Kim Ji-won’s ‘Doctor X’ Hits 18.5% and No. 1 on Netflix

As of October 18, 2026, SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X,' starring Kim Ji-won, has climbed in ratings every week through Episode 4, reaching 18.5% by Nielsen Korea's count, and has hit No. 1 on Netflix's weekly global non-English TV chart. The show reworks a hit Japanese medical drama around Korea's own health care controversies, and it's the tenth Netflix global No. 1 from Studio Dragon.

18.5%Episode 4 national household rating (Nielsen Korea)

9.9 million hoursNetflix hours viewed in its first week

4.6 millionNetflix views in its first week

10thStudio Dragon's Netflix global No. 1 title

Key points

Episode 4 drew a national rating of 18.5%, up four straight times from 11.4% for the premiere.
It ranked No. 1 on Netflix's non-English TV list for Oct. 5-11, with about 9.9 million hours viewed in its first week.
The source material is a Japanese medical drama franchise that has aired on TV Asahi since 2012.
A viewer who says they're an orthopedic surgeon has asked broadcast regulators to review the show's medical depictions, fueling an accuracy debate.

SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Doctor X' hasn't dipped once since it premiered on the 9th. By Nielsen Korea's national household numbers, Episode 1 pulled 11.4%. Episode 2 hit 14.9% and Episode 3 hit 15.1%. Episode 4, which aired on the 17th, jumped to 18.5%, its fourth straight increase. Buzz is up too: in Good Data Corporation's Funcex survey of TV and streaming drama buzz for the second week of October, the show went from No. 9 before airing to No. 1.

Overseas viewers are showing up fast. The show airs on SBS first and then lands on Netflix, yet it took the top spot on Netflix's weekly global non-English TV chart right after streaming began. Netflix published the weekly ranking on the 14th, covering Oct. 5-11. In that window, the show logged about 9.9 million hours viewed and 4.6 million views. Ranking tracker FlixPatrol reported that as of the 12th, it was also No. 1 among TV shows on Netflix in Korea.

The original is a Japanese medical drama series that began on TV Asahi in 2012 and ran for seven seasons through 2021. The Korean version keeps the basic setup: a brilliant freelance surgeon who belongs to no institution takes on a rigidly hierarchical hospital. What's new is a layer of recent Korean flashpoints, including the push to legally require CCTV in operating rooms and the doctors' strike against expanding medical school admissions. Analysts say the show leans into public distrust of and fatigue with the health care system, a mood reflected in its 'white mafia' subtitle and 'medical noir' genre tag.

Kim Ji-won plays the lead, Gye Su-jeong. Many earlier medical dramas centered on a genius male doctor, and those with female doctors often focused on the struggle to prove themselves. Gye Su-jeong, by contrast, is already at the top of her field and fights injustice from there, which some viewers find refreshing. With this show, producer Studio Dragon now has 10 Netflix global No. 1 titles, including 'The Glory' and 'Queen of Tears.'

Controversy has come along with the hit. Critics say the show portrays medical staff as incompetent or corrupt and that its surgery scenes aren't accurate. A viewer who identified as a practicing orthopedic surgeon said they filed a review request with the Korea Media and Communications Standards Commission (the broadcast regulator) on the 13th. A medical school professor who advised on the drama said on social media that any medical inaccuracies were the result of the production not taking their advice.

In Korea right nowIn Korea, the fight over medical school expansion and the operating-room CCTV debate have been major social issues in recent years, and many observers say pulling them into the story is why the show resonates. Its 'sida' (cathartic, satisfying-payback) storytelling, where frustrating reality gets answered with a cathartic comeback, is also a staple of SBS's weekend slot. At the same time, the accuracy complaints and the regulatory review request mean the debate over how the show depicts health care is moving as fast as its ratings.

FAQ

Is Doctor X a straight remake of the Japanese drama?

No. It's based on TV Asahi's popular series, but it adds recent Korean health care flashpoints, such as the push to legally require operating-room CCTV and the strike against expanding medical school admissions, to fit the local context.

Where can international viewers watch it?

In Korea it airs on SBS on Friday and Saturday nights, then streams on Netflix. It ranked No. 1 on Netflix's global non-English TV chart for Oct. 5-11.

What is the controversy over medical accuracy?

Critics say the show's depiction of medical staff doesn't match real clinical settings. A viewer who says they're an orthopedic surgeon has said they asked the Korea Media and Communications Standards Commission to review the show.