Namkoong Min Takes on High-Stakes Surgery in 'The Husband' Episode 7

Actor Namkoong Min is stepping back into a doctor's role in KBS drama "The Husband." This time, he heads straight into the operating room.

Episode 7 of "The Husband," airing on the 25th, opens with Kang Tae-ju, played by Namkoong Min, suited up in scrubs and walking into surgery. Stills released ahead of the broadcast set a tense tone.

In earlier episodes, Kang Tae-ju tracked down the home of kidnapper Noh Man-hee, played by Kim Dae-myung, and rescued his wife Go Se-yoon, played by Lee Seol. As the couple tried to escape by car, Noh Man-hee attacked them, leaving the story on a cliffhanger.

In episode 7, Kang Tae-ju is called in to operate on Kim Kyung-ae, played by Lee Sang-hee, whose life is in danger. Standing at the operating table, he pushes past his earlier hesitation and takes charge of the surgery with a steady hand. Because Kim Kyung-ae is tied to the kidnapping of Go Se-yoon, viewers are watching to see whether Kang Tae-ju will treat her purely as a doctor or let his personal feelings get in the way.

One released still shows Kang Tae-ju keeping his focus even as blood splatters across his face and mask during the operation. Namkoong Min handles the medical dialogue naturally and carries the physical movements of surgery, shaping a believable version of the character.

Episode 6, which aired on the 19th, drew a 6.7% nationwide household rating according to Nielsen Korea. That is up 1.3 percentage points from episode 5. Its highest minute-by-minute rating hit 8.8%, the top figure for any drama in its time slot across all channels, including major broadcast networks.

"The Husband" airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:20 p.m. KST.