SBS has greenlit actress Kim Ji-won’s next project, Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia. Production began in earnest on the 4th, and the network says the Friday-Saturday thriller will air in 2026. The series is a medical noir produced by Studio S, Studio Dragon, and HiGeum Studio. It adapts Japan’s hit Doctor X, which ran seven seasons on TV Asahi from 2012 to 2021.
SBS positions the project as a high-ambition drama from the team behind hits such as Taxi Driver and The Fiery Priest. Kim Ji-won headlines as Gye Soo-jung, a genius surgeon hired through a physician dispatch agency. She’s ruthless in the operating room and is nicknamed “the mad dog of the operating room.” Fans are eager for Kim’s return to the screen.
“Baeksang get that nomination slot ready Kim Jiwon coming for yall 😌,” an X user commented.
Many are saying she already gives off the “vibe” of the doctor.
Others say they “can’t wait” to see her in Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia.
More about Kim Ji-won’s Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia
The cast of Doctor X: The Era of the White Mafia includes Lee Jung-eun as Jang Hee-sook, the money-minded director of the Jang Hee-sook Doctor Dispatch Agency. Son Hyun-joo takes on the role of Boo Seung-kwon, head of a Guseo University Hospital branch.
Kim Woo-seok plays Park Tae-kyung, a golden-spoon intern whose hospital life unravels after encountering Gye Soo-jung. Director Lee Jung-rim (known for VIP, Revenant, and You Killed) directs, with rising writer Pyeon Sung-geun scripting. Lee praised the shoot’s opening day,
“In particular, Kim Ji-won vividly embodied the powerful presence of the character ‘Gye Soo-jung’ from the very first shoot, firmly anchoring the center of the drama. Her exceptional immersion and expressiveness make me look forward even more to the journey ahead.”
Kim Ji-won’s most recent project was Queen of Tears in 2024, where she starred opposite Kim Soo-hyun. She portrayed Hong Hae-in, an icy and commanding third-generation chaebol heiress who also heads Queens Department Store.
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-won appears on the roster of nominees for AYA 2025’s Most Attractive Asian Artist. Public voting has begun, and the lineup is arranged into male and female divisions. The leading nominee in each division will receive an honorary trophy along with a deluxe support project. AYA OFFICIAL (@GLOBAL_AYA_) will announce the final standings on December 30 through its X account.
Edited by Shreya Jha
