Completed
Amy
187 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.0
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 10
THIS IS THE CUTEST. MOST FLUFFIEST. THING. I’VE. EVER. SEEN.
I seldom write reviews for dramas, but I felt that this drama was worth my time to recommend it to others. Frankly, I went into this drama without high expectations because the plot summary sounded a bit funny at first. However, this drama proved me wrong and turned out to be one of the best rom-coms I have ever watched. I found myself waiting desperately for each Wednesday and Thursday to come, so that I could immediately tune in for the latest episode. And, more so, I found myself laughing and crying along with the characters.

This is a drama for people who like simple romance, without much salt and pepper, just pure unsophisticated interactions between two individuals in their home space as they gradually fall in love. This is also a drama for people who like to focus on main leads and don’t care much about side characters and their subplots, because all the side characters in this drama are purely for the development of the leads.

Story 8.5/10
The story is about a man called Kim Min Kyu (Yoo Seung Ho) who, due to childhood trauma, developed a rare illness that causes him to be allergic to humans (as in REAL skin allergy!) and he has since then lived all by himself for 15 years. Doctor Hong Baek Gyun (Uhm Ki Joon) gets Min Kyu to test out his newly invented robot, but due to unexpected circumstances, Jo Ji Ah (Chae Soo Bin) was sent in in place of the robot, and there begins their cohabitation life where Min Kyu slowly opens his heart and learns to trust people again. The story focuses on the two main leads and their daily interactions, keeping the story simple and linear. However, that does not make it boring, as seeing their relationship grow in real time was what I enjoyed most in the process. AND THEY WERE JUST TOO CUTE.  Although this is a rom-com, it does have a melo downturn in the second half, so be prepared for some angst.

The reason why I deducted marks from the story, is because the pacing was a bit off in the last several episodes. Sometimes they would deliberately drag the plot for an episode to end in a cliffhanger. This took a toll on the plot development, causing the ending to be too rushed because there were many things left to resolve. However, the chemistry between the characters will still keep you anticipating for the next episode.

The story is not without clichés or plotholes, and while you may judge the realisticity of the story by asking “hey, how is it possible for him to not know how to distinguish between robot and human??”, I would say it depends on what you expect from watching this drama. Since this is a sci-fi/fantasy rom-com, its main goal is to present a funny, light-hearted story that does not necessarily have to follow the principles of reality, as long as it is internally consistent and effectively delivers what it wants to deliver. And I think this drama did an excellent job at telling a beautiful story about how bonds are formed, and how love could make you recognize a person’s soul no matter how they may change. As long as you overlook the basic assumptions that the story is founded upon, it is an enjoyable story.

Cast 10/10
Cast was well chosen and fit their roles A LOT – one of the major reasons this drama was well-received is because of the likable cast that keeps us wanting for more.

First of all, Yoo Seung Ho gave a stellar performance as usual. When he cries, you just can’t help but want to cry with him. His emotions felt so genuine and real, that his agony transcended through the screen. From happiness, to disbelief, and ultimately to despair, the transition of his feelings was like that of a real person. Imo, he delivered well the struggles and inner conflict of a character who fell in love with a robot.

Chae Soo Bin’s doll-like appearance and figure makes for a believable robot, and she did an amazing job portraying three personalities (a human, a robot, and a human pretending to be a robot) and they all feel different. On top of that, she had amazing chemistry with Seung Ho. Their adorable interactions were a major leverage to the story, and I don’t think any other pair would have spiked the same type of cuteness-overloaded, star-struck chemistry as they did.

I loved how the Santa Maria research team and the leads were like a real family that cared for each other wholeheartedly. Every member had distinct personalities that made them memorable. As for the villains, they were mainly there to establish the bond between the two leads (and to showcase Aji 3’s intelligence). I was looking forward to the push-pull brotherhood tension between Min Kyu and Yoo Cheol, but sadly it wasn’t developed. I wish the love lines of the side characters were talked about more as well.

