Kim Ji-won's 'Doctor X' premiere becomes top 2026 mini-series opener

The SBS drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' recorded a peak viewership of 12.9% during its premiere on Friday the 9th. Starring Kim Ji-won as a "mercenary doctor," the episode ranked first among all programs aired throughout the week according to Nielsen Korea.

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' captivated viewers from its very first episode, delivering catharsis through the unstoppable actions of Kye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), the "crazy surgeon of the operating room."

The first episode of 'Doctor X' recorded a peak viewership of 12.9%, with a national average of 11.4% and 11.2% in the metropolitan area, instantly breaking into double digits. This marks the highest viewership for a mini-series premiere aired in 2026, signaling a massive hit. Additionally, the 2049 viewership reached a peak of 4.3% and an average of 3.7%, ranking first among all programs aired throughout the week, including all Friday programming, according to Nielsen Korea.

In the first episode, which aired on Friday the 9th, Kye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), a "mercenary doctor" dispatched to Guseo University Hospital, signaled her full-scale debut as a "medical dark hero" by confronting the authority and corruption within the hospital while proving her god-like surgical skills. The episode opened with mysterious tension, showing Su-jeong's past as she looked upon a foreign medical facility engulfed in flames.

The story continued as Su-jeong and Jang Hui-suk (Lee Jung-eun) witnessed a customer collapse from sudden pain at a billiard hall. Su-jeong immediately identified the symptoms as an inguinal hernia and saved the patient through rapid emergency treatment. Park Tae-gyeong (Kim Woo-seok), a new intern at Guseo University Hospital who watched the scene in admiration, asked for her name, but Su-jeong left a strong first impression by silently making a large "X" sign with her fingers before disappearing.

Meanwhile, the Magnolia Society, a powerful group of doctors, held a party to celebrate the election of a mayor who is also a doctor. Boo Seung-gwon (Son Hyun-joo), a professor at a branch of Guseo University Hospital, watched the doctors focus solely on power struggles rather than patient suffering. Despite being a member of the Magnolia Society, he expressed disillusionment with the organization's nature, muttering, "You should protect the patients, you bastards. Are there any doctors worth protecting, you damn fools?" as he left the gathering.

As Guseo University Hospital suffered from a shortage of personnel, Su-jeong was temporarily dispatched as a "mercenary doctor" from the nation's first doctor recruitment agency operated by Jang Hui-suk. Su-jeong shook up the hospital on her very first day. When the retiring hospital director, Kim Myeong-seop (Kim Jong-goo), attempted to force an open surgery on an elderly patient to flaunt his reputation, Su-jeong stood up boldly in front of numerous doctors and shouted, "I object!" Arguing that laparoscopic surgery should be performed to prioritize the elderly patient's condition, Su-jeong delivered a blunt critique to the director, stating, "It seems you are excited because you've received a call for the first time in a million years. Your greed for power is excessive," freezing the scene.

In the medical office, Su-jeong also lashed out at the doctors, saying, "You irresponsible people, leaving surgery to that old man who would be lucky if his hands don't shake. Hey, you guys are really pathetic." Despite the tense confrontation, she once again caught the doctors off guard by strictly leaving work exactly at 6:00.

Following a complaint from Guseo University Hospital, Jang Hui-suk visited the director, using flattery and a special gift to request permission to observe a surgery performed by the director. During the open surgery, Su-jeong, Jang Hui-suk, and Boo Seung-gwon watched from the observation room. Suddenly, the director, who had been performing the surgery with great flair, lost consciousness due to shock. In the ensuing panic, the doctors abandoned the patient on the operating table and rushed out with the director.

Su-jeong appeared in the operating room before the panicked Park Tae-gyeong. It was revealed that both the director and the patient had latex allergies, but the director had used forbidden surgical gloves for his own convenience. Having already anticipated this, Su-jeong had quickly prepared herself and entered the room. She commanded, "Alright, everyone. Hands up, all of you!" ordering everyone to change their gloves, and successfully completed the surgery with perfect skill. In the observation room, Jang Hui-suk approached the entranced Boo Seung-gwon and introduced Su-jeong by handing him her business card, saying, "She is our agency's top ace. Surgeon Kye Su-jeong."

After regaining consciousness, the hospital director notified Su-jeong of her dismissal because she refused to compromise her convictions. However, Boo Seung-gwon, who rose to the position of the new hospital director by exploiting the director's corruption, immediately called Su-jeong back. After tearing up the standard contract, Jang Hui-suk listed tasks such as assisting professors with research, investigating thesis data, rounds, dinners, and social activities, firmly stating, “I will absolutely do none of these.” She followed this by declaring, “The important thing is, Dr. Kye Su-jeong does not fail,” leaving everyone speechless. Jang Hui-suk presented a special contract containing extraordinary working conditions and surgery allowances, which Boo Seung-gwon readily accepted.

Boo Seung-gwon acknowledged Su-jeong's skill, saying, “I have never seen hands that move that fast.” However, when the surgical professor Do Yun-sik (played by Kim Yeong-min) voiced concern, saying, “Everything could be shaken because of this person,” Boo Seung-gwon crumpled Su-jeong's resume, saying, “She is just a tail that can be cut off anyway. Along with the other problems in this hospital. So, let's just wait and see how she does.” This raised curiosity about his true intentions and stimulated interest in what kind of storm their meeting will bring in the future.

Upon returning to Guseo University Hospital, Su-jeong received a warm welcome from Park Tae-gyeong. Ignoring the sarcasm of other doctors asking, “If you hated it so much, why did you come?”, Su-jeong walked through the hospital corridor with a faint smile. The ending raised expectations to the maximum for the "medical dark hero's" refreshing performance as she prepares to excise the festering wounds of the giant tower controlled by the white mafia.

As such, 'Doctor X' captured viewers' hearts from the first episode with its relentless progression, tension-filled surgery scenes, and a plot that breaks down massive corruption. Above all, the unrivaled charisma and passionate acting of Kim Ji-won, who takes the title role, shone brightly. By portraying Kye Su-jeong—who boldly speaks the truth to doctors bowing before power—as a multi-dimensional and attractive character, she provided viewers with a sense of catharsis.

The reaction from viewers was also intense. Immediately after the broadcast, various online communities and SNS were filled with comments such as: “As expected! Kim Ji-won does not fail,” “It's more fun than I imagined. It's been so long since I've watched a drama while sitting in one place without moving,” “It's so refreshing to see Kim Ji-won's diction providing such a 'true education' (catharsis),” “Wow! Doctor X is fun. This is the taste, this is the taste,” “One hour vanished! I wish it were a 7-day-a-week drama,” “Found a charming character after a long time. I love this kind of doctor,” “The surgery scene from the first episode is a dopamine legend,” and “I'm crying right now because I love Kye Su-jeong so much.”

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia' (produced by Studio S, Studio Dragon, HighZium Studio / hereinafter 'Doctor X') is a refreshing medical noir depicting the activities of 'the crazy account of the operating room,' Dr. X 'Kye Su-jeong,' who breaks down massive corruption with genius surgical skills that know neither failure nor compromise. The second episode will be broadcast tonight (the 10th) at 9:50 PM.

SBS 'Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia'

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