Jin Ki-joo Transforms Into a Psychiatrist Who Falls Asleep in Front of Patients… Cast as the Lead in KBS’s “Sleeping Doctor”

Actor Jin Ki-joo returns to the small screen as a psychiatrist who falls asleep the moment she sees patients—an intriguing character concept.

■ “Once the consultation starts, is it ‘zzz’?”… Jin Ki-joo’s bold character transformation

On the 15th, KBS announced that it has cast Jin Ki-joo as the lead in its new drama ‘Sleeping Doctor’ and confirmed it will air on 2TV in the first half of next year.

‘Hong Kyung’, the role Jin Ki-joo takes on, is a woman who opens a psychiatric clinic with big ambition, but suffers from a mysterious trauma symptom in which she keeps falling asleep in front of patients as soon as she begins a consultation. She will portray the ups-and-downs romance and the process of healing that unfold when her hospital is on the verge of closure and she meets an elite part-time doctor, Nam Ji-o, whose identity appears in front of her.

■ Baek Eun-gyeong Writer X Lee Hyun-kyung Director Join Forces

The production team is equally impressive. Baek Eun-gyeong, the writer of ‘Homeward Diary’, a drama loved for its warm sensibility, will handle the screenplay and present a delicate story that soothes the pain of today’s people. Adding to that, Lee Hyun-kyung, who has been recognized for her stylish directing through KBS Drama Special ‘Confession Attack’ and ‘Cinderella Game’, will take the helm with additional expectations.

■ Jin Ki-joo, a top-tier actor’s nonstop run… Solidifying her as a “trusted actress”

So far, Jin Ki-joo has proven her solid acting skills by crossing genres such as ‘Misty’, ‘Come Here and Hug Me’, ‘Oh! Samgwang Villa!’, and ‘Undercover High School’. In particular, as she has been able to handle everything from professional women to relatable neighbors, attention is on the quirky yet deeply human doctor performance she will deliver in ‘Sleeping Doctor’.

A KBS official said, “Although the story is set in a sensitive space called psychiatry, we will add a unique subject—sleep disorders—to present a rom-com that viewers can enjoy comfortably and cheerfully.”

Jin Ki-joo’s new drama ‘Sleeping Doctor’ is currently wrapping up casting, and soon will begin full-scale filming, with plans to meet viewers in the first half of 2027.