Kim Ji Won has made a strong return to television as her new SBS drama Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia opened with double-digit ratings.
According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode of Doctor X: Mafia in White recorded an average nationwide rating of 11.4% on October 9.
The drama also posted 11.2% in the Seoul metropolitan area and reached a peak rating of 12.9% during the broadcast.
The result reportedly gives Doctor X: Mafia in White the highest premiere rating among miniseries that have aired in 2026 so far.
The drama also performed strongly among viewers aged 20 to 49, recording an average rating of 3.7% and a peak of 4.3%. It ranked No. 1 among programs airing on Friday and also topped programs for the week in the key demographic.
Kim Ji Won leads the series as Gye Soo Jung, a highly skilled surgeon who refuses to compromise when she believes hospital authority or internal politics could interfere with patient care.
The premiere introduced her abilities and straightforward personality while establishing the conflicts she is expected to face inside the hospital. The episode also highlighted Kim Ji Won’s transformation into a more intense and unconventional character without revealing too much about the drama’s larger story.
The strong opening follows Kim Ji Won’s previous success with *Queen of Tears*, which reached a peak nationwide rating of 24.9% in 2024.
With an 11.4% nationwide premiere and a 12.9% peak, Doctor X: Mafia in White has started its run as one of the strongest new Korean dramas of 2026.
