SBS drama Doctor X holds top viewership spot for four weeks

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia has maintained the No. 1 viewership spot for four consecutive weeks, with episode 8 reaching a peak nationwide rating of 15.6%.

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' (produced by Studio S, Studio Dragon, and HighZium Studio) is maintaining a dominant run, holding the No. 1 viewership spot for four consecutive weeks.

The series follows the activities of 'the crazy Gye of the operating room,' Dr. Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), a genius surgeon who uses her unparalleled skills to break down massive corruption without compromise or failure. This medical noir captures the tension and catharsis provided by Gye Su-jeong's overwhelming surgical techniques and superhuman fighting spirit.

According to Nielsen Korea, episode 8 recorded a peak viewership rating of 16.7%, with a nationwide rating of 15.6% and 15.1% in the Seoul metropolitan area. This performance swept the top spots for its time slot for four consecutive weeks, as well as the No. 1 spot for Saturday mini-series and all weekly mini-series. The 2049 ratings also surged, reaching a peak of 6.09% and an average of 5.4%, dominating the weekend viewership.

A key factor driving this success is the remarkable performance of Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won) in the operating room. Utilizing god-like skills, incredible speed, and high levels of concentration and physical strength, she successfully performs surgeries that are nearly impossible.

Gye Su-jeong demonstrated her overwhelming skill by successfully performing consecutive surgeries on two pancreatic cancer patients in just six and a half hours. She also prevented a tragedy by making a decisive move with her remarkable skills when there were no doctors available at Guseodae Hospital to perform a craniotomy, which would have caused the patient to miss the golden hour. These feats reached a peak in episode 8, where she performed three consecutive surgeries over 12 hours to fill the medical void at Guseodae Hospital. Her relentless pursuit to save patients, embodied by her line, "I never fail," transforms the drama's tension into thrilling catharsis for viewers.

Gye Su-jeong's presence is further highlighted by her firm belief in prioritizing patient lives. This was particularly resonant when she prepared for the surgery of Yu Ga-eul (Ki So-yu), a 10-year-old pediatric cancer patient; despite the time constraints of the emergency, Gye Su-jeong's determination to not delay the surgery, stating, "I won't let them be in pain for even one more minute," moved viewers. Her combination of unrivaled skill and sincere care for patients has earned her widespread praise.

Kim Ji-won's delicate acting enhances the character's charm. Her intense gaze, restrained tone, and cool aura even in urgent situations increase the immersion of the surgical scenes.

Online communities and social media have reacted enthusiastically, with comments such as, "The surgery scenes make time fly. I can't take my eyes off them," "The surgery scenes with 'Gye' are so fun. The immersion and focus are crazy," "Dopamine explodes every time Su-jeong performs surgery," "Su-jeong matched the surgery time to save Ga-eul. It's crazy. I'm crying," and "Now, just looking at Kim Ji-won's eyes is thrilling, like I've already succeeded in surgery."

As 'Doctor X' approaches its climax with only four episodes remaining, anticipation is rising. The most recent episode ended with Gye Su-jeong beginning a 'solo surgery' (performing a surgery alone without an assistant) to save the pediatric cancer patient Yu Ga-eul, leaving viewers wondering if her incredible skills will once again save a young life.

The ninth episode of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' will air this Friday at 9:50 PM.

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