TV series shows that hope is sometimes the best medicine

When Wang Chenggang, an emergency physician at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, came across a poem by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, he was struck by the immense pain that the poet endured while still maintaining a pursuit of hope in life.

Recently, during a seminar to discuss The White Castle, a 40-episode TV series adapted from Wang's novel of the same title, the veteran doctor revealed that his creation of the story was driven by the great value of hope, which he has absorbed from many literary works like Pushkin's poem.

"Having worked in the emergency unit for more than 10 years, my most memorable experience is witnessing how many patients battling severe diseases were not healed solely by medical intervention. Instead, they managed to recover on their own," said Wang.

Doctors, in this context, serve as a support system, akin to a walking stick, helping patients endure the hardships of winter while clinging onto hope and patiently awaiting the arrival of spring, he added.

The TV series, which has been airing on Hunan Television and the streaming platform Mango TV since May 31, has gained wide popularity, exemplified by its top rankings in several ratings conducted by CSM Media Research, an influential industry investigator.

Starring actors Peng Guanying and Tu Songyan, the tale follows a group of young emergency doctors as they navigate through the joys and sorrows of their profession.

Scriptwriter Zhang Lei, who also attended the seminar, said that she spent five years collecting material, ranging from shadowing doctors at work to observing their surgical procedures and delving into their personal life stories.