Overall, the characters could have been explored in more detail, but since I happen to not be the type of audience who likes side characters and side stories, I am already satisfied enough with my devotion to the two leads. In terms of casting, they all fit their roles very well and I will always remember them as these roles.

Message 10/10
I liked how they made a contrast between characters who think using logic (i.e. the scientists, Aji 3) and characters who think using feelings (i.e. Ji Ah). it shows that emotional intelligence is also a type of intelligence and, although it is often left unseen, it is a quality that’s not inferior to logic. The deeper message – human emotions is something that cannot be mimicked using logic, it is something that can only be felt by humans.

I would say the main selling point of this drama is the sincerity of emotions that the characters share and the heartwarming message. I was definitely touched by the genuine emotions of Ji Ah. She made me understand that sometimes things don’t have to be practical or logical to be meaningful. It’s the heart of a human that makes them transcend robots, and the heart of a human that can make a seemingly useless object become meaningful.

OST 8/10
There’s not much to say about the OST. All the songs match well with the sweet atmosphere of the drama.

Overall 9/10
I can’t say this drama has the best plot, but the chemistry between the characters and the heartfelt messages made up for it. Overall, it’s a drama with sincere characters that are able to touch people’s hearts using their dialogue. The chemistry, characters, atmosphere, and Yoo Seung Ho’s expressive acting have made it work.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been so invested in a drama. This drama reminds me of why I started liking Korean dramas, and I’m certainly glad I didn’t judge a book by its cover and gave it a try. This is one of the dramas that I will always remember even after a long time. It has a special place in my heart.

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Completed
palak
89 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
This is one of those fluffy, easy-watch dramas that are easy on the plot but amazing on the acting. The story is unbelievable, almost nonsensical, but the actors pull it off and so well that you can't help but admire their acting. Although, the overall concept is kinda crazy, the plot itself is very well written. The punches are great and well on time. The romance will not give you any intense satisfaction. Instead, the romance is sweet and innocent and fluffy. Some scenes are hilarious.

Coming to the cast. I am not particularly fond of Chae Soo Bin, but this drama definitely changed that. She was perfect both as the robot Ah Ji and the street smart Ji Ah. Yoo Seung Ho was ADORABLE! He was the best thing about the show! I've seen plenty of his works and I think by far, this is my favorite character portrayed by him. This character really suited him so much. The supporting cast was really good. Loved Ji Ah's friend and her brother as well as his family. They were all great. Sun Hye's little love triangle was awesome. lol.

The music was great. Perfect amount of chirp and serious.

I would definitely come back and watch it for the adorable character of Kim Min Kyu as well as certain hilarious scenes. Also, someone needs to invent those things Ji Ah made in the show, but sounds a little difficult from science's POV, lol.
Anyways, if you are in a mood for an easy-watch, this is definitely your show!

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Completed
manicmuse
39 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
This drama was such an pleasant surprise, because I never expected I would love it so much. More than just a super sweet romance, it also made me think a lot about human connections, and how valuable they are. I never thought I'd get that feeling from a story about a fake robot.

Yes, the concept is pretty silly in general. A woman convincing a man that she's a robot is not exactly original, or believable, but with these characters, and a story told so well, I was completely sold on it from the beginning.  Every single episode was so good, without needing to be too complicated. The episodes also always flew by, and it was torture waiting for the next ones, especially with some of the cliff hanger endings, so I can imagine that this would be super easy to binge watch.

Honestly, It's the characters that really make this story work so well, and I loved every single one of them.

Of course a lot of credit has to be given to Chae Soo Bin, pulling off idealistic Jo Ji Ah and the actual robot Aji-3.  She was also super charming which made the story work well, and I think she was perfectly matched with Yoo Seung Ho. As Kim Min Kyu he really pulls off the sympathetic jerk storyline, and even at his worst I couldn't help but like him. Just watching them cheese smile at each other was actually enjoyable, but I loved their chemistry whether they were fighting, crying, or falling/being in love. As cheesy as the situations may have been, their relationship always felt very real. There's no weird and painful to watch lips touching here either... their kisses looked very real too.

