Kim Ji-won's first lead role 'Doctor X' hits 18.5% viewership despite medical accuracy controversy

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X' (Doctor X: Era of the White Mafia), marking actress Kim Ji-won's first lead role in her 16-year career, is maintaining a powerful upward trend despite controversies regarding medical accuracy. While debates have erupted following a request for broadcast review by a practicing physician, viewer interest remains high. After debuting with 11.4%, the drama reached a nationwide viewership rating of 18.5% in just four episodes, breaking its own previous records. Rather than hindering the show's success, the controversy appears to be fueling further interest.

In episodes 3 and 4 of 'Doctor X', which aired on the 16th and 17th, the activities of surgeon Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won) in the emergency room were fully showcased. According to Nielsen Korea, episode 4, aired on the 17th, recorded a nationwide household rating of 18.5% and 18.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area, with the peak instantaneous rating soaring to 20.8%. Following the 11.4% premiere on the 9th, the series has shown a steep upward curve, rising to 14.9% for episode 2 and 15.1% for episode 3 before hitting its latest high.

In the drama, Gye Su-jeong demonstrates her presence in the understaffed emergency room through cold judgment and decisive action. She proves her skills by personally performing blood transfusions for patients in urgent need and by not missing warning signs in seemingly minor symptoms. In particular, the scene where she remembers the unnatural movements of Yeo Jeong-sun (Shin Hye-gyeong), a cleaning service worker she encountered by chance at the hospital, and subsequently goes to find her, highlighted Gye Su-jeong's observational skills and responsibility toward patients. Her rapid response after discovering the collapsed Yeo Jeong-sun heightened the tension of the drama.

Gye Su-jeong does not back down in the face of hospital authority and conflicting interests. She directly criticizes professors who make excuses for their absences, pointing out the attitude of medical staff who prioritize organizational reputation over patients. Gye Su-jeong's actions, driven by her conviction "I do not fail," serve as a mechanism to crack the authoritative hospital order typically depicted in medical dramas. The conflict in the drama has become clearer as characters focused on saving patients clash with those prioritizing the hospital's interests.

The confrontation with Na Dae-il (Jang Seung-jo), who has newly arrived in the surgery department, has also intensified. Gye Su-jeong remains wary of Na Dae-il's suspicious behavior and begins to approach the secrets he is hiding. Their psychological warfare suggests a potential to reveal the hidden power and interests within the hospital, moving beyond a simple battle of pride between doctors. As the process of saving patients in the emergency room intertwines with the mysteries within the hospital organization, viewer curiosity regarding upcoming episodes is growing.

Notably, Kim Ji-won's challenge as a solo lead is at the center of the show's success. Kim Ji-won brings depth to the character by expressing the cold and decisive nature of Gye Su-jeong through unwavering eyes and restrained speech, while showing subtle emotional shifts when dealing with patients. Her method of persuading the audience through judgment and action rather than excessive emotional expression highlights the character's professionalism and independence. This is being evaluated as a result of the acting experience she has built through various works, which now provides the strength to lead the drama as the main lead.

However, as much as the viewership rises, the controversy surrounding medical accuracy is also intense. Professor Ihn Namkoong, an emergency medicine specialist who participated in medical consultation for the show, expressed regret that some medical scenes were portrayed differently from actual field practice. Subsequently, a practicing orthopedic surgeon requested a review from the Korea Communications Standards Commission, claiming that the methods of medical rounds and the depiction of medical staff in the drama distort reality. From a perspective that values professionalism and accuracy in the medical field, questions have been raised regarding the drama's mode of expression.

Views on the controversy are divided. Since medical judgment and treatment are major themes of the drama, some point out that scenes that could cause misunderstandings about actual medical practice should be handled cautiously. On the other hand, counterarguments suggest it is excessive to evaluate expressions intended for dramatic tension and character traits solely by real-world standards, as the drama is not a documentary recreating reality exactly. Some reactions suggest that the criticism may be going beyond evaluating the quality of the work and turning into excessive "smearing." However, whether the criticism regarding accuracy is justified or an excessive standard is a matter to be judged based on specific scenes and the content of the complaints.

What is certain is that despite the ongoing controversy, 'Doctor X' is achieving clear results in terms of viewership. Following the trend of breaking its own record every episode since the premiere, the driving force of the work has strengthened by reaching a 18.5% nationwide rating in just four episodes. The activities of Gye Su-jeong led by Kim Ji-won, the power struggles within the hospital, and the mystery surrounding Na Dae-il are drawing in viewers.

However, high viewership does not resolve the controversy regarding medical accuracy itself. Success and the realism of a work are separate issues, and even with great viewer response, a drama dealing with medical fields needs to examine criticisms regarding professionalism. Ultimately, for 'Doctor X' to maintain long-term success, it must secure not only Kim Ji-won's acting and fast-paced development but also the persuasiveness to handle the controversy. Attention is focused on how far Kim Ji-won, who has proven her strong presence in her first lead role in 16 years, can push this upward trend, and whether the work can be recognized for its quality beyond the medical accuracy debate.

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