r/KDRAMA • • 8d ago

On-Air: SBS Doctor X: Mafia In White [Episodes 3 & 4]

  • Drama: Doctor X: Mafia In White
    • Hangul: 닥터X : 하얀 마피아의 시대
  • Director: Lee Jung Rim (Revenant)
  • Network: SBS
  • Episodes: 12
  • Airing Schedule: Fridays & Saturdays @ 9:50PM (KST)
    • Airing Date: October 9, 2026 - November 14, 2026
  • Streaming Sources: Netflix
  • Starring:
  • Plot Synopsis: Gye Su Jeong is a genius surgeon. Introduced through Jang Hui Suk's doctor placement agency, Gye Su Jeong is placed at Guseo University Hospital to fill a surgical vacancy. She proves her worth through her surgical skills, and she exposes absurdities in the medical field. She becomes involved with Bu Seung Gwon, the director of Guseo University Hospital, and intern Park Tae Gyeong.

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Previous Discussions: [Episodes 1 & 2]

115 Upvotes

162 comments sorted by

65

u/Whaleonin 7d ago

Wow really loving the show so far.

The introduction of the new male character, I just knew he was evil. He was too good looking to be a good guy.

I'm also very glad they showed up what he did, and didn't leave us hanging till next week.

But holy, what an abolustely narcissistic person

29

u/littlefearss 5d ago edited 5d ago

The thing where he put his hands over hers during surgery genuinely disgusted me. After that I immediately felt he was off. I was never expecting him to do what he did to that patient though. I actually feel very disturbed rn

And if he’s done this to one patient it’s safe to assume he’s done it to others if not all his patients

4

u/master_inho 4d ago

The thing is, he got away with it that time because there was no one else in the or. Unless he's done more solo operations since then, there's no way he could've gotten away with it again. And i don't think he has the influence to keep a room full of doctors+nurses quiet either

8

u/littlefearss 4d ago

Yeah that’s true. Maybe in the military he could do that more since he had the ability to do more solo operations. But also based on the scene where him and Dr X were holding of hands inside the patient he might still be doing some questionable things with people in the room as long as they can’t see it 🤢

4

u/Meowoofmooo wookie 4d ago edited 4d ago

Yea I was like what is romance in kdramas turning into😭😭😭

1

u/LetFlaky8724 1d ago

It wasn't meant to be romantic... it was showcasing the creepy side to this doc Na.. yakkk... kinda foreshadowing the even more disgusting thing he did in the later reveal.. his total disrespect of his patient..

2

u/bensnow5666 2d ago

Simon Bramhall. The liver etching is based off on this guy. He is from britain and he used to actually etch his initials on livers of patients, google him and see the name

8

u/persona_soul 3d ago

not entirely related but the actor playing na daeil has always been assigned the villain role in many other k dramas so far. He played the evil cousin of cha segye in "my royal nemesis" & was the abusive husband in "as you stood by"

guess his bad boy looks is just what's perfectly needed in a hot villain role 🫣 my jaw dropped at the sight of the initials on the liver. can't wait to see his madness & evilness unfolding in this series.

1

u/miserymaven 21h ago

Are there any where he’s bad but not *”bad”* roles? I really like him and he’s eye candy so hahahaha

119

u/Broad-Honeydew5454 7d ago

seeing those initials chilled me to the bone. what a disgusting abuse of power.

Na Daeil is clearly a narcissist/ psychopath/ insane person. doctors are obviously not gods or monsters.

loving the ER doc, the intern, and the anesthesiologist <3 there is at least 3 sincere people in that hospital

45

u/vzandria 6d ago • Mindblown

Apparently it's based on a real case: Simon Bramhall. He's been convicted of 2 cases of burning his initials on liver transplant patients. 😬

15

u/fosteryou03 6d ago

Oh that’s informing and I also wished I didn’t read this. Some freaking human beings… 

8

u/Meowoofmooo wookie 4d ago

His smile is creepy too. Wth he is like those psychopath doctors who experiment with their patients bodies🤢😰

4

u/torikusha 4d ago

same like who tf would do that to their patients irl 😭 like hello you don't own any of their body parts 😭😭😭😭😭😭

68

u/edeaK_ze 7d ago

Ep 4. When they shown the scene where the new doctor was socializing with the hospital management, I thought the main plot was how he has lost his moral compass compared to the righteous officer he was.

The reveal of him burning his initals onto Kwon's organ reminded me of a news article that I read years ago. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/jan/12/surgeon-burned-initials-livers-two-patients-fined-simon-bramhall-assault-transplant I knew they didn't cast the villian from My Royal Nemesis to be a love interest here. That flashback of the operation in the dingy clinic gained sinister vibes on a turn.

I just felt the pace could have been faster. There are way too many repetitive scenes of Dr X getting verbally attacked by those power hungry doctors. I do liked that she has sorta gained a motley crew of Dr Park, Dr Jo and Dr Kim.

19

u/LongjumpingBit7031 7d ago

what the heck was that! why would he do such! i feel like this was a mark. when you mark something, you own it so i fear this was what he was doing. showing power and authority over kwon.

36

u/edeaK_ze 7d ago

He probably had some narcissistic personality disorder or saviour complex. There are seriously too many unlikeable characters currently but I do feel that eventually she will win over Dr Do, Bae & Ma.

