Kim Ji-won shows intense presence in 'Doctor X'—capturing fun, empathy, and a message

Actress Kim Ji-won revealed an intense presence from the very first broadcast of the new SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X'. Appearing suddenly amidst a tense situation surrounding a collapsed patient, she skillfully handled the situation, and instead of telling the person asking for her name, she drew an 'X' with her hand. With just a brief appearance, she imprinted herself as an extraordinary individual, stimulating the curiosity of viewers.

In the first episode of 'Doctor X', which aired on the 9th, an incident occurred where a man suddenly collapsed in a billiard hall. Park Tae-gyeong (played by Kim Woo-seok), who was at the scene, began emergency first aid to save the patient, and at that moment, Gye Su-jeong (played by Kim Ji-won) appeared. The meeting between the two in an unexpected emergency increased the tension of the drama.

Gye Su-jeong asked Park Tae-gyeong, "Are you a doctor too?" Park Tae-gyeong, who introduced himself as an intern, cared for the patient alongside Gye Su-jeong, and the man was safely loaded into a 119 ambulance and transported to the hospital. The judgment and response displayed by the two in the critical moment were parts that made one wonder what kind of doctor Gye Su-jeong is.

After the patient was transported, Park Tae-gyeong asked Gye Su-jeong for her name. However, instead of telling him her name, Gye Su-jeong drew an X with her fingers and left the spot. It was a behavior far removed from a typical first meeting. Gye Su-jeong's appearance, leaving only a mysterious trace without even revealing her name, increased curiosity about the story to unfold.

Gye Su-jeong's identity became even clearer later. She is a surgeon who was urgently deployed to Guseo University Hospital, where a vacancy in medical staff occurred due to a medical strike. In the drama, Gye Su-jeong is introduced as a figure appearing in the 'Era of the White Mafia,' a being who uses only a medical license and surgical skills honed from the bottom as weapons. Another name referring to her is 'Doctor X'.

How Gye Su-jeong will prove her skills amidst the conflicts and power structures surrounding the medical field is also a point of interest. The expression 'White Mafia' implies the power and interests within the medical community, contrasting with Gye Su-jeong's attitude of using only her license and skills as weapons. The structure where the professionalism of the doctor profession and the power logic of the hospital organization collide shows the possibility of leading to the main conflict of the work.

In the first episode, Kim Ji-won revealed Gye Su-jeong's personality through short lines and actions rather than long explanations. Her calmness the moment she faced the patient, her attitude toward Park Tae-gyeong, and her unique behavior of leaving an X instead of her name combined to create the outline of a mysterious character. From her first appearance, she formed an atmosphere different from typical doctor characters.

The first broadcast focused on foreshadowing the skills and identity of the character Gye Su-jeong, and the changes she will bring to the hospital. Attention is focused on what kind of waves 'Doctor X', who appeared amidst the chaos of the medical staff vacancy, will cause in the existing order of the hospital, and how her relationship with Park Tae-gyeong will develop. Whether Gye Su-jeong, played by Kim Ji-won, can establish herself as a figure who stands against the contradictions and power of the medical community beyond being just an outstanding surgeon is expected to be a key point in the future development.

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