ENA's 'Doctor on the Edge,' which had briefly surrendered its ratings crown to a new tvN series, reclaimed the top spot just one day later.
tvN’s new Monday-Tuesday drama 'See You at Work Tomorrow!' premiered on June 22 and debuted in first place in its time slot with a nationwide rating of 4.8% and a peak of 5.9%. That pushed aside ENA’s 'Doctor on the Edge,' which had previously led the slot. But the very next day, June 23, 'Doctor on the Edge' immediately reclaimed the No. 1 position, posting a nationwide rating of 4.8% and peaking at 5.6%. Episode 2 of Back to Work Tomorrow!, which aired the same day, slipped 0.4 percentage points to 4.4%.
Episode 8 of 'Doctor on the Edge,' which aired on June 23, recorded a nationwide rating of 4.8% and peaked at 5.6%, according to Nielsen Korea’s paid-household data. Compared to Episode 7, which drew 4.0%, the drama rose by 0.8 percentage points, quickly reversing the brief dip in momentum.
Looking at the show’s ratings trajectory, 'Doctor on the Edge' opened at 4.0% for Episode 1, then climbed to 5.0% for Episode 2, 5.1% for Episode 3, 5.2% for Episode 4, 5.0% for Episode 5, and 5.1% for Episode 6, consistently staying in the 4% to 5% range. Episode 7 fell back to 4.0%, with some viewers saying the emotionally heavy storyline surrounding the two leads’ looming separation weighed on the atmosphere of the series. Still, Episode 8 quickly bounced back, proving the drama’s staying power.
Episode 8 saw the emotional tension built up throughout the series finally erupt. After saying goodbye to her grandmother Oh Mi Ja (played by Gil Hae Yeon), Yuk Ha Ri (played by Shin Ye Eun) tried to distance herself from Do Ji Ui (played by Lee Jae Wook), asking him, “Can you pretend not to know me for a while?” She wanted him to ignore her so she could endure the pain without breaking down.
Do Ji Ui, however, refused to back away. “I can’t do that. I can’t pretend not to know you,” he told her, choosing to stay by her side. The episode also showed Ha Ri visiting the now-empty house where Oh Mi Ja had lived, only to find Do Ji Ui secretly cleaning it up for her. While Ha Ri kept pushing him away, Ji Ui remained steadfast. Fighting back tears, she watched him continue to stand by her. Ji Ui then said, “Even if I get on your nerves, can’t you just put up with me?” expressing his determination to stay with her until the end. In the end, Ha Ri ran into his arms, and the two shared an emotional kiss.
The same episode also depicted Hyun Chi Yeon (played by Hong Min Gi) feeling bitter after Ha Ri firmly asked him to let go of his feelings for her. Even as he sensed that Ha Ri’s heart already belonged to Do Ji Ui, he still told Ji Ui, “Please be good to Teacher Ha Ri. She keeps ending up alone,” adding another layer of emotional complexity for viewers.
Elsewhere in Pyeondongdo, chaos continued to unfold, including conflict surrounding a helipad accident and the sudden disappearance of resident Lee Hong Sik (played by Kim Jong Chil), who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. At the end of the episode, County Governor Go Chang Mok (played by Kim Hae Gon) was shown raging over a botched event and the related media coverage, while Yong Ju Cheon (played by Kim Yoon Woo) spotted a mysterious man entering Eom Jeong Seon’s (played by Lee Soo Kyung) house, heightening anticipation for the next episode.
'Doctor on the Edge' is based on the hit webtoon 'Jonbeo Doctor' by writer Kim Tae Poong, which earned praise from both critics and readers during its run on KakaoPage and Kakao Webtoon. The medical human romance drama follows public health doctor Do Ji Ui, who is assigned to the remote island of Pyeondongdo — a place everyone tries to avoid — and nurse Yuk Ha Ri, who returns to the island carrying a secret. Together, they navigate life, healing, and romance. One of the show’s biggest points of distinction is its focus on public health doctors, a profession rarely placed at the center of medical dramas.
Director Lee Myung Woo previously described the drama as “a story about young people enduring life in the present day, even though it wears the clothes of a medical drama.” He added, “Their jobs and circumstances may be different, but I believe everyone shares the same desire to do their best in the place they’ve been given.”
Lee Jae Wook plays Do Ji Ui, a man who had followed an elite path before ending up on a remote island, where he stumbles, struggles, and grows. Shin Ye Eun plays Yuk Ha Ri, a nurse who returns to the island carrying a secret. The supporting cast has also been praised for adding depth and texture to the series. They include ultra-elite public health doctor Hyun Chi Yeon (Hong Min Gi), who comes from a family of doctors; island-born nurse Eom Jeong Seon (Lee Soo Kyung), who dreams of the city but lacks the courage to leave the island; and Yong Ju Cheon (Kim Yoon Woo), a traditional medicine doctor nicknamed the “island village idol” for being beloved by local residents.
Shin Ye Eun and Lee Jae Wook have both spoken openly in interviews about their affection for the project. Shin described the drama as “a story everyone can relate to” and said it is “the kind of work that can be loved for a long time.” She pointed to the fresh subject matter of public health doctors and the irresistible charm of the island villagers as key strengths of the series.
When asked to describe the romance between the two leads, she chose the words “delicacy and boldness,” explaining, “I felt a warm emotional pull in the way a cautious, delicate character and a bold, spirited character come together and embrace one another.”
Lee Jae Wook described the chemistry between Do Ji Ui and Yuk Ha Ri as “a healing kind of love.” He explained, “Sometimes we heal other people, but sometimes we are the ones being healed. Each of them carries trauma, and part of that trauma begins to improve. I think healing may be the central message of our drama.”
The two actors, who are the same age, also spoke about the value of working together as peers. “It’s rare to get the chance to work with someone your own age,” they said, adding that because they have lived through similar times and shared a similar worldview, they expected that common ground to create strong on-screen synergy.
Their impressions of each other, shared in an interview with one media outlet, also became a talking point. Shin Ye Eun admitted that her first impression of Lee Jae Wook was that he seemed “scary,” but said her view changed as they worked together. “He has such model-like proportions and physique that whether he’s in a doctor’s coat or everyday clothes, he wears them beautifully. It made me think, ‘He really has everything going for him,’” she said with a laugh, showing off the pair’s warm chemistry.
Lee Jae Wook, meanwhile, said that as soon as he read the script for Do Ji Ui, he was reminded of a line from 'Good Will Hunting.' He described the character as someone “who slowly erodes himself,” adding, “Everyone makes mistakes and carries pain in their own way.” He also shared his acting philosophy, saying, “Perfection has its own appeal, but I’m drawn to imperfection. I find people compelling when they have flaws and wounds but still endure life in their own way.”
Planned as a 12-episode series, 'Doctor on the Edge' airs every Monday and Tuesday at 10 PM KST on ENA and is also being released globally via Disney+.
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