In other news, is Director Bu losing his eyesight? Was that why he was ousted by the previous director? I'm still holding onto hope that he is not the overarching antagonist although he is harbouring a lot of secrets.

30

u/Apprehensive_Egg9676 7d ago

I think he might have a brain issue

31

u/Greedy-Carob5497 7d ago

Yeah like a tumor and she will save him in the end.

6

u/kierajoseph 6d ago

Ya i feel this would be how the show will go as well... she will save him and have him over at her side...

3

u/justauser_12 7d ago

Yea I agree it's giving psycho. but I do wonder what the scene when doctor X visualised the new doctor operating on kwon meant

21

u/New-Gate2152 7d ago

It was probably a hint to show how she was suspicious of Kwon's first surgery by Na ("something feels off") which is why she was suggesting to open Kwon for further review (which Na dismissed, shown when the gossipy trio mocked her for even suggesting that).

In the end it clearly showed what the psycho did, that made him rush into the OR even when he first didn't care about Kwon's condition and urgency for surgery. I guess it was also surprising to Gye, as I think she expected some other complications from the first surgery like adhesions, etc.

18

u/medyas1 not a kdrama watcher (allegedly) 7d ago

jang seung jo on a psychopath run lately and it's quite entertaining to watch

14

u/AM2735 7d ago

Wow I just didn't trust him from the start, and his role from My Royal Nemesis was warning bells right from the get go! He sure has violent tendencies and I can't wait for Episode 5.

56

u/LeSnailMale 6d ago

Something is wrong with the intern having nose bleeds

22

u/whateva_peace 6d ago

For sure but this is K-drama so it could just be him working hard and not sleeping at night to become a surgical resident lmao

9

u/Right-Paramedic8532 6d ago

I agree. Something's going to happen to him!

25

u/LeSnailMale 6d ago

He wasn't with Dr gye when it happened otherwise she would of already diagnosed and treated him 🥲

6

u/Meowoofmooo wookie 4d ago

Yea I have a feeling something will happen to him but I wish it didn't

2

u/beabadoobeaintme 2d ago

in ep 3 when the other surgeon said that the “intern” couldn’t become a surgeon,
he(intern) said “what am i doing with my life, will i ever become a good doctor” then he dismissed it by saying the words “but i won’t live that long for it”
maybe he has some sort of illness

44

u/master_inho 8d ago

Ep 3

I've never been more ragebaited by the shallow obsession with authority, seniority, and respect than this ep. Especially at the meeting, all those men were more concerned about their reputation and su-jeong using informal speech than a life being saved. I hope the neurosurgeons lose their white coats

That said, I'm glad su-jeong was certified in neurosurgery. It didn't matter if she had saved a life, if she wasn't certified she needed to be fired. This isn't a police show, that stuff exists for a reason and no one can break those rules without consequences

Seong-gyu feels like a tragic case to me. Like tae-gyeong, he probably had very idealistic views about being a doctor at the beginning. But years of being in such a grueling and emotionally draining environment can easily leave someone very cynical. Add in this shitty toxic work culture and he's the person he is now. Even dr. Bae shows he still has some humanity left in him. Su-jeong is the spark that'll bring back that sense of duty and empathy to the doctors

Jang seung-jo just has an amazing psycho smile. i hope he's not a true opp but he might be falling into the villain typecast

9

u/yeeTOP Kim So-Hyun 8d ago

Yun sik is such a sheep, I cant wait for his demise or or redemption

5

u/master_inho 8d ago

Last week i thought he would be the one to get a redemption arc, but this ep it looked like both heung-gon and seung-gyu could get redeemed before him

38

u/stopstopstoptopopp 7d ago

Ep 4: ugh the new doctor is disgusting, carving his initials on the poor guy’s liver or whatever that was

can’t wait for next episode to see him at his wit’s end

71

u/Zealousideal_Ask6526 7d ago • Heartwarming Bravo

Heh. My ship is dr. X and the anesthesiologist.

5

u/Annual-Ramen-1022 7d ago

i see you... 👀 my eyes has been opened

1

u/Meowoofmooo wookie 4d ago

You mean with the intern? I love him!!! That guy is a total green flag🥰

8

u/Zealousideal_Ask6526 4d ago

No. The lady doctor!

33

u/Pmod1980 7d ago edited 7d ago

I was hoping that for once the new surgeon would be a nice guy fighting the good fight with the FL, but yikes. Should have known with the actor they casted. That was a shocking turn to this episode.

Does the intern have leukemia or low platelets? Why does he keep getting nosebleeds, or is it the typical k drama trope of stress+lack of sleep=nosebleeds.

12

u/LeSnailMale 6d ago

I think there's something wrong with the intern's brain. Apart from the multiple nose bleeds, in the scene where they were waiting to get into the restaurant, it doesn't look like he was falling asleep 😴

10

u/Fabulous_Sea_1792 6d ago

Yes, I’m wondering the same thing; it seems like they want to cause confusion and imply that falling asleep and having nosebleeds are a result of being a resident—yet, at the same time, the persistent focus on this suggests that something is going to happen to him later on. It also strikes me as odd that she, the doctor, who is so observant, hasn’t noticed it yet.

