Kim Ji-won is set to return to the small screen with Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia, and the upcoming K-drama already promises a different side of the Queen Of Tears star. The medical noir follows Gye Su-jeong, a highly skilled surgeon known as the "mad surgeon of the operating room", who joins Guseo University Hospital and challenges a system plagued by corruption. The series is scheduled to premiere on October 9, 2026, on Netflix.
If the combination of medical cases, powerful doctors, hospital politics and a fight against the system has caught your attention, Netflix has several K-dramas that can keep you hooked while you wait for Kim Ji-won's new series.
Here are five medical K-dramas to watch on Netflix if Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia is on your watchlist.
1. The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call
Cast: Ju Ji-hoon, Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Yoon Kyung-ho, Jeong Jae-kwang
If you want a medical drama with a fearless doctor who refuses to play by the rules, The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call is a good place to start.
The series follows Baek Kang-hyuk, a brilliant trauma surgeon and former combat doctor who joins Hankuk National University Hospital. He is determined to build a top-level trauma centre, but his plans put him at odds with the hospital's management and its complicated internal politics.
Along with trauma nurse Cheon Jang-mi and surgery fellow Yang Jae-won, Kang-hyuk takes on dangerous cases while fighting a system that does not always put patients first. Netflix describes the series as the story of a doctor and his team saving lives while battling the system.
Why watch it: The combination of intense surgeries, a strong central doctor and hospital politics makes it particularly suited to viewers waiting for Doctor X.
Where to watch: Netflix.
2. Hospital Playlist
Cast: Jo Jung-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Kyung-ho, Kim Dae-myung, Jeon Mi-do
Not every medical K-drama needs to be dark and intense. Hospital Playlist takes a warmer approach while still showing the pressures of life inside a hospital.
The drama follows five doctors who have been friends since medical school and now work at the same hospital. Alongside treating patients, they deal with relationships, family problems, career challenges and their long-standing friendship.
The series balances medical cases with humour and emotional moments, making it an easy watch for viewers who want character-driven hospital stories. Netflix currently lists Hospital Playlist among its medical TV shows.
Why watch it: If you are interested in the hospital setting of Doctor X but also want strong friendships and emotional storytelling, this one offers a lighter alternative.
Where to watch: Netflix.
3. Doctor Slump
Cast: Park Hyung-sik, Park Shin-hye, Yoon Park, Kong Seong-ha
Doctor Slump brings romance and comedy into the medical genre while exploring the pressures faced by doctors.
Yeo Jeong-woo and Nam Ha-neul were academic rivals during their school years. Years later, both become successful doctors, only to experience major setbacks in their careers. When they meet again during one of the lowest points of their lives, their old rivalry slowly changes into friendship and romance.
The series is less focused on hospital politics than Doctor X, but its central characters are still doctors dealing with professional pressure and personal struggles.
Why watch it: It is a good option if you want a medical K-drama with romance, emotional recovery and a lighter tone.
Where to watch: Netflix currently lists Doctor Slump among its medical Korean shows.
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4. Doctor Cha
Cast: Uhm Jung-hwa, Kim Byung-chul, Myung Se-bin, Min Woo-hyuk
What if someone who gave up her medical career years ago decided to start again?
Doctor Cha follows Cha Jung-sook, a woman who left medicine behind to focus on her family. After a major health crisis changes her outlook on life, she decides to return to the medical field and begins her residency.
Her return puts her in a completely different world from the life she had built. As she navigates hospital life, family problems and her own ambitions, she starts rediscovering her identity.
Why watch it: The drama explores the medical profession through a character who is rebuilding her life, making it different from the intense surgeon-centred story of Doctor X.
Where to watch: Netflix currently lists Doctor Cha among its medical K-dramas.
5. Dr. Romantic
Cast: Han Suk-kyu, Ahn Hyo-seop, Lee Sung-kyung
For viewers who want high-stakes medical cases and strong doctors, Dr. Romantic is another series to add to the list.
The story centres on Kim Sa-bu, an experienced surgeon who works at a small hospital and pushes younger doctors to become better physicians. The doctors face difficult cases while dealing with professional rivalries, personal struggles and conflicts within the medical establishment.
The series combines emotional patient stories with tense medical situations and workplace politics.
Why watch it: If the idea of a talented doctor challenging the established system in Doctor X appeals to you, Dr. Romantic explores similar themes through a different set of characters and conflicts.
Where to watch: Netflix currently lists Dr. Romantic among its medical TV shows.
Which K-Drama Should You Watch Before Doctor X?
If you are most interested in the medical action and hospital politics promised by Kim Ji-won's upcoming series, The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call and Dr. Romantic are natural choices. For something more emotional and character-focused, Hospital Playlist offers a very different take on life inside a hospital.
Meanwhile, Doctor Slump and Doctor Cha bring romance, personal struggles and career setbacks into their medical stories.
With Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia arriving on Netflix on October 9, 2026, these five K-dramas can help fill the wait for Kim Ji-won's return as the uncompromising surgeon Gye Su-jeong.
FAQs
1. What is Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia about?
Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia follows Gye Su-jeong, a highly skilled surgeon who joins Guseo University Hospital and takes on corruption within the medical establishment. Kim Ji-won plays the lead role.
2. When will Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia release?
The K-drama is scheduled to premiere on October 9, 2026, on Netflix.
3. Which K-drama is similar to Doctor X: Age Of The White Mafia?
The Trauma Code: Heroes On Call and Dr. Romantic are two options for viewers looking for medical cases, strong doctors and conflicts within the hospital system.