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The South Korean drama The Witch, starring GOT7's Park Jin-young and Hierarchy actress Roh Jeong-eui, premiered its pilot episode on February 15, 2025, on Channel A.
This mystery romance series is adapted from Kang Full's webtoon Manyeo. The story follows Park Mi-jeong (Roh Jeong-eui), a young woman ostracized by her town and high school students due to a series of mysterious incidents that have led to the deaths or injuries of men who express interest in her.
As a result, the superstitious townspeople and her schoolmates have labeled her a "witch." Lee Dong-jin (Park Jin-young), a data analyst who once harbored feelings for Mi-jeong during high school, returns to the village after a decade. Upon learning of Mi-jeong's plight, he becomes determined to uncover the truth behind the tragedies and clear her name.
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The first episode introduces Mi-jeong's isolated life, highlighting the villagers' palpable fear and disdain toward her. Flashbacks reveal the series of unfortunate events that befell men who showed interest in her, reinforcing the "witch" stigma attached to her name. However, the reason for this phenomenon is yet to be unveiled in the upcoming episodes.
The Witch episode 1 concludes with Dong-jin meeting his childhood friend, Jung-hyeok, who is now a police officer. Dong-jin discusses with him a person being ostracized by society as a "witch" without any evidence. Jung-hyeok is confused listening to Dong-jin say things that don't make any sense. The episode ends with Dong-jin announcing his intention to help Mi-jeong.
The Witch episode 1 weaves Dong-jin and Mi-jeong's paths together after several years
The Witch episode 1 opens with Lee Dong-jin (Park Jin-young) navigating the opulent interiors of a bustling casino. As a data analyst, he meticulously observes and categorizes the patrons, providing insightful narration about the diverse clientele and their gambling behaviors.
His keen observations highlight his expertise in understanding customer patterns, a skill that has propelled his career in the competitive world of data analytics.
In a subsequent scene of The Witch episode 1, Dong-jin presents his findings to a prospective casino owner. He delivers a compelling presentation on strategies to enhance customer retention, emphasizing methods to encourage patrons to return despite previous losses.
His innovative approach underscores his proficiency in leveraging data to drive business success, positioning him as a sought-after consultant in the industry. After meeting with the casino owner, Dong-jin gets invited for dinner by his company CEO. However, he politely declines, stating he has to meet his childhood friend.
As he heads to the parking lot, he sees his car's window severely damaged. He goes to the nearby police station to file a complaint, where the detective shows him footage from his car's dashcam about a masked individual breaking Dong-jin's car window with a brick.
Meanwhile, two civilians seated behind Dong-jin start fighting at the police station. The Witch episode 1 takes a surprising turn as actors Ju Ji-hoon and Doctor Slump star Yoon Park make special appearances.
Light Shop star Ju Ji-hoon plays an unemployed neighborhood slacker, while Yoon Park portrays an ordinary office worker. They start brawling in front of the police, and Dong-jin realizes that they could be brothers. He tells one of the detectives that the two men seem to be connected and would not press any charges against each other.
When the detective asks the two men (Ju Ji-hoon and Yoon Park) about their relationship, they learn that they are brothers. Immediately, their mother arrives at the police station and hilariously slaps both her sons on the back and apologizes to the police officers for the hassle.
Following this, the detective tells Dong-jin that they will look into the suspect who damaged his car. After leaving the police station, Dong-jin reaches a small shop where he is supposed to meet his friend.
Dong-jin calls his friend, Jung-hyeok, who is now a police officer. Jung-hyeok tells him that due to an emergency police investigation, he cannot meet him for dinner. Dong-jin tells him that they can meet some other time. After having dinner all alone, Dong-jin takes the subway home.
In the subway, he overhears a drunk man confessing his love to another woman, who stands there with evident discomfort. The woman turns around and asks the man to stay away from her. Dong-jin realizes that it is Mi-jeong from his high school.
This chance meeting triggers vivid flashbacks to their high school days, where Mi-jeong was an outcast due to pervasive rumors branding her as a "witch." The student body believed that any male who interacted with her would suffer misfortune, leading to her social isolation.
In one poignant flashback in The Witch episode 1, a compassionate male student offers Mi-jeong his umbrella on a rainy day, an act of kindness that stands out amidst the ostracism she faces. Tragically, shortly afterward, the boy is struck by lightning and dies, an incident that the superstitious community attributes to Mi-jeong's alleged curse.
Months later, another male student is seen conversing with her at school. Soon after, he suffers a fatal accident when an electrical wire from a transmission tower short-circuits and strikes him. These successive tragedies reinforce the fear and suspicion surrounding Mi-jeong, further entrenching her status as a pariah.
The same day, Dong-jin watches Mi-jeong walk out of the school from his classroom window. He realizes that Mi-jeong felt guilty about the deaths and hence chose to disappear in the middle of the semester. The Witch episode 1 shifts back to the present, where Dong-jin follows Mi-jeong outside the subway train.
As he follows her along the alleyways, he overhears Mi-jeong talking to two cats about her life as she feeds them. Dong-jin finds out Mi-jeong has been isolating herself from everyone to prevent the deaths of those around her.
The next day in The Witch episode 1, Dong-jin is then shown at his workplace, reflecting on Mi-jeong and her despairing state of loneliness. He looks for the inebriated man from the subway who spoke with Mi-jeong.
A video clip pops up on the internet that shows that right after Mi-jeong got off the subway train, the man had a cardiac arrest and died on the spot.
Dong-jin is shocked to see history repeat itself, however, he is adamant about finding the truth behind Mi-jeong's curse. This revelation sets the stage for a deeper exploration in the upcoming episodes of The Witch into the true cause of the tragedies and the unveiling of hidden motives within the town.
As The Witch progresses, viewers can anticipate a deepening of the central mystery, with twists and revelations challenging preconceived notions about fate, superstition, and societal prejudice. The Witch prompts reflection on how communities treat those who are different and the consequences of unfounded biases.
Directed by Kim Tae-gyun, The Witch is a collaborative project between Showbox and Mr. Romance Co. The series is slated for 10 episodes, airing every Saturday and Sunday at 21:15 (KST) on Channel A. International viewers can stream the drama on Viki and Viu in selected regions.