As much as I loved the romance, I also loved the Santa Maria research team just as much. They may have been technically supporting characters, but each of them were memorable and felt important to the story. I liked that they all had their own awkwardness, which made them feel like real people. They were more than just comic relief, and became characters who I genuinely cared about. I feel like they all deserve main character status as well. The rest of the cast was great too, with no weak links... Well, maybe some of the villains were a bit one dimensional, but they still played their role well.

What was really endearing about the story to me revolved around Min Kyu's allergy to humans. I almost didn't want to mention it, but I don't consider it a spoiler, and it's what is behind the major themes of trust and connections in the story. I also loved that all of the characters seemed to have their own awkwardness or distance with people (Like, what kind of person turns their ex into a robot???!!!). It made me think a lot about how scary relationships can be, even without an allergy, and I loved watching so many of the characters make their own realizations about that, and learning to connect outside of their comfort zone.  

The only part of the plot that I wasn't into was the business rivalry. It wasn't boring, but it just wasn't as interesting as the rest of the show. Watching people fight over who will take over a business is probably one of the most overused plots in kdrama-land, so that's the only part of the story that felt really mediocre, but luckily it doesn't take up much of the episode time.

Would I watch it again? Definitely! It's one of those dramas where missing the characters may make me rewatch this sooner than later (possibly as soon as I finish typing this). And although I didn't really want the drama to end, I think it ended at the perfect place before overstaying it's welcome, or losing it's charm. The ending left me satisfied, even with the few questions I may still have, so I would rather just experience it all again.

I also liked the soundtrack. It's my favorite kind of OST. The kind that brings back the feeling you had while watching.

Even though I think this drama was practically perfect, that should come with a warning. If you don't like cute romance you will probably be ready to drop this early on. If you hate convenient coincidences in dramas, just know that this story is FILLED with them. This drama is mostly super lighthearted, with lots of laughs, though I admit that I cried several times, but don't expect anything too heavy. I also think it can get away with a lot of tropes that other dramas would be criticized for because its so good.

Overall, There's no doubt this drama will be  high on my favorites list. Something about this "I am not a Robot" feels classic, and reminds me of some of my old school favorite dramas. These quirky characters will stay with me for a long time, including Aji-3. It just goes to show that a story doesn't have to be intense to leave a strong impression.

Now someone needs to get me those heart lamps, and that silly umbrella!

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Completed
kingsqueen
32 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
I'll admit, I didn't initially have plans to watch this. And then I decided, well why not check it out. I was totally expecting a cheesy sort of show, with barely decent production. Instead what I found was a warm and touching story that sucked me in immediately. The production and cinematography were well done also.
This show goes down light and easy in the first few episodes, and you'll be hooked before you know it. Then it will totally wreck your feelings!  This show went above and beyond any expectations I had for it. Although, there are a few minor plot points that I deducted a point from the story for, overall I had no major criticisms for it.

Chae Soo Bin and Yoo Seung Ho did an exceptional job as the main leads. They did well in both the comedic scenes and in the emotional scenes. I have nothing but praises for them in this drama. The supporting cast were enjoyable also.

Some will say that this is only light and fluffy, but I found deeper meaning in the story as well.

This was a surprise hit for me! I went in expecting a 7-7.5 show and instead was happily given much more! If you're on this fence about this one, hop off and just give it a chance. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

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Completed
ArvisJaggamar
19 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 7
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 10
There is honestly no way for me to begin this review with any kind of adequate summation of the feelings that I'm Not A Robot put me through.  Somehow, this show made me fall in love with its lead female, cry for its lead male, and lose days of my life lost in mental soup of ennui and daydreams, imagining life as these characters and wanting more than anything to be at their side.  Although this fell just painfully shy of being my highest rated drama ever, I can safely say that no other drama has stayed with me for so long after I turn the television off.  I haven't written a full review of any drama for probably a year, but I'm Not A Robot deserves this effort.

