130

I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 3-4

Hi, Yoo Seung-ho. Aside from the honest joy of a show where the name of the game is not to break the cuties, I’m really enjoying its happy energy. Isn’t it so fun to see a smirky wicked Yoo Seung-ho, emotionally hapless (and non-psychopathic) yet still enigmatic Eom Ki-joon, and dual-identity Chae Soo-bin as inventor-slash-fauxbot? I mean, why would you not watch this?

 
EPISODE 3: “I can do many things for you”

The Santa Maria teammates snap nervously at each other while they connect to Jia’s wifi. Meanwhile, Min-kyu greets his new arrival: “Hi, Aji-3.”

Jia opens her eyes and begins her scripted greeting, “I love you, Master,” but leaps back screaming when she recognizes him as the guy who ripped her off, much to Min-kyu’s own shock.

Eyeing her warily, he phones Baek-gyun and reports Jia’s rude exclamations. Thanks to quick-thinking Pi, Baek-gyun spins it as an operational glitch, “friend mode,” and advises a reboot.

The rest of the team is convinced that Min-kyu’s too smart to buy it, but what he’s really outraged at is the robot’s presumption to friendship. Jia only manages to master her own temper by reminding herself of the money.

Pressing the power button at the back of her neck, Min-kyu starts again: “Hi, Aji-3.” This time, she responds according to script, but he deducts points for her faulty startup. In the van, Hok-tal and Ssan-ip are amazed that Min-kyu bought their deception, but Baek-gyun explains that it would simply not occur to him that the robot wasn’t a robot.

Oh no, the electricity suddenly cuts out, severing their connection with Jia. She’s left in confusion as her retina display disappears. To make matters worse, Min-kyu decides to administer a test of her hardware abilities and issues increasingly complex commands.

Jia struggles to keep up. She totters on one foot, sure that any second he’ll realize the ruse. But Min-kyu only announces his disappointment and deducts more points. As soon as his back turns, Jia snarls silently at him, ha.

Baek-gyun despairs over the fact that their fate rests in the hands of someone with an IQ of 94, which makes Pi wince. Okay geniuses, enough IQ hate.

Min-kyu next gives her three minutes to complete a bunch of complicated calculations which will tell her the combination code to unlock a box. After a moment of panic, Jia smashes through the box with her bare hands and proudly presents him with the egg she finds inside. Ha!

He marvels at her direct problem-solving ability and is even more impressed when she cracks it on her head and hands it to him all peeled. Jia laments inside that the first person who ever called her smart is such a lunatic.

With an hour to go, the team frets about what’s going on inside. Luckily, Jia was already coached for the foreign language test earlier, and she cheerfully explains that there’s currently an error in that part of her software.

Unimpressed, he next tests her internet search skills by asking her for the serial number of one of his collected action figures. Recognizing it immediately as the one she secured for him the day before, she’s able to rattle off its details to an impressive degree, while inwardly cursing him for not paying her for it. Lol, how she keeps scowling at him when he’s not looking.

 

Watch the scene

The robot has a very human outburst

 
Min-kyu concedes her searching ability is top-notch, then starts to eye her suspiciously. Jia’s outraged to find him staring at her chest, which he notes is bigger than it was the day before. He wants to open her up to check the battery pack, and extends his hand to her chest…

At the warehouse, Baek-gyun sags in relief as Pi gets the electricity back. They go live again—right in time to hear Jia release a volley of creative curses at Min-kyu, who’s shocked speechless. Baek-gyun drops to his knees in horror, and is barely able to answer when Min-kyu phones.

“Who are you trying to deceive right now?” Min-kyu demands. But they’re surprised when he accuses Baek-gyun of using cheap batteries, making Aji-3’s chest swell up. Min-kyu yells that she might even explode.

Thanks to Pi, Baek-gyun manages to stutter out that he upgraded Aji-3’s battery pack, and warns Min-kyu not to touch her chest. Jia watches incredulously as Min-kyu also complains about the robot switching back to Friend Mode. Baek-gyun tells him a voice command to return to Operation Mode is sufficient at this point.

Hanging up, Min-kyu wonders aloud why being cursed out by a robot felt kind of stimulating. It’s because you’re such a moron, Jia thinks. He orders her back to Operation Mode, but is interrupted by a call from Jin-bae (aka Jia’s brother), the manager of KM Financial’s research team.

Jin-bae reports that he’s discovered the head of the Social Contribution Team embezzling company funds. Min-kyu demands the embezzler’s resignation, threatening lawsuit otherwise. There’s one more person he wants to sue, he adds fiercely—the scammer who stole his necklace.

Jia freezes on hearing that. Still muttering angrily, Min-kyu turns his attention back to her, this time with an “ethics test.” He describes a thief who stole his necklace and asks if he should throw her in jail or forgive her once he gets his necklace back.

The real Aji-3 feeds Jia a law-code-based answer that favors Min-kyu, but Jia overrides the cue and says the thief should be given the benefit of the doubt. Startled, Min-kyu argues that the robot should be taking her master’s side.

“But my master could be wrong. Isn’t that so, Master?” she asks brightly. Scowling, he swallows a handful of pills, but suddenly starts choking on them. His struggles to clear his airways are futile, and he drops to the floor.

Jia runs to him even as Baek-gyun tells her to stay out of it. She thumps Min-kyu on the back until he coughs up the offending pills. Genuinely concerned, she asks if he’s okay, stroking his back soothingly.

Still on his knees, he looks at her with astonishment. Via Jia’s retina display, Aji-3 fails to decipher Min-kyu’s expression, but Jia is able to pass her action off as a learned emergency medical response. If trained well, she promises, she can do many things for him.

 

Watch the scene

Min-kyu is stunned when Jia saves him

 

Wordlessly, he extends a single finger towards her, ET-like… and with a smile, Jia claps both her hands around his, skin to skin. He stares in wonder at their touching hands.

Jia and the mobile team return to the warehouse lab, where the others review her offline footage with a collective wince and Baek-gyun upbraids her about how she handled everything. Pretty damn well, if you ask me.

But his rain of criticism goes on and he accuses her of being empty-headed and thoughtless. Hurt crosses Jia’s face, and she recalls a similar scolding from him in the past. Rising, she says a cheerful goodbye to the team, and coldly tells Baek-gyun to change the robot’s face immediately. He snipes childishly back, but she leaves without a backward glance.

On her way home, she tells herself it’s worth it for the ten million won.

Baek-gyun fumes to himself that she’s exactly the same, always leaving after provoking him. He remembers their break-up: Over sandwiches, she’d simply said, “Let’s break up,” and left. It’s clear she’s upset, but it looks like he never noticed that. All IQ, no EQ, it seems. He sighs heavily.

The next day, KM Financial CEO Yoo-chul meets the foreign buyer for the Santa Maria team and tells him the contract’s ready. But Min-kyu calls to tell him he’s nixing the sale, deriding Yoo-chul’s ability to handle the matter.

Jia treats her niece and sister-in-law to a dinner of prime beef, explaining that she came into some money and can pay back her loan, too. Her sister-in-law suddenly remembers a necklace she found in Jia’s laundry, and Jia grabs it, horrified that she had it after all. Ha!

Min-kyu continues marveling over his unmarked hand. His reverie is broken by a video message sent by Jia, which shows a hammer poised above his necklace.

For all her threatening video, Jia’s carefully packing the necklace up to send him. When he calls, she haughtily tells him to apologize for how he treated her if he wants it back. He scoffs that she even lied about stealing it, and says that if she destroys it, he’ll go to the ends of the earth to make her pay.

Jia unleashes another string of curses, calling him noodle-brained and mistrustful. She scorns him for twisting the situation, clarifying that she didn’t realize she had it, but now she’s contacting him to return it. But… you sent him a threatening video? Can’t blame the boy for misunderstanding, lols.

She snipes that he must not have friends, and he shoots back that he prefers robots to people—which she totally takes personally. “What can that robot do that I can’t?” she yells, before catching herself. Ha! She quickly covers by telling him to send her his address, and Min-kyu’s left fuming.

At the lighting workshop, Jia tests out her heart-lamps, and as she lays her hands on one lamp, the second lights up. Success! She squeals with joy about finally being able to submit her invention in the competition.

