According to Netflix statistics, the Korean drama "If wishes could kill" (Vietnamese title: Điều ước đoạt mạng) recorded 2.8 million views after only 3 days of release, ranking in the top 4 global charts for non-English programs and top 10 in 37 countries, including South Korea, Mexico, India, Thailand...
On the FlixPatrol analysis platform, the work also rose to the top 1 in Korea and top 3 globally, thanks to its positive word-of-mouth effect.
Belonging to the horror - school genre, the movie "If wishes could kill" tells the story of a group of high school students being drawn into a mysterious application capable of predicting and manipulating death through wishes. In the journey to escape the curse, the characters constantly face a life-and-death choice, where each decision entails irreversible consequences.
Korean media commented that, unlike many works on the same topic such as "All of us are dead" or "Duty after school", the movie "If wishes could kill" does not exploit the elements of zombies or monsters, but focuses on the typical spiritual elements of Korea such as sorcerers, destiny and rituals.
The combination of mystery material with school setting and technology elements (mobile applications) helps the film create a new approach, while directly reflecting the worries and aspirations of teenagers.
Instead of relying on unexpected scare phases, the work builds tension through choice and consequence structures. Characters are pushed into awkward situations, where their own actions become the cause of tragedy, thereby creating a prolonged feeling of suspense.
One of the notable points of the film is the use of a cast of young, less famous actors such as Jeon So Young, Kang Mina, Baek Sun Ho, Hyun Woo Seok and Lee Hyo Je. Not depending on the attraction of stars, the film creates a realistic feeling when putting new faces at the center of the story.
According to director Park Yoon Seo, the selection of actors is intended to retain the "fresh feeling" of the script. "I want the actors to contribute to conveying the most authentic experience to the audience" - he shared.
To prepare for the role, young actors also showed investment. Jeon So Young cut her hair short, dyed her skin to play the athlete, while Lee Hyo Je gained 20 kg and Baek Sun Ho underwent in-depth dance training to convincingly portray scenes of being "possessed by ghosts". Many action scenes were also filmed live, without using stuntmen.
In addition, the appearance of experienced actors such as Jeon So Nee and Noh Jae Won as the sorcerer couple contributes to expanding the depth of the story, while bringing the film beyond the school framework to approach the mysterious element more clearly.
Notably, the director also uses many visual techniques to enhance viewer experience, creating the feeling of participating in a first-person horror game.
According to the production crew, the goal of the film is not only to create fear, but to build a story with depth, where violence is expressed as a consequence of external impacts, instead of originating from the character's nature.
In addition, with initial positive achievements, the movie "If wishes could kill" is also a stepping stone, opening up opportunities for young actors in the Korean film industry.
