My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021)

The title should be My Boyfriend Is a Gumiho

Here are my thoughts about this drama :

1) MRIAG is a light-hearted and quite entertaining rom -com drama. It was basically a story of a gumiho 's journey to become a human and find love along the way. Suitable drama to watch if you are in the mood of watching a sweet romance story but not as overdone and as cringeworthy as..*cough cough* ...the romance in What's Wrong with Secretary Kim. The romance has just a perfect amount of sweetness. *chef's kiss*  I cracked up alot watching our 1st and 2nd couple.

2) Actually the first half of this drama was quite boring to me, it made me remember the reasons why I rarely watch rom-com these days. But like someone said to me , the story indeed became more enjoyable for the last half of the drama . Personally I think episode 9 -10 were very good. But episode 11 -12, I started to feel bored again. Thanks god! I had so much fun watching episode 13 till the finale.

3) Excellent a 10/10 for humor scenes , I felt they were genuine, unlike my experience with  ...*cough cough* Vincenzo.

4) 9/10 for the acting of all casts. Dam was a bold ,funny girl and I liked her, alot. Hyeri did an impressive job with her acting here. I noticed that she was great with all her facial expressions . Whether it be an angry face or annoying face or making ugly face or embarassing face, she excelled in all. I could see no other actress can be as perfect as her as Dam. Jang Ki Yong as Shin Woo Yeo , his acting was as expected. He was good in his potrayal of a smart, brooding and taciturn 999 years old male gumiho. A very typical ML character right.... As a couple ,I guess they complement each other .Kang Ha Na also did a very good job as Yang Hye Sun . A quirky, funny and elegant 700 years old ex- female gumiho. She was my favourite. I liked her synergy with Kim Do Wan who potrayed Do Jae Jin. He was a naive and such a crybaby character but so adorable though. He really cried alot I think more than the girls here lol. These two made a very cute and sweet couple to see. I think Park Kyung Hye as Choi Soo Kyung such a waste of a character in this one. She had so much potential to be this hilarious and entertaining character but it was pity that the writers did'nt fully used her to her potential like they did with Hye Sun's and Jae Jin's character. Like her bestfriends, I wish she have her own developing love storyline too . Most of the times, she was just there to be Dam's companion whenever she had relationship problem or became a third wheel in the scenes. I felt sad for her character when that happened.

5) I really enjoyed watching Woo Yeo - Hye Sun frenemy scenes. It was hilarious to see they were always arguing whenever they met.  The mean things they said towards each other... those what keep this drama alive . Apparently , they could not stand the present of each other but could not stay away because the other was their only friend for the past 700 years lol

6) Because I am so used to the present of villain character in most dramas  I have watched , it was like a fresh breath of air to see this drama had no such evil being. Only we had these annoying duo of girls that appeared not so often because they were insignificant. This drama proved that not every drama need to have villain to be entertaining to the fullest.

7) Drama OSTs were okay. I guess they flowed well with the story but nothing outstanding.

Last but not least, watch this drama if rom-com is your forte or like me, if you need a break from all thriller, crime, investigation dramas that you usually see.

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Good characters and INSANE chemistry

First of all, I think the good things about this drama is the good chemistry between all the characters and the way they were portrayed, which made us like them more easily. I LOVED Dam, she will definitely be one of my favorite characters of the year along with Hyesun who was awesome too. Jaejin too omg he was perfect, I want more male characters like him in dramas. I think all the actors did a very good job, especially Hyeri, she rocked her role. The photography was beautiful too. For some people the closes up can be cringe but the actors are so beautiful that I was just drooling all the time and didn’t cared much about that lol

The thing I didn’t like and the only character I didn’t liked was the SML, he was so annoying. He didn’t add anything good to the plot, was just a mere character to fulfill a bit the story. The way he was criticizing the ML, chasing constantly the FML and acted like he wasn’t a bad buy to the girls he dated before was just hypocrite. Also, the gumiho plot was interesting in the beginning but the thing with that God became a bit boring for me in some episodes, I ended up feeling that the drama was dragging a little bit in some scenes.

But well, besides that I still think that the drama is worthy watching. I think the most important thing about a romcom is liking the characters and the chemistry between them because in general the plot in romcom isn’t that well written or perfect. So yeah, altought the plot can be draggy sometimes and the SML can be annoying, the others characters and the chemistry between them is really good and makes you enjoy the drama after all. The second couple for example was SO SO GOOD, I loved them! The main couple was also good, their chemistry was insane I screamed a lot in their scenes as well. I just wished they had more romantic scenes together but it’s ok. In the end, I recommend this. It’s been a while since I enjoyed a South Korea rom-com. (The last one I watched was True Beauty and I dropped lol)

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My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021) - Fox: “He couldn’t understand why anyone wouldn’t fall in love with her.” I really like this part of the drama related to the quotes and all regarding how a person can fall in love with someone. I felt the romance right there. I think that part of the drama is mesmerizing.

