[Edaily Starin Gim Ga Yeong Reporter] tvN’s “100 Days of Lies” and SBS’s “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia,” both produced by Studio Dragon, are enjoying simultaneous success.

According to Nielsen Korea, the fourth episode of “100 Days of Lies,” which aired on the 18th, recorded a nationwide household viewership rating of 9.0%, setting a new series high, while “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” recorded a nationwide household viewership rating of 18.5% for its fourth episode, which aired on the 17th, marking a new series high. Both shows have seen their ratings rise steadily over their first four episodes.
“100 Days of Lies” is a work that writer Ryu Bo-ri conceived over the course of about five years and began writing in earnest in 2023. Studio Dragon joined the script planning and development process in 2024 to bring the project to life. “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” is based on a Japanese drama of the same name; Studio Dragon began adapting the original work in 2021, restructuring the story and characters to resonate with Korean audiences.
The two works offer distinct forms of entertainment through their different genre characteristics. While “100 Days of Lies” solemnly portrays the convictions and choices of independence activists during the Japanese colonial period, leaving a deep, lingering impression, “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” delivers a refreshing sense of catharsis through Gye Su-jeong’s fearless exploits.
Set in the 1930s, “100 Days of Lies” leaves a deep, lingering impression by delicately portraying the diverse lives and personal growth not only of independence activists and their families but also of ordinary people navigating those turbulent times. The story really takes off when Lee Ga-kyung (Kim Yoo-jung), an undercover agent for the National Salvation Corps, goes undercover as an interpreter at the Japanese Government-General of Korea. The premise—that the success or failure of her mission hinges on how she conveys conversations with key figures, and that her true identity could be exposed at any moment—adds intense suspense and excitement to the espionage narrative.
“Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” delivers a sense of catharsis as the genius freelance doctor Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won) stands up against the authority and established practices at Guseo University Hospital. The drama is enriched by a variety of relationships, ranging from the “womance” between Gye Su-jeong and Jang Hee-sook (Lee Jung-eun)—who is bound to her by a unique employment arrangement—to the lighthearted chemistry with intern Park Tae-kyung (Kim Woo-seok) and emergency medicine professor Kim Seong-jin (Heo Jun-seok).
The passionate performances of the cast in both series are drawing attention. “100 Days of Lies” has been well-received for the solid on-screen chemistry between actors such as Kim Yoo-jung, Park Jin-young, Kim Hyun-joo, Lee Mu-saeng, and Jin Seon-kyu. Kim Yoo-jung, who speaks both Japanese and English, studied the languages intensively with language consultants, while Park Jin-young also practiced his lines repeatedly until they sounded natural. Jin Seon-kyu, who plays Shinichi Sato, the Japanese Chief of Staff, spent two months in Japan, practicing his lines for about seven hours a day and continuing his Japanese lessons even during filming. The actors’ dedication has also earned praise from Japanese viewers.
Kim Ji-won of “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” has also put considerable effort into preparing for her first medical drama role—from a physical transformation to learning medical terminology and practicing suturing—and is convincingly portraying the confident and uninhibited charm of her character, Gye Su-jeong. In addition, Lee Jung-eun, who plays Jang Hee-sook, infuses the drama with cheerful energy through her uniquely laid-back and seasoned acting, while Son Hyun-joo, who plays Bu Seung-kwon, delicately portrays a character who strategically leverages the hospital’s power dynamics.
Now in their second week of broadcast, both dramas are seeing the relationships and conflicts between characters take shape, heightening anticipation for future developments and raising expectations for rising viewership ratings.
In “100 Days of Lies,” as the plot unfolds, the intertwining relationships between characters with differing beliefs and goals are heightening the tension. Amid subtle romantic chemistry emerging between Lee Ga-kyung (Kim Yoo-jung) and Sato Hideo (Park Jin-young)—whose paths first crossed at the Japanese Government-General of Korea—the nature of their relationship, given their differing social statuses and objectives, sparks curiosity. The dynamic between Yoo So-ran (Kim Hyun-joo), who is willing to risk her life, and Yoo Philip (Lee Mu-saeng), who tries to stop her, is another key point of interest.
“Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” heightens curiosity by focusing on Gye Su-jeong’s (Kim Ji-won) past, which is gradually being revealed, and her relationship with Jang Hee-sook (Lee Jung-eun). While intern Park Tae-kyung (Kim Woo-seok), anesthesiology professor Jo Won-jin (Lee Jin-hee), and emergency medicine professor Kim Seong-jin (Heo Jun-seok) make their presence known as allies to Gye Su-jeong—who insists on acting alone—the actions of hospital director Bu Seung-kwon (Son Hyun-joo), whose true intentions remain unclear, are also considered a key variable in the show’s future developments.
Studio Dragon, a subsidiary of CJ ENM, is one of Korea’s leading drama production studios. It has produced over 300 global premium intellectual property (IP) titles totaling 4,575 episodes, earning widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally. In particular, since 2022, the studio has demonstrated its content production capabilities by producing 10 shows that have ranked No. 1 globally on the streaming service Netflix for five consecutive years. This year, the studio produced hit series such as “Yumi’s Cells 3,” “The Legend of the Mess Sergeant,” and “Undercover Miss Hong.”