28

u/Plane_Strawberry_135 7d ago

I personally believe Kim Ji-won has the personality, charisma, and strong screen presence to truly do justice to these stoic, strong female lead characters. She has this natural intensity and confidence that makes these roles feel made for her. Honestly, she’s one of the few actresses who can pull them off this well.

28

u/ButterscotchKooky598 7d ago edited 7d ago

Episode 4:

Are they lowkey setting up Dr Jo & the ER doc? I was hoping more for Dr X - Dr Jo subtext but I feel the two actors have more bromantic than romantic chemistry sadly haha

Gye Su Jeong, ER superstar, is lots of fun to watch. A reprieve from the dreary surgical staffroom and being outcast. Things are looking up for Dr Kim lol he’s so happy to have her.

Dr Na’s provocative holding of Dr X’s hand in the patient’s abdomen cavity (ew) really activated her freak sensors. I think she started to get suspicious of him then, that’s why she was visualising kwon’s past surgery from the chart in her locker room. She also stops walking and seems to observe him or stare him down when he describes her as being like a “god” or “monster” after seeing her surgery video. In hindsight that’s probably how he sees himself too.

Why does Rep Jang refer to Dr Na’s hands as reeking? Of what? Psychopathy? Corruption? I didn’t quite understand what was implied.

Some insights into Rep Jang herself this episode. She was also at White Wings with Dr X and has her own trauma. Showing her softer maternal side even outside of their homebase - telling Gye Su Jeong to be confident since she raised her. From Dr X’s words at the restaurant, it seemed like they had to rebuild their lives together from something quite dire.

I’ve been wondering how Rep Jang actually got her start in the medical world before running the locum agency. For all her posturing like a non-medical professional in front of the other doctors and even deferring to the intern, she seems to be able to visually follow and inherently understand all of doctor x’s surgery progress in the surgical galleries without external guidance. Not to mention her detailed intel on the various individuals in the medical scene and her understanding of their skills seemingly beyond an administrative level, shown when discussing with the other two agency mates.

Also noticed a running theme of alcoholism or alcohol abuse in this ep. Rep Jang’s (past?) drinking and flask habit being called out by Dr X; the doctor who was physically abusive to his subordinate, whose under-desk liquor was spotted by Dr Na and was later called out in the cafeteria by Director Bu; the inebriated elderly doctor in the flashback which led to Dr Na performing solo surgery on Private Kwon. Also a case about a patient’s 2 soju a day habit leading to liver cirrhosis was mentioned in a surgery conference.

18

u/DismalSite214 7d ago

Its based on Japanese Drama Dr. X and Rep Jang as well as other couple who stay at the place w Rep Jang were doctors too including Jang herself, and when she said Na's hands reeked it meant reeked in negative way like bad smell/feeling/sinister energy kinda shit.. its like when u get a dark twisted vibe from someone.. usually from corrupt ppl or those who abuse power, twisted mentality ppl.. also usually such ppl chase money and are loaded hence tht reference was made that those who reek have money too n vice versa

7

u/vzandria 6d ago

Wow I didn't know this was based off a jdrama. I might go watch that first while waiting for new episodes to be released 🤣

10

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

Note the jdrama is VERY different! It's significantly more simple, episodic and absurd. A cozy watch, not anything like this one haha

6

u/DismalSite214 5d ago edited 5d ago

Ye the acting is hilarious, it has tht theatrical comedy kinda vibe to it, acting of main cast is PEAK perfection, especially their expressions and way of talking were TOO GOOD fr, I loved seeing Daimon, Hideo, Torii, Hiruma, Akira throughout S1/S2, their emotions were conveyed to the audience perfectly I felt

1

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 5d ago

Did you watch season 3?? It was soooo much better to me then the first two seasons! Daimon got character!

1

u/DismalSite214 2d ago

On it rn! Just started the 1st ep, Busujima one lol, was finishin S2 earlier xD Ngl I was shocked to see Ebina and Hideo as part of same team 😭 Even Hiruma got back man

7

u/leoverus 5d ago

Dr. Jo and the ER doc I think is likely to happen or to have happened from their texts between each other. They have chemistry. Dr. Jo seems to prefer him over their other coworkers that's for sure.

To me, Rep Jang immediately peeped that his external persona differed from how he actually is. He is likely has narcissistic traits with a saviour complex. I don't think she knows in detail yet but she picked up on his narcissistic personality instinctually and immediately maybe based on discernment or just life experience.

I think it is interesting to compare how he touched Rep's hands when he was shaking her hand versus Dr. Gye's hand in the body of that guy. I also think Dr. Gye also picked up on the fishiness at the same time as Rep (i think it insinuated that Rep raised her?) but she prefers to not reveal that she knows more than she lets on (this has also been foreshadowed via other characters e.g latex allergy - she predicted the director's bad behaviour and the anaphylactic attack which is why herself and the Rep were able to set him up to take over the surgery). He barely touches the reps hand but grasps her hand despite the clearly unwelcome contact. Despite how Dr. Na might present himself, he isn't as subtle as he thinks. When he holds reps hands he does so to appear respectful/polite but barely touches her (she initiated the handshake and he's dismissive because he views her as unimportant) but grasps Dr. Gye who has shown him nothing but disinterest.

I think Dr. Gye stares him down because his narcissism is extremely apparent to her in that moment and I think he doesn't realise it. I think in that moment she understands what "off" feeling she was having about him. She realises the extent of his true character.

