The medical realism of SBS drama Doctor X: Mafia in White has become a topic of discussion after one of the show’s actual medical consultants responded to viewers questioning several scenes.
Emergency medicine doctor and writer Namkoong In revealed that Doctor X: Mafia in White was the first drama where he worked as an on-site medical consultant.
After the drama began airing, some viewers with medical knowledge raised questions online about certain procedures shown in the series, including the treatment of a hernia patient, the handling of a patient with very low blood pressure, and the use of a defibrillator during a cardiac arrest scene.
One viewer directly asked Namkoong In whether he really served as a medical adviser on the production.
He responded in a casual and joking tone, *“Yes, I was the on-site consultant. If something medically incorrect appears, you can assume that the consultant and the production team argued, and the consultant lost.”*
His comment suggested that medical advisers did raise objections during production, but not every recommendation necessarily made it into the final version of the drama.
The remark does not confirm that every scene criticized online was medically incorrect. However, it offers some insight into how medical accuracy and dramatic choices were balanced behind the scenes.
Namkoong In also spoke positively about his overall experience on set. He praised the cast and staff for their dedication and described seeing firsthand how much work goes into producing a television drama.
He wrote, *“It was the first drama where I participated as an on-site consultant. I realized that the scenes we casually watch are created through the cooperation, endless patience, and almost obsessive dedication of many people.”*
The discussion comes as Doctor X: Mafia in White, starring Kim Ji Won, continues its strong start in the ratings. The drama reached a nationwide rating of 14.9% with its second episode, after premiering at 11.4%.
Doctor X: Mafia in White airs every Friday and Saturday on SBS.
