The K-drama world has been ablaze ever since we heard that Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy were going to grace our screens 9 years after leaving us heartbroken with Uncontrollably Fond. Their reunion is not a tragic one, though, so if you were wondering if Genie, Make A Wish had a sad ending, let me give you the answer right now: it does not. But bringing in these two fabulously good-looking actors for a fantasy drama that involves Arabic jinn, mystical beings, and an antisocial psychopath is a genius move in my opinion. Both actors have recently done Netflix dramas, and while the Suzy one was largely successful despite mixed reviews, I can’t say the same about the Woo-Bin one, set in a dystopian world where he plays a very serious delivery guy. I want to pretend that it didn’t exist and consider this the real Woo-Bin comeback we’ve been waiting for for years now.
Genie, Make A Wish tells a multi-dimensional fantasy story about a psychopathic woman named Ki Ka-Young, who has been raised by her grandmother to be a good person, and a genie, Iblis, who hates all mankind, but especially the one woman who trapped him for nearly 1000 years. Living up to the title, the show has many magical elements to it, and everything is deeply unserious. From the psychopath angle to the jokes made about a genie who can grow his hair to make him look like Rapunzel but not grow a beard of even 1 cm. You’ve got to remember, this is a comedy show, and there’s no realism to it. But this doesn’t mean it’s a shallow show that has no real story. In fact, after a really long time, it seems we finally have an original story that doesn’t come from a webcomic.
I can’t tell you how excited this has me. While a lot of the show doesn’t bother to explain itself, like I said, since it’s wholly unserious, it’s unimportant; however, the love story at the heart of the show is certainly engaging, and even though it’s super unconventional, it’s somehow convincing. Netflix dropped all 13 episodes of the show at once, and the ending will definitely not leave you wanting. Genie, Make A Wish doesn’t waste any time setting the pace. It’s highly engaging from episode 1, setting the tone for the rest of the show, saying, “You’re going to have a blast, and the important thing is to laugh along with us.”
To be honest, I had a gripe with the initial casting of the show Uncontrollably Fond, because I felt at the time that Suzy’s acting was a bit too flat for an emotional role such as that one. However, she’s perfect in this show, and though there are similarities between Ki Ka-Young and Lee Doona, the tone of the show itself is entirely different, making for a good laugh. On the other hand, we have Kim Woo-Bin, who, to me, shines the best in roles that are comedic or villainous. Ironically, this role has a bit of both, which makes it seem like it was written for him. Woo-Bin’s comedic timing has been great ever since the movie Twenty. Despite his perfectly model-like image, comic timing comes so naturally to him, which is why the contrast is delightful. I can’t go without talking about the chemistry between these two characters, and it’s genuinely better than what we’ve seen in a lot of romantic shows lately. Maybe you can see the friendship come through, or maybe I was just a little bit excited to see them together again after 9 whole years. The K-drama industry should do this more often.
I must also talk about Ahn Eun-Jin, who plays a special role in the show, and I was immediately sold on her “satoori” (dialect). She’s mesmerizing, and I hope to see her get main roles more often. Noh Sang-Hyun from Pachinko plays a significant role, showing off his chiseled body, reminding us that this is a cast that is certainly banking on visuals and talent. Lastly, I must talk about Lee Joo-Young, who plays a role that has a surprising character trait, which is very well written for a Korean drama. I don’t want to give out any spoilers, but do tell us what you thought of Min-Ji’s subplot after having seen the show.
Having watched the whole thing, I don’t think Genie, Make A Wish is trying to be disrespectful to any culture. I can understand why it might feel like it appropriates a lot of things, considering the names of the characters and how a chunk of the show is set in Dubai; however, I believe the show itself isn’t trying to be anything but fictional. Speaking of Dubai, a lot of the show literally feels like it’s advertising for Dubai tourism, and it’s gorgeous. As I’ve already mentioned a few times before, the show is very focused on visual aesthetics, considering how gorgeous all the actors are, so it enhances it through the use of the stunning landscape, outfits, and visual effects too.
K-dramas have always been great at giving us fantasy dramas that make you go “wow” in every second scene, and this one is definitely one of them. There’s a sense of nostalgia to it, thanks to the comedic elements, which are not poorly done in slapstick style. It’s definitely cringy, but in a way that we’ve always enjoyed. I would say watch the show piecemeal rather than all in one go, because that would take away from the charm. There’s some interesting VFX, and I thought the jaguar was adorable, but hey, maybe I just like cats too much. With that said, though, I’d give Genie, Make A Wish 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was a much-needed break from all the dark, gritty thriller shows we’ve been thriving on lately. I guess seeing how successful Bon Appetit, Your Majesty was, we might be seeing more comedy shows like this one soon.