Min-kyu thinks of his brush with death earlier. “Is a robot my lifesaver now?” he asks, laughing to himself a little. As he scratches his back, he’s struck by a fantasy of Aji-3 being his personal backscratcher. In fact, everywhere he looks, he blissfully imagines the smiling robot, and remembers her promise that she could do many things for him.

“That’s right. Training a robot… shall I give it a shot?” he asks himself, grin widening.

 
EPISODE 4: “Welcome to my home”

Baek-gyun is alarmed to hear that the special part they’d ordered for Aji-3 was mistakenly sent to Africa and is now at least five days away. At that inopportune moment, Min-kyu calls him. Impressed with the robot, he proposes taking Aji-3 for the month of “deep learning” that Baek-gyun said was required to fully train the robot; he’ll put off making a decision about Daeyang Shipbuilding and the Santa Maria team’s fate until then.

He wants the robot delivered the next day, but Baek-gyun comes up with various excuses, all of which Min-kyu offers immediate solutions for. Asserting his right as co-owner, Baek-gyun offers to send her in a week’s time.

Min-kyu receives a reply to his email from “Madame X” containing files about Daeyang’s late chairman, someone called Park Sung-jin.

Elsewhere, Jin-bae accepts the embezzling manager’s resignation. The manager warns Jin-bae to watch his own back and pick his side carefully: Min-kyu is the son of the late first chairman of KM Financial, while Yoo-chul is the son of the current one and thus bound to prevail in the end.

Jin-bae certainly looks like he’s having second thoughts, especially when Min-kyu intercepts him on his way home and summons him into the back of his car (where a divider protects him from human contact).

Jin-bae updates him on Embezzling Manager’s resignation, and Min-kyu tells him to suspend all of that team’s projects. Min-kyu also shows Jin-bae the files he received from Madame X, which are detailed plans of robotic parts.

He explains that Daeyang’s late chairman was secretly in partnership with Baek-gyun to develop advanced robots, and they escaped detection by lying low after his death. Swearing him to secrecy, Min-kyu assigns Jin-bae to find out if anyone else in KM Financial knows the truth about the Santa Maria team, especially CEO Yoo-chul or his father.

Jin-bae meets with the Santa Maria team to tell them Min-kyu wants them to move in to his estate. He advises them to accept whatever Min-kyu says, since their fate is in his hands.

Min-kyu visits his parents’ grave, where the headstone shows they died on the same day fifteen years ago. If Dad had been alive, he would’ve turned 60 today, Min-kyu tells him. His solitude is interrupted by the arrival of Yoo-chul’s father, CHAIRMAN HWANG, who’s also there to pay his respects.

The chairman tells Min-kyu to go easy on Yoo-chul and bolster his position—they’re old friends, after all. With barely veiled antipathy, Min-kyu says he has no such influence before dismissing himself. Once back in his car, though, emotion boils out of him and he pounds the wheel, holding back tears.

Jia and bestie Sun-hye get giddy over the working heart-lamps, but their glee is cut short when Jia gets the news that the competition has been postponed indefinitely by the top dog himself, the chairman of the board of directors.

Jia gets an idea to send him a groveling letter to ask him to reconsider. Thanks to one of Sun-hye’s computery ex-boyfriends, the girls acquire his address. Of course, they have no idea that the Chairman Kim Min-kyu of KM Financial and Jia’s robot overlord are one and the same.

Intimidated by the huge estate (Jia: “But I can’t see any house!”), they’re lost for where to post the letter when the gates suddenly open for an arriving car: Min-kyu’s. Jia’s shocked to catch a glimpse of the familiar face, and quickly hides her own. Lost in his own grim thoughts, he doesn’t notice her.

At home, Jia despairs over her misfortune. She asks Sun-hye if she can hold the fact that she saved his life over his head, but Sun-hye reminds her that was the robot. Jia recognizes that her letter wouldn’t have convinced someone like Min-kyu anyway, so she was doomed from the start.

Oppa Jin-bae calls her out of her room and demands to know where she got all that money to repay him. He accuses her of taking out illegal loans, not believing that she earned it from a job, and searches her room for clues.

His attention is drawn to the heart lamps she tries to shield from his view. She begs him to leave them alone, but he angrily smashes one of them to pieces and tells her to leave the house.

Clutching the broken lamp, she tells him she never once did anything untoward, but her brother immediately counters that she never did anything worthy either. In tears, she asks why he could never accept her, but he tells her to get out of his sight if she wants to live how she wants to.

Nodding, she agrees: “I can’t live with you anymore, either.” She heads for Sun-hye’s, but it’s more bad news as Workshop Ajusshi calls her to say that she has to take away her leftover inventory from past inventions.

He advises her to sell them for whatever she can get. She sets up a stall, but nobody’s interested in her floor-cleaning body suit or backpack with a furry cup-holding arm, even when she drops the price to peanuts. One woman even tells her that her items are only good for trash.

A child passes with a toy car, which takes her back to a memory of her childhood, where she used to tinker with tools in her mechanic father’s workshop. She’d told Dad about a classmate on crutches who had trouble getting around.

Together, father and daughter devised a wheeled shoe for the little girl’s injured foot, much to the friend’s delight. Proud of her, Dad had said, “Just like I fix cars, you’ll definitely become someone who does things to help people. I believe in you.”

She spends the night alone, huddling over the remaining lamp. “Are you there?” she asks it sadly. Elsewhere, Min-kyu’s lamp switches on. He, too, can’t sleep, though his sad face says that it’s not because of work.

Morning finds Jia still sleepless. She gets a pleading message from Ssan-ip, asking her if she can be the robot for just a few more days. She decides to do it, and explains to Sun-hye that she really believes her lamp invention is something the world needs. She plans to convince Min-kyu to change his mind about the contest.

The Santa Maria team gives up on Jia coming, and they scowl at Baek-gyun for how mean he was to her last time. Just as they plan extreme measures, she arrives, coolly agreeing to take the job. All she requires in exchange is to be fed and housed. Noting the the suitcase she has with her, Baek-gyun tells her that they’re about to move.

No sooner do they clear out of the warehouse when another van arrives with a couple of men in black. One of the directors reports to Chairman Hwang that the Santa Maria team has vanished, which is clearly very bad news for him.

Chairman Hwang holds a secret meeting with the foreign buyer Yoo-chul met earlier. The buyer knows that Santa Maria is a robot development team, and is furious that the sale has been canceled. Chairman Hwang insists nobody else knew, not even his son Yoo-chul, and promises to deliver Aji-3 to him asap.

Meanwhile, the Santa Maria team arrives at Min-kyu’s estate. They gape at the mansion and grounds in awe. Haha, me too. Min-kyu watches them from inside with binoculars. “Welcome to my home,” he says, smiling faintly.

The team is housed in a rundown outbuilding, where Butler Sung gives them the house rules, like not wandering the grounds or ordering delivery. Their faces fall further with each successive stricture.

Oh no, Butler Sung notices a strangely shifting bag, which has got to contain Jia. They distract him and heave sighs of relief when he finally leaves. Jia climbs out of the bag gasping, but her surroundings leave her less than impressed, considering Min-kyu’s wealth.

Baek-gyun sets his team to various tasks but Jia demands food first. Over ramyun, Ssan-ip enthusiastically introduces the little robot (“Beetle”) as their team maknae, and Jia learns about everyone’s nicknames. She reveals Baek-gyun’s Fungus Guy nickname, much to everyone’s amusement but his. Haha, ouch.

Min-kyu calls Baek-gyun out and asks him how to train Aji-3. Baek-gyun explains that if she’s focused on one person, she can input all the data about him and become extremely accurate in reading and communicating with him.

“So I have to input myself into Aji-3?” Min-kyu asks. He’s concerned about his privacy, so Baek-gyun says he can password-protect his private area in Aji-3’s “mind,” which Min-kyu finds quite thrilling.

Boy and robot (fauxbot?) meet again. “Hi, Aji-3,” he says. Jia smiles and replies, on-script, “I love you, Master. What can I do for you?”

Min-kyu picks the word “sandwich” as his password. Hilariously, that’s one word Baek-gyun has banned because of his negative associations with it after Jia broke up with him. To Baek-gyun’s dismay, Jia rolls her eyes and overrides the ban.

Min-kyu recognises that she saved his life yesterday, while Jia thinks in reply, If you’re grateful, give me money! He promises to reward her, and stepping closer, he points at her chest and says he’ll make his own “room” inside her.

