Doctor X hits 21.3% viewership peak as Kye Su-jeong faces high-risk surgery

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The SBS drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' reached a peak viewership of 21.3% on Saturday the 24th. The episode followed Kye Su-jeong as she attempted to treat Oh Sang-beom, a patient suffering from bullet fragments lodged in his head for 46 years.

The SBS drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' (produced by Studio S, Studio Dragon, and HighZium Studio) saw Kim Ji-won deliver a moving performance as she volunteered for a high-risk surgery that others avoided, reaching out to a patient living through 46 years of traumatic tragedy.

Episode 6 of 'Doctor X' broke its own record by reaching a peak viewership of 21.3%, with a national rating of 19.5% and a metropolitan rating of 19.2%. The episode ranked first across all time slots, Saturday mini-series, and weekly mini-series. The 2049 viewership also showed dominant power, peaking at 7.67% with an average of 6.9%.

The episode, which aired on Saturday the 24th, increased immersion by recalling the first meeting between Kye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won) and the late boy Baraka (Jeon Ji-on). While performing medical volunteer work in the war-torn nation of Lagota, Kye Su-jeong's life was threatened by a soldier, but she was saved by Baraka. Baraka asked if she was indeed the "Doctor X" known as the "Hand of God" and pleaded for help for his sister Nima, who had been shot. The scene depicted Kye Su-jeong and Baraka rushing into the battlefield amidst gunfire to save Nima.

Returning to the present at Guseodae Hospital, Kye Su-jeong took on the case of Oh Sang-beom (Ha Sung-kwan), a patient who has lived with trauma from an injury for 46 years. As a victim of a penetrating head wound sustained over 40 years ago, Oh Sang-beom has lived with bullet fragments lodged in his head because medical technology at the time could not remove them. He continues to suffer from convulsions, seizures, headaches, and hallucinations. While doctors at Guseodae Hospital expressed hesitation due to the extremely low success rate and high public scrutiny, Kye Su-jeong was the only one to step forward.

Beyond the physical symptoms, the patient's closed heart presented a major challenge. With all medical records lost, Oh Sang-beom refused even basic examinations, let alone surgery. To persuade him, "Team Kye Su-jeong"—consisting of Kye Su-jeong, Jang Hui-suk (Lee Jung-eun), Park Tae-gyeong (Kim Woo-seok), and Jo Won-jin (Lee Jin-hee)—made a dedicated visit to him.

Oh Sang-beom's story was heartbreaking. Having been a young boy who was devoted to his older brother at the time of the incident, he has spent over 40 years grieving for a brother whose body was never found. He had remained silent for a long time, stating, "It is all my fault. Dying seems easy, so I want to pay the price by living this painfully." While those around him hoped he would regain hope as he lived like a "living corpse" dependent on painkillers, Kye Su-jeong attempted to change his mind by saying, "If you do nothing, there is no possibility."

The surgery then faced another obstacle. Upon reviewing the brain CT scans, Kye Su-jeong expressed doubt about the case, implying it was not a simple procedure. Observing his behavior, she realized that the visions of his deceased brother were actually symptoms. She explained that if the surgery were performed, he would no longer see the vision of his brother. Upon learning that the vision he shared with his brother was merely a symptom, Oh Sang-beom expressed his refusal to undergo surgery. Recalling Baraka while watching Oh Sang-beom's grief, Kye Su-jeong decided to wait until he could steady his heart.

However, the episode ended with intense tension when Oh Sang-beom disappeared from his hospital room that night. After discovering via CCTV that he had gone to the hospital rooftop, Park Tae-gyeong and Jo Won-jin rushed to follow him, only to find Oh Sang-beom standing precariously on the edge of the railing, struggling as the trauma of the incident manifested. The episode concluded with Kye Su-jeong running desperately toward the hospital, leaving viewers with a sense of urgency and lingering emotion. Attention is now focused on whether Kye Su-jeong can save the life and soul of the patient suffering from this unending tragedy.

Following the broadcast of Episode 6, various online communities and social media platforms were filled with comments such as, "How can you not cry after watching Doctor X today?", "When is next week?", "The blessing of SBS dramas never ends," "Doctor X is the number one drama of the year," and "The acting of the special actors is crazy; my heart is breaking."

'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' is a medical noir depicting the activities of Kye Su-jeong, a "crazy genius in the operating room" who breaks down massive injustices with surgical skills that know neither failure nor compromise. It airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.

Read the original (Korean)