'If Wishes Could Kill' debuts at No. 1 in Korea with all-newcomer cast

A Netflix horror drama about five high school students ensnared by a death-predicting smartphone app debuted at No. 1 in South Korea and No. 3 worldwide on FlixPatrol just days after its April 25 premiere, the Korea Times reported.

The eight-episode series marks the directorial debut of Park Yoon-seo and introduces five unknowns in their first leading roles — a casting philosophy the director said was central to delivering what he called the show's authentic, fresh feel in a genre that typically favors established stars.

The series centers on Girigo, a wish-granting app that alerts a group of high school friends when one of them will die within 24 hours. Park, a newcomer to series directing, told the Korea Times he chose relative unknowns for all five lead roles to preserve what he described as the script's distinctive quality.

"I wanted to convey the script's unique and fresh flavor, and the actors were also part of delivering that experience," Park said during an interview at a café in Seoul's Jongno district, according to the Korea Times.

To distinguish the show from conventional horror, Park said he made a deliberate choice to portray violence without restraint. "I came to the conclusion that, to differentiate the drama from existing horror films that rely on jump scares, it needed to show violence vividly and directly to the audience," he said. The series carries an R rating for violent content. Park added that he took care in the staging so audiences would understand the brutality as the work of an outside force rather than the characters' own will.

Jeju Island shamanism runs through the series as a distinctly Korean counterweight to Western horror conventions — including serpent gods and traditional white paper ritual ornaments called "gime." "I wanted to add distinctly Korean details in a way that would feel fresh to overseas viewers," Park said, according to the Korea Times. Veteran performers Jeon So-nee and Roh Hae-won appear in supporting roles as a shaman couple named Haetsal and Bangwool.

Preparation was rigorous for the all-newcomer leads. Actor Lee Hyo-je gained 20 kilograms for the role of Hyeong-wook, while Jeon So-young cut her hair short and darkened her skin for her part as a track-and-field athlete. The cast performed without stunt doubles and frequently required makeup to cover bruises sustained during production, the Korea Times reported.

Park hinted at expansion beyond the current run, saying he is already developing stories centered on shamans and spirit-world journeys. "If 'If Wishes Could Kill' becomes a series, the most important goal would be to keep introducing new faces," he told the Korea Times. "I don't think there is anything more important than giving opportunities to those who long for one."

The series is now streaming on Netflix worldwide. FlixPatrol data cited by the Korea Times placed "If Wishes Could Kill" third globally as of the April 29 report, with its chart trajectory drawing comparisons to earlier breakout Korean genre titles.