“Don’t let anyone else in,” he says, “Only I can enter.”

Closing the last of the distance between them, he tells her that he’s going to train her: “From now on, look only at me, look after me, and follow only me.”

 
COMMENTS

It seems like Aji-3 is working just fine right now, so I admit I don’t understand why Jia has to go back in. But I’m not one to turn my nose up to delicious things, so I’ll just leave that thought here.

“Hi, Aji-3.” Does anyone else a little stab in their heart every time Min-kyu says it? I feel like those three words are loaded with all of his hope and vulnerability, and each time he says it, it’s a little more meaningful. After all, Min-kyu’s the human, not the robot, so he’s not following a script. This is what I love about Yoo Seung-ho: No matter the role he’s in, he’s able to bring a sense of unscripted rawness. Even though this is not a melo (it had better not be!), there’s a visible but not overpowering touch of tragedy to his character. For example, there’s clearly something big and bad between him and Chairman Hwang, and I’m willing to bet his parents’ deaths have something to do with it.

I’d also guess his “allergy” must stem from the time of his parents’ death. My theory is that he alone survived whatever accident (or accident, if you know what I mean) that killed his parents, though it’s hard figuring him out yet with so little to go on. But one thing is absolutely clear: He doesn’t desire his condition, nor does he take refuge in it. If there’s anything obvious about his character, it’s that he’s desperate for connection. Since it can’t be a human, surely a humanoid robot is the next best thing? Just look at the speed and eagerness with which he embraced the idea. The thought of him really falling for Jia while believing she’s a robot is a little mindblowing and I badly want to see it.

But there’s another aspect of his isolation I also find interesting. He has to eschew physical contact, understood, but there’s no barrier preventing him from having emotional closeness, so why does he trust almost no one, and have not a single friend? I suspect the answer lies in the nature of his relationship with Yoo-chul. There’s closeness there, but also bad blood, and I expect that why that onetime friendship turned sour will be an important thread in the story to come. After seeing Kang Ki-young play a creepy kitten-killer, I’m trying to guess whether his character is headed for an ever-darkening trajectory, or if the boys’ friendship will be salvaged. Okay, probably not the latter! Sigh!

For a rom-com, that’s a lot of heavy emotion, and I’m glad we have Chae Soo-bin’s character to balance the darkness. I like that Jia is neither happy-go-lucky, nor a downtrodden Candy; she has her own problems, but she’s also her own woman. Refreshingly for a dramaland heroine, she’s an inventor and entrepreneur, blessed with ordinary intelligence. You can see what might have brought her together with Baek-gyun, who would have shared her way of looking at the world—with curiosity and possibility.

It’s a very different picture—a whole different book, even—from the strictures of Jin-bae’s world, which is dominated by hierarchy, duty, and the desperate pursuit to survive corporate waters. It seems to me that Jia’s crushed between those two extremes, the driven geniuses and the driven salarymen, struggling to create a space of her own. I’m not sure if it’s made clear, but I’m getting the idea that the competition she’s trying to enter is to win an investment for the commercial production of her lamps (I could be wrong). But I love that that her mission is so clearly about achieving success as a result of effort, will and passion—she’s going to succeed, and she doesn’t need to be a genius for it.

[geolocator_show for=”SG”]

[/geolocator_show]

[geolocator_show for=”SG”][/geolocator_show]

RELATED POSTS

Tags: , , ,

130

Required fields are marked *

Fangirl mode ON- *Yoo Seung Ho is soooooooo dreamyyyyy* *heart eyes*

Fangirl mode OFF- *uh, is it even possible?* Lol!
About the episode- I'm really enjoying the interactions between our two leads! Like Saya said (thanks for the recap btw! And welcome aboard the Robot train!), I like how Min-kyu is like an excited little dog who finally found the toy he was looking for! He can finally connect with someone who's looks and (kinda) acts like a human. And because it's not a human but a robot, it's even better for him. A robot doesn't betray its master. I think what he's really looking for is a friend. Because whatever happened between himself and Yoo-chul has made him wary of trusting other people again.
I can't wait to see more of how exactly he's gonna create a space for himself inside Aji (ah...Ji A).

Side note- can we please change the password from sandwich to something else??

17
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

I was expecting some nerdy password and then he said sandwich, LOL.

Yoo Seung Ho!!!! 😍 I didn’t like any of his recent dramas but this one, I think I could be fully aboard. He’s so dreaaaaamy. And my age too, I think.
🤩

5
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

If that's the case then you're an unni to me. *waves hi to unni!* 😜

1
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

I just checked... and nope he's 2 years older than I am! 😜 Maybe I still am the unni though, so *hi dongsaeng/chingu!*

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha! Ah so we're the same age chingu! 🙈😉

1

Wow so cringy

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

cute cute cute.

5
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Thanks for the recap!! I am loving this quirky show so far. Ok so something that left me stumped...After she saved him from choking and he reached out and she held his hand, why did he not have an allergic reaction? Does anybody else think it has something to do with the necklace?

8
12
reply

Required fields are marked *

his disease is all in his head - as long as he does not think he's touching another human he'll be just fine.

18
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh wow, how did I miss that? ◉_◉ I’ll have to rewatch it!

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's not really specified yet, but that's the beanies' diagnosis so far. They could come up with another explanation later, but it being a psychological thing makes the most sense to most of us (Not meaning to speak for everyone, but I've just seen a number of comments saying that).

9
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ah that’s my issue, I haven’t been keeping up with the recaps. I saw this went live and jumped in cause it’s been bugging me 😬🙃

3

this is a professional opinion, not strictly about something intentionally hinted at in the drama.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

For now, I think what you're saying is true.... because he thought Jia is Aji-3.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Since it's all psychological, I wonder if someone touches him while he sleeps, he wouldn't get a reaction then, either, cuz his conscious doesn't know about it. He's convinced that Jia's a robot thus, not knowing he's touching a human. Heck, he's touched her about 3 times already. In episode 1, he said something like "It's unavoidable." And looking back, I thought "It won't be if you'd just change your mindset, bro!"

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think that his problem is mental, so as long as he thinks she's a robot, he's not going to have a physical reaction.

The necklace definitely has something to do with his past. It might have been his parents' and that's why it's so valuable. I think it'll definitely turn into a bonding moment between him and "Aji-3."

10
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Honest, I feel dumb for not catching on to that/missing it completely, cause it makes so much more sense now 🤷‍♀️

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

He got a rash when Jia grabbed him after giving him the toy and demanding her payment in ep 1 but not in this ep when Jia-as-Aji-3 grabbed him.... because he doesn't know it's a human touching him. It's what they call a psychosomatic condition.

3
reply

Required fields are marked *

As soon as he mentioned that he was missing his necklace before he choked and then she rescued him, I knew it was the necklace. Will wait for the big reveal but the most logical explanation for me is the necklace at this point. The allergic reaction is too severe for it to just be psychological in my opinion.

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

It is still possible that it be psychosomatic and vary in intensity. When he went before the medical board, he would have been anticipating for a period of time that he would have to demonstrate his disability. The build up of anxiety and expectation could have produced a severe reaction, while an accidental touch in an unplanned situation would only have caused a small break out.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

"It seems like Aji-3 is working just fine right now, so I admit I don’t understand why Jia has to go back in. " I think the AI bit works fine (possibly they had it backed up offline) but the missing parts make it impossible for the robot to move around as it would normally.

15
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

The real robot may be almost a drone - controlled wirelessly by the AI in bigger computer back in the lab. Robot is down, but computer is up. Maybe.

6
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Isn’t it a batery problem? Fully charged it can last for 3hrs, but now Aji-3 needs to be connected to power supply by wire continuosly

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hard to tell - I'm better at diagnosing hardware issues on real computers than mythical robots, but...
... most smart intelligent assistants nowadays need help from the big brain off in the cloud - the local CPU isn't smart enough. I'm guessing Aji is more of the same. Even when/if they can make a compter as smart as Aji, making it small enough could be a problem, and efficient enough to run on batteries is another problem. And don't get me started on heat and cooling fan noise for such a powerful computer. The smarts have just got to be in a server rack somewhere.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Aji-3 is still mising a part for movement....in all the other aspects is good ...!!!

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Nice commentary @saya !!! thanks for the recaps.

