'The Trauma Code's web novel writer on how real-life events inspired the story

A genius surgeon who saved patients while traversing war-torn areas like Syria and Afghanistan joins an underfunded trauma team. Though called 'rude' by the hospital director, he boasts exceptional medical skills, is able to spot torn blood vessels with naked eye and perform emergency surgeries even inside flying helicopters. This story is about Baek Kang Hyuk (Ju Ji Hoon) from the Netflix original series The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. 

The K-drama has gained immense popularity, topping the Netflix chart in South Korea upon its release and rising to No. 1 in Netflix's non-English TV show category. 

This drama is based on the web novel "Trauma Center: Golden Hour", written by Han San Yi, real name Lee Nak Joon, an ENT specialist. The web novel was also adapted into a webtoon and later produced as a drama. Han San Yi sets his story in the intense environment of a trauma center, where life and death hang by a thread. Through a protagonist with unparalleled skills, he delivers a scathing critique of the real-world medical system.

In a written interview, the writer shared insights into the background of his writing and his views on the current medical system. He also provided an in-depth explanation of why Baek Kang Hyuk was portrayed as a near-fantastical figure rather than a character rooted in reality.

Writer Lee Nak Joon previously revealed that he drew inspiration for his web novel from the achievements of Professor Lee Guk Jong, who led the Trauma Center at Ajou University Hospital and is now working at the Armed Forces Daejeon Hospital. He recalled, "Not only did I reference Golden Hour (Professor Lee Guk Jong's essay), but I also asked my acquaintances in surgery, neurosurgery, and thoracic surgery about certain aspects I was curious about and began writing based on their stories."

"[When I first started writing,] the scenario [of Korea's medical system] seemed to be in a very difficult state, and systemic improvements seemed far away. I wondered how great it would be if these issues could be resolved, even if it's in the novel. I also had hopes that many people would sympathize with me, as I believed this wasn't just my wish."

Baek Kang Hyuk tirelessly works towards his only goal: saving the patient, even if he's on the brink of death. Following the release of the web novel, many viewers associated Baek Kang Hyuk with Professor Lee Guk Jong. In reality, Professor Lee played a crucial role in bringing the previously-overlooked field of trauma care into the public eye. He was instrumental in establishing regional trauma centers across the country, making an impact on South Korea's emergency medical care system.

Ju Ji Hoon (left) and Professor Lee Guk Jong (right)

Both the original web novel and the drama include elements that reminded South Koreans of real-life events involving Professor Lee Guk Jong, such as his life-saving surgeries on Captain Seok Hae Kyun and North Korean soldier Oh Chang Seong.

In 2011, during Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden — South Korea's military rescue mission of a South Korean chemical tanker seized by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea — Professor Lee saved Captain Seok, who had suffered critical injuries. This event brought nationwide attention to trauma care.

Something similar was portrayed in the K-drama when Baek Kang Hyuk flies to South Sudan to perform emergency surgery on Captain Lee Hyun Jong, a wounded soldier, barely managing to save his life.

Writer Lee said, "There are so many people in our society who make sacrifices to keep things running smoothly. Some might argue that such individuals don't exist in a capitalist society, but I know that there are definitely such people out there. It's just that they don't get the limelight. I believe that bringing their stories to the world is what makes an impact. When that happens, public attention follows, and sometimes, public opinion even shifts. I wrote this episode hoping that systemic improvements might actually take place." "I believe, since our country is now a developed nation, we should stop being frugal [when it comes to dealing] with people's lives." "Korea is by no means behind in medical advancements. We're ranked in the top five globally for cancer treatment. But when it comes to trauma care, the sector is severely underfunded, even though we're a well-developed country. I believe this is because awareness of trauma care is still too low. People often mention Professor Lee Guk Jong, and for good reason. His dedication and sense of duty is truly incredible. He has sacrificed so much. But I believe we should only ask people to make sacrifices that they can realistically bear; otherwise, their sense of duty will eventually fade... In fact, the experts I consulted [while working on this web novel] are no longer in trauma surgery." Moreover, "Trauma surgeons are constantly dealing with emergency cases, and they often handle difficult patients, and also frequently face lawsuits. There's not enough protection for them. On top of that, hospitals put pressure on them to maintain performance, yet the system itself is structured to run at a loss. So honestly, I think it's really difficult to stay in this field for a long time."

The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call also sheds light on issues within the medical system. The dialogue "The more patients we save, the more money we lose" reflects the harsh reality of trauma centers [in South Korea] today. Baek Kang Hyuk — portrayed as a near-fantastical figure — struggles against the limitations of funding and manpower, problems not very different from real-life scenarios. 

