Genie Make A Wish- Episodes 1-2
And So We Meet Again… Sort Of
Episode 1 opens like a grand mythological story your friend tells you at 2AM. We meet Iblis, a genie born from smokeless fire and created by the Supreme Being. While other rebellious genies tried to overthrow their creator, Iblis stayed out of the chaos. Unfortunately, his loyalty didn’t save him later. When the Supreme Being made humans out of clay, everyone was told to bow. Iblis refused and was cast out of heaven forever.
Bitter and furious, he begged for permission to corrupt humans, only to get slapped with a condition: the day he meets a righteous human, he’ll be dragged straight to the deepest part of hell. Somehow, he didn’t think it through.
For centuries, everything went according to his plan until he encountered her, a girl so righteous she used her wishes to help others instead of herself. Her goodness ruined him so badly that he kept a piece of her after she died and spent hundreds of years plotting revenge. Charming.
Fast-forward to present-day Korea, where we meet Ka-young and her loving but exhausted grandmother Pan Geum. Ka-young’s mother had abandoned her because she’s a psychopath who shows no emotions. Instead, her mom chose her “normal” daughters and left for Dubai. Pan Geum spent Ka-young’s childhood teaching her how to imitate emotions and function in society, even making her promise never to kill anyone. Their bond is deep, complicated, and strangely sweet.
During a trip to Dubai, Ka-young tries to confront her mother one last time, only to confirm the truth: her mother never wanted her. After cutting ties, Ka-young decides to enjoy her vacation, at least until the universe drops a lamp in her path. Literally.
While angry and venting her frustrations, she smashes the lamp into the sand, only to discover she’s accidentally freed Iblis. He recognizes her instantly, but she has no idea who he is. She threatens him with a hairpin, calls him an idiot, and tries to move on with her life. Meanwhile, he follows her everywhere, looking equal parts determined and desperately motion-sick.
Iblis is stunned that she doesn’t remember anything from her past life. She doesn’t care in the slightest. He blames her for his 983 years trapped in a lamp, and she’s too busy ignoring him to feel guilty. Through a flashback, we learn that Iblis’s loyal servant, Sade, spent centuries tracking Ka-young’s reincarnations while Iblis stewed in rage, promising revenge the moment he was freed.
Now that Ka-young is his new master, he just needs her to make three wishes; any three, so long as none are righteous. If she makes a righteous wish, he dies. If she doesn’t make any, he’s stuck with her. Naturally, she refuses.
For the rest of her trip, he follows her like the world’s most unhinged backpack. She tries throwing the lamp away, burying it, abandoning it, nothing works. Back in Korea, Pan Geum panics at the thought of “Arabic men” corrupting her granddaughter and checks on her constantly. Meanwhile, Ka-young gives a candid YouTube interview about managing her psychopathy with her grandma’s rules. We also learn she’s a skilled mechanic, which explains her no-nonsense personality.
Iblis makes one last dramatic attempt to convince her. He picks her up and flies her across Dubai, even whisking her onto the roof of the tallest skyscraper. Ka-young is not impressed. Instead, she tries to kill him by throwing him off the building.
He survives. He’s furious. And that’s how we end the episode: with Iblis choking Ka-young, her feet dangling, while he flashes back to the moment she made her three wishes as a little girl in her past life.
Welcome to Earth, Iblis
Episode 2 jumps right back into the chaos, with Iblis lifting Ka-young off the rooftop like he’s about to toss her into the sky. Instead, he sets her down, threatens to end the world if she tries to kill him again, and then storms off like a dramatic deity having a temper tantrum.
Out in the desert, Iblis reunites with Sade, who may be the most adaptable mythical servant ever. Sade has fully integrated himself into modern life and is now living comfortably as the pampered pet of a rich Arab man. He tries to bring Iblis up to speed on how the world works now, but 983 years is a long time to catch up on, even for a genie.
Meanwhile, Ka-young’s vacation ends, and she heads home without the lamp, assuming she’s finally free. But Iblis casually shows up on her flight, making himself at home like he bought the ticket himself. By the time they land, everyone assumes he’s her fiancé. Even Pan-geum is thrown off when he shows up at the house introducing himself as Lee Beu-li. Not amused, Ka-young immediately lays down ground rules. Iblis immediately ignores them.
A flashback shows the effort Pan-geum poured into raising Ka-young, teaching her emotions, building routines, and steering her away from violence. Those memories hit especially hard when we learn how disappointed Pan-geum was when Ka-young chose to become a mechanic instead of pursuing something more “prestigious.”
As Iblis settles into village life, Sade helps him adjust. The villagers assume Sade is just a hardworking tourist, completely unaware they’re hosting ancient supernatural beings. We see more flashbacks of how the villagers supported Pan-geum over the years, helping Ka-young stay on track.
At the mechanic shop, Sang-tae drops by for a repair. Ka-young notices hair and blood on his taillight but stays silent for now. He owns the local guesthouse, which immediately makes that detail feel ominous.
Then comes Iblis’s first big cultural misstep. The village chieftain, Chang-sik, greets the pair, and Iblis responds by tapping noses, something that sends Chang-sik spiraling into panic. Realizing he’s messed up, Iblis turns himself invincible before the man can beat him senseless.
