The Korean romantic fantasy drama "Genie, Make a Wish" has surged to the number one position on Netflix's weekly global non-English series chart, marking a significant achievement for the streaming platform's latest Korean original production. The series made an impressive leap from its initial fifth-place debut to claim the top spot, accumulating 8 million views during the week ending October 12.
The 12-episode Netflix original series premiered on October 3 and tells the enchanting story of Ga-young, portrayed by popular actress Bae Suzy, a woman struggling with antisocial personality disorder whose mundane life becomes extraordinary through an unexpected encounter. The plot takes a magical turn when Ga-young accidentally awakens a powerful genie, played by Kim Woo-bin, who has remained in deep slumber for an entire millennium buried in the vast deserts of Dubai. As part of their mystical agreement, the ancient genie offers to grant Ga-young three wishes in exchange for his long-awaited freedom from his desert prison.
The series boasts an impressive creative team led by renowned screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, who has established herself as one of South Korea's most celebrated television writers. Kim Eun-sook's impressive portfolio includes a remarkable string of international mega-hit series that have captivated audiences worldwide, including the beloved "Secret Garden" which aired in 2010, the popular "Heirs" from 2013, the globally acclaimed "Descendants of the Sun" in 2016, and the fantasy romance masterpiece "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," also known as "Goblin," which ran from 2016 to 2017.
The production experienced a significant behind-the-scenes change when director Ahn Gil-ho stepped in to helm the project after the departure of the originally attached director Lee Byeong-heon. Ahn Gil-ho brings considerable expertise to the series, having previously directed the critically acclaimed and internationally successful Netflix series "The Glory." Meanwhile, Lee Byeong-heon, who left the project, is well-known in the Korean entertainment industry for directing the box office phenomenon "Extreme Job" in 2019, as well as the quirky Netflix series "Chicken Nugget" which was released in 2024.
