In episode 4 of SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama Doctor X: Mafia in White, which aired on Oct 17th, Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won) became wary of Na Dae-il (Jang Seung-jo), a newly appointed surgeon at Guseo University Hospital who showed an unusually persistent interest in her. As she began to uncover the ugly truth hidden behind his seemingly flawless exterior, the tension reached its peak.
Jang Hee-sook (Lee Jung-eun) was displeased with the arrival of Na Dae-il, the new surgical professor who had pushed Gye Su-jeong out of surgery and into the emergency department, where she had no operations to perform. Although Na Dae-il won people over with his gentle and kind image, Jang Hee-sook expressed her distrust from their very first meeting, remarking, “Where did you bring this guy with dirty hands from?”
In contrast, Na Dae-il showed an unusual interest in Gye Su-jeong. Even when she suddenly barged into the operating room where he was performing surgery, he welcomed her with a strange smile, causing a stir throughout the hospital. He also learned through intern Park Tae-kyung (Kim Woo-seok) that Gye Su-jeong liked snacks and tried to use them to get closer to her. However, she remained cold toward him despite the tempting treats. Unlike the staff at the labor agency, who interpreted the relationship between Gye Su-jeong and Na Dae-il as romantic interest, Jang Hee-sook remained suspicious, warning that “there’s something rotten about that man.” The mystery deepened when Na Dae-il was shown watching footage of Gye Su-jeong performing surgery and expressing admiration, leaving viewers wondering what he was really after.
Meanwhile, Gye Su-jeong gradually adjusted to life at Guseo University Hospital and continued to make bold moves. Although she had been banished from the surgery department to the emergency room, her exceptionally fast hands quickly earned her the nickname “a thousand reinforcements.” She also delivered a satisfying comeback by proving wrong those who had confidently predicted that her surgery would fail.
Tension escalated between Gye Su-jeong and Na Dae-il over the gallbladder surgery needed by patient Kwon Chung-hyun (Oh Jung-taek). Kwon insisted on being operated on by Na Dae-il, the man who had saved his life during his military service. However, the earliest available surgery date was a week away, and Gye Su-jeong predicted that Kwon would not survive until then. While examining Kwon’s abdominal CT scan, she discovered a suspicious mark on his liver and insisted that an open surgery was necessary to investigate the area. Na Dae-il, however, dismissed it as simple adhesions from a previous operation and insisted on performing laparoscopic surgery. Referring to footage of Gye Su-jeong’s operations, he provoked her with a cryptic remark: “You looked just like a god, or perhaps a monster. They say you only look straight ahead. I’m curious about what lies in front of you that makes you keep going like that.” His words sparked an unsettling battle of wills between the two doctors.
Just as Gye Su-jeong had predicted, Kwon Chung-hyun suddenly collapsed three days before his scheduled operation, changing the situation dramatically. All the other doctors had been called away to perform emergency surgery on another traffic accident victim, while Kwon’s attending physician, Na Dae-il, was away attending a dinner with the Mokryeon Society. With no one else available, Gye Su-jeong took charge of Kwon’s surgery. When Na Dae-il belatedly learned that she had operated on the patient, he rushed back to the hospital with his face drained of color, but it was already too late. During the operation, Gye Su-jeong discovered the initials “D.N” on Kwon’s liver, apparently carved there by someone during a previous operation performed by Na Dae-il. She was left horrified and furious. Viewers are now eagerly awaiting Gye Su-jeong’s next move after she exposed the disturbing truth that had remained hidden behind Na Dae-il’s polished exterior.
The episode’s opening sequence also revealed hints of Gye Su-jeong and Jang Hee-sook’s painful shared past, heightening viewers’ curiosity. During Gye Su-jeong’s time providing medical assistance in a conflict zone, a young boy lost his life. The sequence showed Gye Su-jeong breaking down in tears in front of a building engulfed in flames as she looked at the child’s body, while Jang Hee-sook and a young child watched her with sorrow. The scenes hinted that the two women had endured a heartbreaking experience together. Another moment showed Gye Su-jeong stopping Jang Hee-sook from ordering alcohol, saying, “No. We can’t live like that again.” The exchange further deepened the mystery surrounding their past.
The latest episode of Doctor X recorded a peak rating of 20.8%, setting another personal best for the series. The drama has continued to break its own ratings records with every episode. Episode 4 achieved a peak rating of 20.8%, with 18.5% nationwide and 18.4% in the Seoul metropolitan area, coming within striking distance of the 20% milestone and demonstrating its tremendous popularity. These figures placed the series firmly in first place among programs airing in the same time slot, Saturday miniseries, and miniseries throughout the week. Doctor X has also continued to set new personal records in the 20–49 (viewers aged 20~49) demographic, alongside its nationwide ratings. On this day, its 20–49 ratings reached a peak of 6.56% and an average of 5.9%, making it the undisputed leader among all programs broadcast on Saturday.
With Doctor X consistently topping both nationwide ratings and the 20–49 demographic rankings, the drama continues to fuel the unstoppable “Doctor X syndrome.”
Sources: Nate