Doctor X: Mafia in White debuted at No. 1 on Netflix’s global non-English TV chart, drawing 4.6 million views during the October 5–11, 2026 tracking period. The Kim Ji-won-led medical noir drama entered Netflix Top 10 lists in 36 countries and topped the chart in seven markets. Its rise on Netflix followed a strong domestic launch on SBS just days earlier.
Key Takeaways
- Doctor X recorded 4.6 million views to debut at No. 1 on Netflix’s non-English TV chart for October 5–11, 2026.
- The series reached Netflix Top 10 lists in 36 countries and ranked No. 1 in seven, including South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore.
- Nationwide Korean ratings climbed from 11.4 percent for Episode 1 to 14.9 percent for Episode 2, peaking at 17.4 percent.
- The 12-episode series airs Fridays and Saturdays at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS and streams on Netflix.
- The drama adapts TV Asahi’s Japanese series Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, not a webtoon or novel.
Doctor X Reaches No. 1 on Netflix
Doctor X: Mafia in White secured the top spot on Netflix’s global non-English TV chart, according to Yonhap News Agency. The series logged 4.6 million views during the October 5–11, 2026 tracking window. That performance placed it ahead of other non-English titles on the platform for the week.
The drama also landed on Netflix Top 10 lists in 36 countries, per KBS WORLD. Within that footprint, it claimed the No. 1 position in seven individual markets. The scale of that reach shows a title moving beyond a single region within days of its Netflix debut.
Southeast Asia Drives the Global Debut
Doctor X’s No. 1 markets included South Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. Four of those five markets sit in Southeast Asia, according to Yonhap News Agency. That concentration points to the region as the clearest driver behind the show’s global chart position.
For viewers in the region, local watch times matter. New episodes air at 9:50 p.m. KST, the table below converts that to regional time.
| Country | Local Air Time |
|---|---|
| Thailand | 7:50 p.m. |
| Vietnam | 7:50 p.m. |
| Western Indonesia | 7:50 p.m. |
| Philippines | 8:50 p.m. |
| Malaysia | 8:50 p.m. |
| Singapore | 8:50 p.m. |
Available chart reports did not confirm a Netflix Top 10 position for Doctor X in the United States, Canada or Latin American markets during this tracking period.
Domestic Ratings Rise With Global Demand
Doctor X opened on SBS with a nationwide rating of 11.4 percent for Episode 1. The Korea Times reported that figure as the highest premiere rating recorded by a Korean miniseries in 2026. The show did not slow down after its first outing.
Episode 2 climbed to a nationwide average of 14.9 percent, a rise of 3.5 percentage points over the premiere, according to Soompi. The Chosun Daily reported a peak rating of 17.4 percent for that episode, based on Nielsen Korea figures. The table below summarizes the two-episode trajectory.
| Episode | Nationwide Average | Peak Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 1 | 11.4% | — |
| Episode 2 | 14.9% | 17.4% |
Release Schedule and Where to Watch
Doctor X: Mafia in White premiered on SBS on October 9, 2026. The 12-episode series airs Fridays and Saturdays at 9:50 p.m. KST, according to AsianWiki. Episodes become available through Netflix for viewers outside the broadcast window.
- Premiere date: October 9, 2026
- Total episodes: 12
- Broadcast: SBS, Fridays and Saturdays, 9:50 p.m. KST
- Streaming: Netflix
Cast and Creative Team
Doctor X stars Kim Ji-won, Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo and Kim Woo-seok in a medical noir setting, according to SBS News. Kim Ji-won leads the series, continuing a run of high-profile television roles. Lee Jung-eun, Son Hyun-joo and Kim Woo-seok round out the principal cast.
The Korean adaptation was written by Pyeon Seong-geun and directed by Lee Jung-rim, according to Kdrama Kopi. Their work shapes the show’s transition from its original source material into a new Korean broadcast format.
Is Doctor X Based on a Webtoon?
Doctor X: Mafia in White is not based on a webtoon or novel. The series adapts TV Asahi’s Japanese drama Doctor-X: Surgeon Michiko Daimon, according to Yonhap News Agency. The Korean version reworks that source material for a domestic and international streaming audience through SBS and Netflix.
Our reading of these figures is that Doctor X converted a strong domestic opening directly into global streaming traction. A premiere rating of 11.4 percent already stood out among 2026 miniseries, and the jump to 14.9 percent by Episode 2 suggests the domestic audience grew rather than leveled off. That same window lines up with the show’s October 5–11 Netflix tracking period, during which it reached No. 1 in South Korea alongside four Southeast Asian markets. The absence of confirmed Top 10 placement in North America or Latin America, based on available chart reports, marks the current edges of that momentum.
Sources
- Yonhap News Agency · 2026-10-14
- KBS WORLD · 2026-10-14
- AsianWiki
- SBS News
- Kdrama Kopi
- Soompi · 2026-10-10
- The Korea Times · 2026-10-10
- The Chosun Daily · 2026-10-11