It’s a fitting time to be making wishes — after all, Chuseok is right around the corner. But how about three? Enter Genie, Make a Wish, lighting up the season with a wicked twist on one of the world’s most famous folktales.
The genie in this story isn’t the puckish sprite we’re used to, but one who’s willing to bet on human lives to prove his theory that humans are naturally corrupt. He meets his match in a sharp-tongued psychopath who refuses his provocations, even after becoming his master. Writer Kim Eun-sook (The Glory, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine) calls this unique enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers-again tale “a true battle of wills — between the satanic genie, practically demanding a wish, and the psychopathic Ka-young, who refuses to have any.”
Genie, Make a Wish is an epic showdown that spans centuries, continents, and even species — a story that calls for a cast that also defies categorization. Led by the magical onscreen reunion of Kim Woo-bin and Suzy, this cast helps present a love story that’s about as straightforward as a magic carpet ride.
A mischievous genie with a thousand-year-old chip on his shoulder, Iblis is as charming as he is dangerous. Almost 1,000 years ago, he struck a deal with God: he would prove that humans are inherently corrupt by granting them three wishes, and if these requests turned out to be selfish, Iblis would drag their souls to hell. Every human who summoned Iblis fell victim to greed, validating his theory — except for one, a girl from Goryeo (a Korean state founded in 1st century BC), who used all three wishes selflessly for others before her death. Because of her final wish, Iblis was trapped in his lamp for 983 years. When Ka-young stumbles upon his lamp hidden in the deserts of Dubai and becomes his master, he has a chance to tempt her into making a corrupt wish, too. Except as he gets to know Ka-young, the rules of his own game start to blur.
Kim Woo-bin tells Tudum that he always “tried to be faithful to the emotions in the moment” as he tackled playing a character who experiences a significant evolution — and we don’t just mean his hair. Iblis goes from hating human beings to finding one that he loves more than himself.
Black Knight, Uncontrollably Fond, Alienoid
Ka-young, a psychopath, lacks a sense of guilt and is unable to feel love. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her grandmother and her village who helped Ka-young establish a life of rules and routines that keep her psychopathy in check. But when she becomes the master of Iblis, Ka-young insists that humans are inherently pure of heart — she’s the only exception. This argument would be enough to tear most people apart, but it seems to be the glue that keeps this particular pair intertwined.
Actor Suzy doesn’t believe in soulmates per se, but says it’s a concept “I think I want to believe in. The Genie and Ka-young, even though they are so different, share that very similar [hidden belief of] wanting to love humans. Because of that commonality, I root for them.”
Start-Up, While You Were Sleeping, Anna
Pan-geum is Ka-young’s grandmother (“Halmoni,” in Korean), the one person who has always believed in her. She raised her granddaughter with unconditional love and strict routines, teaching her to live in a world that judges and demonizes her.
It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Welcome to Samdal-ri
Also known as the Angel of Death, Ejllael guides dying humans to the afterlife. When he’s not collecting souls as the grim reaper, he lives among humans under the alias Ryu Su-hyeon, a successful real estate developer who does community service in his spare time. But behind Ejllael’s mask of altruism is a deep-seated jealousy of his brother, Iblis.
Pachinko, Love in the Big City
Born from a strand of Iblis’s hair and a single tear, Sade is the genie’s most loyal companion. Street-smart and sharp-tongued, he can take the form of a black jaguar or a human, and has spent centuries searching for the girl who once trapped his master.
Another Miss Oh
Min-ji is a dentist and Ka-young’s only close friend ever since Ka-young rescued her from bullies in childhood. Fiercely loyal, Min-ji stays close to Ka-young even when others keep their distance, showing the latter the meaning of unconditional friendship. Practically, it means keeping their standing Wednesday appointment to eat bone stew at Ka-young’s favorite restaurant.
Believer 2
By day, Irem works as Elljael’s assistant. But in reality, she is a divine white owl who is hard of hearing, and gifted at lipreading.
Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938
A mysterious young woman who turns up in Chengpung Village unexpectedly and lives in Ka-young and her grandmother’s home raises eyebrows among their tight-knit community.
My Dearest
A young boy moves into Ka-young’s village with his family. But other villagers notice that something seems off about his household — and little do they know that just under the surface lies an unsettling secret.
A Shop for Killers
