Kim Ji-won Returns to TV in SBS Medical Noir 'Doctor X: Mafia in White'

K-drama star Kim Ji-won is heading back to television with a new SBS medical noir that swaps hospital sentimentality for power struggles and corruption. The actress returns in "Doctor X: Mafia in White," which premieres on Oct. 9 at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS.

This marks Kim's first small-screen role in two years, following her lead performance in "Queen of Tears." That drama peaked at a 24.9 percent viewership rating, one of the highest ratings in recent K-drama history, and expectations are high for her follow-up.

"Doctor X: Mafia in White" is a Friday-Saturday series that follows Gye Soo-jeong, a surgeon with elite skills who takes on deep-rooted corruption inside her hospital. Kim plays the title character.

The project falls in line with the kind of genre-driven stories SBS has built out over the past few years. The network has leaned into stories about bringing down wrongdoers, including the "Taxi Driver" series, "The Fiery Priest," "The Judge from Hell" and "Agent Kim Reactivated." "Doctor X: Mafia in White" moves that formula into a hospital setting, with medical power and competing interests at the center.

The tone also sets it apart from SBS's signature medical drama "Dr. Romantic." Where that series centered on a doctor's beliefs and growth in treating patients, "Doctor X: Mafia in White" focuses on the power structure and misconduct inside Guseo University Hospital.

Inside the fictional hospital, a group known as the "White Mafia" holds onto its power and pursues profit. Gye Soo-jeong goes up against them, using her surgical skill as her main weapon. The show plans to mix operating-room scenes with internal power struggles and the stories of doctors trying to save their patients.

The series is directed by Lee Jung-rim, whose past credits include "VIP," "Revenant" and "As You Stood By." Alongside Kim, the cast includes Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo and Kim Woo-seok.

With a lead actress coming off one of the biggest hits of the past two years and a network with a clear track record in genre storytelling, "Doctor X: Mafia in White" arrives as one of the more closely watched Korean drama premieres of the season.