“When the Devil Calls Your Name” is a 2019 Korean drama, 16 episodes, categorized as Melodrama, Fantasy, Supernatural, Dark Comedy, and Music. It is streaming on Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV. Inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust”.
- Memorable Quote: “The grand prize goes to Ha Rip. He wrote and composed. Congrats!”
SUMMARY: A struggling musician sells his soul to the Devil for fame, only to face the consequences when his contract nears its end. As he seeks redemption, he uncovers the devastating impact his deal had on an unsuspecting young artist whose stolen talent fueled his success.
♦ I Don’t Want Struggle. I Want Success!
In “When the Devil Calls Your Name”, Ha Rip, a once-struggling musician, makes a desperate deal with the devil. In exchange for fame, youth, and creative brilliance, he surrendered his soul—an arrangement that has fueled his meteoric rise as one of the industry’s most celebrated composers.
Who is Ha Rip / Seo Dong-Cheon?
Ha Rip is the manufactured identity of a failed, aging musician named Seo Dong-Cheon.
- Seo Dong-Cheon is the man’s original identity: a 56-year-old, unsuccessful singer who never achieved fame.
- After selling his soul to the devil, he is transformed into Ha Rip, a young, successful, handsome star composer with hit songs and industry prestige.
Ten years later, as the expiration date of his infernal contract approaches, Ha Rip faces the terrifying reality that the devil has come to collect.
The devil is no doubt used to this “typical” reaction of soul sellers. It’s all good until it’s time to PAY UP!
Who is Mo Tae-Kang / Ryu?
Mo Tae-Kang is a human body possessed by the devil Ryu.
- Ryu is the actual devil who made the contract with Seo Dong-Cheon.
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To move around in the human world, Ryu possesses the body of Mo Tae-Kang, a top actor.
Mo Tae-Kang is charismatic, cunning, and unpredictable. But it’s not really him. It’s Ryu, inside of him. Ryu especially loves to toy with Ha Rip’s desperation. Mo Tae-Kang’s dual identity ~ celebrity on the outside, demonic force on the inside ~ creates complications in the entertainment world, especially for Ji Seo-Young, the sharp and ambitious CEO of Soul Entertainment. Ji Seo-Young’s professional entanglements with both Ha Rip and Mo Tae-Kang place her at the crossroads of human ambition and supernatural manipulation. Talk about complicated chaotic confusion.
Didn’t You Know That It Was Never Your Talent?
Ha Rip’s life was built on borrowed talent and stolen fortune. But he didn’t know the devil’s deal was tied to Kim Yi-Kyung, a young singer-songwriter. While Ha Rip was enjoying his meteoric rise, Kim Yi-Kyung suffered misfortune and a stalled career. Kim Yi-Kyung, completely unaware of the supernatural forces shaping her life, presses on and never gives up. She struggles through hardship after hardship, clinging to her passion for music despite constant setbacks. Her quiet resilience stands in stark contrast to Ha Rip’s glamorous but hollow existence.
It only took a decade, but Ha Rip finally develops a conscience. Ha Rip attempts to renegotiate his fate. The K-drama explores universal questions:
- What is the true cost of success?
- Can redemption be earned after causing harm?
- Is talent something that can be owned, borrowed, or stolen?
But the most important question: Can you renegotiate your contract with the devil?
Ryu gave Ha Rip 3 months to find a substitute to take his place. (At least, that’s what he told him.)
Main Characters:
- Ha Rip / Seo Dong-Cheon (played by Jung Kyoung-Ho, “Pro Bono”, “Oh My Ghost Clients”, “Crash Course in Romance ”, “Hospital Playlist 1 and 2”, “Missing Nine”, “Princess Ja-Myung”)
- Mo Tae-Kang / Ryu (played by Park Sung-Woong*)
- Kim Yi-Kyung (played by Lee Seol, “The Husband”, “The Divine Fury”)
- Ji Seo-Young (played by Lee El, “Queen Mantis”, “Following”, “Battle for Happiness”, “Yaksha: Ruthless Operations”, “My Liberation Notes”)
*K-dramas starring Park Sung-Woong:
- The Killing Vote
- Bloodhounds
- Unlock My Boss
- East of Eden
- Rugal
- The Wild
- Hundred Million Stars From the Sky
- Man to Man
- Glory Jane
- Remember: War of Son
- OK! Madam
- The Dude In Me
- Love, Lies
- Monstrum
- The Fatal Encounter
- The Swindlers
- A Head Coach’s Turnover
- Cabbage Your Life
Where to Watch: Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV
Viewership and Rating:
- IMDb: 7.3 out of 10 stars
- My Drama List: 7.9 out of 10 stars
- Dramabeans: 6.7 out of 10 stars
- Letterboxd: 3.5 out of 5 stars
My personal rating is the same as Letterboxd.
“When the Devil Calls Your Name” has a universal theme. At least, I’ve heard many celebrities say they sold their soul for fame and fortune. The series balances humor, heartache, and philosophical depth, making it a standout entry in fantasy/supernatural K-dramas. You will probably enjoy the series, but even if you don’t, you will love the music.
NOTES About Goethe’s “Faust”:
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s “Faust” is a classic German tale about a brilliant scholar who, frustrated by the limits of human knowledge, makes a pact with the Devil for unlimited experience and worldly pleasure. Guided by Mephistopheles, Faust’s journey becomes a moral struggle between desire and redemption, ultimately reflecting humanity’s eternal search for meaning and fulfillment. It is one of the most influential works in Western literature—a poetic and dramatic exploration of human ambition, desire, and moral struggle.
LINKS OF INTEREST:
Stolen dreams and brutal honesty in tvN’s When the Devil Calls Your Name | Dramabeans
Final Review: When the Devil Calls Your Name. | The Cat That Watches TV
TRAILER/TEASER:
Ani-Hongo. “When the Devil Calls Your Name (2019) – Trailer.” YouTube, 26 Nov. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dlBO-bw3MU.
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