Behind the scenes of Mediacorp's realistic hospital set, where almost every TV drama ends up

Mediacorp, a major television production company, boasts a realistic hospital set that serves as the backdrop for countless medical scenes in their dramas. Felicia Chin and Romeo Tan, two actors on the popular drama Brighter Days, have both filmed numerous hospital scenes for their roles. The hospital set, complete with functional equipment and transformable wards spanning different decades, is a crucial part of Mediacorp's studio productions.

Mediacorp senior art director Chen Jia Gu explained that the set is constantly being adapted for each drama, as filming in real hospitals is impractical. The set includes authentic hospital equipment, such as beds and heartbeat monitors, to help actors immerse themselves in their characters. The most expensive piece of equipment is the heartbeat monitor, which has been in use for several years.

Building the set involves extensive planning and customization for each drama, including the use of heavy iron frames to ensure structural stability. The hospital set's realism is so impressive that even the actors get a break from their hard work by sleeping in the beds. Brighter Days, which alternates between 1996 and 2026, has utilized the hospital set to bring its story of neighbors reconnecting to life.