Genie, Make a Wish is a fantasy-romance drama written by Kim Eun-Sook, that centers on Iblis (played by Kim Woo-Bin), a genie (or lamp spirit) who must test humanity through three wishes to earn his freedom, and Ki Ka-Young (played by Bae Suzy), a woman described as lacking emotional capacity and detached from human sentiment.
From early press materials of Genie Make a Wish, Ka-Young is described as someone who “can’t feel guilt” and maintains a rigid, rule-driven life — traits that set her apart from others in the story. Meanwhile, Time’s explanation of the ending emphasizes that her emotional coldness is integral to the plot’s moral tests.
Given this setup, many viewers and media outlets frame her role with the label antisocial personality disorder and even call her a “proper psychopath.” But does her character realistically align with the clinical definition of that disorder?
Table of Contents
- What Bae Suzy and Publicity Say About Ka-Young’s Condition
- Antisocial Personality Disorder: Clinical Definition and Key Traits
- Is Antisocial Personality Disorder the Same as Psychopathy?
- Does Ka-Young’s Behavior Match the Clinical Profile of ASPD?
- Other K-Drama Characters Portrayed with ASPD or Psychopathic Traits
- How the Story Uses Ka-Young’s Emotional Condition
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Bae Suzy and Publicity Say About Ka-Young’s Condition
In a press event, Suzy openly described Ka-Young as having antisocial personality disorder, portraying her as emotionally detached and “born different.” She emphasized that her character lives by rules and routines — a contrast to dramatic portrayals of psychopaths as chaotic or violent.
In another interview, Suzy said that the “antisocial” aspect of Ka-Young’s behavior was one of the most compelling reasons she accepted the role. “She has antisocial personality disorder and is emotionally detached,” she remarked, calling the character fascinating.
News coverage also notes how Ka-Young is often described in promotions and press materials as “labeled as having antisocial personality disorder” and “devoid of emotion,” often raised under harsh, strict guidance from her grandmother and community.
These statements suggest that the creative team intentionally positions Ka-Young as a figure with disordered emotional traits. However, publicity and creative framing do not necessarily equate to a clinically accurate portrayal.
Antisocial Personality Disorder: Clinical Definition and Key Traits
To assess whether Ka-Young’s behavior matches the clinical picture, we need a grounded reference. According to the Mayo Clinic, antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a condition in which a person persistently shows disregard for the rights and feelings of others.
Typical features include lying, manipulation, recklessness, a lack of remorse, aggression, and violating laws or social norms.
The NCBI-StatPearls summary adds that ASPD is a pervasive, enduring pattern evident since childhood or adolescence, affecting interpersonal and occupational functioning.
In short: ASPD is more than emotional coldness. It involves chronic behavioral patterns such as deceit, manipulation, impulsivity, disregard for rules, and lack of remorse, all consistently over time.
Is Antisocial Personality Disorder the Same as Psychopathy?
No — though they are closely related in popular usage, psychopathy is not formally equivalent to ASPD.
Psychopathy is often considered a more severe or affective subtype of ASPD, emphasizing traits such as superficial charm, shallow affect, manipulativeness, and limited empathy.
Psychopathy is not a standalone diagnosis in the DSM-5. Rather, ASPD is the official clinical diagnosis, and psychopathy is conceptualized (in some models) as a specifier or set of traits within that broader category.
Thus, while people often use “psychopath” and “antisocial” interchangeably in media, technically psychopathy denotes a more extreme cluster of emotional and interpersonal traits layered on antisocial behavior — but not every person with ASPD is a psychopath.
Does Ka-Young’s Behavior Match the Clinical Profile of ASPD?
Looking at what is publicly known about Ka-Young and comparing it to the clinical ASPD criteria, several points emerge:
- Emotional detachment/lack of empathy: As evidenced in the show, Ka-Young is presented as unable to feel guilt or emotional warmth.
- Manipulation, deceit, or exploitation: So far, the narrative descriptions emphasize her rigid routines rather than deception or exploitation.
- Impulsivity and rule-breaking: Ka-Young is portrayed as disciplined and rule-bound, which contrasts with the impulsivity typically seen in ASPD. To help control her impulses, her grandmother, Oh Pan-Geum (played by Kim Mi-Kyung) has established rules for her to follow.
