'Doctor X' premiere, 11.2% viewership rating in the metropolitan area... highest record for a mini-series in 2026

SBS’s new Friday-Saturday drama ’Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia’ recorded a 11.2% viewership rating in the metropolitan area, 11.4% nationwide, and a peak moment of 12.9% (according to Nielsen Korea) in its first broadcast on the 9th. This is the highest rating for the first episode of a mini-series aired in 2026. In the drama, Kim Ji-won plays the genius surgeon Kye Soo-jung, who confronts the hospital’s irrationality and corruption head-on. Kye Soo-jung is dispatched to Guseo University Hospital as a mercenary doctor and, from her first day, stops Hospital Director Kim Myung-seop (Kim Jong-gu) from forcibly performing surgery on an elderly patient, saying, ″Your greed is excessive.″ She then bluntly criticizes the doctors in the medical department as ″really pathetic″ and leaves work promptly at 6 o’clock. The broadcast featured intense operating room scenes. During surgery, when the hospital director collapses from latex allergy shock, confusion arises as the doctors prioritize the director over the patient. At this moment, Kye Soo-jung enters the operating room, shouts ″All staff, put your hands up!″ to order glove replacement, and saves the patient’s life with her outstanding skills. Even after the hospital director’s dismissal notice, the situation took a turn. Bu Seung-kwon (Son Hyun-joo) rises to the position of the new director by holding evidence of the former director’s corruption and calls Kye Soo-jung back. Jang Hee-sook (Lee Jung-eun), the head of the agency, presents a special contract stating, ″Dr. Kye Soo-jung never fails,″ facilitating her return. A scene follows where Bu Seung-kwon crumples Kye Soo-jung’s resume, saying, ″She’s just a tail you can cut off anyway.″ Released stills show Kye Soo-jung drawing attention with her unyielding attitude in the conference room of Guseo University Hospital and displaying a sharp stance toward the hospital on stage. There is also a scene of her meticulously reviewing a patient’s chart. The confrontation between the two is highlighted in a scene where she finds flaws in the hospital director’s explanation and refutes them point by point. The production team stated, ″From the first broadcast, Kye Soo-jung’s bold actions will unfold,″ and added, ″Please pay attention to Kye Soo-jung’s fearless performance confronting the hospital director on her first day and the changes she will bring about.″