REVIEW: ‘My Demon’ Episodes 3-4

In My Demon Episodes 3-4, shocking events shake up the foundation of the Mirae Group family. This forces chaebol heiress Do Do-hee (Kim Yoo-jung) to make serious decisions that will disrupt not only her life but also the life of demon-turned-bodyguard Jung Gu-won (Song Kang).

In My Demon Episode 3, we pick up where we left Do-hee previously. Gu-won accidentally protects her from a confirmed acid attack and heals himself by gripping onto her tattooed wrist, activating the powers associated. This further confirms that her life is still in danger, but also that the two cannot be separated. After a minutely ominous yet hilarious moment between Gu-won and a homeless woman (Cha Chung-hwa) in the police station, hinting at the demon’s newly vulnerable state, the pairing heads to Do-hee’s place.

Gu-won, suspecting that Do-hee’s continued existence is tied to his fate, escorts her home. A conversation springs between the two of them, with Do-hee suggesting that he become her bodyguard. The conceited demon declines but is brought to his senses the following day when his hands start to light on fire. In an act of sheer comedic silliness, actors Song Kang and Heo Jung-do as his confidant, Park Bok-gyu, properly freak out. It’s nice to see Song Kang, in particular, embrace a sillier side.

Needless to say, Gu-won offers himself up to be Do-hee’s bodyguard with some concessions, i.e., he has to take a soul ASAP. All this time, Do-hee has been sort of going on with Gu-won’s demon schtick but, pressed for time, Gu-won doesn’t think twice about taking advantage of a parent of a dying child in the hospital. It is when Do-hee is confronted with this scenario that she truly sees the horror Gu-won delivers in order to sustain himself. The site of the pleading mother and the dying child shocks Do-hee and leaves her shaken long after she emotionally parts ways with Gu-won.

After having the woman sign the contract, Gu-won’s hands stop burning. The connection to keeping him alive is fully restored; he’s on cloud nine. But his link to Do-hee may prove to be an impediment moving forward, particularly if the soul presented is just as emotionally stirring as the bond between a mother and child. In My Demon Episode 3, Do-hee’s scars are still raw from the death of her parents, and they will be ripped open completely due to her adopted mother, Ju Cheon-sook (Kim Hae-sook).

As seen previously, Cheon-sook is a morally dubious person. In Episode 3, Do-hee calls her to ask if there is anything going on at Mirae Group that might spark concern. With the suspicious death of an employee making headlines, Cheon-sook orders an audit to be conducted. This leads to a brief scene with a masked figure, presumed to be the killer that’s been after Do-hee, where the Chairwoman yells at him for the murder. An ominous shot of looking back into her office foreshadows her demise.

Both Do-hee and Gu-won accidentally run into the patient he saved in different capacities later on. For Gu-won, in his own way, he is checking in. The little girl is about to go outside to celebrate her tenth birthday. When asked if that is what she really wishes for, she tells him she wishes to not be a burden to her parents anymore, surprising him. For Do-hee, who has been distracted all day, she accidentally witnesses the little girl and her parents celebrating at the same restaurant. The two reunite when Do-hee returns to her office and leave together to head home. An ominous text from Cheon-sook changes things.

Initially dismissed as a joke, Do-hee redirects Gu-won to head to the Chairwoman’s house. The older woman looks like she is resting from behind, leaning against the tree. But the reality is far sadder. Discovering the chairwoman dead, Do-hee becomes desperate. It is from here onward that My Demon Episode 3 becomes a true highlight of actress Kim Yoo-jung’s emotional range as her handling of Do-hee’s grief is devastating.

We cut to the funeral, where Do-hee, Gu-won, and Do-hee’s close employees are the only ones who seem unhappy at Cheon-sook’s demise. Dismissed as a heart attack, Do-hee becomes overwhelmed by how cavalier and happy people seem to be and runs off to the greenhouse to collect herself. At first, the sanctity of the space is ruined by Noh Suk-min’s son, Noh Do-Gyeong (Kang Seung-ho), but Gu-won manages to salvage it by kicking him out and giving Gu-won space to grieve. This is a heartwarming moment between the two.

Everything gets shifted with two major reveals. One, it is revealed to the family that Cheon-sook’s death likely wasn’t an accident, and two, Cheon-sook has given ownership over the Mirae Group to Do-hee with the condition she marries within the year. Determined to solve the murder of her adopted mother, Do-hee accepts the condition and asks Gu-won to marry her. An exciting way to end My Demon Episode 3.

My Demon Episode 4 jumps immediately where we left off, with Gu-won delivering a swift and embarrassing rejection of Do-hee’s marriage proposal. While she’s left to shift through her whirlwind of emotions, her adoptive relatives, who have proven repeatedly that they view her poorly, do everything they can to prevent her from investigating Cheon-sook’s death, with the most immediate result being the cremation of her body. These actions only seem to set the stage for a major uphill battle for Do-hee.

Another player who seems to be flitting under the radar is Ju Seok-hoon (Lee Sang-yi), the only adoptive relative who seems to be friendly to Do-hee. They are close, with a visit to her home after the funeral proving the nature of their friendship. She trusts him enough to reveal her suspicions, but there’s still a boundary that she has between them. Given that the entire Mirae Group is suspect when it comes to Cheon-sook’s murder, I’d lump him in with them. But, based on his actions in My Demon Episode 4, he seems to be an ally for now.

But there is still someone gunning for Do-hee. Glimpses of the killer have appeared throughout My Demon Episodes 3-4, but in Episode 4, we see how he only springs to action once he receives a text from someone named Abraxis. Considering the biblical references made so far in My Demon, the moniker of Abraxis carries multifaceted meanings ripe for dissection. But until we see who identifies as that name, we can’t do a deep dive quite yet. Whoever it is, though, seems themselves above others.

With Gu-won acting as Do-hee’s bodyguard, Abraxis clearly wants him gone. Do-hee must be isolated. So, instructing the killer to go forth, the plan is set to take Gu-won out of the equation using a group of gangsters seeking revenge for a soul Gu-won took. This leads to a violent altercation towards the end of the episode that, upon Do-hee’s interference and statement of, “I’m my bodyguard’s bodyguard,” turns into a moment of suave romance and delightfully choreographed dance fighting.

The tango sequence in My Demon Episode 4 is a masterclass in logistical execution. Between the dance choreography, its fusion with fight moves, and the coordination of lighting matching with the beat they have, it all comes together to create a romantic moment that feels pulled from a webtoon. A perfect moment of shojo magic.

My Demon Episodes 3-4 easily build on the tension and suspense. In fact, it’s build-up is delicious. The bombshell death easily shakes things up and adds an extra layer of danger for Do-hee that heightens the stakes further. Actors Song Kang and Kim Yoo-jung have such great chemistry that it is hard not to believe their characters will inevitably end up together. With the threat of the killer still out there, as well as Gu-won’s slow spark of love building in him, the next couple of episodes are sure to continue that trend of intensity.

My Demon Episodes 1-4 are now available on Netflix, with new episodes airing on Fridays and Saturdays.