My Demon (2023) Review: A Devil Loses His Touch

Is My Demon worth watching?

Yes. My Demon is a slick, charming fantasy romance that coasts a long way on the sparkle between its two leads, and its first half is among the most purely entertaining K-drama viewing of its year. Kim Yoo-jung and Song Kang turn a contract-romance premise into something playful and quick. The reservation is that the corporate intrigue and supernatural lore grow heavier as the series goes on, and the second half trades some of the fun for melodrama that does not always hold together.

What is My Demon about?

Jeong Gu-won is a centuries-old demon who makes deals with desperate humans and collects on them without a flicker of sympathy. He is vain, rich and entirely comfortable with what he is, until a chance entanglement with Do Do-hee, the cool, prickly heiress to a major conglomerate, leaves him without his powers. They seem to have passed to her. Do-hee, who has plenty of enemies inside her own family business, realises that a demon might make a useful bodyguard, and the two strike an uneasy arrangement that keeps them in close quarters.

My Demon is a South Korean series in Korean, written by Choi A-il and directed by Kim Jang-han. Kim Yoo-jung plays Do-hee, Song Kang plays Gu-won, and Lee Sang-yi and Kim Hae-sook head the supporting cast. This review covers the complete series: one season of 16 episodes, which aired from late 2023 into early 2024.

Chemistry that does the heavy lifting

The pairing is the reason to watch. Kim Yoo-jung plays Do-hee with a sharp, dry edge, a woman who expects betrayal and treats kindness with suspicion. Her timing in the bickering scenes is excellent, and she gives the character a loneliness that sneaks up on the comedy. Song Kang, meanwhile, leans into the demon’s vanity with a smirking, slightly camp confidence that makes his gradual loss of control both funny and oddly touching.

The fun comes from the reversal of power. A creature used to holding every card has to rely on a human he considers beneath him, and a woman used to being alone suddenly has an unwelcome, unkillable roommate. The early episodes milk that dynamic for all it is worth, with rapid-fire arguments and romantic tension that builds naturally out of irritation.

Style over substance, sometimes gloriously

My Demon looks expensive. The production design is sleek and moody, the costumes are high fashion, and the demon’s powers are rendered with a stylish, understated touch rather than overblown effects. The series is happy to linger on its beautiful people in beautiful rooms, and for a romantic fantasy, that is not a flaw.

The supporting cast gives the chaebol world some texture. Kim Hae-sook brings gravity as the head of Do-hee’s corporate family, and Lee Sang-yi is warm as a loyal friend who complicates the central relationship without becoming a simple rival.

Where the plot starts to tangle

The weaker elements arrive as the show piles on its mysteries. A corporate succession plot, questions about the past, and increasingly elaborate supernatural rules all compete for attention in the back half. The mood swings from breezy comedy to heavy melodrama, and some of the lore feels invented on the spot to justify fresh obstacles. Viewers who loved the banter of the early episodes may find the later ones heavier going than they bargained for.

Who should watch My Demon?

It suits K-drama fans looking for fantasy romance with a heavy dose of comedy, especially anyone already fond of either lead. At 16 hour-long episodes, it is a comfortable binge over a week or two. There is some violence, peril and brief darker material tied to the demon’s deals, but most of it is kept stylised.

If you enjoy it, try these next:

• Hotel Del Luna, for another supernatural romance built on a glamorous, centuries-old lead.
• Queen of Tears, a chaebol romance that mixes big comedy with bigger tears.
• Lovely Runner, for fantasy romance with a more sincere heart and a lighter touch.

The verdict

My Demon is a stylish, funny and genuinely romantic K-drama whose lead pairing makes even familiar contract-romance beats feel fresh. Its later episodes get tangled in lore and corporate intrigue, but the chemistry between Kim Yoo-jung and Song Kang carries it comfortably across its 16 episodes.

Rating: 4/5