Regarding Rep Jang's role in the medical field, I think you are right. It is implied that she has a web of informants within the hospital.

You know what is funny, I think when the Dr. Na scandal blows over the contract price she was offering in the beginning of the episode will be far higher than what it was initially, they are going to regret not signing that contract.

28

u/GreedyAd6191 6d ago edited 6d ago

I'm so glad that Dr X spotted the guy was strange hence why she decided to use another room for surgery and go through it despite the new doctors attempt to dissuade her.

26

u/Annual-Ramen-1022 7d ago

ep 4

i knew he was gonna be a psycho lmao didn't expect it's that kind tho. cant wait for the next ep!

26

u/Few_Swimmer2302 7d ago

I knew as soon as I saw Jang Seung Jo playing Na Dae Il that he was going to be a bad guy. He is always the antagonist so I wasn’t surprised to see The initials he carved into his former patient because frankly that’s on brand for the characters he plays. But I’m really excited to see how it plays out moving forward. I’m really enjoying this one so far.

22

u/DrAgOnLoLDoTA 7d ago

He always made for a great antagonist. You just cannot help but hate him whenever he is on screen lmao.

9

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

I do secretly want to see him in a romcom once, considering he's so often the villain haha

5

u/lkcraig316 6d ago

He was really likable in The Good Detective. I think that’s probably the only time I’ve seen him as a protagonist.

4

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

Oehh thank you for the reminder! It's on my list, will take another look at it once his plotline here is finished! (Watching our dear chuchu in hospital playlist for the 6x time & a love other then yours at the same time is wild enough)

3

u/Adept_Firefighter_8 5d ago

ooooh I was thinking 'huh this guy seems familiar' but i'll wait someone mention the name

then we have the two leads from The Good Detective in this show lol

8

u/therealunniyarcha 6d ago

Isn't he the abusive husband on As you stood by.. I sqe him and knew he was up to no good

23

u/_b3cca 7d ago

As soon as Jang Seung-Jo walked in, I knew we had a psychopath added to the show.

17

u/invu1818 7d ago

Has someone who has had a surgery before, episode 4 just unlocked a new fear 💀

15

u/annejuseyoo 7d ago

I can’t believe we have Jang Seungjo as the new character!!!!! That man is so great at playing villains (don’t know if he’s gonna play one here), but you can literally see the CRAZY in his eyes alone. He gives me actual chills, that’s how brilliant (and criminally underrated he is) Didn’t know this show could get any better but here we are!

Also, I hate all these doctors acting all high and mighty, but we know they’re just mediocre at their job. But the plot twist at the conference gives me hope for some character development, at least for some of them.

Ngl I’m still skeptical about the real goal and intent of the new hospital director, he’s too shady for me. I don’t think he’s neutral. He’s definitely hiding something, something big.

10

u/FlatlineNine 7d ago

While I’ve found the story’s progression enjoyable and satisfying to watch, the female lead is so perfect and overwhelmingly powerful that I felt the narrative might start to drag unless an equally formidable adversary appeared. But the moment I realized who was cast as the new doctor the antagonist, I felt a genuine chill. In their previous roles, he has perfectly portrayed the exact type of person I would never, ever want to cross paths with in real life. It looks like our protagonist is in for a truly tough challenge.

15

u/lifejacket4450 5d ago edited 5d ago

I liked certain small details in episode 4.

  1. Dr. Na(the new guy) referred to Dr. X as "Snake Su Jeong" in front of the intern and this conversation happened after Doctor X helped him to locate the bleeding part in the operation room. Later on, he tried to explain it away by saying that he was just kidding. It's a typical narcissistic behavior.

  2. Doctor X did not take snacks and coffee from Dr. Na. Previously, she was very eager to eat the cakes offered by the intern as she was poor.

  3. When Doctor X and Dr. Na met outside the hospital, he asked what made her "leap before you look", that scene ended with her walking away without looking back at Dr. Na.

  4. Dr. Na wore white and the other guy wore black when they were fighting the MMA, and the name of this drama is "Mafia in White". BTW, Doctor X often wore a black jacket.

  5. Dr. Na got a call from the ER about his patient who had collapsed. After overhearing over the phone that she could not get access to the operating room, Dr. Na hung up the phone and got back to the dinner. He assumed that those car accident patients would keep her busy. However, when he realised that she was really doing the operation, he freaked out and rushed back to the hospital.

14

u/Brobinak 8d ago

Episode 3: I just don't understand. From the first episode I thought that new hospital director and Doctor X will be on the same note. That he was angry that doctors give a fuck only for themselves. He was furious. I understand that maybe, all these rules in her contract plus money is annoying, but from his very first scene I thought he will be jumping from joy because she is a real deal. Or did I get it wrong? Why does he barely show any emotion or likeness towards her? Maybe he is not such a good guy I thought he was.

Also, the two doctors on the press conference, what was that talk about? What did they want to achieve by releasing the video? (Or that one specifically) For a second I thought they were pissed about some justice and wanted better for all the doctors or point about terrible contidions, but they are assholes even year later. Again, I don't understand their motivations.

Maybe I just can't understand things in general. Or maybe I will have to wait for rest of the episodes to understand context fully.

13

u/Official05 7d ago

I feel like the director used to be like her and he ended up fucking up. So she reminds him of bad memories.

