The story is something that hasn't really been seen in Asian dramas (that I know of at least), and while there were quite a few clichés throughout the show, the writer always made sure the story stayed unpredictable, avoiding basically every single thing fans and casual viewers thought would happen. Sure, there were parts of the story that were messy (the first few and last episodes, mostly), the writer makes up for that with great doses of (very cute) humor and two fantastic leads. Nam Shin III certainly goes down as one my favourite characters EVER and I don't think I will ever find someone like him in any other drama. As for So Bong, we all know she was a controversial character at the beginning. However, I always appreciated how realistic she was, because I've met lots of people whose ultimate goal in life is earning money in any way the can. By the time the show ended and she had gone through great development I ended up caring about her a lot.
But, let's be honest, the biggest reason why the drama works so well is simple: the superb cast. Seo Kang Joon gives the best performance of his entire career, and I really hope he gets tons of awards because he's just too good no to get them. I also hope people stop treating him as if he is just a pretty face, because I've always thought he was a great actor and after this drama he might even be one of the best young Korean actors working today. As for Gong Seung Yeon, I became a really big fan after watching Circle, and she didn't disappoint at all here. I can't wait to see her next projects, because she has great taste when picking scripts. Also, their chemistry was just through the roof. The rest of the cast were also very very good, but SKJ and GSY steal the show.
As for the music, I really liked many of the songs and I think they fit the show very well. The production values were pretty high and the cinematography looks really great, even if the CGI was rather uneven throughout the show.
In conclusion, this drama has ended up being one of my favourites of the year and probably all time, and I will really miss Nam Shin III and So Bong, our Tin Can couple. I also miss the drama overall, how it made laugh very often and how it made spend the rest of the week waiting for the next episodes. I will certainly look forward to SKJ's and GSY's future projects even more than I would have before.
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Perfect for my inner science fiction nerd that also likes a little romance
10/10 is my rating. I really liked both the male (Seo Kang-jun) and female (Gong Seung-yeon) leads in this drama. This 2018 South Korean drama spans 36 episodes (although most places you watch it the episodes are combined with 18 episodes with a "split" in the middle and they wind up being about an hour so equivalent to most that would just run 18 episodes). It explores the very complex issue of when robots become so complex that they are virtually indistinguishable from humans can humans develop feelings and relationships with them. Dr. Oh (Oh Laura) is a mother and a robot scientist well ahead of her time. When her husband dies/commits suicide/is murdered (that is part of the mystery) the grandfather takes her young son who will be heir to the family business and fortune. He puts mother and son (Nam Shim) in a position where neither feel they can subvert the grandfather's wishes without harm coming to the other. Still grieving over the loss of her husband and her separation from her young son, Dr. Oh develops robots to mirror the image of her son as he grows. When tragedy strikes she has the robot stand in for the real Nam Shim to hold his place in the line of succession.spoiler 🚨 Nam Shim's female body guard (Kang So-bong) and many of Nam Shim's co-workers try to figure out why the son seems to undergo a dramatic change in character (for the better). Slowly the body guard begins to develop feelings for the robot thinking, at first, he is human. When she discovers his secret you wonder if her feelings will change. The male lead plays both the human and the robot so masterfully they really seem like two distinct characters. There is not so much a chemistry between the male and female leads (that would be a bit weird) as there is just this sense of two that perfectly complement each other. There is a villain, of course, who tried to kill Nam Shim once (which is the reason he is in a coma) and threatens to kill and/or remove anyone who gets in his way. I really liked this one because it is like a window to the future and questions what it means to be human. It was not hard to understand So-bong's feelings as many of us develop some emotional attachment to objects in our life such as our car or maybe our electronic vacuum. And those are simple and cannot respond back to us. I liked this drama the entire way through and was sorry when it ended as I so enjoyed my time with these characters. I thought it ended nicely and all of the major plot points were wrapped up. This is up with my all time favorites and I highly recommend it.
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BEST DRAMA 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finnaly 2018 have best drama sci-fi after my favorite drama Goblin But there is something lacking in the effects like a car when it collides and blood wounds like fake. Still the story is amazing, unpredictable.
