Kim Ji Won's SBS medical drama Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia has reached another major milestone, taking first place in a survey of South Korea's favorite television and streaming programs for the first time.
According to a Korea Gallup survey conducted from October 20 to 22, 2026, Doctor X ranked No. 1 with a preference rating of 9.8%, just two weeks after its premiere.
The survey involved 1,001 adults aged 18 and older across South Korea, who were asked to name up to two programs they currently enjoy watching the most.
The result puts Doctor X ahead of tvN's 100 Days of Deception, starring Kim Yoo Jung and Park Jin Young, which placed second with 4.0%.
KBS2's Love Is Coming followed in third place with 3.8%, while KBS1's Mom Has Gone Crazy ranked fourth with 3.1%. KBS2's 2 Days & 1 Night Season 4 completed the top five with 2.1%.
The achievement also places Doctor X among SBS's strongest-performing dramas in Korea Gallup's monthly preference surveys.
Among the seven SBS dramas that have topped the rankings since January 2013, Doctor X recorded the third-highest peak preference rating so far.
It trails only Manager Kim, which achieved 18.9% in July 2026, and My Love from the Star, which recorded 11.5% in February 2014.
The latest survey result comes as Doctor X continues to attract viewers with its story about a highly skilled surgeon who challenges corruption and unfair practices within the medical system.
The drama, adapted from the popular Japanese series Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, stars Kim Ji Won as the brilliant surgeon Gye Soo Jung.
Despite its growing popularity, the series has recently faced mixed reactions over its medical accuracy and its portrayal of events connected to South Korea's May 18 Democratization Movement.
Some viewers praised the drama for addressing a painful chapter of history, while others questioned its approach. A social media user who identified themselves as an orthopedic doctor also criticized certain medical scenes, arguing that they could create misleading impressions of healthcare professionals.
SBS has not publicly provided a detailed response to the criticism.
Nevertheless, the drama continues to perform strongly in television ratings. Its sixth episode achieved a new personal best of 19.5% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.
With Doctor X now leading Korea Gallup's favorite TV program rankings and continuing to set new ratings records, Kim Ji Won's medical drama is strengthening its position as one of the most closely watched Korean series of October 2026.
Kim Ji Won's SBS medical drama Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia has reached another major milestone, taking first place in a survey of South Korea's favorite television and streaming programs for the first time.
According to a Korea Gallup survey conducted from October 20 to 22, 2026, Doctor X ranked No. 1 with a preference rating of 9.8%, just two weeks after its premiere.
The survey involved 1,001 adults aged 18 and older across South Korea, who were asked to name up to two programs they currently enjoy watching the most.
The result puts Doctor X ahead of tvN's 100 Days of Deception, starring Kim Yoo Jung and Park Jin Young, which placed second with 4.0%.
KBS2's Love Is Coming followed in third place with 3.8%, while KBS1's Mom Has Gone Crazy ranked fourth with 3.1%. KBS2's 2 Days & 1 Night Season 4 completed the top five with 2.1%.
The achievement also places Doctor X among SBS's strongest-performing dramas in Korea Gallup's monthly preference surveys.
Among the seven SBS dramas that have topped the rankings since January 2013, Doctor X recorded the third-highest peak preference rating so far.
It trails only Manager Kim, which achieved 18.9% in July 2026, and My Love from the Star, which recorded 11.5% in February 2014.
The latest survey result comes as Doctor X continues to attract viewers with its story about a highly skilled surgeon who challenges corruption and unfair practices within the medical system.
The drama, adapted from the popular Japanese series Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, stars Kim Ji Won as the brilliant surgeon Gye Soo Jung.
Despite its growing popularity, the series has recently faced mixed reactions over its medical accuracy and its portrayal of events connected to South Korea's May 18 Democratization Movement.
Some viewers praised the drama for addressing a painful chapter of history, while others questioned its approach. A social media user who identified themselves as an orthopedic doctor also criticized certain medical scenes, arguing that they could create misleading impressions of healthcare professionals.
SBS has not publicly provided a detailed response to the criticism.
Nevertheless, the drama continues to perform strongly in television ratings. Its sixth episode achieved a new personal best of 19.5% nationwide, according to Nielsen Korea.
With Doctor X now leading Korea Gallup's favorite TV program rankings and continuing to set new ratings records, Kim Ji Won's medical drama is strengthening its position as one of the most closely watched Korean series of October 2026.
