I’m Not a Robot

Welcome back to *Hallyu Reviews!* We hope you enjoyed Sabrina’s review of **"Soundtrack #1."** If you missed it, be sure to go back and have a read!

This week, we take a look at **“I’m Not a Robot.”**
**SPOILERS AHEAD!!**

Synopsis

“I’m Not a Robot” (“Robot”) is the story of Kim Min Kyu (Yoo Seung Ho), the Chairman of KM Financial who suffers from a human allergy, and Jo Ji Ah (Chae Soo Bin), an aspiring entrepreneur who is trying to find success in the world with her creative inventions. Min Kyu’s parents die in a car crash when he is young and he is left alone in the world. At the same time, Min Kyu is traumatically betrayed by his best friend, Hwang Yoo Cheol (Kang Ki Young). Because of this deception, Min Kyu develops a severe psychological allergy to human contact and spends the next 15 years of his life alone. He keeps his illness a secret and locks himself in his home. He eats only the food he prepares himself and fulfills most of his duties as Chairman remotely. And when he does go into his office, he wears gloves and carries a baton to reduce his risk of coming into contact with people. Min Kyu learns that a company that KM Financial purchases has secretly developed a human-like robot with the purpose of sharing emotions with human beings through deep learning. Hopeful, he demands that the robot, known as AG-3, be brought to his home for testing. Before AG-3 can be delivered by the Santa Maria team, however, she malfunctions. The Santa Maria team asks Ji Ah, who was the character model for the robot, to stand in for AG-3 until a new part arrives from overseas. Ji Ah, having also lost her parents at a young age, lives with her older brother and his family. Ji Ah is desperate to find success with any of her many businesses, but her brother does not approve, and demands that Ji Ah pay back the money she has borrowed and get a job. Reluctantly, Ji Ah agrees to work as AG-3’s stand-in. Over time, Min Kyu and AG-3/Ji Ah develop a close relationship, as Min Kyu learns how to share his life with another person. Gradually, the two fall in love, and as a result, Min Kyu’s human allergy is cured. Believing that AG-3/Ji Ah is a robot, however, Min Kyu is conflicted by his feelings and painfully “resets” AG-3’s memory of their time together. Regretting his decision, Min Kyu attempts to retrain AG-3. With her new parts, the real AG-3 engages in the deep learning with Min Kyu, this time, but since neither are the same “person” they once were, the results are different. When the truth is finally revealed, Min Kyu is devastated by the deception and his allergy returns. After much heartache, Min Kyu realizes that Ji Ah and the Santa Maria team have become the family he has always wanted, and they work together to save AG-3 and KM Financial from the hands of rivals. In the process, the friendship between Min Kyu and Yoo Cheol is mended, and Min Kyu’s human allergy is cured once and for all.

Lead Couple

Min Kyu, deeply hurt by people, has a serious distrust of humans. In addition, his allergy to all human contact leads him to lock himself away from the outside world. Because his allergy could be perceived as a weakness and used against him by his rivals, he keeps it a secret from everyone except his doctor and butler. Because of this, he has a reputation at KM Financial for being scary, and is given the nickname “Baton” for the baton he always carries. But for Min Kyu, space is necessary for his protection, both physically and emotionally. Min Kyu allows this misunderstanding to perpetuate to keep others at a distance. Min Kyu’s fears have made him an awkward recluse, until he meets AG-3, whom he thinks is a human-like robot, but is actually Ji Ah. Min Kyu longs for love and companionship and AG-3/Ji Ah allows Min Kyu to experience a human-like relationship without the allergic reaction caused by his psychological trauma.

Ji Ah is an inspiring entrepreneur. She has started many businesses, but none of them have been successful. Ji Ah first meets Min Kyu when he employs her company to collect a rare item for him. Through a misunderstanding, she thinks that he is a con man. Her parents passed away when she was young, so her older brother, Jo Jin Bae (Seo Dong Won), is more like a father to her. Jin Bae wants Ji Ah to quit her dream of starting a business and get a traditional job. When Ji Ah first begins working for Min Kyu as AG-3, she finds him rude and dimwitted. But as she begins to learn more about his life and all that he has endured, her heart opens up to him. The more time she spends with him, she realizes that his life has not been an easy one, and that his prickly behavior is a side effect of living alone for 15 years.

Both Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin are incredible actors. They are capable of embodying a plethora of emotions and are a real joy to watch. Their smiles are huge and brilliant, and even when their characters are being awful to each other, I found myself unable to look away from their scenes. “Robot” was my first exposure to both actors and I look forward to viewing more of their work.