BEST DRAMA 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finnaly 2018 have best drama sci-fi after my favorite drama Goblin But there is something lacking in the effects like a car when it collides and blood wounds like fake. Still the story is amazing, unpredictable.
BEST DRAMA 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finnaly 2018 have best drama sci-fi after my favorite drama Goblin But there is something lacking in the effects like a car when it collides and blood wounds like fake. Still the story is amazing, unpredictable.
BEST DRAMA 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finnaly 2018 have best drama sci-fi after my favorite drama Goblin But there is something lacking in the effects like a car when it collides and blood wounds like fake. Still the story is amazing, unpredictable.
BEST DRAMA 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finnaly 2018 have best drama sci-fi after my favorite drama Goblin But there is something lacking in the effects like a car when it collides and blood wounds like fake. Still the story is amazing, unpredictable.
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the female lead, Gong Seung Yeon is so lovable and natural as well.
I usually dont watch drams that are still on aire because that means i have to wait for the next ep but this particular drama makes me got so hooked up i cant wait to watch! Even on replay mode.
Gambatte Seo Kang Joon, You are awesome!
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[SPOILER ALERT]
So first of all i think this drama start with a weak beginning all the character is annoying except NS3 but as the episode goes on the character of this drama has it owns character development, especially Kang So Bong So, her character was annoying at first but she turn to be a subtle character as the episode goes on, and as for the NS3 the most stand out is his emotion development as you can see he was start as a obedient robot and never make his own decission, but as the episode goes on he can make his own decision and judgement, and don't forget about plot twist in this drama you can't ever predict the plot twist and that's makes me worry about the ending cause the ending is so unpredictable, all the cast is amazing especially Seo Kang Joon acting who can switch character so smooth, all of the OST on this drama is good even i downloaded it for my daily listening. the reason why i dont give this drama 10/10 is there is still a several kdrama logic that a bit bothers me such as third person camera that NS3 show to KSB with projector on episode 16, but thats the only reason but the exact rating i'll give to this drama is 9.8 all of this drama is perfect except the really small amount of kdrma logic that bothers me
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The production values are high, and the acting is on point. They got a great cast and they are shining in their roles.
The only qualm I have is that there were a couple of plot holes in the first 2 episodes. But it's getting better and if you like the story it is easy to overlook that. It's getting more enjoyable now that the characters are introduced and the action is kicking in. There are big conflicts coming, so the plot is going to be thrilling in the coming weeks. The show also has really good comedic moments and I'm laughing most of the time.
I cannot tell how this will end, but I definitely recommend this to anyone that enjoys sci-fi and romance.
Ah, and you will fall for the robot, there's no escape from that. ;)
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The plot itself was very stereotypical - piggyback rides, chaebol drama, and a rich guy and poor girl - but the concept of AI really put a twist to it. In this case, the line between robots and humankind start to blur and you really start to wonder, "At what point can a robot be considered human?" This question was enough to keep me hooked on the drama. At first, I truly doubted that So Bong would fall in love with Nam Shin because well, that just wasn't "normal." But as the plot thickened and the characters developed, concepts of normality were questioned as I found myself growing fond of Nam Shin III. Although these capabilities were probably programmed into his system, watching him express his genuine care for humans and desire to learn more about So Bong was just so damn touching. Even as a robot, he had nothing but good intentions and that was something that many of the human characters lacked.
I also have to say I was very proud of Seo Kang Joon for executing his role so beautifully. The subtle facial expressions between Nam Shin and Nam Shin III were enough to have me flip from hating him to loving him, but I think we can all agree that he is a very attractive man regardless ;-) As for Gong Seung Yeon, it was my first time seeing her on screen but she did an phenomenal job; as she grew more and more attached to Nam Shin III, the gradual changes in her tone were very natural and sweet. I look forward to seeing more of her work in the future! ^_^
All in all, would definitely recommend if you're looking for a drama that'll really make you ponder on a controversial topic!
