'Doctor X' delivers satisfying dose of justice with Kim Ji-won at center

The Korea Times - Oct 10, 2026

“Doctor X” took aim at doctors chasing power and personal interests within the hospital, delivering a satisfying blow against corruption from its very first episode. At the center is Gye Su-jeong, a brilliant surgeon played by Kim Ji-won, in a rare female lead role for a medical drama. SBS' "Doctor X: Mafia in White," which premiered Friday, is a medical drama centered on Gye, also known as Doctor X, who takes on deeply rooted corruption with exceptional surgical skills and a refusal to accept failure or compromise. According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode recorded nationwide viewership of 11.4 percent and 11.2 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area, peaking at 12.9 percent. It was the highest-rated premiere among miniseries that debuted in 2026, giving "Doctor X" a double-digit start. The premiere introduced Gye, a temporary doctor dispatched to Guseo University Hospital, as she confronted the institution's hierarchy and corruption while demonstrating her surgical prowess. Gye and Jang Hee-sook, played by Lee Jung-eun, encountered a customer who suddenly collapsed in pain at a b

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Dad who wept over daughter's book brings 'Long, Long Night' to Busan

Dad who wept over daughter's book brings 'Long, Long Night' to Busan

An animated film made by a father who burst into tears while reading his elementary school-aged daughter's book has been invited to the competition section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. “Long Long Night” is the only animated film among the 13 competition titles. Based on author Ru Ri's 2021 children's book of the same name, the film follows the journey of Norden, the last white rock rhinoceros on Earth, and a young penguin born from an abandoned egg. The original book has sold more than 800,000 copies, becoming a megahit in children's literature and a rare children's story that has also won enthusiastic support from adults. Director Youm Kyu-bock and producer Jung Kyoung-hee discussed the film's four-year journey to the screen at a press conference held Friday at the Busan Cinema Center in the city's Haeundae District. The project began with a book Youm's daughter brought home. Youm said he cried uncontrollably while reading "Long Long Night" to his daughter and became captivated by the friendship between the aging rhinoceros and the young penguin. "I felt I had to ma

In Korea, towns compete to host prisons as population declines

In Korea, towns compete to host prisons as population declines

Local governments across Korea are competing to host prisons, once widely regarded as undesirable facilities, as shrinking populations and struggling local economies prompt communities to seek new sources of jobs, residents and spending. Cheongsong and Yeongdeok counties in North Gyeongsang Province, Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province and Boeun County in the same province are among the municipalities that have entered the competition. According to the Ministry of Justice, Thursday, the government is seeking sites for four correctional facilities to address prison overcrowding and aging infrastructure. Each facility would accommodate 1,000 inmates and employ 250 permanent staff members, requiring at least 192,000 square meters of land. The four projects have a combined construction cost of 967.6 billion won ($680 million). They will be carried out as build-transfer-lease projects, under which private companies construct the facilities and transfer ownership to the government, which then pays rent for their use. Cheongsong is touting its experience as host to four correctional facilitie

Ceiling collapse at Daegu building injures 38

Ceiling collapse at Daegu building injures 38

Thirty-eight people suffered minor injuries Saturday when part of a ceiling collapsed at a building in Daegu, fire authorities said. According to the Daegu Fire and Safety Headquarters and the Buk District Office, the incident occurred at 10:16 a.m. on the second floor of a four-story building in Gwaneum-dong, Buk District. At the time, a vendor was selling kitchenware and other goods to elderly customers when a section of the ceiling finish collapsed. All 66 people inside evacuated the building on their own following the collapse. A total of 38 people were reported to have sustained minor injuries, with nine of them transported to hospitals. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Firefighters were dispatched to conduct a search and implement safety measures at the scene. A thorough search following the evacuation revealed no additional casualties. Police also deployed officers around the site to manage traffic. Built in 1994, the four-story building previously housed a grocery store on the first floor, which had suspended operations in September. Authorities plan to in

[COVER STORY] After interviewing 42 death row inmates, researcher believes capital punishment should end

[COVER STORY] After interviewing 42 death row inmates, researcher believes capital punishment should end

Every weekday before 1997, death row inmates in Korea braced themselves between 6 and 9 a.m. — the hours when executions could happen. If 9 a.m. passed uneventfully, they felt relief. Then they went to sleep wondering if the next morning would be their last. No one has been executed since Dec. 30, 1997, but 56 people remain on death row — 52 in Ministry of Justice correctional facilities and four in military prisons. Kim Dae-keun, a research fellow at the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, interviewed 42 of them. "Most of them were ashamed, distressed or regretful about what they did," Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times. "I imagine they were brutal and frightening when they committed their crimes. But many I met in prison now were older, frail men." Oct. 10 marks World Day Against the Death Penalty, an annual international observance calling for the abolition of executions as judicial punishment. In Korea, the day arrives with the death penalty still on the books but widely regarded as unenforceable. Most inmates now believe executions will not resume — a beli

