Netflix dropped its first Korean young adult horror series If Wishes Could Kill on April 24, 2026. The show follows five high school students who download a wish-granting app called Girigo, only to learn that every wish comes with a deadly countdown timer.
While the cast includes many rising stars, viewers have spotted these actors in other popular K-dramas and movies. The eight-episode series has gained attention not just for its horror storyline but for its fresh young cast.
Jeon So-young Takes Her First Lead Role as Yoo Se-ah
Jeon So-young plays Yoo Se-ah, a track-and-field athlete who becomes the driving force trying to save her friends from the curse. Se-ah refuses to ignore the truth when her classmates start dying, putting herself in danger to uncover the app’s secrets.
Before landing her first major lead role in this Netflix series, Jeon appeared in several K-dramas. Viewers may recognize her from:
- Kick Kick Kick Kick (2025) – A sitcom where she played alongside co-star Baek Sun-ho as coworkers in the same company
- Honour (2025) – She played a mysterious woman who knows a big secret about a prostitution app
- Melo Movie (2025) – A Netflix drama where she appeared in a supporting role
- Beyond the Bar – Guest role as Lee Seo-yeong
Kang Mi-na Brings Experience from Popular Dramas
Kang Mi-na plays Lim Na-ri, the beautiful and popular “It Girl” of the school. Her character starts off not believing the app is dangerous, even as strange events unfold around her friend group.
Kang Mi-na started as a K-pop idol, having been a member of the girl group Gugudan. She won Best New Actress at the KBS Drama Awards in 2022 for her roles in Moonshine and The Law Cafe. Fans have seen her in:
- Welcome to Samdal-ri (2023-2024) – She played a single mother willing to sacrifice anything for her child
- Hotel del Luna – A fantasy drama where she appeared in a supporting role
- Cafe Minamdang (2022) – She played a character who secretly used to be a hacker
- Twelve and Love Untangled – More recent projects
Baek Sun-ho Moves from Supporting Roles to Lead
Baek Sun-ho plays Kim Geon-woo, Se-ah’s boyfriend who struggles between supporting her and trying to keep them both safe from the deadly app. His character adds emotional tension as he watches friends get pulled into the nightmare.
Baek Sun-ho started acting in 2023 and has built a steady resume:
- Kick Kick Kick Kick (2025) – Where he appeared with Jeon So-young before they starred together in this horror series
- Between Him and Her – His debut drama
- Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard – A thriller series
Hyun Woo-seok Plays the Tech Genius
Hyun Woo-seok plays Kang Ha-joon, the smart strategist and computer expert of the group. He uses his coding skills to figure out how the Girigo app works and looks for ways to break the curse.
Hyun Woo-seok has been acting since 2020:
- Cheer Up (2022) – He played a quiet university student who joins a cheerleading club
- Love Alarm – A popular Netflix romance series
- The Day I Died: Unclosed Case and Live On – Other drama appearances
- Nocturnal and 404 Still Remain – Recent film projects
Lee Hyo-je Brings the Most Acting Experience
Lee Hyo-je plays Choi Hyeong-wook, the class clown and first person to use the Girigo app. His wish triggers a domino effect that puts everyone in danger.
Lee Hyo-je has the longest filmography among the young cast, having started acting at age 10 in 2014:
- Taxi Driver – The hit action thriller series
- Concrete Utopia – A disaster film that won critical acclaim
- My Country: The New Age (2019) – A historical drama where he played a crown prince
- Toxic and Hunted – Recent films
Supporting Cast Adds Star Power
The series also features familiar faces in supporting roles.
Jeon So-nee plays Haetsal, Ha-joon’s sister who is a shaman living in a remote compound. Her character helps the students fight back against the supernatural curse. Jeon So-nee has appeared in:
- Parasyte: The Grey (2024) – She played a half-parasite fighting against the invasion
- Melo Movie (2025) – She played an elegant film scriptwriter
- As You Stood By and Encounter – Earlier drama roles
Roh Jae-won plays Bangwool, a shaman who lives with Haetsal and helps with rituals. Fans of Squid Game will recognize him as Nam-gyu from the second season. He has also appeared in:
- Made in Korea (2025) – A Disney+ series where he played a mysterious character
- Daily Dose of Sunshine (2023) – He played a patient with OCD who repeatedly fails the civil service exam
- Can This Love Be Translated? – A Netflix romance series
- He will also appear in All of Us Are Dead season 2
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Director Park Youn-seo Brings Horror Experience
Behind the camera, director Park Youn-seo helms the series. He previously served as second unit director on Kingdom Season 2 and co-directed the hit action drama Moving. This background in both historical horror and supernatural action shows in the way If Wishes Could Kill blends teen drama with genuine scares.
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