The drama is still keeping a relatively light tone and I hope they keep the corporate machinations as a backdrop for the time being.

Baek-gyun's character is the only one among the main cast that feels underdeveloped. So far, he has been a narrative vehicle but, as a person, seems a bit flat. It doesn't appear that he will be developed seriously as a romantic rival but relegating him to genius without EQ is pretty stereotypical.

It would have been nice to have a couple of scenes showing how he and Jia geek out together on an invention/idea and at least show how they got together in the first place.

One possible reason for this drama's difficulty is that it appears to have three relatively arcane subjects (if treated with any degree of reality) - psychosomatic allergies, robots/AI and corporate M&A.

The challenge is to pull the human elements together quickly enough in a relatable and fun manner so that it can override the more obscure story elements. What appears to be a weakness in the direction is that it relies a bit too much on dialogue rather than action for exposition.

2
13
reply

Required fields are marked *

I know I am being a bit two faced when I applaud the brisk pace and ask for a bit more show not tell. I'd have liked to seen:-

1) CEO Yoo-chul is truly loyal and tries to be a genuine friend to Min-kyu but is misunderstood and suspected by Min-kyu - indicating a more nuanced relationship and how illness has distorted MK's character.
2) Baek-gyun - speaking and relating to his robot/AI during the development. To show he really had this relationship with JA and unconsciously tried to supplant that by Aji3. They can inject a bit more pathos into a character that gets along better with AI than with a real person. It could show him have real mixed feelings in allowing MK access to Aji3 - it could feel like he is giving away his girlfriend. (him treating Aji3 so much like an object is actually unrealistic given how much time he's invested in it)
3) JA rather than acting indignant that her face was stolen could have reacted in a more sympathetic and nuanced fashion by indicating that she understood that Baek-gyun had created Aji3 as a pseudo replacement for her. Some insight on her part would show her EQ is pretty high.
4) The scene where JA meets BG could have been a bit more sympathetic - at least conveying some regret and emotional baggage on her part. Her behavior with BG appears more sibling like than romantic.

All of the above 4 points are easy (to my mind) modifications to existing scenes and wouldn't have taken much more time - but IMHO it would increase the character and emotional depth of the drama and give it a bit more heart.

3
11
reply

Required fields are marked *

@3 this is identity theft?? for commercial use?? it's not like he made a marble statue look-alike or a ragdoll out of her stolen hair?? and it's not like their breakup was amicable or their relationship tragic, imagine ditching a guy who kept belittling you only to find out that his newest invention is a slave AI with your body and voice, would you be sympathetic? BG is a creep.

6
10
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yes, that would be one reaction to it - although I think identity theft is not the right term since a robot/AI has no "identity". Using a likeness of someone for non-commercial purposes is in a grey area ethically but is not likely to be even criminally or civilly actionable.

But I was putting out a theory that she could also react sympathetically to the situation. She is after all, his ex-girlfriend and not a complete stranger. It is a situation where they could add depth to JJA and BG characters by having them acknowledge the underlying reason(s) he might have done so.

0
9
reply

Required fields are marked *

Saudi Arabia declared Sophia the robot a citizen so yeah, robots are very much able to have an identity now. and to me an ex-partner is as close to not being a stranger as a classmate or a co-worker. reminds me of that guy who made robo-ScarJo, I'm surprised she wasn't willing to sue his ass.

0

@vivanesca

From your comments, it seems that you have definitely and completely made up your mind about BG's character. Fair enough.

My point is to that the drama could be improved by adding layers to the characters personas - by recognizing the reasons and motivation behind actions rather than by simply painting each character in black or white.

To illustrate my point:
1) scenario one - a car driving on the road hits a dog. Driver = bad. end of story.
2) scenario two - a car driving hits a dog but we see the driver did that to avoid hitting a child who ran on the road.

Which one has more depth and allows more interesting illustration of difficult choices and how we make them? What makes for a better drama?

2

Oh, I'm only disagreeing re: #3 on your list, I would very much enjoy more shades of grey (...christ, this phrase is ruined forever) to the characters, especially the CEO. And I gotta admit I love hating BG but I enjoy his scenes, scorned lovers are my catnip. But it's unfair to force Jia to be all-around sympathetic just to make the male character likable. Also it just strikes me as unrealistic, for what it's worth it looks like Aji3 is just another jab at Jia's perceived intellectual deficiency. I'm hoping (quite sure actually) that Aji1 and Aji2 can make BG look more like a person who can't cope with his romantic trauma and less like a total asshole. But we're at ep 3 (I mean 5) so not all is lost.

2

But Aji-3 is a commercial invention made as part of an R&D branch's research.

those guys were a commercial enterprise with funding so HBG was definitely using Jia's likeness/image for commercial purposes without her permission, it's a violation of her image rights as well as her privacy (South Korean laws on using a private citizen's image are quite strict, that's why faces of people who are not public figures, are usually blurred out in reporter pics).

Baek Gyun is lucky Jia didn't take legal action against him, he basically stole her image, why should she be understanding towards him? She's already doing more than he deserves by standing in for the robot when he first asked.

4

@teacakes

This is an interesting subject so I tried reading through the legal issues relating to use of likeness. (pertaining to US law)

The relevant term used is exploitative purpose (not strictly commercial purpose), apparently, which is broken down into the Invasion of Privacy and the Right to Publicity.

I'd guess that although it is a commercial enterprise, the robot in question is a prototype that is not sold/used outside the lab and used for testing not in public view.

Secondly, there are apparently limits to a claim of illegal use of likeness if the use is deemed a "creative work" which a robot may very well qualify under.

In any case, there is no case of identity theft, from what I understand. And interpreting the law is certainly not straightforward in these situations.

0

US law is one thing, South Korean law appears to be different (stricter) on the subject of how someone's likeness is shown or used.

And even in the US, use of likeness is a thing for which permission has to be sought and fees paid. There were two actors in last year's Star Wars movie who were dead but CGI was used to create their younger image and face onscreen, and it was clearly said that permission was sought from them and their estate for use of their image.

Just because Aji-3 is a prototype doesn't mean Baek Gyun can claim there is no commercial element, he literally crashes the video about Aji-3 into Min Kyu's house to get more money/funding using Aji-3. This isn't some little fanart or fan fiction, him using a robot made with Jia's face to get money means that he had some responsibility to at least get her permission for the thing. He's not entitled to use her face just like that, imagine what would happen if the robot was turned to bad purposes or used for crimes? Anyone seeing a CCTV would think it's Jia, not a robot - he could get her in serious legal trouble through his own entitlement and thoughtlessness.

6

@teacakes

BTW, I am not defending BG and his decision to model his robot after his ex is at best creepy and slightly obsessive. (unless we are given some good reason to believe otherwise)

Your examples are true. No real question about that either. Using a likeness in a movie/TV show (but not news shows) requires explicit permission since it is clearly commercial use.

But if you took someone's picture and pasted it on your wall or in your private diary - it wouldn't be prosecutable. If you put it on your SNS, blog, discussion web-sites etc - it becomes a grey area. If you use it for journalistic purposes (and related) then it is generally (but not always) protected (freedom of speech/expression vs right to privacy etc etc)

Complex examples:
1) fan sites with pictures of the celebrity - this could be grounds for a lawsuit although, in real life, it is rarely done.
2) artistic/political satire when you "imitate" a real person.
3) Dramabeans site uses pictures of actors in their banner. Journalistic? Commercial? not easy questions - but legally they'd be advised to obtain permission or pay for licensed pictures.
The only real point I want to make is that it isn't as simple a legal subject as we might believe. Stricter or not, in Korea there is still a fairly wide recognition of the freedom of expression and speech. And this is often at odds with the protection of someone's likeness.

1

@tummy - yeah, but what I'm saying is, this robot is still a commercial use. It's not an amateur thing like Jia's inventions or a creative expression like if someone decides to just paint art at home or if HBG just made some robot at home in his own time. Heck they even take legal action sometimes when (scum) people do non-commercial things with a person's face, like photoshopping it into 19+rated pictures. It doesn't always have to be about money, just whether there was an image abuse. I already pointed out what could happen to Jia if Aji-3 breaks the law or something like that...everyone will think it's her.

Here they put her face on something that is literally owned by a company and they're even planning to sell it (to KMK or the British guy). I don't see how it's hurting freedom of speech to say that Jia probably has some rights that HBG violated in putting her face on Aji-3.