- Violation of rights/aggression: There is no prominent mention of her harming others or engaging in aggressive or antisocial acts in promotional summaries. But there have been tendencies that were noted when she was young.
- Lack of remorse or responsibility: While she is emotionally numb, there is no clear evidence that she repeatedly demonstrates a lack of remorse in the narrative. For example, she appears to have had enjoyed the kiss she shared with Ilbis.
- Chronic pattern beginning early in life: Her backstory hints at a lifelong emotional constraint and upbringing under strict rules, but the available texts don’t fully show a sustained pattern of harmful or antisocial behavior from youth onward.
In other words, while Ka-Young exhibits emotional numbness and detachment, she lacks several behavioral markers required for a full ASPD diagnosis. Her traits may align more with a thematic or symbolic depiction of emotional absence rather than true antisocial pathology.
Other K-Drama Characters Portrayed with ASPD or Psychopathic Traits
On that note, here are other K-drama characters who were depicted with ASPD or Psycopaths include:
- Ko Moon-Young (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay)
Often cited by fans and critics as having traits of antisocial personality disorder. She displays arrogance, emotional coldness, and a lack of empathy, though her behavior is rooted in trauma rather than pure malice. - Seo In-woo (Psychopath Diary)
A serial killer who hides behind a calm and intelligent persona. He shows classic psychopathic behaviors such as manipulation, deceit, and lack of remorse. - Jung Ba-Reum (Mouse)
Initially portrayed as a righteous police officer, his true identity and impulses reveal a chilling psychological complexity. His role explores how nature and nurture contribute to psychopathic tendencies. - Baek Hee-Sung (Flower of Evil)
A family man with a dark past who hides his identity and crimes with precision. His emotional detachment, deceit, and lack of remorse are consistent with traits of psychopathy, though his affection for his family adds nuance.
Note: These characters are not always clinically diagnosed in their stories, but they are written or interpreted in ways that align with some traits of ASPD or psychopathy: lack of remorse, manipulation, emotional detachment, violation of moral/social norms.
The depictions are dramatized for storytelling — often amplifying or simplifying traits that in real life are complex and varied. Many of these characters undergo arcs that explore their past, trauma, or emotional growth, which differentiates them from simply “evil for evil’s sake.”
How Genie Make a Wish Uses Ka-Young’s Emotional Condition
The conflict between Ka-Young and Iblis hinges on whether humans are inherently corruptible. Her emotional detachment becomes the test: if she remains uncorrupted, she wins.
The script sets up Ka-Young’s inability to feel as central to the moral stakes; her lack of empathy and guilt is more symbolic than pathological.
(SPOILER ALERT)
In the ending explainer, Ka-Young’s final wish is to feel emotions (particularly pain and loss), which leads to her transformation.
The emotional awakening acts as a narrative turning point, suggesting that what has framed her as an “antisocial figure” may be a mask to be shed rather than a fixed identity.
Thus, the drama seems to use the label antisocial personality disorder less as a clinical diagnosis and more as a storytelling device: a way to dramatize her emotional distance, contrast her with more human characters, and build tension around her emotional growth.
The surprise twist at the end proves that Ka-Young, in this lifetime, was genuinely unable to feel emotions but has long wondered what it would be like to be able to feel anything.
That twist reframes the story: what looked like a tragic ending becomes an immortal, intertwined rebirth—one that transforms despair into hope, and turns emotional absence into renewed connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who plays Ka-young and how is her personality described in Genie, Make a Wish?
Ka-Young is played by Bae Suzy, and she is portrayed as emotionally detached, unable to feel guilt, and living by strict rules to control her psychopathic tendencies.
What is the central moral test or conflict in Genie, Make a Wish?
The drama pits Ka-Young’s emotional numbness against Iblis’s challenge: she must prove whether humans are inherently corruptible. Her inability to feel and his cynical view of humanity become thematic battlegrounds in the story.
Does Genie, Make a Wish end as a tragedy or a happy ending?
Despite its tragic turns, the show’s ending is ultimately bittersweet and hopeful. Ka-Young dies but is reborn as a female genie, and Iblis is resurrected—allowing the two to reunite in an immortal life.
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