In the opening episode of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, Netflix Korea’s first original medical K-drama, a doctor rides a motorcycle through an active war zone. He weaves through bombed-out buildings and cars, finally reaching the hospital where patients urgently need medication—but not before being thrown off his bike when a bomb explodes nearby.
These scenes set the tone for the 8-episode series, which the streamer released in a binge drop on Jan. 24. The Korean drama, based on Hansanleega and Hongbichira’s popular webtoon Trauma Center: Golden Hour, follows Dr. Baek Kang-hyuk (Ju Ji-Hoon), a war veteran determined to establish a top-tier trauma center at Hankuk University Hospital in Seoul. Using skills acquired in war zones, he takes on the challenge of training a medical team to save lives under extreme and dangerous conditions.
In the run-up to Dr. Baek’s hiring, people have been dying in ambulances en route to hospitals due to delays and the inefficiency of rescue teams in providing quick care. Hankuk University Hospital, one of the country’s top facilities, is lacking a dedicated trauma center to handle such cases, forcing various hospital departments to alternate in managing trauma cases.
Dr. Baek’s arrival marks the beginning of a new regime. With support from the country’s Minister of Health and Welfare, Kang Myung-Hui (Kim Sun-young), he must navigate the hospital’s constant efforts to cut costs and maximize profits, which directly impacts the trauma team. Despite limited resources, the team strives to save lives.
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Saving lives or increasing profits
The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call makes a strong statement about how, at times, financial concerns can imperil the ability to successfully treat patients. As Dr. Baek saves more lives and strengthens the Trauma Center, costs rise. For the hospital administrators, Director Choi Jo-Eun (Kim Eui-Sung) and Director Hong Jae-Hoon (Kim Won-Hae), every life saved is an expense, leading them to take measures to reduce the Trauma Center’s budget. Incidentally, it’s not the only show currently airing to take on underfunded hospitals, as Max’s The Pitt and NBC sitcom St. Denis Medical share similar themes, as did 2022’s This Is Going to Hurt.
To take just one example of how this plays out in the series: In Episode 6, a man suffers a severe head injury after falling while hiking the mountain Bukhansan, but doctors are unable to reach him by helicopter. Dr. Yang Jae-Won (Choo Young-woo), who works with Dr. Baek, explains that he contacted the National Rescue Unit immediately after receiving the emergency call, only to learn that Jung-Heon, the helicopter pilot, had been reassigned to an administrative position. The new head of the National Rescue Unit informs Dr. Baek that the helicopter cannot be used at will since it is state property, requiring official forms and approval from higher-ups.
This life-threatening bureaucracy—later revealed to also trace back to interference by the hospital director—delays care for the injured man. Dr. Baek, Dr. Jae-Won, and nurse Jang-Mi (Ha Young) travel to the accident site in a regular hospital ambulance. On the way back to the medical facility, Dr. Baek performs an emergency procedure on the man’s head inside the moving ambulance. Later, Dr. Baek informs the patient’s mother that her son is in a vegetative state. Encouraged by Director Hong, the mother demands a detailed investigation into the events that led to her son’s condition, suspecting that Dr. Baek’s procedure was to blame.
At a press conference at the hospital, Director Hong introduces the young man’s mother and announces that Dr. Baek is under investigation for misconduct. However, Dr. Baek, Dr. Jae-Won, and nurse Jang-Mi arrive to demonstrate that his actions did not constitute misconduct; rather, they were a consequence of the delayed helicopter assistance. “How long will money continue to justify the unnecessary deaths of patients?” he asks.
What happens to Dr. Baek Kang-hyuk?
In Episode 7, after returning from a medical mission in South Sudan where he saved a soldier’s life, Dr. Baek learns that Dr. Han (Yoon Gyung-Ho) has gone to the site of a fire to assist victims. Dr. Han is a colorectal surgeon who initially dislikes Dr. Baek and wants him to leave the hospital, along with Director Choi and Director Hong. However, after Baek saves Dr. Han’s daughter, the surgeon becomes kinder and friendlier towards Baek.