3

@teacakes

I don't know for sure, obviously.

I think you're right if they let the robot out in public or in the public domain (say through videos etc) then I think Jia would have a claim that some of her rights have been violated.

But if the robot is in a lab or testing in a facility where there is reasonable expectation of privacy, then Jia's claim will be weak. Even corporations have a right to creative freedom and freedom of speech especially in a private setting.

For example (I believe) you cannot be sued for slander/libel if you say anything about anyone in your home (as long as you did so with a reasonable expectation of privacy). But this does not extend to sending blogs, etc which are considered "in the public".

Perhaps you can get a court injunction against some future action (i.e. with the presumption that their future action may be illegal or damaging to you). But you'd need some compelling argument for it - and the burden is on you to prove potential harm to the court.

But consider this, if the courts freely granted injunctions like these, then any company or politician could stifle opposition comments or bad journalistic coverage by filing injunctions. So these injunctions are NOT something that courts will easily grant because of the chilling effect on free speech and expression.

0

We are only in the first 2 chapters so lets wait!!,,,,

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Let's see if I can predict how things turn out. Our leads end up together. Allergy is cured. Then the guy gets in big trouble for draft evasion.

Meanwhile, wish my allergies could be cured by Chae Soo-bin :)

5
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

So what kind of guy is pervy enough to build a sexbotrobot modeled after his old girlfriend and then makes the chest *smaller*? Because battery life is important! :)

8
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

hmmm I wonder what happened to Aji-1 and Aji-2? If a guy makes a robot clone of his ex-girlfriend, it can't all be in the name of science. I'm just saying that his motives definitely skew on the side of ulterior...

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

That's what I was thinking haha

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Most guys can't last 3 hours though :-)

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm really digging seeing Chae Soo-bin playing Aji-3 and then seeing how she plays Jia playing Aji-3. I'm thoroughly confused by the complaints in the last recap about her acting because I am utterly charmed by her. The only other thing I've seen her in is Sassy Go Go so it's really nice to see her in a likable role.

So far Jia's my favorite. I adore the fact that she is an inventor and I loved what her dad said about her doing something to help people. This girl is obviously intelligent (no matter what her IQ supposedly is) and seeing the men in her life not appreciate that makes my blood boil. Baek-gyun being so dismissive of her made me angry and I am not sure I'll ever like his character now. Then, of course, there are her brother's words and actions. Way to kill a girl's self-confidence. I hope she shows them what she's made of.

I also adored when Min-kyu was so impressed by her problem-solving abilities and exclaimed about how smart she was. I have a feeling that he will end up being a big pillar of support for Jia in the future and I'm looking forward to seeing their relationship develop. He obviously has issues of his own besides his "allergy" and I'm hoping that Jia can help him overcome them.

23
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

My spin on her acting is that she's really good, but it's easy to get confused by the 3 parts she plays:
1: Human.
2: Robot - she was really good at the start as the real Aji.
3: Human pretending to be a robot and not doing especially well. That's Ji-ah not doing well, Chae Soo-bin is fine.

10
reply

Required fields are marked *

All the complaints about Chae Soo Bin's acting seem to come from people with a certain type of mentality and bias, if you know what I mean.

Those people will just see what they want to see in order to keep holding their negative opinion, but if they want to miss out on a good drama and good performance just because they are dedicated to hating the actress or combing bts footage for "lack of chemistry", it's their loss.

9
reply

Required fields are marked *

I am also confused by all the complaints lol. ISn't it quite hard to play a robot? :S I mean to act like one she has to keep her eyelids still and can't drop her gaze, which is quite a difficult thing to do imo lol. Also the change of intonations whenever she's playing aji 3 and then the difference when she's human again. An actress with limited acting range, won't be able to do this I think, like suzy, cough. Though I loved suzy in WYWS hehe. I'm just giving an example. And CSB can cry pretty fine, which a lot of idol actresses find hard to pull off.

9
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah the reaction to CSB was pretty ridiculous. I think some people are salty that she led 3 dramas this year. Do better actresses exist? Of course, yes. But she's doing a good job and I can't find anything about her acting that would make one lash out against her.

5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Do you think the necklace makes him allergic to people. Because he wasn't wearing it when she touched him, and it seems like he might always wear it.

2
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Not really, I think it is a psychological response. It seems our puppy has been hurt before.

2
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Puppy 😍

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Love your analysis Saya! Especially the part about Jia's character. She's just a normal girl with a lot of weight on her shoulders and nothing is going her way. She has the heart to help others, but her ideas are different from what society perceives as useful. Personally, I find her character really endearing, and I think Chae Soo Bin is doing a wonderful job. I've always found her crying scenes heartwrenching, and her argument after her brother broke her heart lamps was no exception.

It goes without saying that I am loving every minute that Yoo Seung Ho is onscreen. I'm so so happy that he decided to take this role. His smile just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside >< I'm really excited to see his character open up to people more, and how he begins to develop feelings for Jia is going to be the cutest thing ever. I see it already!!

My favourite scene from this episode had to be when Min-kyu was choking on the pills and Jia (well 'Aji-3') saved his life. His expression afterwards and when she held his hand was so beautiful. I'm looking forward to many more scenes like those ❤❤

13
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I'm liking these first two episodes -- er 4 -- anyway, this second part was quite entertaining. I like when Jia is Aji 3, her personality comes through and it's hilarious. I also realize that Min Kyu's illness is definitely psychosomatic. Whatever his mind believes is what happens. So of course he's not allergic to Jia when she's dressed as a robot, heh.

One prediction with this show. At one point it shows Min Kyu working on a monstrous house of cards. How much do you want to bet that that house of cards will be coming down really soon, and Aji 3 er Jia will be the cause of it. I'll be giggling all the way when that happens!

6
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

How much do you want to bet that that house of cards will be coming down really soon ...

Ha! House of cards = Chekhov's gun.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

When the camera panned over it, i groaned . It would be hilarious if the cards stayed up until the last few minutes of the drama series.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

At first, I thought it was cute and geeky that he didn't discover that it wasn't a robot standing in front of him but a human... and then I realized that it was probably because he so desperately wanted to believe that she was a robot. That there could be a being that would be able to be his friend and stay by his side, because he had been alone for so long. He probably tricked his own brain into believing that Aji/Ji-ah was a robot no matter what, which made it easy for him to believe all the lies they made up to explain her acting-fails. It was a sad realization, but also a happy one, because hey! Now he has a robot friend!

That scene where she saved him from choking and he looked so shocked because it must have been 15 years since he felt a comforting rub on the back... YSH does great with those big emotional eyes. I see no lack of chemistry, and I like them both in their roles so far.

Overall this second episode was still cute and just right for me. I'm not sure if I've latched on to this show because I'm suffering post-WYWS and BTLIOF withdrawal, but I'm not going to complain because at least it's making me happy to watch it.

10
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Does it look crazy if I say that I love the real robot aji-3 more. Of course Jia is doing a pretty good job posing as a robot but I loved his moments with aji-3 more. YSH sure is lovely but I stupidly would like a love triangle between min-kyu aji-3 and jia. If that happens I might side with aji-3 ship 😂. Just for fun guys but somehow I really love the robot.

1
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha it would be Healer v. Bong-sookie all over again. I could live with that.

1
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

😂 healer or bong sookie *confusion*
at last *forget it* Ji Chang Wook to the win.
Also since u mentioned it reminds me of Shin se-gi vs Cha do-hyun.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I laughed out loud with his evaluation on Aji3. You... disappoint me the more we go 😂😂😂😂. 25 minus points for being ungrateful!!!
He is definitively a master, but oh boy he will fall for both, Jia and the robot the same, because they are the only ones who can touch him.
Now coming into a more serious issue: I am sooo touched and I feel so much compassion for Min-kyu's isolation. I heard once that if you had to choose between breaking the bones of a toddler or neglecting his right to physical contact, love and affection for over a period of time, it would be better to break the bones, since they can heal very quick and very good, yet if you denied this contact with the child, the neurons in his brain can suffer a damage impossible to repair. We don't know how long Min-kyu has had this illness, but in the real life there are sadly many, many so called parents neglecting their children the love, affection, and recognition they deserve, and they themselves damage these children for good, and because they (the children) carry inside so many scars no one can see, people expect them to act normally and be successful, and it is double so hard for them.
Sometimes, this is where some sociopaths come from, but people don't know either, they cannot show compassion. Even if they get to know what happen to these persons when they were children, they don't understand. And it is a lost, a collective tragedy that many of us have to pay in a different way.

