19.5M Viewing Hours—This K-Drama Tops Charts and Keeps Rising! (ft. Ju Ji-hoon)

Netflix’s original series 'The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call( hereafter The Trauma Code)' is proving to be both a commercial and critical success, amassing 19.5 million viewing hours and maintaining its strong momentum.

According to Netflix’s Top 10 rankings on TUDUM, the drama recorded 19.5 million viewing hours from February 10-16, securing the No. 7 spot in the Non-English TV category. In Korea, the series topped the weekly Netflix chart, proving its immense domestic popularity.

Since its January 24 premiere, The Trauma Code ranked No. 7 in Netflix’s overall Top 10 and No. 3 in the Non-English category. By its second week, it surged to No. 2 overall and No. 1 among Non-English shows, solidifying its status as a global success.

The drama has also been trending in major international markets, maintaining high rankings in the U.S., Brazil, the U.K., and France. Notably, in Mexico, it claimed the No. 1 daily ranking on January 29, further proving its worldwide appeal.

Beyond its streaming success, The Trauma Code has also dominated online buzz. According to Good Data Corporation, which analyzes K-content competitiveness, the series saw a staggering 138.7% increase in online engagement, securing the No. 1 spot in the fifth week of tracking. This engagement rate was 2.5 times higher than that of Squid Game Season 2, which ranked second.

Based on a popular web novel of the same name, The Trauma Code follows Baek Kang-hyuk (played by Ju Ji-hoon), a brilliant surgeon and former battlefield medic who takes over a struggling trauma surgery unit and fights to restore it.

The drama stars Ju Ji-hoon, Chu Young-woo, Ha Young, and Yoon Kyung-ho, among others.

Ju Ji-hoon plays Baek Kang-hyuk, a genius surgeon with both skill and determination. While his rough-around-the-edges personality sometimes causes misunderstandings, his unwavering dedication to saving lives defines his character.

Meanwhile, Chu Young-woo, who gained immense popularity from 'The Tale of Lady Ok', plays Yang Jae-won, a talented yet quirky assistant surgeon who, despite his goofy demeanor, is a highly skilled medical professional.

Many also appreciated the rarity of a medical drama without romance, emphasizing that it still delivered both excitement and strong performances. They described it as "a well-made drama that kept the main plot intact without unnecessary distractions." Some viewers mentioned that "it had been a long time since they had seen such an engaging medical drama, while others said they finished all eight episodes in one day and wished there were more." Many had been eagerly anticipating the series and found it even better than expected, with some deciding to binge-watch immediately after seeing the trailer.