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Story: I gave this one 8.5 because it isn't as groundbreaking as initially seems. It has fair amount of cliches. so, why i am giving this one 8.5. Because the way they executed the story. It was done wonderfully. I loved it romantic moments as well as its intense parts.
Acting:It has a great cast. The acting was superb especially i have to mention Seo Kang Joons acting. His acting was remarkable. I don't think i have ever root for a robot.
Music: It wasn't enough to give the OST 10 /10. The music was heartwarming slightly sad. It was so good and matches the scenes perfectly.
Overall I absolutely loved are you human too. Though it is kind of dragged towards the end, its has its moment. In the end, I think the great elements of this drama outweighs all of the negatives.
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What I liked esp. in the beginning was that despite the story not being really deep or heavy, it does have basic approaches to trigger thoughts like what does it mean being "human"? How can you compare these things? Where stops the logic and where starts the "heart"? When can you call something an object and when a person (with that the character Seo Ye Na became quite the annoyance which lasted till the end). Is it right to treat something that looks, acts and "kind of feels" like a person, still like an object (is it right to treat it any way you want to)? What does it mean to love it? It's makes you think of those people that marry their dolls or cars or... whatever they feel bonded with. Who is the crazy one?
For a while the story follows a similar path as the movie "Bicentennial Man". So, you might get a clue of what will await you. The approach of a robot to understand human emotions? Trying to feel them, too? Nah, it's nothing new, but still a luring treat, right?
Just awhile ago, I wanted to say that Shin felt a bit too human sometimes. But then I remembered James Cameron's "Aliens" and the android character in it. Everyone thought he was human until... well, until it was accidentally revealed. Seo Kang Joon did a good job with portraying his character. Repeating certain habits that made you recognize him right away, i.e. the subtly awkward blinking or that stiff smile.
What I thought was scarier than a robot imitating a human, were the company projects. I mean with every new thing that is being developed for humans' safety and longer living and eventually avoiding death... Call me cruel, but I'm always thinking about global overpopulation and further consequences.
Even though this drama has a mainstream plot, it's still an enjoyable ride. I'm thankful that it stayed consistently good and didn't change between good and bad periods. The plot was predictable like certain details you anticipate to see on screen. It even surprises you sometimes. Most of characters' motivations are relatable and if they are not clear enough, it's due to the actor's good performance and his ability to stay grey until the right time comes. Yes, I'm talking about Lee Joon Hyuk. No matter the role, he keeps impressing me.
I'm a bit sad that they didn't explore the relationship between the real Shin and his secretary a bit more. There was so much telling within their acting in those rare moments, that it made me wish to know more about their past. And in the same breath it's a shame that they didn't show more of the real Shin's growing-up either.
Towards the end when a certain step within the story was reached, it became a bit TOO predictable and I kind of wished for another ending. The funny part is now, I actually wished for this ending regarding the basic concept. But because of HOW it happened, I would have been much happier about a different path. It just became TOO k-drama-like for my taste. The grand finale was well done regardless and a real tear-jerker. The characters grew on me so much that they turned me into a crybaby after all.
Yet there's one crucial point to be mentioned: The finale is constructed on a major plot hole. It makes me wonder if I'm the only one who noticed it or if it was just because I marathoned the drama and therefore didn't miss it.
The OST is really nice listening to, and fits the story well. And as being one of the newer dramas out there, this one also gets a place in the "visually beautiful" row.
