REVIEW: ‘My Demon’ Episodes 1-2

For fans of Song Kang, there’s plenty to keep our eyes on this holiday featuring him as one of the leading players, including the new season of Sweet Home. But, if you’re not into scary monsters, blood, and all that noise, there’s the new supernatural romance drama My Demon, which promises intrigue, romance, and a familial corporate power struggle ala Succession. In My Demon Episodes 1-2, viewers are introduced to the cast of characters and are shown the stakes for both chaebol heiress, Do Do-hee (Kim Yoo-jung), and demon, Jung Gu-won (Song Kang).

My Demon Episode 1 starts with  the meaning of the word ‘demon’ and how the role of a demon has changed over time. Once considered guardians, it’s clear that the relationship between demons and humans changed into something far more sinister. We see this through the demon, Jung Gu-won, whose name Gu-won means salvation. Ironic, no? We learn quickly that he can easily walk into holy places unscathed and how easily he preys on people’s fears. Their fear leads to his inevitable soul-binding contracts, after all.

We jump forward to the present day where Jung Gu-won is still collecting souls. That’s his sole purpose in life. But, as viewers and himself will discover, his life is about to change when he accidentally comes face-to-face with Mirae F&B CEO Do Do-hee. Do-hee is the presumed successor of the Mirae Group, created and owned by her adopted mother, Je Cheon-sook (Kim Hae-sook). However, she has enemies everywhere who seek to take the throne, creating an environment for her that leads to a lack of trust in everyone in her life except Cheon-sook.

The wheels of fate turn for both Do-hee and Gu-won when a matchmaker’s mistake leads Do-hee to the wrong restaurant for a blind date. The only one present is Gu-won. Putting two and two together, she presumes that he is the blind date. In this moment, we establish both characters’ personalities and the fact that both are similar in their abrasive stubbornness and conceit. We learn in Episode 2 though that Do-hee is also incredibly stressed. Both are used to being in control, putting them at odds upon first meeting.

In a deliciously edited sequence, we are able to get a more humor-filled look at Gu-won’s abilities when a bunch of thugs crash the “date.” This is both a glimpse into the comedy actor Song Kang will be indulging in this series as well as a chance to demonstrate what all demon powers can do when face-to-face with assailants. At the end of all of it, Gu-won and Do-hee – now conveniently returned from the bathroom – part ways, with the two not expecting to see each other again. Alas, fate has other plans.

After learning one of her relatives is scheming to ruin Mirae F&B, Do-hee receives a mysterious call from a Mirae Group accountant that indicates he has intel that’d make her the head of the Mirae Group with no problems. However, he is quickly dispatched not long after by a mysterious assailant. Do-hee ends up getting trapped by him after a wild goose chase to confront her relative has her waiting on a beach. Masquerading as a rideshare driver, it’s too late when Do-hee catches on that something is amiss. Pointing the blame for her kidnapping on her adopted mother Cheon-sook, he thinks he has the upper hand until Do-hee catches him off guard.

In an undisclosed location, Gu-won senses someone in great distress, leading him to assume they’d make a good victim for a soul-binding contract. This has him come face-to-face with a desperate Do-hee, who agrees to whatever he wants. But, before they even sign anything, the mysterious killer (Kim Seol-jin) creeps out Gu-won enough to have him take action. This leads to off-camera style violence, but it seems to end with Gu-won subduing the killer before trying to negotiate a deal with Do-hee.

Unfortunately for them, the killer is very much alive and tries to run them off the road before the two plunge into the ocean. Do-hee tries to swim away but her conscious doesn’t enable her to leave an unconscious Gu-won behind. Whatever happens, whether due to her selflessness or the powerlessness of Gu-won in this situation, the tattoo on his wrist that gives him his power mysteriously transfers over to her. It is this discovery at the end of My Demon Episode 1 that sets up the stakes for Gu-won in Episode 2.

Much of My Demon Episode 2 focuses on Gu-won hilariously realizing in a multitude of ways how powerless he is without his tattoo. Many moments featuring actor Song Kang alongside actor Heo Jung-do, portraying Gu-won’s secretary Park Bok-gyu, add moments of levity while also showcasing a lighter side to Kang’s acting. Generally, I associate him with more reserved roles, though his portrayal of Park Jae-eon in Nevertheless highlights a more playful side. Either way, it’s nice to see this more comedic silly side to his acting repertoire.

While Gu-won is figuring out his life, Do-hee finally nails down relative Noh Su-ahn (Lee Yoon-ji), Cheon-sook’s biological daughter and CEO of Mirae Apparel. Do-hee offers her a deal to either fix the situation surrounding her smear campaign or Do-hee will release blackmail material of Su-ahn’s affair to the public. Needless to say, Su-ahn scrambles to try to fix what she’s done but there’s further bad blood between the two as a result.

Bad blood seems to be the name of the game for Do-hee in My Demon Episode 2, and it may all connect back to her adopted mother, who has secrets of her own. In a flashback sequence we see Cheon-sook at the scene of Do-hee’s parents’ accident, implicating at least that she might have been involved. This might also be why is now in the crosshairs of this mysterious killer, who’s revealed to be using makeup to disguise himself between each killing he does. Whomever this guy really is, he’s dangerous and has a taste for blood.

Eventually, it becomes clear that the only way Gu-won is going to be able to use his powers is if he is in direct proximity to Do-hee. The audience also catches glimpses of this every time he grabs Do-hee’s newly tattooed wrist. This sets up an interesting dilemma, particularly for Gu-won who has to net a certain amount of souls or else risk spontaneous combustion. It is likely to result in a further comedy of errors moving forward in My Demon, but it’s already proving to be hilariously executed so far.

My Demon Episode 2 ends by setting up further stakes. The murdered accountant is discovered, leading to Do-hee getting distracted in public. Fast clips highlighting each one of the Mirae Group family members, including the presumably friendly CEO of Mirae Investment, Ju Seok-hoon (Lee Sang-yi), who seems to fixate on the tie Do-hee previously helped him with. None of them appear to be trustworthy and all are potential suspects in her current attempted murder situation. This becomes further compounded by a cyclist drive-by attempted acid attack, but Gu-won is there conveniently on time. With the two of them face-to-face and inexplicably tied together by fate, My Demon Episode 2 ends with an expectation of what’s to come.

My Demon Episodes 1-2 sets up the stakes easily, while also leaning into its comedic undertone right off the bat. With actor Song Kang firing on all cylinders in his mischievous take on this demon character, this marks a slight change of pace from what viewers might expect from him. As for the mystery at hand, there’s a lot to work with here. So long as the story doesn’t get sidetracked by multiple different plots, My Demon stands a chance at strong storytelling.

My Demon is streaming now on Netflix.