Netflix’s new fantasy novel Genius, do a wisdomh, starring Suzy and Kim Woo Bin, quickly climbed the charts but left audiences deeply divided. Written by famed screenwriter Kim Eun Sook, best known for Descendants of the Sun, Mr. Sunshine, and The Glory, the drama was expected to be another smash hit. However, although it rose to number 5 on FlixPatrol’s daily global chart within a day of release and subsequently rose to number 3, viewer reviews were surprisingly mixed.
On the one hand, many fans praised the long-awaited reunion of Suzy and Kim Woo Bin, who last worked together in the 2016 drama Uncontrollably Fond. Some scenes from the drama, including playful parodies of Kim Eun Sook’s past works such as Lovers in Paris, The Heirs and The Glory, have gone viral as memes, increasing its popularity online.
On the other hand, critics argue that the fantasy premise – which blends the love story of a psychopathic woman and a genie-like figure – with heavy-handed comedic elements fails to mesh seamlessly. The attempts to add emotional weight later in the story, especially after the death of the key character, feel jarring due to the previous sitcom-style humor. Some viewers admitted they were “confused by the sudden tonal shifts.”
The drama’s use of meta-humor also proved divisive. For example, Suzy’s character stops Kim Woo Bin from criticizing the plot of Lovers in Paris by exclaiming, “Hey! That writer is…!” While some found it clever, others thought it broke immersion and weakened the sincerity of the show.
Ultimately, Genie, Make a Wish proved to be one of Kim Eun Sook’s most polarizing projects to date, hailed by some as bold and creative, while by others dismissed as self-indulgent and distracting.
Sources: Daum
