Korean Drama ‘Doctor X’ Tops Netflix Non-English TV Chart for Second Week
SBS medical drama ‘Doctor X: Mafia in White’ recorded 7.1 million views to remain No. 1 on Netflix’s non-English TV chart, while two other Korean series placed in the top four.
The Korean medical drama “Doctor X: Mafia in White” remained the world’s most-watched non-English television series on Netflix for a second consecutive week, extending the strong global performance of Korean scripted content on the streaming platform.
The SBS series generated 7.1 million views during the latest weekly measurement period, which ended Sunday. It reached Netflix’s top 10 television rankings in 48 countries and took first place in seven markets, including South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Singapore.
Starring Kim Ji-won, the drama centers on Gye Su-jeong, a highly skilled surgeon who confronts corruption inside her hospital. The production is adapted from the Japanese television series “Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon,” recasting the medical drama for Korean audiences while retaining its focus on an exceptional doctor challenging an entrenched institution.
The latest rankings also showed broad demand for other Korean series. Netflix original romantic comedy “Take Charge of My Heart” placed second with 6.4 million views. The series entered the top 10 in 64 countries, giving it an even wider geographic footprint than the chart leader during the tracking week.
Based on a web novel, “Take Charge of My Heart” stars Kim Young-kwang and Chae Soo-bin. Its story follows a corporate heir living with a failing artificial heart and a screenwriter who can electrically charge him, drawing the pair into a three-month relationship.
Another Korean production, the historical romance “100 Days of Deception,” debuted at No. 4 with 2.8 million views. The tvN series ranked in the top 10 in 22 countries. Set in Seoul in the 1930s during Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, it combines romance and espionage and stars Kim You-jung and Park Jin-young.
Having three Korean titles among the top four non-English television programs highlights the continued range of Korea’s exportable screen content. The shows span medical drama, contemporary romantic comedy and period espionage, suggesting that international demand is not limited to one format or genre.
For “Doctor X,” a second week at No. 1 indicates that its initial audience carried over beyond the first surge of interest. Its position in dozens of national top 10 lists also points to a release that is performing across multiple Asian markets while attracting viewers more broadly through Netflix’s global distribution network.