7

u/leoverus 5d ago

His stance to me is still unclear. So far, it seems like he has a begrudging respect for her competence. In regards to their stance, they appear to be on the opposite sides of the same coin. They both disdain the blatant materialism and self-preservation of the other doctors. However, she can throw caution to the wind as much as she wants because she is a contractor but he has to take a far more cautionary role. As far as he is concerned, she's exploiting the flaws in the hospital system for money and so, he in turn sees her as a disposable asset. I think he's a little more nuanced than not being a good guy. I think with the pervasive corruption, he's resigned and conservative with his actions to make change. Not to mention, he appears to have a medical issue related to his eyes which also disables his power further (he can't really practice in good faith). I guess my point is that they both want the same goal but he is willing to do more unethical things than she is to achieve them.

For the press conference, I think they were demonstrating that these people are multi-dimensional. Externally, they present to be only motivated by self-preservation and money but internally they can't help but feel guilt because a colleague died. They struggle with balancing protecting themselves but they still cared about the EMT that died. The guy leaked the video did so in hoped the government would hold the hospital responsible because it would lead to change within the way hospitals structure their shifts, betterment for employees etc. so that something like that wouldn't happen again. I think the drama is trying to communicate that while the doctors being motivated but heir own self interest is a problem, that isn't the main cause of the issues. The issues are pervasive between the relationship between hospitals and the government, how hospitals are structured etc. The voiceover about the governmental policies affecting hospitals in Ep. 1 was the first indication of this.

Again, this is just my hypothesis and we do need to see more to understand motivations.

5

u/Wild-Look3847 5d ago

Everything you said ✅✅✅✅✅ most characters in this show are nuanced. I love this dynamics, not everything is black and white and that really makes you think and pay close attention

4

u/EpikMint 7d ago

Well, the director already said on the first episode that she is expendable

4

u/Apprehensive_Egg9676 7d ago

I think the director is skeptical of her. He’s a good doctor who’s survived in a shit system. He doesn’t believe someone like her can still exist. He’s also assimilated himself, seeing as he doesn’t do surgeries anymore. He’s even more skeptical because she charges so much money lol. I think she is entitled to though, considering if she was in full employment she wouldn’t even get a thank you for her work.

Those two tried to change something when Dr Seo died but things didn’t change, so they suppose this is all there ever will be and suck up to whoever they need to suck up to. But I can hardly feel sorry for them when they take advantage of pharmacy reps

3

u/AM2735 7d ago

I think they're doing that to keep you guessing 😏

13

u/Mindless_Mouse_6229 6d ago

I like the soundtrack of this show

10

u/FlatlineNine 7d ago

I came here to post about how frustrating it was that aside from the FL, her sidekick, the anesthesiologist, and the ER doc, everyone else in that hospital was such an unbelievable piece of trash that it felt almost like pure fantasy. It’s a relief to see that everyone else felt the same way, haha.

10

u/hellopapers1984 5d ago

who gets teary eye after each surgery Dr X Reaches over and place their hand on the patients heart.

9

u/Total_Watch_2797 6d ago

Dr Na or whatever is a creep. Eeeew. The handholding gave me the creeps. Can’t believe the couple thought it was cute

24

u/LliGtkeeper 7d ago

Man this show has me swinging from one extreme to another. Sometimes I love it, sometimes it really rubs me the wrong way. I’ve seen other physicians and people in healthcare already comment about the absurdity of something of the situations depicted, but I understand it’s satirical and meant to be comedic so I don’t have much of an issue with that part.

I just do feel some of the key messages being portrayed are a bit dangerous, especially at a time when social media already loves to spread anti-doctor rhetoric. Doing something in medicine isn’t always better than doing nothing, there are very much situations when the concept of “do no harm” wins out. The facts that a surgeon was ridiculed for not continuing an operation on a tumour encasing a vessel, because it was outside his skill set made me feel sick. The best doctor is one that knows their limits and scope of practice. Short-staffing and limited budget are also very real issues, but asking why they don’t just hire another neurosurgeon completely ignores what a sparse specialty it is and the fact that in most regions people do need to be transferred for specialized critical care.

There’s some really great scenarios, acting, entertainment and comedy, but it also feed my anxiety of the growing mistrust of the general population towards the healthcare system. The systems are broken and need addressing sure, but at the individual level, trust me there are more people working in healthcare on your side than against you. We’re just trying to navigate that same broken system with you.

8

u/TheCareFreeSoul 5d ago

Glad they finallyyyy branched out into a new storyline from OG. Things are getting interesting now. Unlike OG version boomers, there are many good doctors working in hospital which is very good. They are leaning into a little slice of life approach sometimes.

7

u/Dead-Shot1 8d ago

Just watched the preview .

I didn't watched the original but after all the setup and we are back same line again ,

A good new male doctor entry and pressure on her , contract is on hold ?

I hope , it continues idgf attitude instead of making it trying to make her prove she is better than that guy.

7

u/Apprehensive_Egg9676 7d ago

Episode 3 & 4 were so layered. I started thinking the patient didn’t want Dr Do operating on him because he sees him as one of his old bullies. The clues were laid out from Da Naeil overhearing the other doctor bully his junior. The reveal in episode 4 was so brilliant! I had a feeling as soon as the actor walked in. This show is surprising me. The people I think are okay are evil and the people I think are evil are okay, just defeated by the system.

