Gye Su-jeong challenges GUMC’s corrupt doctors when a risky surgery goes wrong, proving her skills in Doctor X: Mafia in White episode 1.
On October 9, Doctor X: Mafia in White episode 1 premiered on Netflix. The episode introduces Gye Su-jeong (Kim Ji-won), a freelance surgeon who refuses to follow the rules of Guseo University Medical Centre’s corrupt medical hierarchy.
Meanwhile, she challenges Director Kim Myeong-seop’s decision to perform open surgery on an elderly patient with gallbladder cancer. Moreover, the operation takes a dangerous turn when Director Kim suffers a severe allergic reaction and collapses, forcing Su-jeong to take over the procedure and save the patient’s life.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the series. Read at your own risk.
A Mysterious Surgeon Emerges in Doctor X: Mafia in White Episode 1
Episode 1 of Doctor X: Mafia in White opens with a flashback to a fire at White Wings Medical Corps. Gye Su-jeong watches the building burn while holding the hand of a young girl.
Years later, Su-jeong spends time playing pool with Jang Hee-sook. Elsewhere, young medical intern Park Tae-kyeong hangs out with his friends. Their casual day takes a turn when a man suddenly suffers severe abdominal pain. Tae-kyeong tries to help, but Su-jeong quickly recognizes the problem as a ruptured inguinal hernia.
Su-jeong performs a temporary manual reduction and calls an ambulance. The paramedics ask her to accompany the patient, but she refuses to identify herself. Instead, she sends Tae-kyeong with them.
Meanwhile, doctors at Guseo University Medical Centre (GUMC) celebrate Dr. Im Ho-seok’s election as mayor. Ho-seok credits Director Dr. Kim Myeong-seop and Chairman Dr. Gu for supporting his political campaign. Dr. Bu Seung-kwon grows tired of watching everyone compete for influence. Before leaving, he overhears Dr. Do Yoon-sik discussing the resignation of several new doctors.
The following morning, Tae-kyeong reports to GUMC for his first day as an intern. He meets the other residents, who already look exhausted from their demanding workload. Director Kim also expresses frustration over the hospital’s staffing problems. The strict policies introduced after the COVID-19 pandemic have pushed several doctors to leave.
Soon after, the hospital welcomes several new doctors and staff members. Su-jeong also arrives as a freelance surgeon through Hee-sook’s staffing agency. She quickly clashes with GUMC’s established hierarchy. Su-jeong refuses to flatter the senior doctors or follow their unwritten rules. Her attitude immediately puts Dr. Do on edge.
Su-jeong Challenges the Medical Mafia
The staff soon hold a conference to discuss Director Kim’s upcoming surgery. He plans to operate on Seo Byeong-gyu, an 80-year-old man with early-stage gallbladder cancer. Director Kim chooses open surgery because he believes it will allow him to remove every cancerous cell. He also argues that laparoscopic surgery could leave cancer cells behind and allow the disease to spread.
Su-jeong strongly disagrees. She argues that open surgery could place unnecessary strain on an elderly patient. She also believes a laparoscopic specialist should handle the procedure. Her criticism becomes even sharper when she accuses Director Kim of choosing the outdated method because he finally has the chance to perform the operation.
The confrontation shocks the other doctors. Sun-ae tries to calm Su-jeong down, but Su-jeong calls Director Kim greedy. Afterward, Sun-ae contacts Hee-sook and complains about her behavior. Hee-sook apologizes and promises that Su-jeong remains an excellent surgeon.
Director Kim later meets Byeong-gyu and obtains his consent for the operation. Byeong-gyu praises him and explains that he once worked at a surgical glove factory that supplied GUMC for years. His wife even gives Director Kim a traditional sweet as a gesture of gratitude. Disgusted by the gift, Director Kim quietly asks Tae-kyeong to dispose of it.
Meanwhile, the doctors examine Su-jeong’s résumé. They discover that she has worked in numerous remote locations. Dr. Do then assigns her to assist Tae-kyeong and Dr. Ma Sung-gyu. He hopes the arrangement will keep her away from Director Kim.