STORY
While I do feel the need to point out that it's this category that keeps this from being a 10/10 (there are a few glaring plot holes), it is also this category that is going to get people into this drama.  Besides the few plot holes, the concept of this show is brilliant: a rich young man with an allergy to humans is interested in investing in a robotics lab that has a working android, thinking that android companionship could be the solution to his isolation.  Too bad the people who run the lab don't know about his allergy.  Their android breaks and they send a lookalike human in its place for him to "test"!  What could possibly go wrong, as these two attractive young people spend all their time together?
While you can tell just from that premise that this will be a show full of cuteness and hilarity (and it is), you will never imagine the emotional heights that this drama is able to achieve just from that simple plot.  I won't even try to describe it here, you just need to see it for yourself.  Kim Min Kyu and Jo Ji Ah are two of the best lead characters I have ever seen in any piece of fiction; a loneliness as deep as the ocean finally meets an incredible selflessness that might be able to fill it.  You will weep with Kim Min Kyu as he rails against his isolation and desperately searches for a glimmer of light in his life.  Your heart will shatter every time Jo Ji Ah denies herself happiness and chokes back her words and tears in order to protect the people that matter to her.  And when the two of them are together, you'll never want to see them apart.

ACTING/CAST
I'm going to actively try to avoid hyperbole here.  Suffice to say, I had real feelings for the characters.  And I don't mean just feelings.  I mean that I really felt like they were real people and I needed to be with them and help them.  That never happens to me.  Ever.  When I say I "fell in love" with Jo Ji Ah, that's honestly not too far from being literal.  Fortunately, I haven't completely gone off the deep end, but the point is that this cast brought these characters to life in the most beautiful and vibrant way.
First, relative newcomer Park Se Wan.  She is the definition of adorable.  Infinitely watchable, she's going on my list of actresses to follow across genres.
My boy, Kang Ki Young!  From his first moments onscreen in High School King of Savvy, I've loved this guy and am so happy to see his career continuing to gain traction.  He's never played a role quite like this one before but seems to have taken to it naturally.  There wasn't quite enough for his character to do, but KKY himself killed it, being able express a broad range in his role here.
Definitely want to mention brand new actress Yoon So Mi in her first ever Drama role as Jo Ji Ah's sister in law.  A lovely woman who comes out as a natural on screen.  Even my wife couldn't resist her charms, remarking multiple times how cute she was.
And of course, a young lady who has been hard at work in some truly excellent dramas in 2017: Lee Han Seo!  Little Han Seo knocks it out of the park here.  She steals every scene she's in and you'll only wish that she had even more lines by the time it's all over.
Now, our male lead, Yoo Seung Ho.  What a gravitational charisma.  He can literally make "annyeong" sound like it's full of meaning and emotion.  I admit he sometimes struggles a bit with some melo scenes, but only because of the impossible tightrope he's having to walk in many of them: balancing true, raw emotion with total awareness of the absurdity of his situation.  Despite this, during the melo climax at the halfway point of the show, expect YSH to completely destroy you.
And finally..... what can I say about Chae Soo Bin?  She has charms that can't quite be put into words.  The same way that a person just has to *see* Lee Min Jung to understand her beauty, and a person has to actually *watch* Jang Na Ra act to understand why she's quite as lovable as she is, Chae Soo Bin has to be experienced for yourself.  I will admit, on a personal note, when she has long straight brown hair and bangs, she may be the most beautiful woman in the world.  That's impactful enough on its own (in fact, distractingly so, since everyone around her should really always be tripping over her beauty, but aren't because it's fiction), but it goes far beyond just her looks.  Her tender depiction of a feisty but pure young woman who never loses her spark in the face of adversity is one of the most touching and impressive performances you're likely to see in this genre.  You owe it to yourself to watch CSB work, and to see her build Jo Ji Ah into a person we would all do well to emulate.

MUSIC
It doesn't disappoint!  While it lacks one huge standout track that acts as a hook, and maybe a theme or two is forgettable, in an OST of about 7 vocal tracks, I came away from it saving 4 of them to my Kdrama Playlist.  I can't say any other drama has hit that kind of success rate.
Additionally, a lot of the incidental and mood music is pretty well composed to; not exactly beautiful, but catchy and evocative, quirky and winsome.  No flies on this drama in the Music category.