Santa Maria

At the beginning of “Robot,” KM Financial purchases Daeyang Shipbuilding. The hidden gem of Daeyang Shipbuilding is the Santa Maria team which is working on the development of AG-3, a robot capable of high levels of emotional understanding. Dr. Hong Baek Gyun (Uhm Ki Joon) is the head of the Santa Maria team and Ji Ah’s ex-boyfriend. Dr. Hong and Ji Ah broke up suddenly many years ago, and Dr. Hong never understood why. He is still in love with her, and uses her image – without her permission or knowledge – as the character model for AG-3. Throughout “Robot,” Dr. Hong realizes that Ji Ah was always supportive of him, but, like her older brother, he did not reciprocate her support. He looked down on her abilities and dreams. It is through Dr. Hong we learn about the concept of irreversibility – you will never be the same person you were in the past. This is why Dr. Hong is unable to correct his past mistakes with Ji Ah and why Min Kyu is unable to fix his relationship with AG-3 after resetting her; They are all different “people” now from whom they use to be.

Inanimate Objects

Throughout “Robot,” several inanimate objects take on character-like roles. Some of the objects, like the baton and the x-ray machine, play a crucial role in Min Kyu’s safety, protecting him from contact with other humans and undesirable and sometimes dangerous packages and deliveries, respectively. All of his inanimate objects participate in what Min Kyu refers to as “the hierarchy that receive [his] love.” Everything in his home earns points based on how much pleasure they bring him. Those that bring him the most earn the rank of “Lovely.” Because he lives alone, the back scratcher serves as a stand-in when he needs help scratching hard to reach places. His robot vacuums are also Lovelies. His holds a quasi-anniversary celebration for his newest robot vacuum, celebrating one year together. He even refers to it as his bride and is visibly upset when it breaks down. The Santa Maria team fixes it for him, and upgrades it in the process, giving it even more life-like characteristics. Seeing his concern for his robotic vacuum allows the members of the Santa Maria team to understand Min Kyu a little better and serves as a turning point in their relationship with him.

AG-3

The greatest of Min Kyu’s Lovelies is AG-3, a robot capable of developing and sharing emotions with humans. As part of AG-3’s deep learning, she must go through a month of training sessions with the human in order for her to collect data about that person and to relate emotionally on a complex level. Min Kyu decides to take her home in order to check the veracity of her skills. But when AG-3’s short circuits due to water exposure, Ji Ah is sent in to pose as AG-3 for the testing. Not only does Min Kyu not react when he touches her – because he believes she is a robot – but AG-3’s presence also stops an allergic reaction after he comes into contact with another human. With the help of his doctor, Dr. Oh (Eom Hyo Seop), Min Kyu realizes that he has developed a relationship with AG-3, which allows him to reconnect with the human world. She is the first friend he has made in 15 years, and around AG-3/Ji Ah, he is able to let down his guard and laugh.

AG-3 leads to Min Kyu’s growth in other ways, as well. Dr. Hong instructs Min Kyu to input his emotions into AG-3 and build a relationship, but when Dr. Hong witnesses Min Kyu kiss AG-3 on the forehead, he misunderstands and threatens to take AG-3 away and find a new investor. Min Kyu comes to Dr. Hong and respectfully calls him “Hyung,” Korean for “older brother.” He asks him for help, and reveals his human allergy for the first time. This is a huge step for distrustful Min Kyu who is revealing a weakness that can be used against him by his enemies.

When Min Kyu realizes his feelings for AG-3 run deeper than friendship, he tries to refocus on finding a human companion. Both Dr. Oh and Dr. Hong try to convince him his love is misplaced appreciation for AG-3 curing his disease and for being his first friend in 15 years. Min Kyu believes this, as well, until he realizes that it is only when he is with AG-3 that he feels alive. His head tells him the love is an illusion, but his heart disagrees. He cannot help yearning for the friendship and compassion he receives from AG-3, which makes him feel miserable. He decides to let her go by resetting her – so that she will forget their time together. Their “breakup” scene is nothing short of gut-wrenching. Tears stream down his face as he gives her his most precious treasure, his mother’s necklace. He tells her that he loves her as he hugs her one last time, sobbing, pressing the reset button at the back of her neck, wiping her memory clean.

Ji Ah’s Inventions

Over the years, Ji Ah has invented many products, but the two products that play the largest role in “Robots” are her heart lamps and her transparent umbrella. The heart lamps were invented by Ji Ah as a way to connect two people, no matter how far apart they are. Though Ji Ah is teased throughout “Robots” as having an IQ of only 94, Dr. Hong and the Santa Maria team are amazed by Ji Ah’s heart lamps. They say that the heart lamps demonstrate the concept of quantum entanglement. According to Space.com, quantum entanglement states that “two subatomic particles can be intimately linked to each other even if separated by billions of light-years of space. Despite their vast separation, a change induced in one will affect the other.” The Santa Maria team is impressed by Ji Ah’s intuitive understanding of such an advanced concept, and the heart lamps help Dr. Hong and Jin Bae realize how much they have underestimated Ji Ah.

But the most important of Ji Ah’s inventions is her transparent umbrella. The transparent umbrella is an umbrella that can oscillate between transparent and opaque at the push of a button. We learn that Min Kyu owns one of Ji Ah’s transparent umbrellas and leads to the Lead Couple’s first kiss. Caught in the rain, Min Kyu and Ji Ah share the umbrella and Min Kyu confesses his admiration for such a clever invention and the “genius” mind behind it. Ji Ah, basking in the glow of Min Kyu’s unexpected praise, is knocked into by a passerby and Min Kyu catches her. Caught up in the moment, Ji Ah kisses him. Min Kyu’s comments lead Ji Ah to feel valuable for the first time since her father died, ultimately paving the way for her to fall in love with him.

