[Dispatch=Lee Myeong-ju Reporter] "That's why I hate you guys…."
For patients, there is nothing to hold back. A medical school professor, a senior colleague, even a hospital director—she speaks her mind.
To doctors who flatter the hospital director for career advancement, she declares, "You're people who bow down before professors and hold your head high before patients."
"You clearly know how much patients will suffer, and with lives at stake, you think 'how do we just get through this'—such careless people. You really suck."
Actress Kim Ji-won has returned with her debut medical drama. In the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia," she plays Kye Su-jeong, a genius surgeon.
"Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia" is a medical noir drama. It tells the story of Kye Su-jeong, a surgeon with genius-level surgical skills, dismantling massive corruption both inside and outside a hospital.
At the center of the work lies one principle: putting patient health and life first. It is the "Hippocratic Oath," a promise doctors should inherently keep.
Kye Su-jeong is sincere about this principle. She prioritizes patients over money, honor, and power. Even when doctors agree to inappropriate surgical methods to appease the hospital director, she raises her objection.
In emergencies, she even takes away the hospital VIP wheelchair. A patient's social status is not a consideration. What matters is who needs help now and what choice serves the patient.
Sincerity is revealed in choices rather than words. Kye Su-jeong does not stop at declaring her beliefs. She acts on them even at the cost of being fired. Her refusal to compromise before authority ultimately stems from patients.
In fact, it is a character one would see only in comics. God-like surgical skills and unwavering conviction despite numerous conflicts—the unrealistic settings overflow.
Kim Ji-won brought credibility to such a "medical heroine" character. Her appearance differed 180 degrees from her previous work. With subdued makeup and a sharply cut bob, she completed Kye Su-jeong's image of coldness and clarity.
Her acting also held back force. Rather than expressing joy and sorrow, she chose restraint. Using expressionless looks and intonation with minimal fluctuation, she brought out the character's trait of concealing her inner self.
She did not miss the flawed side contrasting with her presence in the operating room. Kye Su-jeong possesses "hands of god" to the point of declaring "I do not fail," but in everyday life she is a character with a 1% shortage—a reverse charm.
Kim Ji-won's characteristic loveliness opened a breath of air in the medical noir. In particular, the pork cutlet restaurant scene appearing in episode 2 is a must-see moment for Kim Ji-won fans. That gap adds dimension.
If Kye Su-jeong does not compromise for patients, Kim Ji-won ensured that principle reaches beyond the screen. It is the power of making viewers understand Kye Su-jeong's actions.
She has also shown conduct aligned with messages of respect for life outside the drama. She donated 100 million won to Seoul National University Children's Hospital during drama filming. She requested the funds be used for treatment of severe rare and incurable disease patients.
Did this sincerity reach viewers? According to Nielsen Korea, "Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia" recorded double-digit viewership from its first episode.
Episode 1 recorded 11.4% viewership (national average), making it the highest on record for miniseries first broadcasts aired this year. Episode 2 recorded 14.9% viewership, a rise of 3.5 percentage points.
International popularity also stands out. According to Flixpatrol's tally (as of the 12th), it ranked 4th globally in the Netflix TV show category. It also entered the top 10 in 65 countries and regions worldwide.
A genius doctor who upholds principle. What ripples will Kye Su-jeong's sincerity create? The activities of "medical heroine" Kim Ji-won continue.
Meanwhile, "Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia" airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 p.m.
<Photo source=SBS>