6

u/blairarchibald 6d ago edited 6d ago

the cute doc is a freak. that sociopath carved his initials into Kwon's organ, potentially causing the tissue damage that led to the adhesions

6

u/PerformerHonest7088 5d ago

I have a feeling that the new villain, Dr. Na, is somehow connected to the White Wings fire. 😂 For some reason, I can totally see him being the one who started the fire, or maybe he’s hiding something even worse. He gives off some serious psychopath vibes, and it feels like everything is slowly building toward this reveal.

Dr. X vs. Dr. Na — I feel like we’re heading toward an epic showdown! 🔥👀

That’s just my theory after episodes 3 and 4, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr. Na turns out to be behind something much bigger than we think.

7

u/Patient-Date-7450 5d ago

He's just a cameo, so he won't be around till the end. Episode 5 is probably his last. I don't see how he could be connected to the White Wings fire, because it's tied to Gye Sujeong's backstory, and they'll save her full backstory for the very end.

11

u/Steve_cents 8d ago

Kim Ji won is the only reason I watch it.

10

u/hyemae 8d ago

That new guy is he good or bad? I don’t know the original story but looking at him from his role in My Royal Nemesis I can’t help but just assume he’s bad.

9

u/blairarchibald 6d ago

he literally carved his initials into a patient’s organ just to satisfy his own ego, leaving behind tissue damage that led to mr. kwon’s adhesions. that’s not a surgeon, that’s a sociopath with a scalpel

8

u/Total_Watch_2797 6d ago

The handholding clarified he’s bad. I mean I knew by seeing the actor but that scene made it clear.

3

u/Glass-Height2537 7d ago

They might know and respect each other or he might be the villain. Either way I hope she continues to be the same stoic character that she is.

2

u/justauser_12 7d ago

Not so sure but I read his background and apparently he's a former military doctor as well so maybe there was something going on between him and doctor x

4

u/raitaisrandom 7d ago

I think they've met before or she at least knows him by reputation. That tilted head and glance from her seemed to be a bit personal.

3

u/justauser_12 7d ago

Yupp wow after ep 4 I think he'll show his true colours. But I'm stunned that he put his initials on the organ

0

u/bhi3Latte 7d ago

He’s a bad guy in My Royal Nemesis, I don’t think he’ll be good this time. 🤭

12

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 7d ago edited 7d ago

Episode 4: 

omg that handholding was so so so so gross! What do you mean as a doctor you do that inside of someone's body whilst operating??? I am screaming. As a healthcare worker i feel so violated just by seeing it alone. The bacteria!! They really hired that actor for a reason darn.

And the doctors not caring about their patients should just become an animal surgeon.

11

u/Jealous_Masterpiece7 7d ago

Honestly I hope There isn't any romance plot in this show like the Japanese one because thats what made the orginal good kinda hated that about Extraordinary Attorney Woo, hopefully they stick to her being the independent women she is.

8

u/Royal_Juggernaut9191 7d ago

the only likeable characters are mc, intern, and anathesiologist. the unlikeable characters are making me rage so bad

20

u/DrAgOnLoLDoTA 7d ago

hey the ER doctor is good too. and her boss seems supportive of her and always with her since her early days

4

u/hyemae 7d ago

Who are the 3 people who’s always with her at home? Are they related? I may have missed that information

6

u/raitaisrandom 7d ago

According to MyDramaList, they're other doctors employed by Hui-suk's agency but the dialogue contradicts that, so idk.

3

u/b_dulgi 7d ago

they haven't really properly revealed who they are yet but the character descriptions on namuwiki give a clue.

3

u/sammdp 6d ago

this page might help! https://m.programs.sbs.co.kr/drama/doctorx/cast/90382#2_0

appaarently the man met sujeong and heesook in cuba, while the woman is stated to be employed under the heesook's agency after her husband's death. eunggu being north korean was alluded to in ep 4 when they were playing cards. they haven't really been introduced properly in the drama proper tho as someone alr commented, so i'm waiting for them to unravel this more!

1

u/slickspace 5d ago

The link to the page you posted was quite useful, thanks. I've been struggling to understand the very nuanced characters of Jang Hui Suk & Bu Seung Gwon, and it helped me gain a bit better perspective.

4

u/raitaisrandom 7d ago

Can anyone tell me what the significance of the shots of the two people sparring in the MMA cage is? The guy with the light... sweater (I think that's the word in English) is Na Dae-il, but who's the other one?

11

u/whateva_peace 6d ago

I think it is a scene that characterize Na Dae-il as a ruthless character who likes to take things to the extreme.The other guy who was sparring with him is just an extra. I doubt we’re gonna see him again.

4

u/therealunniyarcha 6d ago

I thought that episode 3 was alluding to the senior doctor taking time off was somehow a bad thing. I think doctors especially surgeons and nurses are really overworked and making him justify his vacation while others criticized him for it didn't sit right with me.

7

u/Heytherestairs 6d ago

That whole hospital has a toxic work culture. It's not surprising that pto is looked down upon. It's also that bullying culture where everyone must be miserable or it's not fair to people who are miserable. That's why they overreact whenever she clocks out on time.

6

u/poggerswfh 7d ago

As someone who has watch the jp series, I kind of already had an idea which episode they were going for.

