Kim Ji Won‘s highly anticipated return to the small screen with Doctor X: Mafia in White has received an enthusiastic response from viewers, with the medical drama reportedly breaking two major ratings records immediately after its premiere.
SBS’s new drama Doctor X: Mafia in White recently aired its first episode, marking Kim Ji Won’s comeback two years after the enormous success of Queen of Tears. Remarkably, the series delivered impressive results on its opening night, demonstrating the actress’s enduring popularity among South Korean television audiences.
According to reported figures, Doctor X: Mafia in White reached a real-time rating of 25.34% within its first hour, setting a new real-time ratings record for 2026. Meanwhile, its premiere recorded a nationwide rating of 11.4%, securing first place in its time slot and reportedly becoming the first Korean drama of the year to achieve double-digit nationwide ratings with its debut episode. The broadcast also attracted more than 2.2 million television viewers, an impressive figure for a newly launched series.
Doctor X: Mafia in White follows Gye Su Jeong (Kim Ji Won), a brilliant surgeon whose exceptional medical abilities are matched by her unconventional personality. Through a doctor-placement agency operated by Jang Hee Suk, she is assigned to Guseo University Hospital to fill a vacant surgical position. Once there, Gye Su Jeong quickly demonstrates her extraordinary skills while fearlessly challenging the unreasonable practices and corruption she encounters within the medical system. Her professional journey also becomes increasingly complicated as she develops connections with hospital director Bu Seung Gwon and medical intern Park Tae Gyeong.
Beyond its impressive ratings, the drama has received considerable praise from viewers following its opening episode. Kim Ji Won’s portrayal of Gye Su Jeong has emerged as one of the show’s biggest highlights, combining remarkable intelligence and surgical expertise with a rebellious, outspoken personality. Rather than conforming to expectations, Gye Su Jeong openly expresses her opinions and refuses to remain silent when confronted with something she believes is wrong, even when her behavior makes her appear unusual to those around her.
The drama has also been praised for its naturally integrated humor, which avoids excessive exaggeration, and the consistently strong performances of its cast. Although the premiere has yet to reveal much of the overarching storyline, its engaging pacing and entertaining character interactions have already left viewers eager to discover what happens next.
However, not all reactions have been entirely positive. Some viewers criticized the soundtrack for lacking memorable musical themes, while others felt that the premiere did not offer enough originality or excitement compared with the Japanese version. Nevertheless, positive responses have generally outweighed the criticism.
On MyDramaList, Doctor X: Mafia in White currently holds a reported rating of 8.2 out of 10, reflecting its encouraging early reception. With such a promising start, the series appears well-positioned to become one of the most talked-about Korean dramas of 2026.
Online viewers have shared a wide range of reactions to the premiere:
- “The Trauma Code meets Doctor X. This is exactly the kind of storyline I love. I’m already completely hooked and can’t wait for tomorrow!”
- “To be honest, my biggest problem is how boring the background music is, especially compared with the original. For example, the music when the hospital director walks around, or during the narration. In the original, those moments immediately got me excited, but here it feels like they barely tried. It’s such a shame. Overall, though, this is a pretty decent adaptation. Kim Ji Won and Lee Jung Eun are fantastic and really capture the spirit of the original characters. Still, I much prefer the original’s opening music in the dance club scene.”
- “That first episode was absolutely crazy! I fell in love with her character immediately. There are also so many actors who usually play characters I hate, haha. I think we’re in for a great time, and I’m about to add another favorite doctor to my list after Dr. Kim and Dr. Baek: Dr. Gye!”
- “I haven’t watched the Japanese version, but based on what I’ve seen so far, I really enjoyed the first episode. It was pretty good and gave me some Dr. Romantic vibes.”
- “Kim Ji Won never disappoints her fans.”
Sources: kenh14