I like the overall drama but I can't seem to feel the chemistry between the main leads, I don't know why. I like the other couple much more because for me they are much fun to watch. I did read the webtoon and in fairness they followed the story just that there was a wrong character. tsk.

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A gumiho-themed fantasy romcom done right

The story is pretty straightforward and lighthearted. It's also very funny. The story doesn't take itself too seriously and totally owns up to its genre. Some cliches are played up a notch and it shows that the show knows exactly what it's doing. The casting is done right and the cast has done their job very well. The cinematography, costume design and styling are done beautifully and suits each character. No unnecessary drama. The leads are actually likeable.

What I liked :
1. The ML is great. He's decent, charming and respectful but can also be funny.
2. FL is the equivalent of a no-nonsense modern college student. She's realistic, funny and not cringey.
3. SML is nice too. It was satisfying when he actually retreated after realising that the FL wasn't interested in him.
4. The FL doesn't drag the SML along. The love triangle doesn't get dragged beyond necessity.
5. Secondary characters are great and well-written.

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A new favorite and a MUST WATCH for fantasy lovers!

Wow. All I can say is wow. I just finished this series after starting the final episode and then deciding I needed a full night's sleep so I'd have the energy to finish this series.

There's so much I want to say about this series. The acting, the production, the story, the characters, EVERYTHING. Everything was so high quality I loved it so so much. If you are like me and you love a good fantasy drama, this one should definitely be on your list.

It is a wonderful story and I think it is really great. It had just the right amount of drama, not too much, but just enough where you're probably in tears during the last two episodes like me. Hye Sun and Jae Jin's relationship was so sweet, I'm really glad they kept that through to the end and gave them a happy relationship. Dan and Seon Woo's little sister was a cute thing to start as well, and Soo Kyeong and Seok finally realizing their feelings, just so much love in the air! I almost wish we got a tad bit more for these new couples but all in all I think a happy ending is implied for those.

I almost wish the story didn't make Seon Woo so likeable, because part of me was really sad that he was alone in the end, I wish he could've at least got someone and not wound up alone, I really enjoyed the development of his character so much, yet he didn't get a happy ending :( All the side characters really added something special to this story.

Now... the main event.. Dam and Woo Yeo. WOW. Their on screen chemistry is truly magical. I enjoyed every second of their relationship throughout the entire show. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt towards Woo Yeo, as he was a character with which I had never seen before, but after finishing the series, I really love him. He was written differently from any other main character I had seen, and thats probably because he is 999 years old. I love that over the course of the story, he goes from being indifferent in his life, to learning how to become human, how to feel emotions, and learned love, sacrifice, and found his meaning in life and his will to live. Dam helped him discover that, and their relationship blossomed because of it. It was just such a good story, I loved every second of it.

Also shout out to the mountain spirit who I hated at first because of the whole red thread thing, but he actually ended up helping Woo Yeo. Making him think he was going to disappear helped him treasure his time with Dam, and use the last of his magic to save her, was genius. All in all, everyone got their happy ending. I thought it was cute that Hye Sun used her Bead wish to keep Jae Jin with her. My only question that remains, is Woo Yeo not granted a wish because his bead was cracking, and he used the wish to come back and be with Dam? Either way, I was very pleased with the ending, and this story. I will definitely be rewatching this one.

If you're on the fence whether to start this or not, watch it!! It truly is a story that will make you smile, cringe in embarrassment, and cry all in a few episodes.

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C U T E and heartfelt, with a logical fantasy romance!

This show was cute, the female lead was ADORABLE and she reminded me so much of Kim Hye Yoon (the lead from Extraordinary You) because of her adorable bubbly nature and infectious spirit.

She was sweet, hilariously innocent and very S M O L especially in front of 'sir' Jang Ki Young. She was cute enough to make anyone want to just eat her up, and I guess that's exactly what JKY did too LOL

Overall a really heartfelt and innocent yet mature and logical romance all around. Many of the misunderstandings that came up in the show were cliched but all of them were cleared up soon after they were introduced in a very logical, straightforward matter, and our female lead specially never left any loose ends in expressing her feelings.
She kinda reminded me of Cameron Diaz's character from the American movie 'My Best Friend's Wedding', earnest, brave, and genuine.

Also the actress who played this character was frankly too damn SWEET for me to not fall for her! She has an adorable smile, and an adorable voice, and an adorable personality, it just draws you in, and makes you want to eat her up for real (I know I'm repeating myself but it's too damn true).

