when talking to Uju. This could be to create some distance between himself and Song-hwa, or to make it easier for Uju to see her as a friend who could become something more if their relationship develops.
Uju is very comfortable with Song-hwa, and one reviewer notes that they always look like a mother and child when they are together. Another reviewer mentions that they would like to see more scenes of Ik-jun spending time with Uju, as they are "adorable" together.
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Songhwa may be Uju's future stepmother
In the tvN drama Hospital Playlist, Lee Ik-jun (Jo Jung-suk) is a single father to his only son Woo-joo (Kim Joon), also referred to as Uju. Ik-jun is divorced from his absent wife, Uju's mother. Chae Song-hwa (Jeon Mi-do) is one of Ik-jun's four other friends from medical school who work with him at the Yulje Medical Centre.
Uju and Songhwa have a close relationship. Songhwa has been seen sleeping next to Uju, looking after him when he's sick, and allowing him to be comfortable with her even when he's fussy. Ik-jun refers to Songhwa as "Appa's friend" to Uju, which is interesting because Uju is relatively comfortable with her taking care of him. It is speculated that Ik-jun refers to Songhwa as a "friend" so that if they end up together, it will be easier for Uju to see her as a friend who became something else—a partner for his dad, and maybe even a mom for himself.
Songhwa and Uju's interactions certainly seem to suggest a mother-child dynamic. One Reddit user speculates that the show is "baiting" and "want [ing] to force some distance between Ik Jun and Song Hwa." Another user notes that they are "close enough" and that Uju always looks like a mother and child when he is with Songhwa.
Given the nature of Songhwa and Uju's relationship, as well as the potential for Songhwa and Ik-jun to end up together, it is possible that Songhwa may become Uju's stepmother in the future.
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Uju's mother is absent
Uju's relationship with his father is explored in the series, and there are many heartwarming moments between the father and son. In one scene, Uju visits his father in the hospital and sobs while clinging to him. In another, Uju gives Ik-jun a multiple-choice quiz about what he wants to eat, with all the answers being variations of the word "hamburger".
There is some discussion about the reason for the divorce and Uju's mother's absence. One theory is that she walked out on Ik-jun and Uju to make it easier for Ik-jun to move on without her. Another theory is that she realised they were both unhappy and likely to make their son miserable, so she gave Ik-jun a "get out of jail free card". It is also suggested that she may have been too busy chasing Ik-jun and knowing he admired someone else to notice their marriage was a bad match.
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Frequently asked questions
Lee Ik-jun's ex-wife is Uju's mother.
Uju's mother initiated the divorce after having an affair.
It is unclear how close Uju is with his mother, as she is absent and there are limited interactions between them in the show.
No, there is no mention of Ik-jun remarrying, so Uju does not have a stepmother.