After interviewing 42 death row inmates, researcher believes capital punishment should end

After interviewing 42 death row inmates, researcher believes capital punishment should end

Every weekday before 1997, death row inmates in Korea braced themselves between 6 and 9 a.m. — the hours when executions could happen. If 9 a.m. passed uneventfully, they felt relief. Then they went to sleep wondering if the next morning would be their last. No one has been executed since Dec. 30, 1997, but 56 people remain on death row — 52 in Ministry of Justice correctional facilities and four in military prisons. Kim Dae-keun, a research fellow at the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, interviewed 42 of them. "Most of them were ashamed, distressed or regretful about what they did," Kim said in an interview with The Korea Times. "I imagine they were brutal and frightening when they committed their crimes. But many I met in prison now were older, frail men." Oct. 10 marks World Day Against the Death Penalty, an annual international observance calling for the abolition of executions as judicial punishment. In Korea, the day arrives with the death penalty still on the books but widely regarded as unenforceable. Most inmates now believe executions will not resume — a beli

At least 36 people hurt after shopping mall ceiling collapses in Daegu

At least 36 people hurt after shopping mall ceiling collapses in Daegu

At least 36 people sustained minor injuries after parts of a plaster ceiling collapsed at a shopping mall in the city of Daegu, fire officials said Saturday. The Daegu Fire Department said about 70 others evacuated the facility following the collapse, which was reported at 10:16 a.m. At least nine people received treatment at hospitals but no serious injuries were immediately reported, according to officials, who said the injury toll could rise. A photo from the scene showed emergency rescuers searching through debris following the collapse on the second floor of the four-story building. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse. The office of President Lee Jae Myung said he instructed officials to make every effort to rescue people and ensure a thorough response to the collapse.

Worker prospects in Hong Kong hair, beauty sector not cut and dried amid staff shortages

Worker prospects in Hong Kong hair, beauty sector not cut and dried amid staff shortages

Hongkonger Terrence Wu Chung-ting puts on an apron, picks up a comb and massages hair essence into a client’s scalp during a treatment for hair loss. But eight years ago, Wu’s job could not have been any more different. A finance graduate from one of the city’s top universities, he was then a marketer for beauty products and focused on sales. But when he saw untapped potential in Hong Kong’s hairdressing industry, he boldly switched careers from a white-collar to a blue-collar profession,...

Singaporean teenager flown to hospital after falling ill during Lion Rock hike

Singaporean teenager flown to hospital after falling ill during Lion Rock hike

A Singaporean girl has been flown to a hospital after falling ill during a hike with two other friends at Hong Kong’s Lion Rock, according to police. The force received a report on Saturday from the mother of one of the hikers at about 6.50am. Her daughter called for help after the 17-year-old Singaporean friend vomited and experienced chills during their hike at Lion Rock, a 495-metre-high mountain. Police later arrived at the scene while the Government Flying Service deployed a helicopter to...

Will Taiwan issue derail Washington and Beijing’s latest reset? Analysts are sceptical

Will Taiwan issue derail Washington and Beijing’s latest reset? Analysts are sceptical

Recent interactions involving the US and Taiwan are not expected to derail the current momentum in relations between Washington and mainland China, according to diplomatic analysts. Beijing was taking a pragmatic approach to navigating the complexities of the Taiwan issue, they said, but the fate of a US$14 billion arms package for the island remained a key concern. During President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to the United States, Xi urged his hosts to “adhere to the correct position of opposing...

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: Blind musician with rare birth disease plays her heart out

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: Blind musician with rare birth disease plays her heart out

A year after a seven-hour surgery in Hong Kong in 2025, Cassie Li Pui-ying was on stage at Queen Elizabeth Stadium, playing the drums before an audience of more than 2,500 people. She heard the applause but could not see who it came from. That March night was organised by Live Theatre, which her mother Marine Mak also helps run. Li sang, spoke and played the drums. The group gives visually impaired students a stage to perform on. Despite having been through several serious health scares, what...

Why a Communist Party boss had a coffee shop date with Chinese content creators

Why a Communist Party boss had a coffee shop date with Chinese content creators

The setting may have been casual but the choice was not when the Communist Party boss of a northeastern Chinese province sat down with digital content creators at a coffee shop on Wednesday. Jilin province party secretary Huang Qiang invited the influencers to the relaxed setting of the Songyuan Coffee Shop in Changchun to encourage them to “actively promote mainstream values and spread positive energy”. According to a local government statement, Huang and the participants also exchanged views...

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