On the 11th of this month, South Korea's National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee approved a bill to establish a ‘Patient Bill of Rights.’ If this bill passes through the National Assembly, South Korea will join advanced nations in the healthcare field by formally recognizing 'patients' rights' in legislation. The bill, spearheaded by Democratic Party member Nam In-soon, shifts the perception of patients from being viewed merely as passive recipients of care to active participants entitled to make decisions regarding their treatment. The philosophical roots of acknowledging 'patients have rights' can be traced back to the World Health Organization (WHO) Charter of 1946, which declared that everyone has the right to the highest attainable standard of health, regardless of nationality or status. The modern patient rights movement began in the United States, with a landmark moment in 1972 when the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston voluntarily documented and shared patients' rights, marking the first instance of a healthcare institution formally informing patients about their rights. Countries like Finland have been pioneers in legislating patient rights, enacting the 'Act on the Status and Rights of Patients' in 1992, which outlines the rights to receive quality healthcare without discrimination and to obtain sufficient explanations about one's health status and treatment methods. Following Finland, several other nations have enacted similar laws, leading to a transformation in the doctor-patient relationship from one of unilateral decision-making to a patient-centered approach. However, the pace of change has been slow, as even in Finland, evaluations showed that healthcare practitioners' attitudes and practices were slow to adapt after three years of the law's implementation, highlighting the importance of prior preparation for the transformation of perspectives on patient rights.