Doctor X review ep (5-8) review: Kim Ji Won’s drama delivers an emotional turn with a medical case

Kim Ji Won’s Doctor X: Mafia in White follows Gye Su Jeong, a skilled surgeon who refuses to let hospital politics and professional rivalries dictate how she treats her patients. As the medical drama progresses, her unconventional approach puts her at odds with colleagues and administrators who often appear more concerned about their own interests than the people in their care. Episodes 5–8 take the story in a more emotional direction. From confronting an arrogant doctor and treating a patient haunted by his past to navigating a hospital affected by a doctors' strike, Su Jeong faces situations that test not just her surgical abilities but also her understanding of what it means to save a life.

What happens in episodes 5-8 of Doctor X?

Episode 5 continues from Su Jeong's discovery that Dr Na Dae Il had carved his initials into a patient's liver. The revelation exposes his disturbing behaviour and raises questions about how someone in a position of medical authority could misuse that power. Su Jeong finds a way to confront Na, using an unsettling psychological tactic that makes him believe she has marked him in the same manner. The confrontation escalates, eventually leading to Na's suspension and police detention over the incident. The episode also develops the differences between Su Jeong and Dr Boo Seung Kwan. While both recognise the need to challenge corruption, their approaches to dealing with the hospital's problems are not the same.

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Episode 6 shifts attention to Oh Sang Beom, a man who has lived for decades with a fragment lodged in his head. Although surgery could improve his condition, he is reluctant to undergo the procedure because he fears losing the image of his older brother, who continues to appear to him.

His story takes viewers back to the 1980 Gwangju uprising, where he witnessed his brother's death while trying to protect him. Su Jeong begins to understand that Sang-beom's problem is not limited to his physical injury. His guilt and grief have shaped the way he sees his own life. Meanwhile, the hospital's senior doctors see his complicated case as an opportunity to improve the institution's reputation, leaving Su Jeong in a difficult position. She agrees to take on the surgery, even as the hospital's internal politics threaten to turn the situation against her.

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Episode 7 focuses on Su Jeong's efforts to convince Sang Beom to undergo surgery. She realises that he has almost given up on living and that simply assuring him of a successful operation will not be enough. With the help of her colleagues, she stages a reenactment of the events that changed his life, reminding him that several people had risked their lives to protect him.

Sang Beom eventually agrees to the procedure. During the operation, Su-jeong discovers that the fragment in his head is not a bullet, as many had assumed, but a piece of his brother's bone. A DNA test later confirms the connection. The revelation gives Sang Beom a different understanding of the burden he has carried for years. Meanwhile, the hospital's attempts to control the narrative around the operation create further tension.

While in episode 8, it brings the focus back to the hospital and the consequences of a doctor's strike. As medical staff prepare to walk out over their demands, the hospital faces a shortage of people available to treat patients. Su Jeong finds herself increasingly isolated as she refuses to abandon those who need medical attention.

The episode introduces two young patients, Hyeon A and Ga Eul, whose circumstances bring out her compassionate side. A particularly touching moment comes when Su Jeong and her colleagues perform a mock operation on Hyeon A's teddy bear, offering the child a brief moment of happiness despite her serious condition.

What works?

Kim Ji-won remains the biggest strength of the series. She portrays Su-jeong as a surgeon who is confident in her abilities but not entirely detached from the people she treats. The storyline involving

Sang Beom is arguably the strongest part of these four episodes. His attachment to the memory of his brother gives the medical case an emotional dimension, making the eventual revelation about the fragment in his head particularly meaningful.

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In addition, the series does not rely solely on complicated operations to create drama. It examines the people behind the cases and the circumstances that bring them to the hospital. The supporting characters contribute to Su Jeong's journey, particularly through their disagreements and moments of support. The dynamics between Su Jeong, Hee Sook, Won Jin and Tae Kyeong make the hospital feel like a complicated workplace rather than simply a setting for surgical cases.

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What does not work?

The series repeatedly shows administrators prioritising institutional reputation and personal interests, which can make certain confrontations predictable. Although the strike creates an effective source of tension, the arguments from the doctors participating in it could have received more attention. Their concerns about working conditions and being treated as replaceable professionals are important, but the story spends more time highlighting the consequences for patients than exploring the other side of the disagreement.

Final verdict

Doctor X: Mafia in White finds a stronger emotional footing in Episodes 5–8. While the medical drama continues to explore corruption and power struggles within the hospital, its most effective moments come when it shifts attention to the patients and the personal battles they are facing. Doctor X: Mafia in White finds a stronger emotional footing in Episodes 5–8. While the medical drama continues to explore corruption and power struggles within the hospital, its most effective moments come when it shifts attention to the patients and the personal battles they are facing.