Kim Woo-bin, Suzy reunite in romantasy

“This is a work that takes the familiar motif of a magic lamp and asks fresh questions.”

Actor Kim Woo-bin described the 13-episode Netflix series "Everything Will Be Alright" in this way. Other cast members echoed the sentiment. At a press conference held on Aug. 29 at a hotel in Gangnam, Seoul, actors Suzy, Ahn Eun-jin, Noh Sang-hyun, Go Gyu-pil, and Lee Joo-young collectively praised the script for being “fresh” and the premise for being “original.”

"Everything Will Be Alright" is the first new project from writer Kim Eun-sook since her global hit "The Glory" (2022–2023). The series draws inspiration from the universally familiar tale of “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp” from ""One Thousand and One Nights" and follows the genie (Kim Woo-bin), who returns to the human world after a thousand years, as he meets Ki Ga-young (Suzy) in a romantic comedy setting.

However, the drama diverges from the original story: the genie is depicted as a “Satan” figure, while Ga-young is portrayed as an emotionless psychopath. This sets the stage for witty dialogue characteristic of Kim’s writing, centered on the clash between the genie’s insistence, “Make a wish,” and Ga-young’s refusal, “I have no wish.” Suzy said, “I spent a lot of time thinking about how to deliver these fun lines naturally.”

The series stays true to the basics of romantic comedy while probing human nature. Kim Woo-bin said, “I initially read it as a light romantic comedy, but the story revealed unexpected depth. Through three wishes, it explores human desire, the meaning of love and friendship, and questions of good and evil.” Suzy added, “It’s a fantasy romantic comedy, but it’s also something you can watch with your family.”

The casting of Hallyu stars Suzy and Kim Woo-bin has drawn extra attention. The two reunite nine years after the 2016 drama "Uncontrollably Fond." Suzy said, “Meeting as completely new characters in a fresh project was so enjoyable that the nostalgia of our previous work didn’t linger. We could act together much more easily.” Kim Woo-bin added, “It felt as if we had met three years ago. Since we didn’t need time to get close on set, we could focus entirely on the project.”

The production also faced a midstream director change. Originally led by Lee Byung-heon, known for "Melo Is My Nature," he stepped down for personal reasons. Ahn Gil-ho, who had previously worked with Kim on "The Glory," took over. Kim Woo-bin said, “I wish we could have finished the project with the first director, but Ahn guided us very well.”


김태언 기자 beborn@donga.com