REWATCH VALUE
This is the first 10 I've given in this category in any of my reviews.  The mind-bogglingly huge amount of amazing character moments, hearty laughs, and tender romance means that I'm Not A Robot can be watched, watched, and rewatched many times over and never get old.  Heck, if you're trying to convert anyone to kdrama, add this to the list of potential shows that can suck in someone who's never seen a kdrama in his or her life.  It's that good.  It really is that good.  It's never too melo, so no FFing needed there.  The villains are never too annoying, nor are there stupid love triangles to skip through.  There's no filler at all and never any wasted scenes. In fact, if anything, this show needed more episodes, because there were definitely parts of the story that got cut in order to keep up with the blistering pace, to its detriment.   There's literally not one minute of these 16 hours that anyone should ever need to FF through.  Not only WILL I watch this one again someday, I am EAGER to do so.

FINAL SCORE - 9.5/10
While a few unforgivable plot holes, a too-quick resolution, and not enough falling action (along with some rather lazy production work in the penultimate episode, randomly) prevent this from being a perfect 10, please please please do not sleep on I'm Not A Robot.  Easily a Top 5 All Time Drama, in my book, and perhaps my sentimental second-favorite, this will be 16 hours WELL spent for any drama lover.  Just sit back and let it shatter you, because when it pieces you all back together, you'll feel like you're better off for the experience.

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Completed
navillera
11 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.5
Rewatch Value 8.0
A man who has an allergy to humans, and the human he falls in love with who pretends to be a robot. At first glance, the plot of this drama may seem ridiculous, but after just 1 episode, I grew to love all the characters and found a beautiful gem of a drama that filled with so much heart, honesty, and kept me smiling all Wednesday and Thursday nights.

STORY:
This drama has an extremely unique plot that dramaland hasn’t really seen much. We’ve seen a man who is “allergic to humans” before, but we’ve never exactly seen it portrayed this way, where the life of our main character, Kim Ming-yu, is literally at risk with the slightest bit of physical contact with another human being. Despite how ridiculous it sounds, I loved how Mingyu’s allergy was portrayed, and it was extremely believable. The robot, Aji-3 is also something that makes the drama really unique and separates it from other cyborg or AI dramas out there. I really grew to love Aji-3 as the drama went on, and I was surprised to have grown attached to her although she is a robot.
What I loved most about the story is that there were barely any stereotypical k-drama tropes (no truck of doom, and they also kept noble idiocy to a minimum!) and its focus was on the growth of the characters, how they learned from their past experiences and how they started to trust and open up to each other. I really appreciated how relatable, raw, and just honest the characters were, which made the drama so refreshing and easier to connect to on a personal level. There was also no annoying love triangle or home-wrecking second lead! My one complaint is the business or corporate part of the drama, which was a little confusing and dragged out, but luckily it didn’t take up too much time in each episode and helped Mingyu develop more as a character.

ACTING:
Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin are two of my favourite actors and they did not disappoint at all! Every moment on screen was not them acting, but them being Mingyu and Ji-A. The emotions that Yoo Seung Ho conveys with his eyes are so palpable, and he made Kim Ming-yu an unforgettable character that came to life. He brought so much charisma to his character and I don’t think anyone else could have done the role better. I’m praying he accepts more roles in the rom-com genre because he was just too cute in this and I have to see his fluffy smile more!! >//<  Chae Soo Bin is so underrated, and I've heard people say she is “typecast” because she has been on so many dramas back-to-back lately. This drama really proved that her acting is on-par with some of the bigger actresses out there, although she is pretty new to the industry. Both as Ji-A and Aji-3, I was amazed at how she was able to become both of her characters and make them completely different from each other. Her acting as Aji-3 was so believable, she could seriously pull off being a robot. I really look forward to seeing more of her in the future :)
To say the least, Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin have mad chemistry together. I wouldn’t be surprised if dating news came out soon :^) I just wish we got more cute scenes of them together because they are too adorable beyond words *-*
I also really enjoyed the acting of the other characters such as Dr. Baekgyun, Pai, Ssanip, Sunhye, and Hoktal. Though I do wish Um Ki-Joon’s character could have played a bigger part in the plot since he seemed more like a supporting character.