Special mention to Sun Woo, he played a really convincing role of someone who falls into bad habits because of their privilege and society, but realises it and grows out of it to become a better person.
He clearly explained that his 'playboy' status was practically handed down to him (born rich, good looking, and smart, and SO many girls will play down their own self-respect to be seen with him no matter how he behaves with them etc. etc.), and he wasn't necessarily a jerk, just arrogant and ignorant, both of which he overcame. Not excusing his behaviour, but he became better in a very realistic manner, which I liked.

An easy 9/10. for me.

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Good Enough

Korean Drama ' My Roommate is a Gumiho ' has a strong start, but gets tedious after a while. Actually, the only thing that kept things interesting on the second half was the second couple, which was adorable. Other than that, the twists were repeatable, the ending unoriginal and the whole gumiho story boring and wasn't expended enough to have a proper worldbuilt, even though there was a lot of material to work with.

Nevertheless, the first half was pretty great. The comedy was entertaining, the characters cute and likable, they had chemistry and the cohabitation was spot on. Also, another nice point was that the girl's behavior towards the gumiho was kind of realistic, as she didn't play it up and become the hero and oppose everything. Rather, she knew with whom she was dealing with and she knew where she stood until she got to know him enough to be more friendly with him. So, that was a nice touch and refreshing. But, it should be pointed out that even though the leading lady did a great job with her performance, her character was given too many comedy aspects to make her a caricature more often than not. The male lead was also enjoyable, funny, quiet and sweet. The second lead had potential, but the love triangle was a dead end to begin with.

So, overall, five out of ten.

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Let's trash all the fantasy rom-com cliches

First of all, this was not a drama, it was a MUKBANG and I loooooved it! All the food ...I was in foodie heaven.

Oh my gosh...there are so many incredible things about MRIAG....

- the FL! Lee Dam was chef's kiss and now one of my absolute favourite actors...I mean, she was a fabulously written, immaculately executed character. Quirky, straightforward, no BS, no pretense, straight-up hilarious FL. Someone just give Lee Hye Ri a medal

- the writing! This drama just cements Baek Sun Woo, and Choi Bo Rim as my favourite k-drama screenwriters (actually, I picked this drama because of the MDL "watch a drama by the same writer as one of your favorite dramas" Challenge because of WWWSK and Touch Your Heart and wow....another winner guys)

- the comedy in this drama...sheeeesh (cue my brothers rolling their eyes in the morning because I was laughing out loud in the middle of the night again)

- tooooo many awesome scenes (evidenced by the numerous screenshots) and while this drama may have started out slow, there was no boring moment

- Jang Ki Yong *bats eyelashes* I am having an aegyo moment rn. I didn't think he started out strong but olala....just giving him points for all the times he had me melting. I love nice male leads! You're polite and respectful...you gat me.

- and finally my absolute favourite thing about this drama - it took all the usual cliches and threw them out the window. Let me tell y'all, I did not see that SML plot twist coming...I was so bamboozled by that, I'm still reeling. I was waiting for FL to change the rude SML and transform him into a good guy and then we all have SL syndrome....Nope not this time (but did they really do that to Seon Woo ?....it was still heartbreaking) This drama also threw out the SFL as the rude we-hate-her type who antagonises the lead couple as the ML romantic interest...Instead we got an amazing old-couple bickering kind of friendship between the ML and the SFL....and the amazing dynamic between Lee Dam and her friends ...loved it

This was a winner....go watch it. It's absolutely worth your approximately-16 hours.

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A RomCom That Deserves The Title

This story is not unique by any means, but its execution here was taken to the next level by the outstanding performances. The lead characters played off each other exceptionally well which gave the show all the life it needed to keep me coming back for more.

There was a lot of well-executed humour in almost every episode which I found refreshing cos sometimes these shows forget the 'com' part of ROMCOM, and it just becomes a draggy love story. This was a funny, lighthearted, warm drama with a simple yet profound message.

I absolutely enjoyed my time with it and I recommend it for anyone looking for something that will put a smile on your face and a glow in your heart.

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Cottoncandy fluff continuously poked by an icicle

To be honest nothing in this drama is great, nothing is perfect, and there is probably only one character that I truly loved all the time. the side characters stand for allot of wonderful friendship moments, great humour but also have some immature and at times annoying tendencies yet managed to stay on my good side for delivering some great lines, fun moments and sweet, sweet love making them great as supporting cast and doing a great job assisting the storyline. This drama shows that boys and girls can be friends as well as some pretty amazing chosen family/friendships. The relationship between the two Gumihos would make any biological siblings jealous.

Midway thru the drama I could not have cared less who the female lead would end up with seeing all the options had their pros and cons (sigel, gumiho or bad boy gone soft). Chemistry wise I actually think she had more with the bad boy gone soft than her beloved gumiho. They exchange allot of fun banter and she feels more natural with him. There scenes where a feast for the aye jut enough to make it enjoyable but not to much to arouse sympathy or give me SLS.

