"The character Baek Kang-hyuk in the piece resembled Ju Ji-hoon so much": Director of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call on what convinced him to direct

Director Lee Do-yun, the creative force behind The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, opened up about the pivotal role actor Ju Ji-hoon played in bringing him on board. In an interview with news outlet Honorary Reporters, published on February 19, 2025, he detailed his initial reluctance, the challenges he faced, and his journey to helm the hit Netflix series.

Lee shared that Ju Ji-hoon, with whom he worked before in the drama, Confession, personally recommended Lee for the director’s role in The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. At the time, Lee had moved to Canada due to ongoing project cancellations and a stalled career.

Initially, he declined the offer, as the drama's genre differed significantly from his previous work. However, what ultimately convinced him was how closely the character Baek Kang-hyuk resembled Ju Ji-hoon.

"I accepted the offer to direct because I was intrigued by the fact that the character Baek Kang-hyuk in the piece resembled Ju Ji-hoon so much," The director shared.

According to Lee, Baek Kang-hyuk and Ju Ji-hoon share similar characteristics, the ability to overcome obstacles once they set a goal being one of them.

"if they have a goal, they can easily overcome obstacles and move forward. For Baek Kang-hyuk, that goal is to save people, and for Ju Ji-hoon, it is to complete a work as a lead actor. Other than that, being tall and handsome is something they have in common. They are also a bit too talented, which is a little annoying (laughs)."

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Director Lee Do-yun on The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call’s success, challenges, and the role of Ju Ji-hoon in bringing his vision to life

Lee Do-yun shared in the interview with Honorary Reporters, that his passion for filmmaking began at a young age, leading him to study at Hanyang University’s Department of Theater and Film. After graduation, he worked as part of directing teams for various films before making his debut as a director in 2014. However, the financial struggles of his first film hindered his career progression, making it difficult for him to secure future projects.

Lee said that the webtoon Trauma Center: Golden Hour, the drama was based on, was adapted from a web novel. Lee noted the challenges of transforming a story from written and illustrated media into a live-action series.

"There are many difficulties in converting these media consisting of letters and pictures into visual media. In web novels or webtoons, the reader can control the speed of each scene by scrolling, but in a series, the director has to decide and show it." he said, "Also, a major concern was how to show the unreality of the characters and scenes set in the webtoon in a visual medium."

Lee decided to integrate elements of both fantasy and reality to bridge the gap between the fantastical elements of the source material and the real-world setting.

"That’s why I boldly decided to mix fantasy and reality. I calculated that if there were good buffers in between, this gap would actually give the viewers a great sense of pleasure, and I think it was somewhat successful." he shared.

Lee, however, faced significant obstacles in executing his vision. The production and investment companies were initially skeptical of his unconventional approach and hesitant to trust him, given that his only film had underperformed.

However, he shared that happened (investment company being concerned), Ju Ji-hoon stepped in multiple times to persuade stakeholders to support Lee’s vision, saying,

"Every time that happened, actor Ju Ji-hoon stepped forward, and he consistently persuaded the production and investment companies to believe in me and my vision and to go all the way. Only after filming was finished did the rest of the people understand the vision I had, and I think it ended up being a good achievement."

While Ju Ji-hoon played the central role of Baek Kang-hyuk, Lee also prioritized casting young and rookie actors. He specifically mentioned Choo Young-woo (Yang Jae-won), Ahn Ha-young (Cheon Jang-mi), and Jeong Jae-kwang (Park Gyeong-won), emphasizing how their growth as actors paralleled their characters’ growth in the drama.

Lee credited veteran actors for providing a strong foundation, ensuring a well-balanced ensemble. He also expressed gratitude to the production staff, recognizing their professionalism and support in bringing the project to life.

Since its release, The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call has received a strong response from viewers. Within 3 days, it ranked 3 on Netflix’s global top 10 non-English shows. By the week of January 27 to February 2, it claimed the number one spot and has remained in the global top 10 since. In Korea, it has held the top Netflix position since its debut.

Lee attributed this success to the drama’s straightforward storytelling. He believed that the fast-paced narrative, driven by Baek Kang-hyuk’s mission to establish a trauma center and save lives, was a key factor in keeping audiences engaged.

One of Lee’s favorite lines from the drama was when Baek Kang-hyuk told Han Yu-rim, “Severe trauma can happen to anyone.” In the interview, he emphasized that this message underscored the drama’s core theme and societal importance.

Lee expressed a broader hope that the drama would raise awareness about the reality of trauma care. He referenced the idea that severe trauma disproportionately affects the poor, particularly laborers working in harsh conditions.

Since hospitals prioritize profit, trauma care often lacks proper funding, highlighting the need for systemic change. He urged viewers to remain engaged in discussions about trauma centers and their significance.

The Trauma Code team recently held a successful fan meeting on February 10 in Seoul, which Lee described as a fulfilling experience. Looking forward, he confirmed that he was in discussions for new series and film projects and hoped to return with another work soon.

Lastly, addressing fans of the drama, whom Ju Ji-hoon referred to as “helicopters,” Lee thanked them for their support. He also encouraged new viewers to watch the show and to maintain interest in the topic of severe trauma centers, both in the drama and in real life.

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South Korean medical comedy The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call starrs Ju Ji-hoon, Choo Young-woo, Ha Young, Yoon Kyung-ho, and Jung Jae-kwang in the lead. It marks Ju Ji-hoon’s return to the medical genre after 12 years.

The story follows trauma surgeon Baek Kang-hyuk as he leads an underfunded trauma team at a struggling university hospital. Praised for its storytelling and characters, the drama’s all 8 episodes are now streaming on Netflix.