Genie Make a Wish Review
Director: Ahn Gil-ho and Lee Byung-hun
Date Created: 2025-10-03 23:17
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Genie Make a Wish Review: Directed by Ahn Gil-ho and Lee Byung-hun and starring Kim Woo-bin as the genie Iblis, Bae Suzy as Ki Ga-yeong, alongside Ahn Eun-jin as Lee Mi-ju, Steve Noh as Su Hyeon, Ko Kyu-pil as Sayyid, Lee Joo-young as Min Ji and others. The Netflix Korean drama 다 이루어질지니 has 13 long episodes, and it’s a genre cocktail that combines fantasy, romance, comedy and melodrama to take us through a tale about wishes, love and what it really means to be human.
The plot of this Korean drama Genie Make a Wish, revolves around Iblis, who has lived for millennia gorging on human greed. His life turns topsy-turvy when he comes to the aid of someone who is going through hard times because he involuntarily falls for Ga-yeong, who requires fierce will and being present to be together. She doesn’t provide him with the usual three wishes but presents him with a challenge in the form of a bet, and it’s on this basis that their relationship develops. From it emerges the theatre, complete with comedy, suspense, supernatural special effects and plenty of tear-jerking moments.
Genie Make a Wish Review
First off, the casting is brilliant. Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy were the biggest factors why I enjoyed this Netflix show. Their reunion after Uncontrollably Fond brought back memories of that heartbreaking drama, and I was curious to see whether they could recreate that magic in a lighter, more fantastical setting. Thankfully, they did. The chemistry between them is electric, at times flirtatious, sometimes sentimental, and more frequently unexpectedly deep. Their evolution over time as reluctant partners turned lovers didn’t feel forced.
I will also praise the series for its lofty production values. Rich sets, bright colour scheme, majestic desert scenery and iconic costumes lend the drama an almost cinematic appearance. Some of the episodes were filmed in Dubai, something that lends an air of verisimilitude to the genie mythology. Special effects aren’t seamless, but they are far superior to those seen in the usual rom-com fantasy drama, and I was genuinely struck by how effectively they handled the supernatural episodes.
But what I truly loved was the dynamic between Iblis and Ga-yeong. Their banter was funny, and their emotional scenes were moving, and as the show slowly saw-sawed between trusting them to build trust, I had something to root for. Both characters are full of flaws; he’s mischievous, she’s emotionally guarded, but together they grow in ways that feel satisfying.
Instead of seeing Iblis as a one-dimensional villain, the drama paints him with warmth and humour, which was actually a huge surprise to me. As a Muslim myself, I never thought I’d say this, but I actually loved the character of Iblis, or at least Kim Woo-bin’s portrayal of him. He is not depicted as the scary Satan of religious literature but rather a playful, desolate and sometimes even a harmless creature. I know some people might find this idea offensive, but we have all seen dark or supernatural entities such as goblins or demons, even doom itself, romanticised in K-dramas. So here’s my advice: Watch this as fiction, pure and simple.
And, of course, the joy of seeing Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy back together. Their chemistry was exactly as potent as I wanted, an oscillating balance of barbed exchanges, protective instincts and finally a full-on love affair. How their relationship ebbed and flowed through fury, care, envy, sacrifice, and tenderness was just the emotional rollercoaster I look for in a K-drama romance.
Kdrama Genie Make a Wish is not a fabulous show. On the good side, the series smashed comedy, fantasy and romance in such a refreshing way. Kim Woo-bin’s childish but adorable Genie had me smiling a million times. Suzy’s powerful, determined personality was equally captivating, and the two complemented each other’s inherent energy wonderfully. The supporting characters, particularly Sayyid and Mi-ju, helped to bring a lot of depth and comic relief to the story, too.
The flip side was the length. Thirteen episodes, all over an hour long, sometimes felt padded. Some of the subplots, like the revenge plot lines and the family melodrama, weighed down the primary story. At times, the genie’s world rules seemed unpredictable, at least towards the end. Sometimes a rule was set in stone, and the next, it was disregarded. It didn’t break the drama for me, but it caused some eyebrow reactions on my part now and then.
All the same, the ending emotionally resonated for me. I won’t spoil too much, but the ending tied together themes of love, sacrifice and fate in a manner I was content with, albeit somewhat perplexed at the logic. What it tells me in simple terms is just this: love conquers rules, and being immortal for all the rest in the world isn’t worth it when you don’t have anyone to share it with.
Netflix Genie Make a Wish Review: Summing Up
All in all, Netflix’s Genie Make a Wish is an extremely heartwarming and lighthearted K-drama combining romance and fantasy. It’s not without its flaws and may get ahead of itself just too many times, but I just can’t help but love the main storyline. Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy’s love line alone makes it worth the viewing. It’s the humour, the chemistry and the emotions- it defeats the weaknesses.
