'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call' brings emergency medical drama to the small screen
-
- KIM JI-YE
- [email protected]
![The cast of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ pose for photos during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. From left are actors Choo Young-woo, Ha Young and Ju Ji-hoon. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/22/eff820b3-dabb-4f89-9d11-3d1bd1d6df64.jpg)
The cast of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ pose for photos during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. From left are actors Choo Young-woo, Ha Young and Ju Ji-hoon. [NEWS1]
Actor Ju Ji-hoon has spent the past year shape-shifting for different roles — becoming a tow-truck driver, the chair of a school board and even a shadowy light shop owner. Now, he’s stepping into the high-pressure world of emergency medicine as a trauma surgeon in Netflix’s first Korean medical drama, “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call.”
“My character is an extreme otaku,” Ju, who plays trauma surgeon Baek Kang-hyuk, said during the series’ press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Tuesday. Otaku is a Japanese term for a person with obsessive interests. “He puts medical practices first and foremost in order to save lives, ahead of money or any other matters.”
The upcoming series is an adaptation of the Naver webtoon “Trauma Center: Golden Hour” (2019-22) created by Hansanleega and Hongbichira.
Directed by Lee Do-yun and written by Choi Tae-gang, the series is set to be released on Jan. 24.
It follows Kang-hyuk, a seasoned battlefield surgeon, who returns to Korea on a mission to revitalize and transform a hospital’s trauma center into the nation’s leading facility. The series delves into the chaos and gripping episodes that unfold within the trauma center, focusing on the challenges faced by its dedicated team.
The series features actors Ju, Choo Young-woo, who plays fellow Yang Jae-won, and Ha Young as senior nurse Cheon Jang-mi. Actor Yoon Kyung-ho and Jeong Jae-kwang are also set to appear in the show.
![Still from Netflix's medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ [NETFLIX]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/22/5fe4aecd-04db-44ec-b8d2-d6ffcd067cb6.jpg)
Still from Netflix's medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ [NETFLIX]
Medical dramas are not a new genre in Korea. In fact, they are quite common, with notable hits like tvN’s “Hospital Playlist” (2020-21) and SBS’ “Dr. Romantic” (2016-20). However, the cast and director emphasize that the upcoming series goes beyond the usual medical drama and sets aside the typical genre conventions. They describe it as a “medical action drama,” blending a variety of genres, including action, thriller and many more.
“In some ways, this series is not a typical medical drama, and that’s what sets it apart,” director Lee said. “It might sound a bit unusual, but I see this drama as a kind of epic hero’s tale. It’s about confronting absurd situations and doing the seemingly obvious — saving lives that could otherwise be lost.”
Though it reflects the format of a hero's story and is based on a cartoon, Ju said that the series does have heavy moments, which led the team to hold frequent meetings to ensure that a balance was maintained throughout.
“It’s okay when seeing it in a comic format,” Ju said. “But when it comes to acting, combined with music and direction, there’s a risk that it might unintentionally come across as mocking or neglecting the gravity of human lives being at stake.”
“That’s why we spent a lot of time thinking about how to seamlessly blend the dramatic tension, the dilemmas we face and the sense of satisfaction that fans of the original work expect. We would often have study sessions lasting seven to eight hours before a shoot,” Ju added.
![The cast of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ pose for photos during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. From left are actors Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Ju Ji-hoon, Yoon Kyung-ho and Jeong Jae-kwang. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/22/ef170704-760e-4404-8948-21d7ad9f4ebf.jpg)
The cast of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ pose for photos during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. From left are actors Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Ju Ji-hoon, Yoon Kyung-ho and Jeong Jae-kwang. [NEWS1]
The new medical series also marks Lee’s directorial debut for a drama, a move propelled by actor Ju. The director and Ju formerly met through Lee’s debut film “Confession” (2014).
“After my first film, I spent about 10 years lost, trying to figure out which way I should go and having a lot of thoughts,” Lee said.
“During that time, I realized that ‘my taste is also a talent.’ I began questioning whether my preferences had been too narrow and started working to broaden them, engaging in a lot of study and exploration.”
He continued, “It was around that time when Ju reached out to me, suggesting we work together on this project.”
Lee revealed that at first, he was hesitant to take on the project, but one specific aspect drew him to collaborate with Ju — the similarities between the character Kang-hyuk and the actor.
![Director Lee Do-yun of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ speaks during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/22/7b79dac6-bd11-42ed-a2f3-2901eb6f4682.jpg)
Director Lee Do-yun of Netflix's upcoming medical drama ″The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call″ speaks during the series' press conference held in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 21. [YONHAP]
“I think both [of them] are characters with a very clear sense of direction,” Lee said. “Once they decide which path is the right way to go, they move forward without hesitation, brushing aside any obstacles in their way.”
The cast and director said they wanted to provide emotional relief during the Lunar New Year holiday with the new series, as it is set to be released the week before the holiday period.
“Our series is incredibly cheerful, refreshing and exhilarating,” Ju said. “I believe it will deliver a joyous thrill ride to the viewers watching it.”
BY KIM JI-YE [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)