Why Kim Ji-won’s hit K-Drama Doctor X is facing cancel calls over 1980 Gwangju uprising references

South Korean actress Kim Ji-won’s latest K-drama, Doctor X: Mafia in White, may be pulling in record-breaking viewership ratings, but its latest episode has landed the production in major controversy. The medical series has faced severe backlash for weaving the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising into its plotline and has led to a petition being filed with South Korea’s National Assembly calling for a broadcast halt. The petition has also urged an investigation into the episode's production.

What sparked the controversy?

The backlash stems from Episode 6, which aired on October 24. In the episode, Kim Ji-won’s character, surgeon Gye Soo-jeung, attempts to remove a bullet lodged inside a patient’s brain for 46 years—an injury directly tied to the violent military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Gwangju in May 1980.

According to a report by The Korea Herald, a petition was submitted through the National Assembly’s online platform questioning why such a sensitive historical chapter was introduced into a drama that is not primarily political. The petitioner argued that the storyline could be interpreted as pushing a specific political stance, creating discomfort among viewers.

The petition has already secured 100 signatures, which is the minimum number required to move forward to the public disclosure review stage.

Apart from calling for an official review of the production process, the petitioner has demanded that the series be pulled off the air immediately.

The show is currently one of the most popular dramas in South Korea.

The portions that viewers found objectionable

Audience members pointed out several symbolic details throughout the episode that directly alluded to the historic movement. A moment in the episode reportedly gave a subtle nod to May 18, 1980, the day he pro-democracy uprising began with a Bus number citing as 518.

The scene featured the arrival of an unconscious character heavily resembling former dictator Chun Doo-hwan at the hospital.

About the Gwangju uprising

The Gwangju Uprising took place between May 18 and May 27, 1980, when local citizens rose up against military rule under Chun Doo-hwan. The movement was brutally suppressed by military forces and remains one of the most significant and sensitive milestones in South Korea's journey toward democracy.

Producer’s cryptic ‘No Fear’ response

As public criticism intensified online, the show’s chief producer, Lee Ok-gyu, posted the drama's official poster on social media accompanied by a simple caption: “no fear.”

Without providing further explanation, the brief caption triggered widespread speculation. While many viewers interpreted the post as a defiant stance against the growing backlash, Lee has not officially clarified his statement.

Kim Ji-won’s small-screen return

Doctor X: Mafia in White stars Kim Ji-won as Gye Soo-jeung, a brilliant yet non-conformist surgeon fighting systemic corruption within hospital leadership. The series is an official Korean remake of the hit Japanese medical franchise Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon.

The show marks Kim Ji-won’s highly anticipated return to television, coming two years after her smash-hit role in the global hit drama Queen of Tears.