MUSIC:
My favourite OST’s are “The Words in My Heart” by Kim Yeonji and “I Love With All My Heart” by Damsonegongbang. I’ve had them stuck in my head for the longest time and they really give me the feels haha. I  also really liked some of the instrumental OST’s and they helped enhance many scenes.

REWATCH VALUE:
I usually don’t rewatch dramas very often unless they are absolute favourites of mine, but I’m pretty sure I will come back to this drama whenever I need a dose of cuteness and Yoo Seung Ho <3 This is definitely a drama I won’t get tired of watching more than once.

OVERALL:
I’m Not a Robot is a drama that filled my Wednesday and Thursday nights with so much laughter and warmth and I can’t believe it’s over already. It’s going to be hard to find another drama like this one T-T It’s an understatement to say this drama deserved so much more love than it received, and I hope the actors and writers are not discouraged by the ratings, because this drama is absolutely amazing. If you are hesitant to watch this drama because of the plot, just go for it! You’ll be surprised by how hard you fall for all the characters and you’ll be wishing there were way more than 16 episodes, trust me! >o<

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Completed
misu
22 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.5
A very original plot about a woman pretending to be a robot working for a financial director who is allergic to humans, a very easy show to binge watch on a weekend, the drama wasn't at all rushed, when I started this drama I wasn't expecting much from it, it looked like something I'd drop in 5 episodes, but here I am finished the 32nd episode wanting a sequel, (but I doubt that very much ).

The acting was unbelievably perfect some of the emotions portrayed by the actors were so believable I forgot it's fictional. Yoo Seung Ho who plays Kim Min Kyu is now one of my favorite actors I'm surprised that I hadn't seen him in any other drama. I wasn't too fond of Chae Soo Bin in the strongest delivery man but she stole the show in I'm not a robot.

The music wasn't outstandingly amazing but it was pretty decent, some tracks I prefered more than others but overall quite good

I would most likely watch this again when I get the chance.



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Completed
James Bond
11 people found this review helpful
Jan 26, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 10
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0
Before we start, know that this is not a show that will leave you speechless because of how unique and well thought the plot was. This is not a show that will raise your expectations so much that nothing you ever watch again will feel the same. This is not, by a long shot, a flawless drama. But, this is a show, that will touch your heart.

When you read the summary of the story it seems funny at first, and you might think “How will they be able to fill a whole show just with this?”. I thought so as well. The plot isn’t much. A relationship between a man allergic to humans, and a girl/robot/girl pretending to be a robot. Even after only a few episodes most of you can predict how this show will go. But, that is not where this show shines. The actors, both the leads, and the supports are what made this show the gem it is.

The interactions between Yoo Seung-Ho and Chae Soo-Bin are an immense pleasure to watch. I wouldn’t mind this show having a few more episodes just of them doing their daily tasks together. They really did an amazing job transferring their characters’ emotions on screen so that we could feel them as our own. They don’t fail to make you smile and laugh in almost every episode, and when they cry, you might probably want to cry along them too. All of the cast perfectly fit their roles. If even one actor of this show was changed, this would have been a completely different drama.

The music, well what can I say… my heart melts every time I hear any one of the amazing soundtracks of this drama. It instantly brings a smile to my face.

There are a lot of inconsistencies in this drama. There are a lot of aspects that could be better. There are unexplained parts of the plot, cringy English dialogues, and a number of other things that will make you think “They surely could have done better than this.”. However, I wouldn’t change anything. Each one of those things made I’m Not A Robot the cutest thing you will ever watch. Even if you are hesitant about the show, once you start it, you are going to want to watch it on and on, and take your mind off everything else. So, just go ahead and see it, or rather, feel it for yourselves.

