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Viewership success and medical and political controversies

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2026-10-26 10:35 UTC → 2026-10-27 05:22 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The South Korean medical noir drama ‘Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia’, starring Kim Ji-won, has achieved record-breaking viewership following its October 9, 2026, premiere. An adaptation of the Japanese franchise ‘Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon’, the series incorporates ‘Korean essence’ to suit local viewers. According to Nielsen Korea, the fourth episode reached a national average rating of 18.5%, with peaks hitting 20.8%. The sixth episode saw further growth, reaching a national average of 19.5% and a peak rating of 21.3%. Recent episodes have gained significant attention for exploring sensitive historical and ethical themes. The sixth episode focused on a patient suffering from trauma related to the Gwangju Democratization Movement, featuring a high-risk surgery to remove bullet fragments. This depiction has sparked intense political debate, as the episode included a fictional former president whose character evokes former President Chun Doo-hwan. A petition filed on the National Assembly’s electronic petition system has called for the suspension of the broadcast and a formal investigation into the production process. The petitioner argued that the inclusion of the 5·18 movement was unnecessary for a medical drama and appeared to be an attempt to impose a specific political viewpoint, noting that the original Japanese source material does not contain such elements. ~~Public reaction remains divided. While some viewers praised~~ This petition has surpassed the ~~show~~ 100-person threshold required for ~~highlighting historical tragedies, others have directed criticism toward lead actress Kim Ji-won on social media.~~ official review. In ~~response~~ addition to ~~the backlash, Studio S producer Lee Ok-gyu posted “no fear” on social media. Despite commercial success,~~ political tension, the production faces ~~criticism~~ legal scrutiny regarding ~~medical accuracy, with professionals questioning~~ filming props. A civil complaint was filed via the ~~realism~~ e-People portal alleging a violation of ~~specific surgical and monitoring scenes.~~ the Road Act after a fictional ‘National 5·18 Cemetery Stop’ sign was used in a scene. The Buk-gu District Office in Gwangju noted that no application for road occupation was filed for the prop, which was placed approximately 350 meters from the actual bus stop. Public reaction remains divided.

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