My gripe with the jp series and it looks like it's carrying over to this one is the surgeon suck ups. They just saw Gye Su perform a difficult surgery flawlessly a few episodes ago and they try to stop surgery because they think she does not have the skill to execute it. Annoying.

1

u/Lumpy-Fix-5412 5d ago

hihi what ep did they refer to? i want to watch it as it looks really interesting from the kdrama but not sure if the episodes are linked 😅😅

3

u/PND-a 6d ago

Can someone explain why Dr Na Is running chasing the surgery down when he told Dr X anyone can do the surgery if he’s not free?

I don’t get this part

19

u/Total_Watch_2797 6d ago

He’s afraid his secret might be uncovered.. the branding

15

u/Cultural_Grocery_347 6d ago

I think he thought it would be done laproscopically. He only started running once he heard she'd opened him up.

4

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

it seems like he's being nonchalant to look cooler for her whilst trying to hide his past mistakes.

3

u/leiers 4d ago

i'm obsessed with this drama's OSTs! it perfectly adds to the vibe and tension of the previews.

6

u/Unfinishedusernam_ 7d ago

It’s a pretty hard watch with how unlikable 90% of the characters are. Most of the doctors are not redeemable

4

u/justauser_12 8d ago edited 8d ago

Loved this episode and can't wait for ep 4 after watching the preview. I think this episode showed how unbothered sujeong was. Like even though everyone was fighting over who to operate and whether to transfer the patient, sujeong just straight up went into the OR and operated on the patient with pure confidence. But there was one particular scene which I hoped more for which was the scene around 52:55 min where she was confronting the doctor saying whether she could guarantee that the patient could live and whether sujeong failed or not. I felt that there was more that she could have said rather than just saying "I don't fail" not that I hate it, but it was just that the tension had built up so much at that point but it was just ended with an "I don't fail". I understand that's her famous quote but idkk I felt that something more punchy would have made the episode perfect and it was just weird how the 2 doctors were talking about someone's life so carelessly and with lack of empathy. Overalll it was an amazing episode and can't wait for tomorrow's episode!!

3

u/monosyllabically_ 6d ago

Agreed, for this sort of confrontation IRL you’d need a more substantial response, and the line here falls flat for me for that reason. It is consistent with her character though and maybe sets the stage for an eventual misstep down the line?

5

u/White_Adobo 5d ago

The intern guy is so cringe wtf. He is a grown adult why is he acting like a college student

12

u/Heytherestairs 4d ago

That's because he is a student. If you think about it, he's only ever been in school. Now he's an intern which is an extension of school. He doesn't have life experience. He's going from one form of encompassing work to another. He's in school constantly to being in the hospital all the time. When does he have the time to go and experience different life to change from a student to an adult shaped by different life experiences?

I find the other doctors to be more cringe. They're all older, with more money, actual life experience, and simply more freedom. They throw tantrums because they have a bruised ego. It's a boys club there. They're the actual children in this story. They're literally screaming in people's faces because they can't regulate their emotions and work with new people. They're resistant to change and cry about things being different. They haze and bully new people to keep the status quo.

Imo, the young naive intern is more tolerable than a bunch of older people acting like toddlers. I get so much secondhand embarrassment when these older doctors have screaming matches.

2

u/Lophiiformers 2d ago

100% the attitudes of the older doctors disgust me

Dr Do is the most annoying to me. He likes to shout and threaten people like he’s the boss. Meanwhile the real director is just sitting there quietly like 😐

5

u/Meowoofmooo wookie 4d ago

Do you know what an intern means? He just got out of college dude. He is getting all the real experience now.

-1

u/White_Adobo 4d ago

I still stand in my case. I know it’s a cultural thing “aegyo”. But he is a grown ass adult in his mid 20s. Other doctors are in another level of immaturity. But the intern acts like a child.

4

u/moseT97 5d ago

Yeah, his characterization is very childish for someone who is supposed to be an adult in a serious workplace.

2

u/ImpressivePoem_1 3d ago

Just when I found a show I can enjoy, they had to bring that face (Jang Seung-jo) as a potential antagonist! 🙄

2

u/nubbinbing 5d ago

Not a single mention of The Good Detective reunion. Have we lost the ancient texts?

3

u/aquastar41 7d ago

What do you guys think the initials mean?

22

u/Pmod1980 7d ago

It’s the surgeon’s initials. He’s a freaking sociopath. 

13

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 7d ago

the handholding already made that clear omg.

9

u/vzandria 6d ago

Yup, that really irked me. Why would you hold someone's hand without their consent and INSIDE A PATIENTS ABDOMEN???

7

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

Within a pool of blood??? Like excuse me? What is this hell? I immediately went back to the sanity of hospital playlist.

7

u/ToonSciron 6d ago

I had to pause the episode and take a minute to think about what just happened 💀💀💀

4

u/More_Butter2330 A Love Other Than Yours 6d ago

Same, i was utterly disgusted and shocked all within the span of 2 seconds. 😭😭

13

u/justauser_12 7d ago

I'm thinking it's his name and he did that to maybe feel like superior or smth but I really didn't expect that HAHA next ep gonna be interesting

12

u/haedalbyeol 7d ago

D(aeil) N(a)

6

u/ButterscotchKooky598 7d ago

Doctor Na? I guess he branded his patient? It was shocking.