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Completed
shyni
11 people found this review helpful
Feb 6, 2019
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 3.0
This is a drama that negatively surprised me as it progressed. The first few episodes were fun to watch and the plot was interesting and innovative but then in the middle it went downhill because of the absurd situations and the naivety of the male lead character, and the fact that basically everyone around him was lying to his face and that lie got dragged for too long.

The romance is the fluffiest thing in the world and the couple has good chemistry, they look really cute together.

I hadn't watched a drama with Yoo Seung Ho before but I've developed a crush on him watching this it seems, he's such a good actor who portrays emotions really well. Chae Soo Bin is also a great actress, I applaud her for the dual portrayal of both characters.


The main negative thing I could point out is how some scenes are too childish and naive.

Overall, I only recommend giving this drama a chance if you're prepared to lose some braincells and to be frustrated by the draggy episodes.

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Completed
xXabsintheXx
9 people found this review helpful
Feb 9, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 2
Overall 9.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This was the fluffiest and cutest thing I've watched in a long time, and it also made me remember why I used to love rom-coms so much.

I actually didn't want to write a review about this because there are already so many of them out there which capture the magic of this drama quite well. But there are so many things I liked and loved in this drama that I somehow needed to write all these things down myself.

There is quite a large amount of crime and suspense dramas out there lately, that it's hard to find some distraction with a good rom-com, and I was hesitant with this because of Yoo Seung Ho. He has already proven that he can act with other dramas but he's also the master of crying - and that not always to his advantage. Whether directors demand him to cry to his heart's content or not, sometimes it's just too much for the drama. But with his latest project it seems as if I discovered him all anew and he did won me over with this big time.

The story evolves around Kim Min Kyu who is allergic to humans. One slight touch results in life-threatening consequences, and because there doesn't seem to be a cure yet, he has to be very careful to never touch another person. Therefore he lives in isolation and loneliness and has developed some kind of friendship with his cleaning robots over the years. Just then he finds out about this new human robot with an AI and decides to test it out.

There is nothing like a unique and new idea in this world and people might be reminded of "AI", "I Robot" or "Bicentennial Man" with this show. But when it comes to K-dramas, "I'm Not a Robot" is still a fresh concept. It won't focus too much on the AI topic, but more on the romance part, and therefore doesn't dive too deep into "conscientious invention for the next generation", even though it might graze those things in a very superficial way as well. For example, there are the geeks who invent for the sake of creating new things that can be helpful for humanity in a peaceful way, or the evil guys who only see money and war toys.

Whether Kim Min Kyu's illness might be too far fetched or not is hard to judge. Maybe it sounds unbelievable the first time you hear it but... ever since I started working in the medical field, I developed this thought that we will never be able to know of all the diseases in the world. There are so many which are not yet discovered or very rare illnesses the majority of people don't know of. And who knows, maybe there really is someone like Kim Min Kyu, too.  For me, the drama was able to deliver that subject well enough to buy its story.

Of course, it's not free of clichés and it's very predictable. But in a good way. You know what will happen, you anticipate it and you're happy when it's indeed happening in the end. This drama doesn't always follow reality, it's still a fantasy (and Korean!) drama. Sometimes it might also have some logistic miracles, but seriously, who cares. It's too much fun watching Kim Min Kyu and his experiences with this very human "robot". When I say, you will laugh your ass off, you definitely will. It's been a while since I myself laughed that hard, that often.

What makes this drama so great are its characters and the cast who did an incredibly smashing job. You will find yourself attached to most of them in no time, and you will have this constant grin on your face whenever you see the leads, the research team (and it was so much fun seeing Uhm Ki Joon play a good guy for a change, too) or that little robot that reminded me so much of Little Groot! Too sad it didn't have much screen-time. The female lead's friend and also her family added a lot to the fluff and comedy, and even though I didn't like the brother in the beginning, his timid behavior grew on me quite fast, too.

