Actor Kim Ji-won is returning to the small screen after two years through the new SBS Fri-Sat drama 'Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia'.

Premiering at 9:50 PM on Friday, October 9, the new SBS Fri-Sat drama 'Doctor X: The Era of White Mafia' (written by Pyeon Seung-geun, directed by Lee Jung-rim, hereinafter referred to as 'Doctor X') is a refreshing medical noir depicting the activities of Doctor X, Gye Soo-jung, a 'mad dog of the operating room' who shatters massive absurdities with genius surgical skills that know neither failure nor compromise. It is drawing high expectations as the first medical genre of SBS's hit-making 'Cider Universe'.

Regarding her reason for choosing 'Doctor X' for her return to the small screen after two years, Kim Ji-won stated, 'The gap between Gye Soo-jung's surface appearance and the new sides of her discovered the closer you look was attractive, and I wanted to express that charm well.' She also explained, 'Gye Soo-jung is a character who has exiled herself into the darkness and clung solely to surgical skills (a term referring to a doctor's manual dexterity or technique, Art). To others, the title of 'genius surgeon' might seem fitting, but from my perspective glimpsing the path Gye Soo-jung has walked, rather than a 'genius,' she felt like a figure who simply did her absolute best with a desperate heart using what she could.'

Regarding the differences between Gye Soo-jung and protagonists of existing medical dramas, she pointed out, 'While a sense of justice and mission are commonalities among protagonists in medical dramas, Gye Soo-jung differs in the way she expresses them. Because she focused most of her abilities on surgical skills, she is a character somewhat awkward in emotional areas such as sociality and flexibility.' She added, 'Seeing Gye Soo-jung, who lacks sociality despite her flawless surgical skills, sometimes made me smile. I tried to express these lights and shadows well,' explaining the key focus points of her character.

To pull off the obsessed-with-surgery 'genius doctor' character, Kim Ji-won raised expectations by revealing, 'I learned the surgical techniques necessary for the surgery scenes from my medical advisor and took the time to become fully accustomed to them. Since Gye Soo-jung's genius is connected not only to the surgery scenes but also to the dramatic narrative, I tried to carry that energy over into my acting as well.'

Kim Ji-won also mentioned the unexpected charm of director Lee Jung-rim, with whom she worked for the first time. She expressed trust, saying, 'I was curious because I enjoyed the director's previous works so much. Since she has done many charismatic projects, I wondered if her directing would be direct and unsparing, but in reality, rather than deciding on answers in advance, she was a delicate style who worked together with the actors on set to create scenes,' adding, 'I also remember bringing various analyses matching that tone and building the character within the director's direction.'

In addition, expressing gratitude toward Lee Jung-eun, who plays 'Jang Hee-sook' and previewed a womance chemistry, she conveyed her appreciation, saying, 'To Gye Soo-jung, Jang Hee-sook is a 'shelter-like person' who is sometimes like a boss, sometimes an aunt, and sometimes a friend, and the senior was just that kind of person to me as well. It was a set where I learned a lot about both the responsibility and joy of being an actor.'

Kim Ji-won also expressed gratitude to fellow cast members including Son Hyun-joo, Kim Woo-seok, Lee Jin-hee, Kim Young-min, Lee Sung-wook, Huh Jun-seok, Kim Young-ah, and Kwon Seung-woo. Displaying strong teamwork, she stated, 'Thanks to these people, the character of Gye Soo-jung and the project 'Doctor X' could feel even more three-dimensional and colorful. Personally, it was a precious set where I could learn and feel many things.'

Finally, conveying gratitude to viewers sending passionate interest, Kim Ji-won requested, 'The setting itself of being a doctor dispatched from a doctor employment agency seems like it will be a fresh point to watch. If you follow the stories that Gye Soo-jung, dispatched from the agency, creates at Guseo University Hospital, you will encounter various stories such as each character's choices, regrets, desires, and pain.'

Armed with unconventional settings and a powerful dark hero character, 'Doctor X' will premiere on Friday night, October 9, at 9:50 PM.

Reported by Kang Sun-ae

(Photo: Yonhap News) SBS Entertainment News, Kang Sun-ae