<The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call>, released on January 24 2025, became the first Netflix original Korean drama of 2025. The eight-part Korean drama is based on a web novel “Trauma Center: Golden Hour” by Hansanleega and Hongbichira. The drama is considered to be a great adaptation of the original story, being touching, but fun at the same time. And that is why it is the best drama for those who are thinking of what to watch at the beginning of the new year.

The story tells about a genius trauma surgeon Baek Kang-hyuk (Joo Ji-hoon), who performed surgeries in the war zones all over the world. He joins a struggling university hospital’s severe trauma team leading it with his outstanding skills to become the best trauma unit.

Image courtesy of Netflix

This Korean drama is packed with action, medical gore and trauma. But the most important part is still its characters.

Genius doctor (Joo Ji-hoon) lands in Korea after going around the world for six years to save patients in the conflict zones with the Peace Doctors Association. He is quite arrogant and not everyone is satisfied with his unusual methods. But his restless enthusiasm and brilliant medical knowledge makes him a kind of superhero.

Yang Jae-won (Choo Young-woo) becomes the first assistant of Baek Kang-hyuk in the severe trauma center. Working with Baek Kang-hyuk, who is crazy about his mission to save the patients, helps Yang Jae-won to awaken his doctor's sense of duty and become more serious about his vocation.

Image courtesy of Netflix

Another important character, Chun Jung-mi (Ha-young), played a somewhat cliché but a crucial role of the only woman among men in the drama. Her character became a break of peace for the two male characters, so immersed in a sense of mission to save people, and in its turn brought a vital energy for the drama.

The drama shows the struggles of a trauma unit as they run from saving one patient after another, unable to stop because this may cost someone’s life. Apart from that, it also shows their struggles with the hospital administration, for whom every saved patient means additional expenses. In this way, the drama also raises questions of medical treatment for the people who cannot afford it.

Some may argue that the main character who is too perfect makes the plot too predictable, but at the same time the action, the touching friendships, and the humor make up for all the cliché. Also, the moments of "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call", when the doctors and nurses of the severe trauma center run to save patients leaves the biggest impression and makes the viewers hopeful that humanity is not dead.

Image courtesy of Netflix

"The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call", the first Netflix original Korean drama of 2025, mixes both action-packed and touching elements, which makes it a perfect watch for the start of the year. This story of a genius doctor and his trauma unit would be a great choice not only for people who love medical dramas, but also for those, who like when dramas raise socially important topics, the topics of friendship and humanity. It seems that the drama succeeded in instilling high expectations on what kind of original Korean dramas Netflix will show us in the future.