Second Couple

While there are a few other couples in “Robot,” the relationship between Hwang Yoo Cheol and Ye Ri El has the most direct impact on that of the Lead Couple. Along with Min Kyu, the three are childhood friends. Misled by his father after the death of Min Kyu’s parents, Yoo Cheol unknowingly betrays Min Kyu, triggering Min Kyu’s human allergy. As Chairman and CEO of KM Financial, the two men are rivals, and Yoo Cheol’s father continues in his efforts to replace Min Kyu. Because Yoo Cheol turns a blind eye to his father’s actions both then and now, Min Kyu is unable to trust him and the two are no longer friends. Yoo Cheol has always loved Ri El, but has long been overlooked by her and her father as a potential husband.

Ri El is Min Kyu’s first love and is paired with Min Kyu for marriage by her father. Min Kyu longs for love and companionship, and he believes that Ri El is the answer. Ri El always remembered his parents’ death anniversary, which made him feel a little less alone in life. He kept items from their childhood together that meant a lot to him because he thought they meant a lot to her. But while Min Kyu treasures their past together, it was a small part of Ri El’s life and she lives for the future. And while Ri El attempts to be an obedient daughter, she and Min Kyu do not share a spark, and she realizes that it is Yoo Cheol whom she loves.

In the end, the misunderstanding and betrayal between the friends is cleared up. Yoo Cheol and Ri El help Min Kyu retain control of KM Financial and restore ownership of AG-3 to the Santa Maria team. Ri El and Yoo Cheol are also seen in the final scenes leading up to the finale of the K-drama as Min Kyu’s friends all assemble to celebrate his return from military service, demonstrating that they have once again become two important people in Min Kyu’s life.

Family

Though Min Kyu does not have any living family members, there are many people in his life who become like family. One person is his long-time butler, Butler Sung (Kim Ha Kyun). Butler Sung comes into Min Kyu’s life after his parents die and remains by his side. Butler Sung keeps Min Kyu’s illness a secret. He maintains the family home, ensuring that no harm comes to Min Kyu. It is Butler Sung who reminds Yoo Cheol of the friendship that he and Min Kyu once shared. When Min Kyu is devastated by the betrayal of Ji Ah and the Santa Maria team, Butler Sung reminds him that only angels can live without ever lying. He also shares a story about how hedgehogs gather together in the cold, despite their quills, because getting pricked by each other is more bearable than being alone in the cold.

Another person that treats Min Kyu like family is his long-time allergy doctor, Dr. Oh. Dr. Oh takes care of Min Kyu physically, attempting to find a medicinal cure to his human allergy. But Dr. Oh is always available to answer Min Kyu’s phone calls about life. It is to Dr. Oh that Min Kyu first admits his feeling for AG-3/Ji Ah. Concerned that Min Kyu is falling in love with someone who cannot return his love, Dr. Oh tells him that his love for AG-3 opened the door for him to have relationships with humans. When Dr. Oh learns that Ji Ah stood in for AG-3, Dr. Oh is incensed, scared that Min Kyu could have died of shock from an allergic reaction. And when Min Kyu learns of Ji Ah’s and the Santa Maria team’s betrayal, it is Dr. Oh who tells Min Kyu that they are good people who genuinely love him. They wanted to tell Min Kyu the truth, but he takes responsibility for stopping them out of fear for Min Kyu.

And finally, though they have their ups and downs, the Santa Maria team members become a quasi-family to Min Kyu. The members call him brother and worry about him. They put everything on the line to prevent the media from finding out about Min Kyu’s allergy, including risking their reputations and signing over ownership rights to AG-3. The entire Santa Maria team waits outside of Min Kyu’s house for news on his condition when he suffers from shock after learning the truth of their deception. It is also the Santa Maria team that reminds Min Kyu that trust is a two-way street, for those who cannot trust others cannot be trusted.

Final verdict: WATCH

“I’m Not a Robot” is a wonderful K-drama that lands solidly on my WATCH list. The theme is about healing from past wounds – apologizing, forgiving, and moving on with the hopes of not repeating the same mistakes. The acting is fantastic and the story is beautiful. While it is not without its holes – why was the identity of the mysterious Madame X, who plays a small, but pivotal role in the drama, never revealed? – the story has a nice balance between the drama and the humor, with satisfying character arcs and a well-resolved ending. The flashbacks are fun and meaningful, and fit into the present story nicely without being distracting. Overall, “I’m Not a Robot” is a moving K-drama with a great message and a definite recommendation from this K-drama fan.

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So there it is, our review of “I’m Not a Robot.” What did you think?! Thank you for joining us on this journey.

Have a favorite K-drama you think we should review, comment down below!! We look forward to seeing you back again next week!

Up next, “The Bride of Habaek”

The Bride of Habaek

Soundtrack #1

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