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A pretty solid drama
The drama sets the premise of exploring how an AI can show much more humanity than actual humans, and although it does it well, I feel like it wasted the opportunity to go much deeper with the theme and explore topics of how humanity would react to the incorporation of androids in our socitey and such, but I guess the writers didn't want to make the plot too deep or complicated, which is ok. I have to say there were sertain moments that didn't make sense. The way the robot's mom dies is so stupid, she could've just pushed Nam Shin out of the way and then avoided the barrels. To be honest she didn't even need to save him, he's a robot, I'm pretty sure a bunch of barrels wouldn't have killed him, it's clearly something the writers did just to stirr more drama in the show. Also, the way they portray science in this show is pretty idiotic, almost akin to magic that instantly just solves all of their problems. I must say specially the ending felt like a bit of a let down with a Deus Ex Machina type of solution.But I think that the actual focus of the drama is actually the character's relationships. The lead couple has a nice chemistry and it's pretty endearing to watch their relationship develop, but I gotta say, if you're going into this for the romance you might end up disappointed. Although cute, the protagonists relationship is more platonic than anything else. The fl is sure of her romantic feelings for the android, but the show makes pretty clear Nam Shin cannot feel actual emotions so although he shows he cares for her, he doesn't really love her, so towards the end their relationship feels a bit stagnant. Still, I think their interactions make the show worth it, along with the android's lovely personality.
As for the other characters, there's not much to say. I was sad they reduced the mom to an egoistic, crazy mother. She was supposed to be a robotics genius but was never portrayed that way. Human Nam Shin was disgusting to watch and I wouldn't mind if he'd died, but kudos to the actor who played well the two polar opposite characters in a very distinct manner. YoungHoon was the only other likable character to me.
Overall, pretty good and entertaining drama, I just wish there had been more romance.
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digital tears
(i dont rate rewatch value)another day, another A.I x human romance kdrama. as tropy as these are getting now, i think we're at a unique point in time now (near-ish future scifi) where it's pretty much already cancelling itself out.
i'll stop myself before i go full simulation theory, going into questions like how much more 'real' human love would be opposed to this, if we.. ourselves.. maybe, possibly aren't 100% guaranteed authentic, that it's just chemical reactions anyway, and the whole process/condition of love is quite illogical (really just a flavor of self inflicted pain after a while) regardless of who or what you're loving on. --- butttt, i do think it's clear now that it very much is exactly these kind of existential real life questions that will continue to fuel, and validate the trend as it becomes normalized.
the best part is that the drama itself doesn't even have to go this deep into the details. we barely have to get technical here. the extremes a.. what word to use, relateable? understandable? sympathizable? human + machine romance brings are more than enough to fill in the blanks. the rollercoaster push and pull this is early on when she pretty much desperately tries resisting this.. is completely freakin understandable. to the point where we're the bad guys for wanting her to like.. give in, and dedicate herself to a robot, who keeps reiterating that he doesn't have emotions. cannot reciprocate. honestly it's gonna be interesting to see how and when more complex ones will begin diving deeper into the technical and philosophical side, considering just how much you already get out of a relatively simple story like this.
relationship story that is. and simple in the relative, cuz i did shed my tears a buncha times ofc. did feel all the things all the times, ofc. the twists and turns of the bigger story are their own convo, and they're what save this from fizzling out approaching the end. part of the blame is on me for putting these final 4 eps i just binged aside for a week, but sure enough, things reach outrageous levels for the final spurt, only to be tied together in a neat bow for a classic ending.
i will dock it that one star from 9, which marks transcendent level for me, just because of how the romance inevitably lost a bit of steam at times, being stretched over 18 eps from relatively early on. but this says nothing about how much i felt for them throughout this.* Gong Seung-yeon is awe inspiring in like every way (shoulda let her flex more of her martial arts tho) and you'll probably be hard pressed finding a more fitting representation of perfection fit for a humanoid robot than Seo Kang-joon. he literally may as well be superhuman at some points here. there is no flaw to be detected. big kudos for pulling the twin role off so seamlessly, i can't spoil what differentiates the human and robo version but.. they freakin different alright.
(*not to mention the top to bottom polish, production design, visual effects, OST, i ticked all them boxes. shazam failed me on the same piece of score twice. and did i mention how gong seung-yeon is literally the most beautiful?)
rest of the cast is great too. her family all in my heart, his mom, his hyun, even Yu Oh-seong who goes absolutely O.D as the villain, but then in like one 2 second facial expression.. yeah cant tell you more. if there's one thing i'm really starting to admire it's how kdramas will insist on rounding out characters that don't even deserve it come finale.
you're sent off without bitterness, and i love that.
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