As I mentioned before, Yoo Seung Ho literally blew me away in this. His looks/styling were dashing and his acting was cuteness overload without getting too cheesy. He managed to show a plausible transformation from a lonesome boy who fears the contact with other people to a guy who slowly learns to build a relationship with another person. His reactions to new experiences was heartwarming and once in love he became endlessly cute. His crying which I always fear in dramas, were kept in line. It was well balanced most of the time and only one or two times where it was a tiny bit too much, but I don't want to nitpick. I'm more than happy with what everything else he gave me here. And wow, he had such an amazing chemistry with Chae Soo Bin. I loved her in Rebel and was excited to see her in this drama. Both of them delivered beyond my expectations. Especially Chae Soo Bin must be praised for her performance of her human character Jo Ji Ah and the robot Aji 3. I was able to tell them apart very easily and create a bond with both of them individually. I'm even a little sad that the robot didn't have that much screen-time. I would have loved to see more of her.

I usually don't mention kisses but I was quite fixated on them here. I don't even know why, maybe because I can't remember Yoo Seung Ho's previous drama kisses or because I'm always nervous about them in general because they can either be a hit or miss. But don't worry! They were a pleasure to the eyes and to the heart. Lively and cute at the same time.

The only ones I was a little disappoint in, were the bad guys. Kang Ki Young for example. I liked his acting whenever I saw him in a drama. But here he was... how shall I put it... too bland? It didn't reach me, it felt subdued. As if he wanted to show that he can also take on other more serious roles but failed to express the necessary emotions. His character was kind of "flabby". Maybe he is better off playing funny guys. Same goes for the whole conspiracy plot in this drama. I wasn't convinced even one second. The major problem was probably that it didn't get enough screen-time to build a proper ground. On the other hand I won't complain much about it either because I was way more happy to see the leads all the time. I know, it's a contradiction but I can't help it. And since this drama is just another rom-com, I didn't expect much depth in its evil side anyway.

Phew, I wanted to keep myself short on this but ended up going too much into detail. If you were able to read through all of this, let me thank you for enduring this long text. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts and maybe will start this drama yourself~

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Completed
Elle
16 people found this review helpful
Jan 25, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.0
Story 7.5
Acting/Cast 7.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0
This drama has a light and fun premise, but I don’t think there is anything here that hasn’t already been done elsewhere.  I’m not a Robot is just super cute and fluffy.  Yoo Seung Ho in his role of Kim Min Kyu is a delight.  He is an annoying but lovable jerk that portrays a certain naïveté equal to a small child’s.  Chae Soo Bin in her role of Jo Ji Ah plays a nice opposite to him as the plunky heroine. This is a typical alpha hero and candy setup.  There is just a lot of heart that this drama is not able to fully tap in to and a lot of potential was left on the table. The business politics really ate up so much unnecessary time ...  Overall, the cute that this drama is able to display is probably its saving grace.  

If you are looking for a cute, easy watch, you may want to give this drama a try.  I quite enjoyed it!

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Completed
Hayleyshy
7 people found this review helpful
Jan 28, 2018
32 of 32 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
What an all-around great drama to finish off 2017 and begin 2018! Funny, cute, romantic, interesting. This drama has it all. I love the cohesiveness of the story, as far-fetched as some it may seem. All the lose ends were tied up by the finale (a rarity) creating a fully complete drama that left me completely satisfied and interested throughout.

To start off the acting was incredible! I first started following Yoo Seung Ho after he impressed me in Missing You. A drama that because of him, I found myself rooting for the second male lead, despite him technically being a villain. (He has SKILLS, when he cries you can feel it!) And I also fell in love with Chae Soo Bin, she is so cute! I did not even realize until halfway through the show that she was previously in Sassy Go Go, in which I LOATHED her character. She is definitely someone too watch out for and has great versatility! And all the side characters were phenomenal as well and had interesting subplots that really contributed to making the drama have a depth that is hard to find in many romantic comedies.

In addition, the soundtrack was solid. Not a true standout but went cohesively with the scenes. This is definitely a drama that if you have shelved in favor of other dramas you MAY want to reconsider. This drama will have you smiling, laughing, crying, and all the time having a great time and emotionally investing in this group of characters. Highly recommend!  Happy drama watching :)

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I'm Not a Robot (2017) poster

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