jun
the depths of hell
This review may contain spoilers
There wasn't much I could find about this drama online, so I came in headfirst not exactly knowing what was to come. I'm Not A Robot brought a fresh, whimsical and heartfelt show about concepts I haven't heard since my Vocaloid phase in middle school.
STORY: 7.5/10
The general plot was something that seemed so absurd - something that certainly drove my interest in watching the drama. The rich and obnoxious yet lonely due to their depressing past stereotype of a main male lead with an allergy to human touch falls for a human girl disguised as his personal robot. A lot of chaos, drama, and cute moments ensue.
Starting into my watch, I started to feel slightly bored by the way everything was being introduced. The factor of him not knowing that Aji 3 isn't actually a robot and the real, human Jia barely having her screentime was dragged on for so long that it almost became filler. Mingyu, in the beginning, was so annoying and rude it almost made it unbearable - yet I kept telling myself that his behavior would change and develop to make him more of a decent human being as soon as he fell in love with who he thought was a robot. And then, similar to the way Ji-a felt towards him, I began to feel more bad for him than hate him, really. However, I found it really funny about how Mingyu was supposed to have an IQ of 159 but never figured out the truth himself (which everyone in the show was aware of, even himself after he found out, which was hilarious).
However, I feel the story needed time to become the way it was. Falling in love, recovering from trauma, and developing the side characters' relationships and plots needed time to make it realistic. Even if certain aspects of the show were never really given bigger depth, I conclude that it presented itself well enough for it to be enjoyable, albeit not perfect.
ACTING/CAST: 8/10
The main cast's acting was amazing. Mingyu's actor, Yoo Seung Ho, was absolutely exceptional in his role. Every emotion he felt as the character felt so realistic and clear in his facial expressions right from his gestures to the expressiveness in his eyes. Chae Soo Bin was also very good - their chemistry was so frickin' adorable, and their kisses were unlike anything from any other Asian drama I've ever seen PERIOD.
I also feel like I'm the only one who thinks the scientist/professor, Baekhyun, was attractive despite being a bit dense when it came to human interaction. Pai, Sun Hye, Ssanip and Hoktal were all very lovable characters and made me relive my love for the "different characters from varying backgrounds consider each other a family" cliché. I also developed a HUGE, FAT crush on Ri-El's actress, and loved her subplot as well.
Although the foreign actors' acting was somewhat laughable, there's nothing to be surprised about in that aspect when it came to the English of the Korean actors' as well. Overall, the acting was more than tolerable, and surely allowed me to immerse into the story's depth.
MUSIC: 6/10
The music was not exactly memorable for me, but it certainly fit into each scene of the drama perfectly and in it's own sneaky ways. The lyrics expressed the mood of each situation, making it all the more heartfelt and emotional for me. Nothing was exactly different or strong about the OST of this, but I certainly did not hate it.
REWATCH VALUE: 7/10
It guarantees a 50/50. I don't watch series with over 25 episodes (unless I'm genuinely invested in the story/it comes in different seasons) so I don't think I'll be watching the whole thing again from the beginning. Perhaps certain scenes (like the ones between Mingyu and Jia! Gosh!) will garner a rewatch just for the purpose of it being so darn cute.
OVERALL: 8.5/10
There were many flaws, but not enough to delude the fact that I Am Not A Robot was an enjoyable, cute drama with many lovable characters and great chemistry between the main leads. It also begs the question of technology and how fast it's developing - if there was something like Aji 3 in real life, would they be used for good as she did? Or would they appease the memes that showcase Sophia the robot, as it gains sentience and plans world domination? LMAO. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, but it certainly deserves a watch.
STORY: 7.5/10
The general plot was something that seemed so absurd - something that certainly drove my interest in watching the drama. The rich and obnoxious yet lonely due to their depressing past stereotype of a main male lead with an allergy to human touch falls for a human girl disguised as his personal robot. A lot of chaos, drama, and cute moments ensue.
Starting into my watch, I started to feel slightly bored by the way everything was being introduced. The factor of him not knowing that Aji 3 isn't actually a robot and the real, human Jia barely having her screentime was dragged on for so long that it almost became filler. Mingyu, in the beginning, was so annoying and rude it almost made it unbearable - yet I kept telling myself that his behavior would change and develop to make him more of a decent human being as soon as he fell in love with who he thought was a robot. And then, similar to the way Ji-a felt towards him, I began to feel more bad for him than hate him, really. However, I found it really funny about how Mingyu was supposed to have an IQ of 159 but never figured out the truth himself (which everyone in the show was aware of, even himself after he found out, which was hilarious).
However, I feel the story needed time to become the way it was. Falling in love, recovering from trauma, and developing the side characters' relationships and plots needed time to make it realistic. Even if certain aspects of the show were never really given bigger depth, I conclude that it presented itself well enough for it to be enjoyable, albeit not perfect.
ACTING/CAST: 8/10
The main cast's acting was amazing. Mingyu's actor, Yoo Seung Ho, was absolutely exceptional in his role. Every emotion he felt as the character felt so realistic and clear in his facial expressions right from his gestures to the expressiveness in his eyes. Chae Soo Bin was also very good - their chemistry was so frickin' adorable, and their kisses were unlike anything from any other Asian drama I've ever seen PERIOD.
I also feel like I'm the only one who thinks the scientist/professor, Baekhyun, was attractive despite being a bit dense when it came to human interaction. Pai, Sun Hye, Ssanip and Hoktal were all very lovable characters and made me relive my love for the "different characters from varying backgrounds consider each other a family" cliché. I also developed a HUGE, FAT crush on Ri-El's actress, and loved her subplot as well.
Although the foreign actors' acting was somewhat laughable, there's nothing to be surprised about in that aspect when it came to the English of the Korean actors' as well. Overall, the acting was more than tolerable, and surely allowed me to immerse into the story's depth.
MUSIC: 6/10
The music was not exactly memorable for me, but it certainly fit into each scene of the drama perfectly and in it's own sneaky ways. The lyrics expressed the mood of each situation, making it all the more heartfelt and emotional for me. Nothing was exactly different or strong about the OST of this, but I certainly did not hate it.
REWATCH VALUE: 7/10
It guarantees a 50/50. I don't watch series with over 25 episodes (unless I'm genuinely invested in the story/it comes in different seasons) so I don't think I'll be watching the whole thing again from the beginning. Perhaps certain scenes (like the ones between Mingyu and Jia! Gosh!) will garner a rewatch just for the purpose of it being so darn cute.
OVERALL: 8.5/10
There were many flaws, but not enough to delude the fact that I Am Not A Robot was an enjoyable, cute drama with many lovable characters and great chemistry between the main leads. It also begs the question of technology and how fast it's developing - if there was something like Aji 3 in real life, would they be used for good as she did? Or would they appease the memes that showcase Sophia the robot, as it gains sentience and plans world domination? LMAO. Otherwise, I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, but it certainly deserves a watch.
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