Netflix confirms medical drama 'First Doctor' from 'Juvenile Justice' team starring Jung Ryeo Won and Ha Yoon Kyung

23 Jun 2026, 18:31 by K-Soul · allkpop

Jung Ryeo Won and Ha Yoon Kyung are set to lead a new medical drama centered on pediatric surgery. The creative team behind the Netflix hit 'Juvenile Justice,' director Hong Jong Chan and writer Kim Min Seok, are reuniting for the project.

Netflix announced on June 23 that production has been confirmed for 'First Doctor,' a drama that follows the lives of medical professionals in a pediatric surgery department as they face an uncertain future. The series will tell the stories of those who care for society’s most vulnerable patients while fighting to keep the department alive.

Jung Ryeo Won will play Heo Ji Wan, a highly skilled and deeply dedicated pediatric surgery professor who suddenly finds herself in a difficult situation. Despite her exceptional abilities and strong sense of duty, her blunt and uncompromising personality has earned her a reputation as a troublemaker within the hospital.

After an unexpected accident, Ji Wan is forced to return to Yeonhwa University Hospital, where she struggles to protect the future of both the pediatric surgery department and the children under its care.

Ha Yoon Kyung, who previously appeared as a doctor in Season 2 of 'Hospital Playlist,' will once again wear a white coat as Ki Eun Gyeol, a third-year resident at Yeonhwa University Hospital.

Although Eun Gyeol appears rebellious on the surface, she is intelligent and highly capable, earning the attention of the department chief from her first year of residency. Her frequent clashes with Ji Wan are expected to create a compelling dynamic and ongoing tension throughout the series.

Baek Hyun Jin will portray Son Sang Baek, the head of surgery at Yeonhwa University Hospital, while Kim Jong Soo will play vice director Lee Chang Gon, helping drive the drama’s tension.

Kim Mu Yeol has been cast as Bae Su Wol, a professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine. Friendly and charismatic, Su Wol is a longtime colleague who shares a history with Ji Wan.

The drama also marks the third collaboration between Kim Mu Yeol and director Hong Jong Chan, following their work on 'Juvenile Justice' and 'Teach You a Lesson.' Writer Kim Min Seok, who won Best Screenplay in the TV category at the Baeksang Arts Awards for 'Juvenile Justice,' is once again teaming up with the director.

This time, Kim Min Seok will take viewers into the world of pediatric surgery, depicting the intense daily lives of medical professionals who fight to save young patients. Through stories of perseverance, solidarity, and precious moments of life, 'First Doctor' aims to deliver both emotional warmth and lasting resonance.

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