Dubai features as a backdrop in Genie, Make A Wish. The K-drama, a fantasy series starring South Korean actors Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy, is set to premiere on October 3 on Netflix.
The trailer, which runs just under two minutes, shows the pair against a range of Dubai settings. Sweeping desert dunes open the scene before shifting to Madinat Jumeirah, where Suzy's character is seen walking past souq-style architecture and a traditional tram.
The characters are also shown dining at a chic beachfront restaurant, while Dubai’s modern skyline makes a dramatic appearance through shots of Sheikh Zayed Road as does the illuminated facade of the city's Museum of the Future.
It is not yet clear how central Dubai will be to the storyline. Netflix describes the series as a romance, with the synopsis: “After a millennium, a flamboyant genie returns to grant wishes to a stoic woman. Can his magic turn her routine-bound world into one of love and fantasy?”
This is not the first time a K-drama or film has used the UAE as a backdrop. Parts of the SBS drama Man Who Dies to Live (2017) were also shot in the emirate’s desert, while action film Confidential Assignment 2: International (2022) included sequences filmed in the UAE.
Hollywood has also made use of the UAE’s landscapes and cityscapes. Earlier this week, it was announced that Dune: Part Three will return to the Liwa Desert to film later this year, while films such as Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and 6 Underground (2019) are among those to shoot in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The UAE capital also had a starring role in F1 The Movie, which was released in June. Starring Brad Pitt, key scenes in the film were shot at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit during the Grand Prix in 2023 and 2024.