Frustrated, Ka-young drags him to the store to teach him basic human etiquette. Even though she lacks emotions, she’s learned how to read others remarkably well. Inside the store, the staff get scolded, new characters appear, and the real estate mogul’s secretary makes a mysterious entrance, hinting at future village drama.
Iblis discovers carbonated drinks, then gaming machines, and instantly becomes a menace. Ka-young tries to stick to her routine with a quiet hike, only for Iblis to pop up begging for game money. When he admits he stole money from Pan-geum, Ka-young spends the entire day hunting him down. By dusk, he jumps in front of her car, and she hits him on purpose.
Unfortunately for Sade, he feels everything Iblis feels, so he ends up in the lamp howling in pain. When he learns Ka-young is a diagnosed psychopath, he drags Iblis to an internet café to research her condition properly.
Ka-young, meanwhile, vents to Min-ji at the dentist clinic. Iblis realizes threats aren’t working and shifts gears. He locks Ka-young in her mechanic shop and sets it on fire, hoping fear will force her first wish. Ka-young calmly walks out through the second door and beats him mercilessly in front of firefighters and villagers. No one knows how the fire extinguished itself so fast, but Iblis keeps telling everyone to let her finish hitting him. She orders him to repair her shop and goes home.
Later, Ka-young meets Min-ji for dinner, sticking to the routine she relies on. In a sobering moment, Ka-young reveals she plans to end her life once Pan-geum dies because she fears she won’t be able to function without her. She’s even bought a coffin-making business in preparation. Iblis listens invisibly, stunned by how bluntly she speaks about her future.
On the walk home, Ka-young hands Iblis a hairpin and tells him to wear it whenever he wants to be visible only to her. When he brings up the topic of wishes again, she finally demands to know why he is so desperate to kill her. He admits he needs to corrupt her quickly to complete his mission, the same way he has with thousands of humans before.
Surprisingly, Ka-young says she still believes humans aren’t all bad, all because Pan-geum raised her to see the good in people. Then Ka-young finally makes a deal. For her first wish, she commands Iblis to prove that humans are corrupt. He must grant the wishes of the first five people they meet that night. If more than three ask for selfish wishes, he wins. She even promises that if he wins, she’ll make her remaining wishes and allow him to kill her.
Iblis is completely thrown off by how casually she offers her life, but more than anything, he’s intrigued.
Perfect setup for the next episode.
DramaZen's Opinion
A Wild, Charming, and Totally Unpredictable Start
If the first two episodes of Genie, Make a Wish are any indication of what this drama has in store, we’re in for a wonderfully strange, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt ride. The show throws mythology, dark humor, small-town warmth, and supernatural chaos into a blender, and somehow it all works.
Episode 1 instantly hooks you with its dramatic origin story. We start with Iblis, a fiery ancient being with centuries of grudges and the patience of a toddler. His clash with the Supreme Being and his centuries-long obsession with revenge give the premiere a grand, almost cinematic opening. But the moment the story shifts to modern-day Korea and we meet Ka-young, the tone becomes grounded in a way I didn’t expect.
Ka-young is easily one of the most fascinating leads I’ve seen in a while. She’s a diagnosed psychopath who has worked her entire life to build routines and coping mechanisms, thanks to the constant guidance of her grandmother, Pan-geum. Their relationship is touching in a quiet, unconventional way. It gives the show a surprisingly warm emotional core.
The real fun begins when Ka-young accidentally frees Iblis while venting her rage in the desert. Their first encounter is chaotic, slightly dangerous, and hilarious. Ka-young doesn’t care about his tragic backstory, his brooding presence, or his 983 years of resentment. Iblis doesn’t know what to do with a human who isn’t impressed by him. Their dynamic is instantly addictive.
By Episode 2, the drama leans fully into its quirky tone. Iblis attempts to adjust to modern human society with the help of his ever-loyal servant Sade, who seems to be thriving more than any mythical being should. From nose-bumping the village chieftain to discovering soda and arcade games, Iblis’s learning curve is steep and endlessly entertaining.
Ka-young, meanwhile, continues to carry the emotional weight of the story. Her calm, blunt reactions to everything; from attempted murder to supernatural visitors, make her one of the most refreshing female leads in drama land. Episode 2 also reveals just how much she relies on routine to feel grounded, and the show handles her condition with sensitivity instead of stereotypes.
The highlight of these episodes is the push and pull between Ka-young and Iblis. He tries threats, manipulation, and dramatic schemes, while she responds with logic, indifference, and the occasional well-aimed punch. Their chemistry isn’t romantic (yet), but the tension is already electric in its own sharp-edged way. By the end of Episode 2, Ka-young challenges Iblis to a test of humanity, and it feels like the beginning of something much deeper.
What makes these episodes so enjoyable is how well the drama balances its tones. It’s supernatural without being overwhelming, funny without losing heart, and dark without slipping into hopelessness. The pacing is tight, the worldbuilding is intriguing, and the characters already feel layered.
If you’re looking for a drama that’s bold, surprising, and full of personality, Genie, Make a Wish is off to a fantastic start. Episodes 1 and 2 don’t just set the foundation, they light the spark. And with the way things are already escalating, I can’t wait to see how this explosive partnership evolves.
