Kim Ji Won Returns After Two Years With Doctor X — A Genius Surgeon Who’s Terrible With People

Some comebacks need a splashy premise. Kim Ji Won’s needed something more layered — a character with flawless hands and clumsy social instincts, hiding depth beneath a cold exterior. That’s exactly what she found in “Doctor X.”

Based on the hit Japanese series of the same name, the medical noir drama follows Gye Soo Jung, a genius surgeon who proves her worth through pure skill while navigating a corruption-riddled hospital system. It marks Kim Ji Won’s first drama in two years and, by her own account, her most demanding transformation yet.

What Makes Gye Soo Jung Different in Doctor X?

Kim Ji Won described being drawn to the gap between her character’s outward composure and the layers underneath. Rather than playing a straightforward “genius,” she chose to portray Gye Soo Jung as someone shaped by quiet desperation and self-imposed isolation, who has poured everything into surgery at the cost of ordinary social skills — a contrast the actress said she found genuinely funny to perform.

Prep Work and On-Set Dynamics

To prepare, Kim Ji Won trained with a medical advisor to learn surgical techniques for operating-room scenes. She also spoke warmly about working with director Lee Jeong Rim for the first time, noting a collaborative approach that shaped scenes with actors rather than dictating them upfront.

She singled out her dynamic with co-star Lee Jung Eun, calling their on-screen bond a “safe haven” relationship, and teased a major action sequence involving Lee Jung Eun’s character.

For more on the drama’s original Japanese source, Wikipedia’s entry on the Doctor-X franchise is a helpful reference. And for more premiere dates and K-drama previews, check our entertainment section.

FAQs