Lee Jung Eun shares what drew her to 'Doctor X', her character transformation, and more

Doctor X is a medical drama that follows Kye Su Jeong (Kim Ji Won), a genius surgeon who proves what it truly means to be a doctor through skill alone as she "operates on" a medical system steeped in absurdities.

In the K-drama, veteran actress Lee Jung Eun plays Jang Hui Suk, the director of a staffing agency who obsesses over money. On the surface, she appears to be a loud, talkative materialist, but in reality, she is a shrewd schemer who uses her slick social skills to navigate situations and keep her business running.

Lee Jung Eun explained why she decided to take on the project: "Beyond the genre-specific appeal of a medical drama, I was deeply impressed by the point where human desires and the value of life clash, as portrayed through the character of 'Doctor X' in the drama."

Lee Jung Eun continued, "While the characters I have mainly played so far have represented the warmth of ordinary people around us, Jang Hui Suk is a character who realistically portrays the logic of capital and demonstrates it on the front lines. While doctors carry out the noble mission of saving lives, Jang Hee Sook views the 'people' who deal with those lives purely as subjects of business. She may seem cold-hearted, but she is also an extremely realistic character, so I'm very curious to see how she will come across to viewers."

Talking about her character transformation, Lee said, “I tried to give her a sense of weight and gravitas at least whenever she was doing business. Although she smiles casually on the surface, I wanted to portray her as someone who is constantly calculating behind the scenes, as if she were continually punching numbers into a calculator."

About Kim Ji Won, Lee shared, "Kim Ji Won is a wonderful colleague with a solid and profound energy. Jang Hui Suk and Kye Su Jeong are bound together by the cold relationship of a contract, but within it exists a complex and subtle sense of compassion and bond. Whenever I made eye contact and acted with Ji Won on set, I felt that emotional arc naturally being filled out. In particular, whenever Kye Su Jeong maintained her composure amid a whirlwind of emotions and showed an almost chillingly deep level of immersion, I admired her, thinking, 'As expected, she is an actress with incredible depth and experience.' She is an actress whose depth becomes more apparent the more you get to know her, so if I get the opportunity, I would definitely like to work with her again on another project."

Lee Jung Eun expressed her respect for Son Hyun Joo, saying, "Senior actor Son Hyun Joo firmly anchored the set while always leading it with consideration and respect so that his junior actors could freely showcase their acting."

She added, "The younger actors, including Kim Woo Seok, also infused the set with fresh energy through their tireless passion." Describing the vibrant atmosphere on set, she said, "I remember the times when we would rehearse our lines with one another in a corner of the set and constantly discuss the essence of the scenes. I am confident that the intense energy we brought will be fully reflected in the production."

Concluding, Lee Jung Eun highlighted the key points to watch: "Doctor X is ultimately a production that poses the weighty question, 'What choices do human beings make as they go through life?' within the framework of the medical genre. If you follow the dilemmas faced by genius doctor Kye Su Jeong, the battle of wits among those pulling the strings behind the scenes, and the psychological changes of the characters as they transform within a vast power structure, you will be able to experience a deep sense of immersion. This is a production that the staff and actors poured their hearts into making over a long period of time, so I hope you will show it lots of interest and affection."

Doctor X is coming October 9. The K-drama will be streaming on Netflix.

 Source: SBS Entertainment