Another great drama came to an end last night. I Am Not a Robot was a scientific fiction drama with a mix of romance. It had all the trappings of a conventional Korean romantic comedy, but somehow was able to deliver a very memorable story, through all its characters. It’s a story that I believe will be quoted in many future dramas to make for some comedic shenanigans. So here goes the story:
Kim Min Kyu (played by Yoo Seung Ho), is an orphan, who lost his parents in a car accident 15 years ago. His father was the CEO of a large corporation that he inherited upon his death, but since he was underage, his father’s friend came to control the organization in the child’s stead. As an adult, most people at the office want Min Kyu to give up his rights over the company, because of the inherent power struggle between two families. What the world does not know is that Min Kyu has a unique allergy; of human touch, which makes him stay indoors and avoid all human contact. He has been this way for the past 15 years, ever since he lost his parents. His doctor claims it’s because he stopped trusting people after being treated cruelly by them that has caused him to develop this condition. Even though a skin allergy activated by human touch feels far-fetched, it’s something within our understanding if we were to replace it with some kind of anxiety disorder.
One day, Min Kyu ends up visiting a team of scientists that his company is investing in. They show him a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence machine, a robot, Aji 3, with the face of a human he has met recently while buying something from her. The Aji 3 is modeled on Jo Ji Ah (played by Chae Soo Bin), because she was the ex-girlfriend of the head scientist, Professor Hong Baek Gyun (played by Uhm Ki Joon). Since he is unable to forget her, he gives his robot the same face, only causing lots of confusion. Min Kyu, taken up by the idea of having any companion wants to keep the robot for the trial period and a contract is signed. However, right before they have to send the robot to him, there is a malfunction and they resort to asking Ji Ah to act like a robot, so there fault is not caught. Furthermore, since Ji Ah already does plenty of odd jobs, she accepts this one for a decent pay.
The romance and chemistry that ensues because of the confusion between human and robot was heartening. This was my first time watching Yoo Seung Ho in a drama and he’s so talented. Watching his face change its expressions had me experience my own face changing. One would want to smile when he was smiling and be sad when he was sad. His chemistry with Chae Soo Bin was incredible and they were both a delight to watch as they argued, bickered and then acted all cheesy and romantic as well. The whole experiment of humanizing Min Kyu at the hands of a headstrong Ji Ah, was one of the best concepts I’ve seen in a drama as of now. Her own conundrum was even more fascinating as she strove to be known for what she thought she was good at, and refusing to choose any other path for herself despite her failures. Her persistence was impressive, which she showed in all of her dealings with other people; a trait that was much needed in bringing Min Kyu out of his shell. All in all, this was a great drama, and an exceptionally light one compared to the plethora of emotionally intense dramas that have been airing recently. It’s definitely a must watch for those who love themselves some romance.
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