Genie, Make a Wish (Korean: Da Ijeoeojilji ni) back in October 2025, packing a killer cast and a hook that screams binge potential: ancient genie Iblis (Kim Woo-bin, oozing swagger) gets unleashed by ice-queen Jia Ying (Bae Suzy), sparking a wish-fueled showdown. Fancy effects and cute beats pop up, sure, but the whole thing trips over its own feet—too many ideas, not enough glue holding the emotions together. Now streaming on YouCine, it’s easy to see why the series has found such a mixed fanbase; dive in via their APK for the full magical ride.
A Promising Premise Lost in a Maze of Subplots
Picture this: jaded genie Iblis, who’s seen millennia of human greed, bets his freedom on proving folks are selfish pigs. He frees himself to Jia Ying—a woman with antisocial personality disorder who couldn’t care less about cash, romance, or thrones. Boom, instant tension: what happens when desire meets zero FOMO? It’s catnip for fans craving Goblin-style moral twists.
But hold up—then it snowballs. That “five-wishes challenge” (Iblis grants randos’ pleas to win his case) kicks off gems like a loyal dog wishing human to hug its dying owner one last time. Heart-tugger, right? Wrong. It gets buried under plot diarrhea: shady Arab traders plotting in broken conspiracies, plus a tacked-on ex-gf romance with Song Hye-kyo’s flashy cameo. Why cram fantasy rom-com, philosophy, and side quests? Pacing flips from sprint (rushed heartbreaks) to crawl (filler chit-chat). Ever wonder if fewer subplots could’ve let the core shine? Yeah, me too.
Stylistic Flair Undercut by Tonal Inconsistency
Eye candy? Drool-worthy. CGI wishes explode in gold shimmers—genies soaring over Dubai’s dunes crash into Seoul’s neon buzz like a fever dream. Production team’s on fire; those desert-to-city flips scream big-budget K-fantasy.
Problem is, tone whiplash kills the buzz. One sec, dark laughs as Jia Ying strolls from a blaze Iblis lit (zero panic, pure chills). Next? Soap-opera sobs over grandma’s plot twist. Script chases whimsy (“love’s hidden price”) and depth (“free will vs. fate”), but smashes them together like mismatched chems. Result? You’re chuckling, then cringing, never locked in. Imagine if it picked a lane like The Glory‘s revenge simmer—could’ve been magic.
Strong Performances Hampered by Underwritten Characters
Chemistry alert: Woo-bin and Suzy spark like faulty fireworks. Kim nails Iblis—cocky immortal fumbling TikTok era, vulnerability peeking through smirks. Bae sells Jia Ying’s numb shell masterfully; her slow thaw tugs strings. But that shift to lovestruck savior? Feels like a script shortcut. Where’s the grind?
Supports shine briefly: Kim Mi-kyung warms as grandma, Daniel Henney hams it as dog-man for laughs. Yet the bloat sidelines them. That pup arc? Hilarious visual gags (furry dude chasing tail), zero stakes. Show loves quirks over arcs—frustrating when talents like Song Hye-kyo get cameo crumbs.
Controversies and Cultural Missteps
Drama off-screen too. Netizens roasted a scene where “Arab villains” flip to Chinese mid-scheme—lazy stereotype painting the language as shady? Oof. Echoes old K-drama tropes that age like milk.
Then product plugs: beer bottles and ramen packs shoved in your face mid-wish. Breaks immersion harder than a bad subs. In a genre built on escapism, these scream “paycheck.” Fix that, and maybe the world-building sticks.
Verdict: A Missed Opportunity for Magic
Genie, Make a Wish flaunts gloss and star power for casual fantasy-romance fans—Kim Woo-bin genie role analysis alone justifies a watch. But compared to Eun-sook’s bangers like Goblin or The Glory, it’s a swing-and-miss: plot pile-up, mood swings, themes that tease but don’t deliver. Tries juggling rom-com fluff, deep dives, and spectacle—nails none. Visually pops, emotionally fizzles; no lasting enchantment.
Still, if Korean fantasy series 2025 controversies intrigue you, it’s well worth your time on YouCine.
Final Score: 6/10