They meet at the scene and triage patient care, eventually discovering that one floor of the building is used to fill oxygen tanks. A firefighter warns them to move away to avoid injuries, but when Dr. Baek sees a patient still on the ground and tries to help, an explosion occurs, leaving him severely injured.
A foreign object causes internal burns, and Dr. Jae-Won is tasked with performing surgery on Dr. Baek. He faces a dilemma: whether to perform a CT scan to determine the depth of the object or proceed directly with surgery. He opts for surgery, despite anesthesiologist Park Gyeong-Won’s (Jeong Jae Kwang) reservations, and the procedure goes forward.
When Dr. Baek awakens, he questions Dr. Jae-Won’s decision to skip the CT scan. The younger doctor explains that he assessed the patient’s condition and believed surgery was the best option. Dr. Baek praises him and, for the first time, addresses him by his real name instead of a nickname. Since they first met, Dr. Baek had limited himself to calling Jae-Won only by nicknames he created, stating that he would only use Jae-Won’s real name when he proved useful and capable of doing his job.
Dr. Baek Kang-hyuk’s past
Dr. Baek’s past is explored and questioned by other doctors at Hankuk University Hospital beginning in Episode 4. Some doctors dislike Dr. Baek because he constantly challenges hospital rules, prioritizing patients over longstanding procedures.
He once worked for a private military company called Black Wings, which conducts rescues in active war zones. He used this connection to save a soldier’s life in South Sudan, driving to the company’s facility and identifying himself as Malak, the codename he used to identify himself during the time he worked for the company Black Wings. However, with the patient’s condition worsening, he entered the building without permission.
The company’s leader eventually recognized Dr. Baek and granted him passage, ordering his men to cease fire on the vehicle. After the team saved the soldier, Dr. Baek requested a ride back to South Korea. The leader agreed, acknowledging that many soldiers owed their lives to Dr. Baek.
Later, in South Korea, after recovering from surgery, Dr. Baek visits Director Choi’s home, as Choi has been absent from the hospital. Choi accuses Baek of gaining entry to the hospital through favoritism and questions why he chose Hankuk University Hospital. Dr. Baek reveals that he decided to become a doctor after his father’s death. His father was turned away by several hospitals before arriving at Hankuk, where Choi did everything possible to save him, despite his critical condition. Inspired by Choi, Baek became a doctor to save lives. This revelation stuns Choi, who finally approves the use of helicopters for the Trauma Center.
How does The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call end?
In the end, Dr. Baek’s efforts to secure more resources for the Trauma Center pay off. During an event with reporters, Director Choi and Dr. Han welcome Minister Kang Myeong-Hui. Meanwhile, Dr. Baek and Dr. Jae-Won attend a conference to recruit more doctors for the Trauma Center, where they meet Dong-Ju, a soldier from South Sudan who had helped save his captain. Dong-Ju asks how he can contribute as a doctor, and Dr. Baek replies that he will save lives.
After the conference, Dr. Baek and Dr. Jae-Won head to an event showcasing the hospital’s helicopter. Just as the event begins, they receive a call about a patient needing emergency care. Dr. Baek and Dr. Jae-Won inaugurate the helicopter, while nurse Jang-Mi and anesthesiologist Park Gyeong-Won prepare medical equipment for the patient. The final scene highlights the importance of helicopters in trauma centers and their role in ensuring effective emergency care for critically ill patients.
The helicopter alone is not enough to change the system, of course. The final moments underscore a deeper message: the true key to effective trauma care is not just about having helicopters or advanced equipment, but about ensuring hospitals and medical teams are adequately funded and equipped to save lives under challenging conditions. The helicopter, while essential, serves as a symbol of the resources that Dr. Baek and his team fought so hard to secure. The show leaves us with the reminder that without proper investment in healthcare infrastructure, even the most skilled medical teams can be hindered in their efforts to save lives.
