Netflix Korea is aiming for a Chuseok sweep with its latest tentpole series ‘Genie, Make a Wish,’ starring Hallyu heavyweights Bae Suzy and Kim Woo-bin and fueled by the storytelling chops of Kim Eun-sook, the hitmaker behind K-drama touchstones such as ‘Mr. Sunshine’ and ‘The Glory.’
‘Genie, Make a Wish’ centers on Genie (Kim Woo-bin), who awakens after a millennium-long slumber, and the emotionally detached Ga-young (Bae Suzy) as they navigate three wishes that could alter their destinies. Beyond the star power, the series has already stirred buzz for its distinct characters, including a devilish genie and a morally just psychopath.
Bae, discussing her role during Monday’s press conference in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said Ga-young is a departure from the familiar portrayal of psychopathy in K-dramas.
‘I thought the script was incredibly fresh and new. It was so fun, and my character, who lacks emotions due to antisocial personality disorder, felt very compelling to me,’ she said. She elaborated on Ga-young’s unconventional morality: ‘Ga-young is a psychopath who lives a life shaped by rote learning and the warmth of her grandmother and the villagers. In other words, psychopaths are often portrayed as frightening or criminal, but Ga-young lives by her own rules and routines, which, in the end, makes her live in a more righteous way.’
Kim, reuniting with Bae nine years after KBS’s ‘Uncontrollably Fond,’ takes on the satanic Genie, a character determined to prove that humanity is God’s failed creation.
‘Genie is a character with many sides. He can be cheerful and strong, sometimes cruel and frightening, yet also trivial and, in his own way, even a bit endearing. He may look human, but he isn’t, so I put a lot of thought into making him feel strange, awkward, and off-beat in some way,’ Kim explained. Meanwhile, the production for ‘Genie, Make a Wish’ has been eventful, generating a lot of talk over a directorial handoff. Initially helmed by Lee Byung-hun – known for ‘Extreme Job,’ ‘Be Melodramatic,’ and ‘Squid Games’ – who completed filming but stepped down midway, the series was subsequently taken over by Ahn Gil-ho (‘The Glory,’ ‘Stranger’), marking his return after a 2023 school violence controversy.
Addressing the change, Kim said, ‘I understand that both directors did not attend the press conference out of consideration. I was happy working with Lee on ‘Twenty,’ so I wish we could have seen the project through together. It’s a bit disappointing. But I’m grateful that director Ahn came onboard and guided the project well, allowing us to finish happily.’
The 13-part series premiered on Friday, Oct. 3.