The Doctor X K-drama titled ‘Doctor X: Age of the White Mafia’ has successfully maintained its 5-week consecutive run at the number one spot, yet the coveted 20% viewership rating barrier remains surprisingly difficult to cross.
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama recently captured massive attention with a shocking master-pupil cooperative ending featuring Kim Ji-won and Lee Jung-eun. However, the series has simultaneously faced various controversies that have noticeably slowed its momentum.
During the 9th episode, Gae Soo-jung (played by Kim Ji-won) jumped into an extremely high-stakes, ultra-difficult surgery to save an 8-year-old pediatric cancer patient facing a terminal diagnosis. In a stunning twist, Jang Hee-sook (played by Lee Jung-eun) entered the operating room to reveal her identity as Soo-jung’s former mentor, culminating in a desperate and thrilling alliance.
Surface ratings for the Doctor X K-drama remain exceptionally solid. According to Nielsen Korea, the broadcast scored a peak of 16.6% with nationwide and metropolitan averages hitting 15.3%, securing first place in its time slot and dominating all channels across all programs for five consecutive weeks. The key 2049 demographic ratings also maintained top position, peaking at 5.86%.
Behind the Stagnant Viewership Growth
A closer look at the underlying situation reveals a different story. The steep upward trajectory that nearly reached the 20% milestone after hitting 19.5% in episode 6 has seemingly stalled. Unlike typical weekend dramas where Saturday ratings surge significantly higher than Friday broadcasts, recent episodes showed an unusual reverse trend where Saturday’s numbers actually dropped compared to the previous day.
Analysts point to external pressures and production noise as the primary drivers behind this failure to rebound. Active medical professionals have strongly opposed the show, petitioning the Korea Communications Standards Commission under claims that the series simplifies the medical field into incompetent villains while ignoring the uncertainties of medical practice. Additional controversy erupted over an episode touching upon the historical May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, which divided viewer opinions and even prompted a petition for broadcast suspension on the National Assembly’s public consent board.
Looking Ahead for the Cast
Despite these hurdles, lead actress Kim Ji-won continues to anchor the series with phenomenal acting that makes her a strong contender for year-end acting awards. Paired with the powerhouse presence of veteran actress Lee Jung-eun, industry watchers are closely monitoring whether the Doctor X K-drama can successfully bounce back.
