Doctor Shin () is an ongoing South Korean medical melodrama thriller television series written by Phoebe, directed by Lee Seung-hoon, and starring Jung E-chan in the title role, along with Baek Seo-ra, Ahn Woo-yeon, , , , Jeon No-min, and . The series tells the story of a genius neurosurgeon, Doctor Shin, who dares to defy the boundaries of life and death, and a woman, whose soul is lost after a brain injury leaves her in a coma. It premiered on TV Chosun on March 14, 2026, and airs every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST). It is also available for streaming on Coupang Play.
Shin Ju-shin, a neurosurgeon at Nua Hospital, is engaged to a top actress Momo. Following a mysterious accident, Momo falls into a coma and suffers brain death. Unable to bear watching her unconscious, Momo's mother, Hyun Ran-hee, begs the doctor to perform a risky brain transplant. Driven by obsessive love, Shin pursues a forbidden medical procedure and swaps the mother's and daughter's brains. The body survives, but an unexpected event occurs later.
The development of Doctor Shin began when screenwriter Im Sung-han (credited as Phoebe), who penned Durian's Affair (2023), Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce) (2021), and Princess Aurora (2013), joined Arc Media (now known as Syn&Studio) in August 2023. Scheduling discussions were already underway in March 2025 for TV Chosun. Five months later, Min Sun-hong, Baek Seo-ra, Ahn Woo-yeon, , , , and Cheon Young-min were cast to lead the series. The lead and supporting actors were all chosen through auditions. The series is a medical melodrama thriller directed by Lee Seung-hoon and produced by Syn&Studio and TME Group.
Principal photography commenced in July 2025 and ended after seven months. It concluded in the Eulwang-ri area of Incheon.
The screenwriter Phoebe describes the series as a story exploring how medicine and medical practice impact human lives and destinies, rather than a traditional medical drama. She named the protagonist Shin Ju-shin, using the character for 'spirit' (ç¥Â), given the show's theme of altering the human brain. She and the producer sought novice actors who fit the characters' "unconventional, unique, and mysterious charm", and felt the auditions succeeded in finding them. Shin Ju-shin is described as a character who inherits his father's hospital, possessing confidence in his skills and a free spirit. To reflect the character's personality, Phoebe asked Jung E-chan to keep his hair long. This is the writer's debut medical thriller, exploring love's true target â body or soul â through brain swapping.
Doctor Shin was reportedly scheduled to premiere on TV Chosun in the first half of 2026. By February 2026, the premiere date was confirmed to be on March 14, 2026, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 22:30 (KST). It is also available for streaming on Coupang Play.