Speaking to YTN, about that line, he said, "Basically, the government has set the treatment costs way too low. Severe trauma patients often require multiple departments to operate on them at the same time. And in these cases, only the cost of the major procedure gets covered. Plus, surgeries for trauma patients don't just end with one operation. Many patients require second, third, or even more follow-up surgeries, and in such cases, the rates are further reduced. So, in reality, the government provides very little funding for trauma care. Instead, hospitals are told to make up for the losses by using revenue earned from other departments. This creates conflict within hospitals because different departments start competing over resources. They think, 'Why should the money we earn be used to cover the trauma center's deficit?' After all, every department is saving lives, and they need funding too. Ultimately, the biggest problem is the flawed system itself."

Regarding his decision to depict Baek Kang Hyuk as an impossible-to-exist-in-real-life character, writer Lee explained, "Ultimately, I wanted to emphasize that the system needs to change." "I think that a system that only functions when someone makes sacrifices is fundamentally flawed." He continued, "If someone like Baek Kang Hyuk existed in reality, they would be truly admirable. However, witnessing his struggles, few would dare to follow the same path. So, there's a high likelihood that no one will carry his legacy."

Responding to why the character Baek Kang Hyuk ended up becoming so popular, he shared, "In reality, such feats [that the protagonist achieves in the drama] are still absolutely impossible, but the superhuman-like protagonist, with his bold personality, recklessly pushes forward to solve problems. The charm lies in the fact that his actions ultimately save lives."

When asked to what extent his works are rooted in reality and where fantasy begins, he said, "In terms of proportions, it varies from work to work. In 'Trauma Center: Golden Hour', it's about 2 parts reality and 8 parts fantasy. In another work, 'A.I. Doctor', it's roughly 8 parts reality and 2 parts fantasy, though that's not exact."

The writer found the reason for the popularity of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call in its new style. He said, "Since there has never been a medical drama this unbelievable, perhaps that's why it appealed to viewers worldwide." He added, "Recently, as Korean culture has been gaining a strong response overseas, I think the drama benefited from that as well."

When asked what led him to choose ENT, Lee said, "After joining med school, I watched White Tower and dreamed of becoming a surgeon. Coincidentally, I was assigned to surgery rotation for my internship. It was more dynamic than I had expected, and I was enjoying it, but then I experienced a table death." 

"The operating surgeon was a professor in his 50s, and that night, he was standing against the wall of the dark operating room and couldn't bring himself to leave. Even though I was only assisting, I was so shocked. In that moment, I thought, 'This is something not just anyone can do.' That realization led me to give up on the surgery department, but I still wanted to do surgery, so I chose ENT instead."

Although he is a certified ENT specialist, Lee Nak Joon is currently focusing on his career as a writer. He is also a popular YouTuber, running the medical information channel "Doctor Friends", which, at the time of writng, boasts 1.3 million subscribers. When asked why he is involved in so many fields, he said, "It's because I'm not particularly sure about doing just one thing perfectly." He elaborated, "I feel anxious about whether I can do just this, so I end up doing various things. I guess I'm the type of person who thinks wielding two or three swords is better than just one. In the end, my driving force is anxiety. I feel like I've come this far by using that anxiety as motivation."

Though having pursued three careers — doctor, writer, and YouTuber — Lee eventually stepped away from practicing medicine. When asked if he has any regrets as he spent so many years studying medicine, he said, "I did study and work hard all the way to becoming a specialist, but in the end, I practiced as a doctor, including my time as a military physician, for less than five years. So yes, there is some regret. However, I'm now using that experience and knowledge in my creative work, so, in a way, it doesn't feel like a loss. At the moment, I feel most attached to my career as a writer. Creating my own stories is much more difficult and challenging than I had imagined, but it's also very enjoyable."

It is also revealed that his income as a writer is higher than when he was a doctor. Responding to if he will ever return to practicing medicine, he said, "To be honest, I never had a particularly high income as a doctor. For most of my career, I worked as an intern, resident, and military physician, and even when I worked as a specialist for a year and a half, it was only part-time. So, from the time I started working as a specialist, my income from writing was already higher in absolute terms. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, I was taking a break from practicing medicine, but when several hospitals put out recruitment notices, I worked in a COVID ward. I hope such a situation never happens again, but if it does, and my health allows, I would be willing to step in."

The writer also expressed a desire to make works related to forensic medicine or digital healthcare in the future. He also wants to try fantasy or martial arts genres. When asked if he has a message he wants to convey through his works, he said, "The best message a commercial writer can offer [to viewers] is to simply enjoy the work."

Source (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)