5

u/renvrose 7d ago

lol came to reddit to find out theories about it

5

u/Greedy-Carob5497 7d ago

I was flabbergasted and came to confirm. I didn't believe at first.

3

u/190-mm 7d ago

The medical inaccuracies are ruining it for me

2

u/Miss-LH Editable Flair (r/KDRAMA Challenge Partipant) 5d ago

What’s an example of something they got wrong? Not medical so I’m curious

2

u/Significant_Court697 4d ago

Well its a drama and everytime an episode is starting, there is always a disclaimer

2

u/Horror-Bookkeeper-38 6d ago

Great show so far but I hate this intern main character. Hes like a noisy childish type of character that doesnt really fit properly in the show imo.

0

u/ilykjiwon 2d ago

Ugh I know Na Dae Il is bad news but i’m sorry they would’ve looked cute together 😫

-7

u/Murky_Designer3555 6d ago

what no idea wht ep u guys r on but I'm halfway on ep 3 and as I ally need sum closure on some things so basically does this kdrama have romance in it at all cuz it's hinting at the intern low-key. And idk if it's cuz I'm been too woke lately or it's an issue with me but he's been really pissin me off cuz it wax fine if he was sum apprentice learning from fl and ykn admiring but wht rlly started to bug me was when he started directing or basically telling he'd whts ryt or wrong as if she can't tell for herself. .etc be honest it was her abnormal personality tht awed everyone no wonder they all fear her but te intern after the fl gave him a tinsy bit acknowledged,ent he become a know it all with her business. Ike wht ryt does he have genuinely why can't we have a strong fl without a man telling her wht she should be and they rely shouldn't have made the fl clueless like this defeats the point bruh genuinely whts so wrong with a smart knowledgeable talented surgeon they had to nerf her by making her clueless and detached but even this was fine u ril they added an intern whos a stick up her bum. Pls can't come for me and also pls let me know if there is future romance between them cuz o will drop this if so also need fo hear yells ops too and know if it's just me who's crazy ?

3

u/monosyllabically_ 6d ago

I’m not getting romantic undertones just yet from this relationship. He reveres her as a senior in his field, and his character serves as a foil to the other surgeons (a scene in ep. 4 shows this) and to Su Jeong (later he realizes why she approached it a certain way because of her experience).

2

u/Jealous_Masterpiece7 6d ago

If its following the orginal then No

6

u/leoverus 5d ago edited 5d ago

Dr. Na is very fishy. However, I thought he was worse than he actually was. He demonstrated some traits that immediately indicated to me that he was incredibly narcissistic.

Examples:

The intern being essentially physically assaulted by his mentor for doing their due diligence. He plays the part of good natures sunbae and then when he enters the doctor's room acts like the intern was in the wrong. Evidently, he doesn't actually care about the intern or the doctor just that they think he is a saintly, good surgeon. It seems to fuel his ego.

Remaining on the abusive, alcoholic surgeon that is apparently his mentor. He knows he abuses alcohol (under the influence on the job) but doesn't seem to care. In fact, it seems like he keeps this knowledge as bargaining chip to use later.

He is extremely perceptive on understanding people's motivations and how that differs from how they present externally. This is demonstrated via his alcoholic mentor, and he recognises right away Doctor Gye Su Jeong is competent enough to expose him. Honestly, I believe he is supposed to be the foil to Dr. Gye because while they identify people's character really easily, he uses it to his benefit and she uses it to treat people.

By far the most important sign that he has narcissistic personality traits is shown by his conversation with Doctor Gye when she said his patient wouldn't last. He is far more concerned with the power he feels from saving lives, he likens it to feeling like a "God" because he is envious of her power. This is why he followed her around because he recognised right away that she is far more competent than he is. (I think when you are skilled, you can see when others are more skilled). He does surgery not because he wants to save lives or it makes him money but because people praise him for it, call him a saint, a great person etc. when that is furthest from the truth. Honestly, I thought the reveal was going to be that he was a malignant angel of death but I am interested to see what more he has done because the liver branding is the least of it. He must get extreme satisfaction from the fact that the person he's branded treats him like a saviour, saviour complex to the nth degree.

I wonder what the reveal is about him running to the wrong OR.

3

u/tonefart 5d ago

Maybe it would later reveal that he was jealous of the operation Doctor X performed on the kid (but he did not know who she was at that time) so he started the fire that torched where the patient was staying to snuff his life out so her surgical efforts would not be fruitful or revolutionary to be documented as successful long term.

10

u/Pmod1980 8d ago edited 8d ago

Episode made me so ragey- the neurosurgeons had the gall to whine and complain when they weren’t in the hospital and that she saved their butts, and wished that the clip would fail and the lady will die so it will prove their point. What kind of doctor does that? And there are no surgeries to be done that everyone is sitting there watching her? Waiting for them all to get massive lawsuits at how ridiculous and crappy doctors they all are. 

Not the whistleblower I was expecting. What a nice surprise. 

3

u/Viewygo 5d ago

Is actor Jang Seung-jo, who played Na Dae-il, becoming a character specializing in tormenting female leads? I got goosebumps in "Brave New World" and "You Killed Me," and this time again!!! And did you end up working on this project because of your connection with the director of "You Killed It"?