Su-jeong soon reviews Byeong-gyu’s medical records. She notices that he previously worked at a latex factory. This discovery strengthens her concerns about the planned surgery. She argues with Sung-gyu and questions why the hospital continues to support Director Kim.
However, Su-jeong refuses to stay beyond her contracted hours. When the clock strikes six, she leaves the hospital without hesitation. The doctors later discover that she has visited Byeong-gyu’s room. Byeong-gyu and his wife tell Tae-kyeong that Su-jeong urged them to postpone the operation or request another surgeon. Byeong-gyu refuses because he trusts Director Kim.
A Surgery Takes a Dangerous Turn
The next morning, Hee-sook visits GUMC and apologizes to Director Kim for Su-jeong’s behavior. Su-jeong then asks to observe the operation. Director Kim reluctantly allows her to stay. Dr. Bu also arrives to watch the procedure. While Su-jeong and Hee-sook discuss the hospital’s politics, the operation begins.
Director Kim requests powdered latex gloves and asks the surgical team to play his preferred music. Su-jeong immediately notices something wrong. Director Kim starts sweating heavily, and she suspects that he may collapse. Her concerns prove correct.
Director Kim makes a critical mistake during the procedure. The patient’s blood pressure suddenly falls while his heart rate rises. Director Kim then collapses in the operating room.
The medical team rushes to help him, leaving Tae-kyeong alone with the patient. Su-jeong quickly injects Director Kim with epinephrine and orders the doctors to take him for treatment. She then steps in and takes control of the operation.
Su-jeong performs the procedure with remarkable speed and precision. She successfully removes the cancerous tissue and saves Byeong-gyu’s life. Dr. Bu watches in disbelief. He immediately recognizes Su-jeong’s extraordinary surgical ability and takes Hee-sook’s business card.
Afterward, Dr. Jo Won-jin reprimands the doctors for abandoning Tae-kyeong in the operating room. Su-jeong also faces questions about why she administered epinephrine. She offers little explanation, however. Once again, she walks away when the clock strikes six.
The doctors remain fascinated by her ability to predict Director Kim’s collapse. Tae-kyeong eventually discovers the reason. Director Kim has a severe allergy to tropical fruit, and he suffered an allergic reaction after eating melon. The powdered latex gloves further aggravated his condition.
The Fall of Director Kim
The following day, Su-jeong visits Director Kim in his hospital room. Even after nearly causing a fatal incident, he refuses to admit that he made the wrong decision. He continues to defend open surgery. Su-jeong refuses to agree with him or cover up his mistake. Furious, Director Kim orders Dr. Do to fire her. Su-jeong responds by calmly handing over her hospital ID and jacket before walking away.
During lunch, the doctors discuss the incident. Some even suspect that Su-jeong deliberately drugged Director Kim. Tae-kyeong, however, puts the pieces together and realizes that the doctor’s allergic reaction caused his collapse.
Dr. Bu then confronts Director Kim. He points out that Director Kim knowingly entered the operating room after eating melon despite his allergy. He also explains that the powdered latex gloves intensified the reaction and placed the patient in serious danger.
Director Kim loses his position, and Dr. Bu becomes GUMC’s new director. One of Dr. Bu’s first decisions involves Su-jeong. He brings her back to GUMC and offers her a higher rate. Hee-sook then makes the terms clear: Su-jeong will only perform duties covered by her contract. She will not handle additional tasks or waste time on unnecessary social formalities.
Dr. Do and Dr. Bae soon realize that Hee-sook deliberately gave Director Kim the melon. They also suspect that she helped Dr. Bu expose his mistakes and remove him from the director’s position. The episode ends with the hospital doctors chasing after Su-jeong as she leaves at exactly six o’clock. True to her word, Doctor X refuses to let GUMC’s medical mafia control her.
Episode 1 makes a strong introduction to Su-jeong as a sharp, fearless surgeon who refuses to play by GUMC’s rules. The surgical sequence delivers tension while showcasing her impressive skills and quick judgment. Although the episode leans heavily on familiar medical-drama tropes, Su-jeong’s mysterious past and blunt personality make her a compelling character to watch.
Catch the next episode of Doctor X: Mafia in White at 8:50 PHT, with new episodes airing every Friday and Saturday.
Sources: SBSNOW, Netflix K-Content
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