I know this is a rom com and it is fiction, but it makes me think of some issues of the real life which could be difficult tox meditate. I have my own scars. I know why I am saying this.

But looking at the bright side: I am not a sociopath 😂😂😂. I yearn for peace, love and justice. And I know one day it will happen. I have hope for a better future. 🙏😃😍😊

8
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

YSH, OMG, he's so perfect as KMK. Sometimes I start to get annoyed at how rude he is then quickly remember it's a way to protect himself and immediately feel bad for him. His acting is full of nuances. He's the best thing in the show hands down.
Still unable to connect to the second ML. I'm sorry but he is actually annoying. No wonder Jia dumped him. He really liked to talk down to her and treat her like she was dumb, due to her IQ not being as high as his. Good riddance, I say. Jia can and will do better, much better.
About Jia, yeah still can't connect to her either. I get all the, she is awesome and kind hearted and has a drive, but what in the world is that light supposed to do to help human beings? Does the light cure diseases or something? Why does she think it deserves any prize, whatsoever when I am sure many inventors may have come up with more interesting and helpful ideas? Honestly, I don't blame her brother for how he treats her. He's not being mean, he just wants her to get her head out of the clouds and do something constructive. Seriously her inventions are borderline horrible. Backpack with furry hand, extra weight to give you back problems. Mop onesie, roll around your house like a lunatic and rub against the wall to clean it? Yeah, real helpful.
I get that the wheel shoes was helpful but her other inventions are just dumb, sorry. I hope she wises up soon, because right now she is quite tedious.

3
16
reply

Required fields are marked *

Hmm, I sorta like the idea of the mop onesie. Just clean the whole house, throw it in the washer and then you can clean again!

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

You would wear a mop onesie and roll around the house and rub against the walls to clean it? I really would not but to each his own. All her ideas so far have been dumb. I am hoping she will learn something from Aji3 and come up with a real invention to help humans.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I think the lights are more of an emotional gadget than an invention and I think it fits her character. I could see it as an addition to a phone call between long-distance partners.

2
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't understand. How will it help?

0
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

kind of like she used it in ep4, to make you feel the other person's presence. I also assume the lamps warm up the plastic heart and you can imagine it's body heat or that you're 'feeling someone's heart' (which to me always sounded morbid but I've watched too much Indiana Jones as a kid).
I'm starting to see how it can be used as a metaphor for this show...

3
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Ok, but in this day and age where you can facetime and skype, a plastic heart just to imagine the other person's bodyheat makes no sense. How is that supposed to help people and is something the world needs?

0

People have invented other seemingly frivolous things like the fidget spinner which became hugely popular, it's not a big deal that Jia is trying to invent things.

2

@teacakes Fidget spinner is not useless. It helps with people who fidget. It has proven quite useful infact.

@DI I'm sorry, but when you think about someone, you can text and call or skype or facetime. That will help their loneliness. I don't see how the heart lighting up will help anyone. And true KMK can't touch skin to skin but when they fall in love in the future, she can always touch him on his shirt, sleeves, gloves. I'm still not convinced with the silly heart light. If it did something useful, I wouldn't have a problem with it but it's truly useless and total junk. She should make something useless, hopefully Aji3 will help her with it.

@vivanesca Really? That additional arm is such an hindrance. Imagine walking on the road with it. It's going to break in a crowded area. Not to mention the additional weight it will add to the backpack and what it will do to your back.

@ar Yeah, exactly. I understand she wants to make the world a better place with her invention but so far all her inventions are pure junk. Let her come up with a real useful one and I will applaud her. Right now, I can't blame her brother for his tough love at all. She is no longer a child. He has clearly given her many years to fulfil her dreams but she had failed and so he wants her to get a job and settle down with a steady income instead of going bankrupt every other year.

1

Let's just go with the mean character's assertion that she's low IQ. So she doesn't invent other things that might be considered more sophisticated. From what I saw, the heart lights seem to come in a set. When one person touches one heart light, it lights up and so does the other heart. Imagine you gave the other heart light to a distant friend. When you're thinking about that friend, touch your heart light and that friend can actually see that you're thinking about him/her without dialing their number and uttering a word. In a way, it's a reflection of her desire to find someone to connect with. She has always been a tinkerer and her dad saw that but he's gone now. She feels alone. KMK is in a similar situation. He can't physically connect with anyone which leads him to not develop any emotional connections. I bet she'll use the lights to demonstrate that at some point. Somehow, they will separate. He will have one heart light and she will have the other. In their lowest times, someone will show that he/she is thinking of the other person. You don't need a high IQ to feel it. Her simple invention will help lonely people in the world not feel so lonely.
I did think "wtf" to the cleaning onesie. LOL

4
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

oh yeah they're definitely gonna use the hearts like this at one point, no doubt no doubt
I'm actually digging the gorilla arm, I hate carrying my coffee cup around!

2

I also enjoyed how she is a heroine who wants to invent things (what a novel pursuit for a kdrama heroine), but I've got to admit that her inventions are sort of terrible. I also understood why her brother was so frustrated with her, especially if she had to borrow money from his wife to follow her dream. I also understood why she was also frustrated with her brother who doesn't understand her passion.

I'm reminded a little of Won-seok from BTLIOF. He really wants to create an app that people will use, but he is a bad ideas persod. And his pursuit of his dream caused friction in his long-term relationship with his girlfriend.

1
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sorry, I cannot empathize with the brother. Sure, keep pushing her to strive for better but when he gets physical, I draw the line. Throwing the cake that she got for HIM? Throwing her heart light when he knows she is trying? Is all that necessary? He's a hot shot lawyer so why not use his connections to give her a helping hand instead?
Quit stomping on her physically and emotionally. It's not like she doesn't communicate what she needs and it's not like she's not trying. Sorry bro, your methods suck. Why does kdrama feel it's ok to rag on people as soon as they think the other person is less valuable to them?!

2
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Yeah, I don't agree with the physical hitting either. But I do understand his POV. The cake throwing was because he was frustrated and when someone is that mad, they cannot be mollified with just a cake. I don't blame him for that.

It's not necessary as a sibling to always give a helping hand to your sister/brother. Jia is not a child and we can't blame him for not wanting to lend a helping hand with gorilla arm and mop onesies. It's a guaranteed money down the drain.

I really doubt a sibling can be more or less valuable to a person. It's more of a familial bond and since Jia has started her business and failed 4 times, maybe he had been supportive in the start but gotten tired of it after a while.

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

He can get tired of it, frustrated, angry...kick her out if he needs to. But stop throwing things. It's just NOT acceptable. It makes him a small man.

0

Throwing things does not make one, small. That's just my opinion. Let's agree to disagree.

0

I think the brother was a bit miscast. I've seen this actor in other roles (sorry, I can't recall his name). I can't recall him doing the violent, brooding, angsty type. Then again, this might be an early phase in his character development. The character may come more to resemble the actor.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

So far, Chae Soo Bin is honestly the best part of the drama for me. I can sincerely relate to her desire to work on the things she loves, even if it's not guaranteed to be financially stable. She has no one who supports her or believes in her, besides her friend and that business partner/inventor, and has to put up with constant belittlement by the people who should be supporting her the most. (I can understand why her brother won't because haha patriarchal issues in Korean culture suck, but her ex-boyfriend shouldn't get a pass when all he's ever done is insult her intelligence multiple times).

Yoo Seung Ho's acting is great, but his character gets on my nerves like nothing else. His extreme overreaction over his action figurine was obnoxious and he's honestly pretty condescending to the people around him. I like how people apparently hate Ji-ah for being "immature" when it's Min Kyu who's just as bad with people (if not even worse). Like, I can understand if he has beef with his childhood friend and the friend's father, but is there really a reason why he has to be so condescending when interacting with Ji Ah's brother?

