[Edaily Reporter Choi Hee-jae ] Lee Jung-eun of "Doctor X" has joined the surgical team.

In the episode of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama “Doctor X: The Age of the White Mafia” (Doctor X) that aired on the 6th, Gye Su-jeong (played by Kim Ji-won) was shown attempting a surreal surgery to save an 8-year-old child with cancer.

According to Nielsen Korea, the 9th episode of “Doctor X” ranked first in its time slot with a 15.3% viewership rating nationwide and in the Seoul metropolitan area, marking its fifth consecutive week as the top-rated program across all channels and continuing the legacy of SBS’s Friday-Saturday dramas. The 2049 demographic rating also reached a peak of 5.86% and averaged 5.3%.

In this episode, Gye Su-jeong undertook a surreal, unprecedented surgery to save Lee Hyun-ah (played by Lee Chae-yu), an 8-year-old pediatric cancer patient. Amid widespread opposition, Gye Su-jeong prepared for the surgery alone, but Do Yoon-sik (played by Kim Young-min), who made the decision to assist her, and Jang Hee-sook (played by Lee Jung-eun) joined her in the operating room, marking the start of a full-scale collaborative surgery.

Bu Seung-kwon (played by Son Hyun-joo) asked Jang Hee-sook, “Is Gye Su-jeong Doctor X?” Jang Hee-sook replied, “If a doctor who prioritizes the patient’s life and well-being above all else and gives their all to every surgery they perform is Doctor X, then Gye Su-jeong is indeed Doctor X.”

She then delivered a sharp retort to Bu Seung-kwon, who was casting doubt on Gye Su-jeong as she struggled to save the patient, and even saw right through the fact that he suffers from glaucoma, calmly putting him on the spot.

Having accepted Bu Seung-kwon’s proposal—that he would expand the scope of their contract if she successfully completed Yoo Ga-eul’s (played by Ki So-yu) surgery within six hours—Gye Su-jeong once again proved her skill by flawlessly completing the “solo surgery” in just 5 hours and 20 minutes.

As soon as the surgery ended, Gye Su-jeong began contemplating a way to save Lee Hyun-ah, an 8-year-old pediatric cancer patient. The situation was so desperate that even the doctors at Gu Seodae Hospital—not to mention the staff at the medical agency—shook their heads, saying there was no way to perform the surgery, as a rare tumor had infiltrated major blood vessels and multiple organs.

However, Gye Su-jeong did not give up and devised the only surgical method capable of saving Lee Hyun-ah: “Extracorporeal Multiorgan Tumor Resection and Autotransplantation.” It was an extremely difficult procedure involving removing all six organs infiltrated by the tumor from the body, excising the tumors from each one, and then reimplanting them back into the body.

However, this was a procedure she could never complete alone. Even for Gye Su-jeong—who possessed god-like surgical skills and an overwhelmingly fast operating pace—the child’s time was limited, so multiple surgeons had to participate simultaneously to save time.

Gye Su-jeong tried to persuade the medical staff during a surgical conference, but they were reluctant. Gye Su-jeong bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle to everyone and earnestly pleaded, “Please,” but Bu Seung-kwon refused.

Consequently, Gye Su-jeong resolved once again to perform a “solo surgery.” With the help of Jo Won-jin and Park Tae-kyung (played by Kim Woo-seok), she began the procedure. Gye Su-jeong’s perilous challenge—undertaking an operation that everyone else had given up on—brought the tension to a fever pitch.

Meanwhile, Do Yoon-sik was pacing anxiously, worried about Lee Hyun-ah’s surgery, and eventually stormed out of the conference hall to join the operating room. Do Yoon-sik’s resolve and transformation—as he risked his position and career to save the patient—resonated deeply with viewers.

However, the patient’s blood pressure dropped sharply, placing her in a precarious situation where brain damage was a real concern. Just as additional personnel were desperately needed, the operating room door opened, and Jang Hee-sook, dressed in surgical scrubs, entered.

Seeing Jang Hee-sook join the surgery without hesitation, saying, “I’m Jang Hee-sook, a surgeon,” Gye Soo-jeong introduced her with a look of deep respect, saying, “This is my mentor,” which took everyone by surprise.

As it was revealed that Jang Hee-sook—whom everyone had assumed was merely the money-hungry director of a doctor-for-hire agency—was in fact Gye Su-jeong’s mentor and a surgeon herself, the moment when Gye Su-jeong and Jang Hee-sook finally stood face-to-face as doctor against doctor in the operating room, their determined gazes locking, sent chills down the spine.

“Doctor X” is a drama featuring “Gye Su-jeong, the madwoman of the operating room,” who shatters injustice with nothing but her genius surgical skills. It is a refreshing medical noir centered on “Doctor X” Gye Su-jeong. The series is based on the Japanese drama of the same name.

“Doctor X” airs on the 7th at 9:50 p.m.