The finale of Netflix’s Genie, Make A Wish, left viewers with a swirl of emotions, questions, and heartbreak. Central to the ending is the fate of Iblis, the cursed genie, and Ka-young, the woman who becomes bound to him.
As per his deal with God, he had to prove humanity’s unworthiness by granting them three wishes each. However, while God agreed, he kept a condition that if he ever found somebody truly selfless, his fate would be worse than hell.
At the end of the series, when Ka-young finally calls him for her final wish, he is scared that she will make her last wish to be something selfish to save him from God’s punishment. However, unable to feel the full extent of her loss, she asks him to allow her to feel the full depth of human emotions, just for a single day before she dies.
This wish ultimately proves Iblis’ hypothesis right, and he is freed. But unable to kill the only woman he has ever loved, he humbles himself, eventually losing the bet. Ejllael then kills him while Ka-young wanders the desert and eventually perishes of a broken heart.
What is Ka-young and Iblis’ True Relationship?
At first glance, Iblis and Ka-young’s relationship is built on a classic genie-master dynamic: a deal struck between two desperate individuals. But as the series unfolds, their bond deepens into something far more intimate. What begins as a transactional relationship transforms into one built on trust, vulnerability, and ultimately, love.
Apparently, for years, Iblis’ theory about human greed was correct until he met a dying enslaved Goryeo girl who used all her wishes for others. This makes God lock Iblis in a lamp for over 1000 years. And when he is finally outside, he comes across Ki Ka-young, who is actually the reincarnation of the Goryeo girl.
Both of them had their memories wiped, but eventually remembered their past lives. Iblis realizes that the Goryeo girl didn’t die but survived and went on to become his love. But he eventually lost her after being forced to see her die by a man he had granted wishes to.
Why Did Iblis and Ka-young Have to Die?
Kim Woo Bin and Bae Suzy’s Iblis and Ka-young’s fate was intertwined due to the wish of Ka-young as a Goryeo girl in her past life. In her past incarnation, she had used her final wish to be that the Genie and she share the burden of suffering.
God answered their wish, but cruelly, as true suffering was falling in love and then witnessing their death. When Iblis’ true love, aka Ki-young’s past incarnation, died, he watched as nobody helped her save her. This incident convinced him that humans were truly selfish.
He then begged God to give him the chance to see her again. While he granted his wish, he erased his memories. Thus, they remained connected by the third wish, and their death was only fated.
The conclusion of Genie, Make A Wish is bittersweet. On one hand, it delivers closure: Iblis is finally freed from the torment of his cursed existence, and Ka-young finds peace beyond her earthly struggles. On the other hand, it denies the audience a traditional happy ending. Instead of escaping together, their story ends in sacrifice.
Thus, a reminder that love can change lives and leave a legacy beyond death, the series came to an end. What do you think about the overall ending: did you find it hopeful and poignant, or would you have liked a happier ending? Let us know in the comments below.
Genie, Make a Wish is now streaming on Netflix.