It goes to show that Yoo Seung Ho is a good enough actor that we still feel for him despite these major character flaws, but honestly, Chae Soo Bin is doing better at making me actually like and sympathize with her character. (so his parents are dead and he has a disease that doesn't let him connect with people, has he ever perhaps wondered that he can still be friends with people if he wasn't such a jerk??? fun fact)

10
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

Heh, yeah he sure seems like a jerk in this show so far. I actually was hoping that Jia er Aji3 would clock him when he kept insulting her. Chae Soo Bin looks like a frail fairy of a girl but with her acting she does just fine playing a tough chick who doesn't put up with anything!

3
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

It was pretty great to see Ji Ah try and master her temper when interacting with him as a robot. I know we've all been there in that same exact situation: forced to hang around someone we just want to clock in the face but we can't if we want to keep our jobs

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

my granduncle used to say humans don´t have enough time on this earth to grow up and mature, we only spend around 80-90 years here. but this guy sincerely is just immature. The problem evolves when a person developes quite premeditated evil intentions and masks them as immaturity.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I agree with you on CSB. She has been utterly delightful so far as Jo Jiah, Aji3 and Jiah pretending to be Aji3. @saya's take on her character is pretty much spot on. (I'm glad that you are recapping this with @teriyaki.) I love the contradictions in her character, such as when Baek Gyeon tells others about her supposed low IQ, which Jiah seems to believe also, but then we see her inventing things and try to sell them herself. Prickly Min Kyu, who is quite fascinated by her antics as a faux bot (but in personality is all Jiah), may just be her unexpected pillar of support.

I think Min Kyu is distrustful of people because of a previous trauma. He was probably let down by someone close to him, hence the trust issues. This is probably the reason why a simple "defect" in the packaging of an item that Jiah sold him seemed unforgiveable and caused him to go off on her and not pay her. He is thus putting his hopes on a robot that will never let him down.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

id probably buy that heart lamp if it really existed because its so cheesy... and i like cheese.

min kyu’s human anaphylaxis is so cool to me because its like a reminder on how powerful the mind can be.

i look forward to this series. *please be good*!

6
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I want a heart lamp too. Jiah will probably make Min Kyu a lamp and they can be cute together

4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I dunno about Min-Kyu's allergy being psychological - i mean it's a really, really extreme and instantaneous reaction.

I was thinking perhaps it might actually be something to do with the pills that he takes? Min-Kyu had contact with Jia before he took/ingested them so maybe his doctor is actually sabotaging him? idk.

Either way I'm absolutely loving Chae Soo-Bin in this role. I've only ever seen her in Sassy Go Go and while her acting was awesome I just really disliked the character lmao. I find her oddly charming and I'm really glad I can cheer her on in this one :D

5
6
reply

Required fields are marked *

in Moonlight Drawn By Clouds she has a role that could very much go all "mean and jealous fiancé" but in the end it is a girl who processes things through her head and takes them in her heart. But they so wasted her there, she had absolutely nothing to do.

4
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

She was also in the drama Strongest Deliveryman :)

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

MDBC was live-shoot and I suspect by the time CSB character was in play in the drama, the PBG-KYJ ratings effect was already so strong that the producer's were just riding on the main pair to the end of the series.

But I agree with you, the PBG-KYJ-CSB dynamic could have been nice romantic tension since the CSB character did not play the usual jealous/power hungry/unscrupulous rival.

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

For me, it was really nice to be introduced to CSB as a nice romantic rival in Moonlight. Her smart, direct character was refreshing actually. Then Weightlifting Fairy continued with the no-evil character storyline and I loved both. I guess I got lucky with a string of dramas with no-evil characters last year. CSB is expressive and most of the time, her acting is not over the top. Good for her for taking on all these dramas this year.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

it's most definitely psychological. check out electromagnetic hypersensitivity.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i generally shut down (or taper down) my medical mind when in dramas, but your pills theory, i do like. there are severe cases of contact dermatitis, true, but that is a LOT of pills. I mean, I'm no dermatologist, but how many steroids or anti-histamines or other immune suppressants could that be? what if the doctor is in cahoots with the evil frenemy-CEO & his evil Chairman dad? Hmmm... plausible. plausible.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

To answer Saya's question: "It seems like Aji-3 is working just fine right now, so I admit I don’t understand why Jia has to go back in"

Aji-3 might be able to function cognitively but i don't think she is able to function physically. The part that the Santa Maria required 2 days to arrive for Aji-3, didn't because Hok Tal (or the shipping company) had it sent to a wrong address which is in Africa.

i'm loving both YSH and CSB in this. This is my new drama crack and i couldn't be more ecstatic

2
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I actually like both leads because they still work hard despite their limitations. Mingyu nevertheless focuses on his company's running in spite of his allergy and Jiah continues to pour efforts onto her start-up even with all animosity surrounding her.
There are some things I am rather curious about Mingyu's human allergy. So he develops rashes on direct contact with other people? Then, why can't he attend the board meeting when they could just make the board members wear gloves. And I feel it fishy that his entourage doesn't seem to encourage him to get psychiatric treatment to lessen his ailment, as it appears like it was triggered through trauma. For instance, Mingyu's butler could convince him to overcome his allergy because he is not the over-protective type like Louis's butler.

0
5
reply

Required fields are marked *

In terms of a "real life" response to your questions there are a few issues:-

1) Serious allergic reactions are life threatening not just an inconvenience. So risking his life just to attend a meeting live is fairly realistic. Even if he did, he'd be closely escorted with a doctor (with the epinephrine and intubation equipment needed) which is never a good thing if you're trying to project power/authority in a meeting.
2) Psychiatric treatment has a lot of taboo and stigma associated with it even in Western countries and much worse in places like Korea. It isn't easy to get someone to admit they need treatment and it is definitely tough to remain in positions of authority once it is discovered.

So there may be some reasons why they may not address it well.

8
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

I understand I might have stressed my points without informing myself clearly first. I just found a bit too comforting that nobody in Mingyu's entourage would lightly suggest to him, at least once, that he should consult help. I know one needs time and confidence to be direct about having a psychological disorder and thus seek treatment, and we shouldn't be forceful about the party acknowledging it, but it's as if they prefer to keep him in a bubble. Or maybe they already did but as the audience, we haven't seen it yet.
Also, I considered initially that Mingyu's condition is stable as long as he does not interact physically with people and he is in a smaller crowd, so I thought he doesn't need to take much precautions.
Moreover, I assumed that the company is already aware of his allergy since the board members appear to accommodate him. And he was affront about it since he demonstrated it during the medical examination for the military service (and since he is a chaebol, he would need to explain himself when it's revealed he has been exempted from the service). And I thought that he does not need to stay low because he is a stock holder of the company, in contrast to the CEO who can be easily dismissed. However, I now believe it's actually best that he needs to be in a powerful position in order to reveal the presumed machinations about his father's passing.
I guess I was too impatient to see development in his character. And I made a judgement based on my limited point of view and information 😅

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

No, no. Your opinion was fine and valid. I didn't intend my response to be critical but to be informative.

I would suppose that his requests and behavior are seen as "quirky" and "slightly mad" by the board. It seems more likely that the only ones who know of his condition (given his ego) are his doctor, butler and mentor. (plus the doctors at the army fitness evaluation) I would hazard a guess that his condition being revealed and threatening his position would be a plotline in this drama.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Psychiatry has as many different views as practitioners. It's hardly an exact science but there is a fashion to label things as mental disorders which seems to be a growing trend. I have no medical knowledge to support the view but I do not believe a significant allergic reaction can be induced psycosomatically.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

I labelled it psychosomatic in that it appears to be triggered by a mental state/stress (which is the definition of psychosomatic). But it isn't a "real" illness or disorder. It's one of those make believe ones from k-dramaland.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Time for an opinion of controversy: Ajin-3 was created to teach Baekgyun how to relate to people.

He modeled it after Jiah (whom you've noticed by now keeps trying and failing to correct his eccentric ways) because that was his understanding of how people worked - 'because Jiah was always the person who taught me social norms'. Ajin-3 is a self-teaching AI system, which mirrors the eccentric/questionable norms people projected onto her, including Baekgyun's own nature, and he doesn't notice that.

Are you guys seriously questioning someone who had to be handheld the entire time throughout a phonecall with his boss of being a creep and having ulterior motives? The most he's done is put down Jiah consistently (shut up Baekgyun, you're not that savvy yourself if you lost your entire garage to some nugus hunting patents), and I feel that Baekgyun is definitely linked to the lingering mystery of Mingyu's parents' death.

