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.
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.
Ha Rip is the manufactured identity of a failed, aging musician named Seo Dong-Cheon.
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!
Mo Tae-Kang is a human body possessed by the devil Ryu.
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.
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:
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.)
*K-dramas starring Park Sung-Woong:
Where to Watch: Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV
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.
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.
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
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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