South Korean medical drama Doctor X: Mafia in White, starring Kim Ji-won, is facing calls for its broadcast to be suspended after an episode depicting the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising sparked controversy among viewers.
A petition submitted to South Korea’s National Assembly on 24 October demands an investigation into the show’s production and an end to its broadcast, according to The Korea Herald.
The petition gathered the 100 preliminary endorsements required to enter the review process, although no decision has been made to remove the series from television.
The dispute centres on the sixth episode, broadcast on SBS on 24 October, in which surgeon Gye Soo-jung, played by Kim, treats a patient who has lived with a bullet lodged in his head for 46 years.
The character was wounded during the military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju in May 1980. The episode also introduces a fictional former president resembling Chun Doo-hwan, whose military rule was responsible for suppressing the uprising.
Critics questioned why the series introduced such a politically sensitive historical event into its medical storyline. Others defended the episode, arguing that it highlighted the lasting physical and psychological suffering of those affected by the crackdown.
Producer responds as controversy reaches Kim Ji-won
The Gwangju Democratic Uprising took place from 18 to 27 May 1980, when citizens protested against military rule. The demonstrations ended after government troops violently suppressed the movement.
Following the broadcast, chief producer Lee Ok-gyu shared a promotional poster for Doctor X on social media with the words «no fear», without providing further explanation.
The controversy has also reached Kim Ji-won’s Instagram account, where some users criticised her involvement in the series and accused the production of introducing political messaging.
Despite the backlash, Doctor X continues to attract strong television audiences.
According to Nielsen Korea, the sixth episode achieved a nationwide household rating of 19.5%, the show’s highest to date, while its most-watched moment reached 21.3%.
The drama premiered with an 11.4% rating and has since become one of South Korea’s most-watched television series of 2026.
What is Doctor X about?
Doctor X: Mafia in White follows Gye Soo-jung, a talented surgeon who refuses to conform to hospital politics and challenges corruption within the medical establishment.
The SBS production adapts the Japanese medical drama Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, which ran for seven seasons and starred Ryoko Yonekura.
For Kim Ji-won, the series marks her first major television role since the international success of Queen of Tears in 2024, in which she appeared alongside Kim Soo-hyun.
Neither SBS nor the production company has announced plans to suspend the drama. The parliamentary petition remains under review, leaving its future unchanged for now.
