'Doctor X's Kim Ji-won explodes from the very first episode.. Tops at 12.9%, highest of the year

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The drama 'Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia,' starring Kim Ji-won, exploded from its first broadcast.

'Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia' (screenplay by Pyun Seong-geun, directed by Lee Jung-rim, hereinafter 'Doctor X'), an SBS Friday-Saturday drama that aired for the first time on the 9th, perfectly captivated viewers from its debut episode by delivering a thrilling catharsis through the unyielding actions of Gye Su-jung, the "crazy lady of the operating room."

Episode 1 of 'Doctor X' recorded a peak viewership rating of 12.9%, 11.4% nationwide, and 11.2% in the metropolitan area, achieving double digits from the very first episode. This marks the number one viewership record among mini-series first broadcasts aired in 2026, signaling the beginning of an unstoppable hit by the bold chief surgeon. The 2049 demographic rating also recorded a peak of 4.3% and an average of 3.7%, securing an overwhelming first place not only among all Friday programs but also among all programs broadcast during that week. (Based on Nielsen Korea)

In Episode 1 of 'Doctor X,' Gye Su-jung (played by Kim Ji-won), a "mercenary doctor" dispatched to Guseo University Hospital, boldly confronted the hospital's authority and injustice while proving her overwhelming surgical skills that have reached a divine level, foreshadowing her full-fledged activities as a "medical dark hero."

The broadcast opened with a mysterious tension by showing Su-jung's past self gazing at a foreign medical facility engulfed in flames. Following this, an incident occurred where Su-jung and Jang Hee-sook (played by Lee Jung-eun) witnessed a customer collapse from sudden pain at a billiards hall. Su-jung immediately recognized the symptoms as "femoral hernia" and saved the patient with swift emergency treatment. Park Tae-gyeong (played by Kim Woo-seok), a new intern at Guseo University Hospital who watched in admiration, asked Su-jung for her name, but Su-jung silently drew a large 'X' with her finger before disappearing gracefully.

The Magnolia Society, a gathering of influential doctors at major hospitals, held a party to celebrate the election of a doctor-turned-mayor. Watching these doctors who ignored patients' suffering and focused solely on power struggles, Bu Seung-gwon (played by Son Hyun-joo), a professor at Guseo University Hospital's branch, expressed his disillusionment with the organization's nature despite being a member himself. He muttered, "We must protect the patients, you rotten bastards. Is there any doctor worth protecting, damn it," and slipped out of the venue.

Su-jung, a "mercenary doctor" affiliated with Hee-sook's "Korea's first medical staffing agency," was temporarily dispatched to Guseo University Hospital, which had been suffering from a labor shortage. Su-jung shook up the hospital from her very first day on duty. When Hospital Director Kim Myeong-seop (played by Kim Jong-gu), who is nearing retirement, attempted to force an open surgery on an elderly patient to flaunt his prestige, Su-jung confidently raised her hand in front of numerous doctors and shouted, "I object." Arguing that laparoscopic surgery should be performed with the elderly patient's condition as the top priority, Su-jung delivered a harsh truth to the director: "It seems you're excited because you got a call after a million years. Your greed is excessive," freezing the scene.

In the doctors' lounge, Su-jung also delivered a sharp rebuke to the doctors, saying, "You irresponsible people who leave surgery to that old man whose hands are lucky if they don't shake. Hey, you guys are really terrible." Despite the tense standoff, she pulled off a twist by clocking out sharply at exactly 6 o'clock, once again catching the doctors off guard.

Hee-sook, who received a complaint from Guseo University Hospital, visited the hospital director and flattered him by presenting a special gift, asking to observe a surgery he would perform. Eventually, as the open surgery proceeded, Su-jung, Hee-sook, and Seung-gwon watched from the observation room. At that moment, the hospital director, who was performing the surgery with various airs, suddenly lost consciousness due to shock symptoms. Startled doctors abandoned the opened patient on the operating table and rushed out of the operating room with the director.

Before Tae-gyeong, who remained in the operating room in a panic, Su-jung appeared wearing proper surgical attire. It turned out that both the hospital director and the patient had latex allergies, but the director, unaware of this, had used prohibited surgical gloves for his own convenience. Su-jung, who had already seen through this fact, quickly prepared and entered the operating room. She shouted, "Alright, everyone. All scrub hands up!" and instructed everyone to change their surgical gloves, successfully completing the surgery with perfect technique to deliver a thrilling catharsis. Hee-sook approached Seung-gwon, who had been watching from the observation room as if entranced, and introduced her, saying, "She is our agency's top ace. Doctor Gye Su-jung," handing him her business card.

Subsequently, the hospital director, who regained consciousness, notified Su-jung of her dismissal for not bending to his principles. However, Seung-gwon, who had risen to the position of new hospital director by exploiting the director's misconduct, immediately called Su-jung back. Hee-sook tore up the basic contract and listed tasks such as assisting professors' research, investigating paper materials, rounds, drinking parties, and socializing, stating firmly, "We absolutely do not do any of these." She then asserted, "The important thing is that Doctor Gye Su-jung does not fail," leaving everyone speechless. Hee-sook presented a special contract containing exceptional working conditions and surgical allowances, which Seung-gwon willingly accepted.

Seung-gwon acknowledged Su-jung's skills, saying, "I have never seen such fast hands." However, when Surgery Professor Do Yun-sik (played by Kim Young-min) expressed concern, saying, "This person could shake everything up," Seung-gwon replied, "It's just a tail that needs to be cut off. We'll tack on the other problems of this hospital along with it. So let's see how she does." He crumpled Su-jung's resume. This simultaneously aroused curiosity about his true intentions and stimulated interest in what storm the meeting between the two would bring in the future.

Su-jung, who returned to Guseo University Hospital, received a warm welcome from Tae-gyeong. Ignoring the sarcasm of other doctors asking, "Why did you come if you hated it so much," Su-jung walked down the hospital corridor with a faint smile. Her ending raised expectations to the peak for the refreshing activities of a 'medical dark hero' who will cut out the festering wound of the towering structure dominated by white mafias.

'Doctor X' instantly captured viewers' hearts from its first broadcast with relentless pacing, tense surgical scenes, and a plot that shatters massive injustice. The unique charisma and passionate performance of Kim Ji-won, who plays the title role, shone brightly. She portrayed Gye Su-jung, who boldly speaks truth to doctors who bow before power, in a three-dimensional and attractive manner, delivering refreshing satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Episode 2 of 'Doctor X' will air at 9:50 p.m. on the 10th.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original