Kim Ji-won Returns as Genius Surgeon in SBS Medical Noir 'Doctor X'

Kim Ji-won is returning to television as a genius surgeon two years after her last drama. Her new SBS series, "Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia," premieres Oct. 9 at 9:50 p.m. KST.

The Friday-Saturday drama follows Kye Su-jeong, a surgeon known as Doctor X, who never fails in the operating room and refuses to compromise. The show is billed as a medical noir, with Kye taking on deep-rooted corruption within the hospital system. It marks Kim's first project since her role as Hong Hae-in in the 2024 hit "Queen of Tears."

The series reunites director Lee Jung-lim, known for "VIP," "Revenant," and "You Killed Me," with writer Pyeon Jeong-geun. The cast includes Kim alongside Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo, and Kim Woo-seok.

The first teaser, released Sept. 7, opens with Kye in a surgical mask declaring, "I will perform the operation." For the role, Kim cut her hair short, a clear break from the long hair she wore in "Queen of Tears."

Another scene shows Kye walking through a group of doctors in white coats while wearing a black leather coat. Her cold expression and blunt manner signal a character who does not care about hospital hierarchy or the stares of those around her.

Jang Hee-sook, played by Lee Jung-eun, runs an agency that places doctors in temporary positions. She introduces Kye as "the top ace of our agency. Surgeon Kye Su-jeong." Kye then turns to a patient and asks, "Decide. Do you want to die in a month, or in 100 years?"

Park Tae-kyung, played by Kim Woo-seok, watches one of her operations and says she looked "like a god. Or a monster." Scenes of hospital director Bu Seung-kwon, played by Son Hyun-joo, and Jang Hee-sook are cut in between, hinting at how the three figures will orbit around Kye.

The teaser ends with Kye stating flatly, "I do not fail."

"Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia" premieres Oct. 9 at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS.