SBS has confirmed that Kim Ji-won’s long-awaited next project has finally begun. The upcoming Friday–Saturday drama “Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia” started filming on December 4, marking the official launch of a series that has already drawn industry attention for its cast and its bold reinterpretation of a hit Japanese franchise.
A Korean remake of a record-breaking medical series
Based on TV Asahi’s Doctor X series—which ran for seven seasons between 2012 and 2021—the Korean version reimagines the concept as a medical noir, focusing on corruption, power struggles, and the battle of a lone surgeon who relies solely on skill.
SBS, known for producing strong “satisfaction dramas” such as Taxi Driver, The Fiery Priest, and Revenge of Others, teams up with Studio S, Studio Dragon, and HighZium Studio for this adaptation. Director Lee Jung-rim (VIP, Revenant, You Killed It) collaborates with rising screenwriter Pyeon Seong-geun.
Kim Ji-won transforms into ‘Doctor X’ Gye Su-jeong
Kim Ji-won plays Gye Su-jeong, a brilliant outsider surgeon dispatched from a physician labor agency to fill the gap at Guseo University Hospital. Known as the “wild dog of the operating room,” she dismantles corruption with unmatched surgical skill and sharp resolve.
The cast also includes:
- Lee Jung-eun as Jang Hee-sook, the head of the doctor dispatch agency.
- Son Hyun-joo as Bu Seung-kwon, director of Guseo University Hospital’s branch.
- Kim Woo-seok as Park Tae-kyung, a privileged intern whose life becomes chaotic after meeting Su-jeong.
Strong first day of filming
On the first day of shooting, Kim Ji-won appeared fully immersed in her role. Director Lee Jung-rim praised her performance:
“From the first moment in front of the camera, Kim Ji-won embodied Gye Su-jeong with a strong presence. Her concentration and expressiveness firmly anchored the tone of the project.”
He added that the drama aims to deliver high immersion and a polished narrative through its medical-noir framework and the dynamic journey of a genius surgeon confronting a corrupt system.
Coming in 2026
With filming now underway, Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia is scheduled to premiere on SBS in 2026.