I mean, not to be that person, but I was creeped out more by Mingyu's statements in the last part and alarmed by it than whatever Baekgyun's been doing. I'm also pretty sure Baekgyun is autistic, but of course I doubt the show confirms it.

1
7
reply

Required fields are marked *

You may have a point that Aji3 would perhaps have inherited some of BG's characteristics (or at least be more tuned to respond to him since he interacted with the AI the most)

BG being linked to the death of MK parents is fairly unlikely. The reason I say that is that the character is meant to be fairly close in age to KMK and JJA (mid-late 20's?) so he'd be around early 30's - at most. Since the death happened 15 years ago (?), the timeline doesn't work.

I have commented that BG - for one of the lead trio characters - is the most undeveloped so far. Wish they'd give him a few more dimensions as a person rather than stereotypically a poorly socialized genius engineer.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I wouldn't dismiss it that quickly. At the most, I still feel there is some correlation to Mingyu's family, maybe not the parents (Baekgyun is 34). Also, yes, Aji-3's characteristics mirrors Baekgyun's team the most, which means they probably also are a stunted genius, however that works.

It's unfortunate that Baekgyun is given the least screentime and is just used as fodder to make fun of his inability to relate to people, frustrating obtuse nature and inability to overcome social-related obstacles. The bias towards the actor aside (FURIOUS SWEATING...), it's just kind of grating that his character is just there to use Jiah/beat her down like dude, leave her alone

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Sorry. I didn't mean to sound dismissive.

I come from a math/stat background so the use of words like "not likely" or improbable are probabilistic and thinking assessments. Unrealistic, silly and frustrating are the emotive words for me. (also I am very didactic...ha ha)

Agree with you on BG. It is still fairly early in the drama so we can hope that he will be meaningfully developed.

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Haha! Apparently MinGyus last statements gave some people a "Fifty Shades of Yoo SeungHo" vibe. Lol

And yeah, thats interesting - Baek Gyun being highly functioning autistic - then again - he could just be emotionally unavailable - never been put in his place- never put himself in others shoes- never realised how words hurt. All logic and no feeling. Like Saya pointed out All IQ and no EQ (I hv no idea why IQ is such a big deal in Korea -or is it only in dramas? Like really, who cares? Where I'm from most of us dont know our IQ thats for sure - besides, its not like your IQ is something you can choose anyways sheesh)

0
3
reply

Required fields are marked *

Umm yeah that's why I mentioned he could be autistic because of the hallmark traits of being unable to relate to people or understand feelings despite constantly getting corrected :'D

0
2
reply

Required fields are marked *

What other dramas do you follow btw?

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I just finished Buamdong Revenge Club, now I'm only following Wise Prison Life and waiting for The Most Beautiful Goodbye to get subbed :D

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Someone probably already commented this but I was thinking..

I think Aji-3's logic board/ overall system is fine and she's online because she's hooked up to their equipment, but she can't really move yet or her motor capability is limited because of the shorcircuit one drop of beer caused.

Also, following the theory that Min-Kyu's disease is psychological, he may not even be aware of it, even his doctor doesn't know why it happens and just suggested he accepts his life in solitude.

I thought at first that maybe Jia would be the only person he can touch, but that was not the case the first time they met during the package drop-meet.

When Jia as Jia touched him, there was an effect, but when Jia as Aji-3 touched him, he showed no signs of stress and did not have any physical effects on him either, so this theory must be true. (?)

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Most beanies are of the consensus (I think) that KMK's illness is psychosomatic as illustrated by your observation. When he THINKS he's in contact with a human - he gets the reaction but not so otherwise.

1
reply

Required fields are marked *

Its cute and kinda comical, I like it. However, its a little illogical on how he could believe that Ji A is a robot, but can somehow understand on how he probably force himself to believe because he WANTS it to be true.

Pretending to be robot though, even for 1 hour is a little impossible for me. I am a clumsy -almost disgusting person. Sometimes accidentally spitting saliva when talking, even drooling, I fart a lot too. It's hard to hold and actually doesnt feel good to hold a fart. Best thing I can do is releasing it slowly and hoping it wont smell (most of the time my fart dont smell though, it smell only when I really need to do no.2... So, wow Ji A. You are awesome.

6
4
reply

Required fields are marked *

XD

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

haha, I love you stranger :)

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Your post. Seriously ROFL. Love it!

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

Oh my, @karin. LOL You are so brutally honest. Heehee

2
reply

Required fields are marked *

This show is just adorable so far, I love it! I'm glad to see it's getting love from beanies as well - the ratings are just so surprisingly low :( I don't know the feedback in Korea, but I hope they rise for the sake of the cast and crew. The cinematography is great, the lead couple has good chemistry, and it's genuinely funny. I like that it's a rom-com with a sci-fi twist.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

thank you so much Saya for the recap and it was great to read your words describing what I felt but couldn't say with my own words!!

1/ Min Kyu (with his swoony voice and dreamy eyes): “From now on, look only at me, look after me, and follow only me.” I'm a gonner and she's a gonner. *MELT*

2/ I'm sure Min Kyu's "allergy" is related to his parents' death and that accident but why did he end up this way?!! why did he end up with a condition protecting him from any physical contact with others?!! did his mother die protecting him?!! he was telling her he's still living well as if it was her will for him!! and I believe that chairman Hwang have a hand in it!!

3/ Baek Kyun should be worried now with Min Kyu enjoying this "Aji 3" 's company with her "friend mode" and surely won't like to have her in "operating mode" anymore!! he'll lose the deal and the girl?!! *evillaugh*

4/ I'm worried of one thing, Min Kyu will be really mad and won't trust Ji Ah's reasons when he finds out about her fooling him and now him being the responsable of the competion she wants him to aprove to again will make him think she only approached him to use him and for someone like Min Kyu who doesn't trust people to be deceived by the person he puted his trust on after all this time it will be really painful!!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Saya, I'm excited to see that you will be recapping the drama, I enjoy your tongue-in-cheek writing style!

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I don't like her brother.

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I like this show so far. Especially the humor - it's not too over the top.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I know I am late to the party. But I will still like to share how refreshing to see YSH in a romcom. I am loving him with CSB.
I feel for the isolation and loneliness of MinKyu. Feel certain protectiveness for him and want him to win against the people who want to take advantage of him.
I really want to see more of YSH and CSB together.

2
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

@saya Such a 'lovely' review. Really loved what you said about yoo seung ho's raw acting. His micro-expressions are something I really enjoy. Much like bogummy's <3.
I love this drama so much. Haters can't hate. But I'm glad I found this cute show. Whatever the rating tells it's all a lie, hope it gets much more love, *sobs.

0
1
reply

Required fields are marked *

LOL I mean haters can hate. 😅

0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I like this show a lot more when it hits me in the feels. The scene with her brother hit so close to home that I started crying. And the scene with her father was so cute!!! This show is hitting all the notes for me and it doesn't help that Yoo Seung Ho is so pretty to look at. His smile can light up a room

2
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

When it comes to Yoo Seung Ho and his characters, I've come to a conclusion that they'll always carry an 'Atlas-like' burden of raw emotion. I'll be happy if he cries only one time *sits back patiently and hopes Yoo Seung Ho's powerful acting doesn't destroy the heart*

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

A unique plot plus watching Yoo Seung Ho oppa in a romantic comedy is something refreshing. I enjoyed his chemistry with Chae Soo Bin. New concept and so far i enjoyed watching it..😆😆😆

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Lead/male Protagonist has something along the lines of Munchausen syndrome.
Or some kind of Psychosomatic Disorder.
Poor him ... something traumatic must have happened.
Dont know what the syringe is for... looks like an epinephrine for allergy... but severe allergy does not display physical symptoms like that.
Weird.

1
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

loving Yoo Seung Ho,.It is fun to watch this comedy, romantic drama. (Chae Soo Bin) Ji A she is so cute

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Im liking this show so much!!!!....
Is someone going to recap 5-6 , 7-8...? I really love reading the recap after seeing the chapter...😁love reading all the comments...

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

She can touch him without any reaction? He touched her when doing the reset and she held his hand. I get it that it is probably all in his head but how can he make up/cause the rash like that? And why is the doctor making him believe he is really having this disease? That does not seem to be helping.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Did anyone's heart skipped a beat from minkyu's last words? Because i know that mine did

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *