K-Drama 
Satan and a psychopath in love: sign me up!
First things first: Genie, Make a Wish is actually good, and honestly, screw the haters. I don’t watch K-dramas for historical or cultural accuracy; I watch them for pure entertainment after a long day's work. What we have here is a deeply imaginative drama with a hilariously quirky cast of characters and a mismatched-yet-perfectly-matched romantic lead couple that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I know there was a ton of online noise criticizing the show—specifically regarding its portrayal of Arabic culture. Since I don’t know much about that side of things, it didn't impact my viewing at all. I will admit, the first couple of episodes are a little "out there." The storytelling style is different from what I’m used to when I watch a Korean drama, and it might take some people a minute to warm up to it. But once you hit the halfway mark, the bigger picture finally clicks. You realize it's not your cookie-cutter Korean rom com. While romance is the core, it’s driven by a massive, ridiculously strange cast of characters doing bizarre things that make no sense at first, but give the show its charm. Plus, the heavy fantasy element is incredibly cool, seamlessly shifting between the stunning desert backgrounds of Dubai and a small town in Korea.
As for the internet coming after Bae Suzy and calling her acting "wooden"—they completely missed the point. Her character, Ki Ka-young, has an anti-social personality disorder. She is literally supposed to be detached! She did a fantastic job, and you see her entire emotional arc beautifully open up in the last two episodes. Kim Woo-bin is equally great as the dramatic genie Iblis. The man looked gorgeous with long hair.
Their chemistry was top-tier. At least for me They didn't rely on constant skinship or over-the-top fluff or too many romantic situations. But instead, they gave us a few absolutely epic kissing scenes that completely stole the show. They are both good here in my opinion, considering they played together before
While the show feels like it’s just going through the motions initially, the tension ramps up massively the further you go. Everything starts locking into place before brilliantly unraveling in the last three episodes. The finale was excellent and wrapped things up perfectly, giving all the characters exactly what they deserved. It’s silly, yes, but it secretly has a lot of heart—exploring deep themes about humanity, the weight of good versus bad decisions, and how who you are at birth doesn’t define who you will become. Oh, and the random minor roles from massive actors like Song Hye-kyo or Kim Ji Hoon or Daniel Henney were the ultimate icing on the cake!
The Verdict
If you want something totally fresh a little strange with interesting lore and somewhat different from a typical K-drama, and you love fantasy, watch this. If you can appreciate a completely unhinged couple consisting of literal Satan and a psychopath—hands down one of the most amazing pairings in K-drama history—you will love it. Just walk in with zero expectations, ignore the nitpickers, and enjoy the ride!
I know there was a ton of online noise criticizing the show—specifically regarding its portrayal of Arabic culture. Since I don’t know much about that side of things, it didn't impact my viewing at all. I will admit, the first couple of episodes are a little "out there." The storytelling style is different from what I’m used to when I watch a Korean drama, and it might take some people a minute to warm up to it. But once you hit the halfway mark, the bigger picture finally clicks. You realize it's not your cookie-cutter Korean rom com. While romance is the core, it’s driven by a massive, ridiculously strange cast of characters doing bizarre things that make no sense at first, but give the show its charm. Plus, the heavy fantasy element is incredibly cool, seamlessly shifting between the stunning desert backgrounds of Dubai and a small town in Korea.
As for the internet coming after Bae Suzy and calling her acting "wooden"—they completely missed the point. Her character, Ki Ka-young, has an anti-social personality disorder. She is literally supposed to be detached! She did a fantastic job, and you see her entire emotional arc beautifully open up in the last two episodes. Kim Woo-bin is equally great as the dramatic genie Iblis. The man looked gorgeous with long hair.
Their chemistry was top-tier. At least for me They didn't rely on constant skinship or over-the-top fluff or too many romantic situations. But instead, they gave us a few absolutely epic kissing scenes that completely stole the show. They are both good here in my opinion, considering they played together before
While the show feels like it’s just going through the motions initially, the tension ramps up massively the further you go. Everything starts locking into place before brilliantly unraveling in the last three episodes. The finale was excellent and wrapped things up perfectly, giving all the characters exactly what they deserved. It’s silly, yes, but it secretly has a lot of heart—exploring deep themes about humanity, the weight of good versus bad decisions, and how who you are at birth doesn’t define who you will become. Oh, and the random minor roles from massive actors like Song Hye-kyo or Kim Ji Hoon or Daniel Henney were the ultimate icing on the cake!
The Verdict
If you want something totally fresh a little strange with interesting lore and somewhat different from a typical K-drama, and you love fantasy, watch this. If you can appreciate a completely unhinged couple consisting of literal Satan and a psychopath—hands down one of the most amazing pairings in K-drama history—you will love it. Just walk in with zero expectations, ignore the nitpickers, and enjoy the ride!
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