odd and mediocre - but visually stunning
Honestly, this drama won't be leaving a lasting impression unlike ,uncontrollably fond' or ,goblin'. It's pretty evident, that production costs were immense - a lot was poured into cast, costumes, and CGI, which makes this drama visually stunning.
However, this comes at the expenses of the plot and dialogue, which no amount of pretty faces or effects can hide.
The conversations, especially between the leads, felt odd and confusing. Initially I thought the subtitles were messed up, but even changing the language settings and trying out dubbed versions didn't help, making it clear that the dialogues themselves were incoherent at times. Some scenes even felt like they were misplaced during editing. This didn't help the already controllable fondness and lukewarm chemistry between the leads.
The plot itself was somehow decent, though it felt strange seeing (non-native) Koreans speak so much Arabic - and I mean a lot. Since I don't speak the language, I can't judge its accuracy, but it didn't feel authentic. The same goes for the use of Arabic/biblical names and references. It's always risky to adapt elements from another culture without thorough research, and this show might have fallen into that trap. Why not draw from Korean folklore instead? There must be so much to work with there.
That said, the cast did a solid job, even if some characters didn't get enough screen time to shine. I especially liked Halmeoni, Ejlael, the side-kicks Sade and Iream and the villagers - I wish we had seen more of them and their interaction with one another. They should have made it into a 16-episode series and given more depth and scenes to the side characters as well, since they were undoubtedly more interesting than the main couple.
Also, along his journey with the character played by Suzy, the genie grants wishes to various beings - but instead of integrating these scenes meaningfully, they were randomly thrown into the main plot. It would have been better, if they had made it the other way around, focusing one episode on each of these stories and weaving the main plot in gradually
- especially since the earlier episodes mainly focus on the female lead trashing the male one...
There were repeated scenes of Ki Ga Young (Bae Suzy) physically abusing the genie - actually BEATING him UP - and above all, seemingly enjoying it. Genie, disregarding his unearthly powers, just takes it in. Those scenes are supposed to be funny, but the only joke here is that the writer's previous work, The Glory, condemns violence and bullying - yet here, flogging and deadly strikes are played off casually. Maybe there is supposed to be a distinction as the victim isn't human, but it still felt wrong. It was very uncomfortable to watch and I did skip some scenes.
Another letdown was the soundtrack. The writer's previous works are known for memorable OSTs, but this series didn't have a single catchy or emotional track that stood out.
All in all, the series was alright. The ending was fitting and satisfying, and the characters, costumes and CGI were impressive. Some flashback scenes, however, looked suspiciously AI-generated.
However, this comes at the expenses of the plot and dialogue, which no amount of pretty faces or effects can hide.
The conversations, especially between the leads, felt odd and confusing. Initially I thought the subtitles were messed up, but even changing the language settings and trying out dubbed versions didn't help, making it clear that the dialogues themselves were incoherent at times. Some scenes even felt like they were misplaced during editing. This didn't help the already controllable fondness and lukewarm chemistry between the leads.
The plot itself was somehow decent, though it felt strange seeing (non-native) Koreans speak so much Arabic - and I mean a lot. Since I don't speak the language, I can't judge its accuracy, but it didn't feel authentic. The same goes for the use of Arabic/biblical names and references. It's always risky to adapt elements from another culture without thorough research, and this show might have fallen into that trap. Why not draw from Korean folklore instead? There must be so much to work with there.
That said, the cast did a solid job, even if some characters didn't get enough screen time to shine. I especially liked Halmeoni, Ejlael, the side-kicks Sade and Iream and the villagers - I wish we had seen more of them and their interaction with one another. They should have made it into a 16-episode series and given more depth and scenes to the side characters as well, since they were undoubtedly more interesting than the main couple.
Also, along his journey with the character played by Suzy, the genie grants wishes to various beings - but instead of integrating these scenes meaningfully, they were randomly thrown into the main plot. It would have been better, if they had made it the other way around, focusing one episode on each of these stories and weaving the main plot in gradually
- especially since the earlier episodes mainly focus on the female lead trashing the male one...
There were repeated scenes of Ki Ga Young (Bae Suzy) physically abusing the genie - actually BEATING him UP - and above all, seemingly enjoying it. Genie, disregarding his unearthly powers, just takes it in. Those scenes are supposed to be funny, but the only joke here is that the writer's previous work, The Glory, condemns violence and bullying - yet here, flogging and deadly strikes are played off casually. Maybe there is supposed to be a distinction as the victim isn't human, but it still felt wrong. It was very uncomfortable to watch and I did skip some scenes.
Another letdown was the soundtrack. The writer's previous works are known for memorable OSTs, but this series didn't have a single catchy or emotional track that stood out.
All in all, the series was alright. The ending was fitting and satisfying, and the characters, costumes and CGI were impressive. Some flashback scenes, however, looked suspiciously AI-generated.
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