While I am a great succer for romance and often fraun upon comedy this dramas stars are all about the comedy and less about the romance. This drama has great lines, though it may not always be sophisticated the level of comedy is still kept above the cringey annoying humor that can be seen in other dramas giving this drama some well earned extra stars)

This drama also had high predictability and ALLOT of wonderful cliches. So if you hate cliches move along there is truly nothing for you to see here. But if you are like me and love seeing them played around with twisted and enhanced then do proceed to watch this cliche feast of a drama.

P.s there is a spoiler in the comment section ;)
Oh and I loved seeing Go Kyung Pyo... even if it was just for a short while so keep your aye out for him and also you may enjoy how they references other dramas when they show gumihos past.

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Why I Love My Roommate is a Gumiho

This is not an ordinary love story. It is between the love of a human and fox against all odds, against nature, against time, against destiny & fate, to have what we humans take for granted, an ordinary future together.

I love Dam (Hyeri Lee) and I love Fox's (Jang Ki Yong) each individual characters. But together, together it's so so so much more. I think, right now, for me at least, it is one of the most epic love stories in kdramaland. I love the philosophical and human struggle that is beautifully told here.

A loner 999 years old humane fox, who didn't care much to be human. This premise, pulled me to this show. I care if he wants to be human, I care why he wants to be human. I care how did he want to be human. I care when he wanted to be human.

A young woman who is inexperienced in love but so full of life, maturity, fiercely independent, true to herself, heart on her sleeve, genuine, courageous and spunky. I care whether or not she would be the one to change the fox. I care how she would be the one to make fox see what it is like to be human.

I love how we as an audience get to see how he falls for her. And her for him. I love how we as an audience get to see all the failings and trappings of an intimate relationship, of human love and all that it entails - the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. All the mistakes he would make, all the struggles they would face together and apart, how deep her love must be to love a fox, how his centuries-lived life was turned on its head by a spunky young woman. I love that both are inexperienced in love. How pure their love is.  

Some love this drama for its comedy, some for its light and easy enjoyment, some for it's fantasy, some for it's story, some for the lead couple's characters, some for the second lead couple's characters , some for the side characters and some for the second lead male character and that is the charm of this drama. That is a testament to the cast and crew that they truly care for all the characters in this story. The perfect cast shows it and the powerful performances of the actors elevates it. This drama weaves effortlessly with thoughtful pacing - the funny with the sad, the sweet with the heavy. This can't be overstated that the comedy and sweetness elements when done right, as it does so brilliantly in this drama gives audiences a chance to breathe, to smile, to swoon, to laugh, to feel happiness in the simplest nuances of human nature and culture. Thus, it has launched iconic moments, philosopical moments, meme moments and viral moments of this drama.

It would be a travesty to not mention the dynamic between the male and female in this drama. Eventhough Fox has teleportation powers, can easily accumulate wealth, never ages, forever tall and handsome. However it is Dam, a young woman in university that is all powerful. Time and time again it is Dam who steps up, courageously, who leads the way, who inspires and fights just as hard as a hero in a drama. She is the White Knight that saves the prince and not a damsel in distress. The same can be said about Hye Sun. They both know what they want and have no trouble in bringing it out from their leading men or their friends.

I didn't expect to be given important lessons of human vulnerabilities. It's a thoughtful drama. It also makes this drama so special and different from other dramas of it's kind.  Fantasy is just a plot mechanism to show the power of humanity. It has renewed my passion and appreciation to belong to the human race. This drama has inspired me how special it is to be humane, reminds me being a human doesn't mean one is humane, the importance of communication and human connection, the valuable lessons that the ordinary can be extraordinary, the the meaningless can be meaningful and we, humans, unlike animals, are the captains of our destiny. I feel I need this in my life - to realise how important it is to be alive, how special it is to be human. And that we never stop learning to live a well lived-life.

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Basic and formulaic in the best ways

Honestly speaking, I am a rather pretentious person and I tend to be pretty snobbish about the dramas I watch, but I am pleased to announce that My Roommate Is a Gumiho reminded me, that I am in fact not too good for basic cheesy romance.
This is in no way a flawless or even remarkable show but I started watching this because I was craving something sweet and simple and this drama definitely served its purpose.

While My Roommate Is A Gumiho was unoriginal and quite predictable, I still wasn’t bored once through the entirety of the show. This is an incredibly charming, basic romance drama and I feel like its appeal actually lies in its simplicity. I’ve never gotten Korean humor but I also found it quite humorous as well at times. The characters were all very lovable, the actors had great chemistry, it was pleasing to look at, there’s really not anything to be mad about here.

If this drama had one weak point it might have been the love triangle, which I couldn’t bring myself to care about. I didn’t dislike the second lead, but I also didn’t really care for him and since it was pretty clear to everyone, who the main character would end up with, there really wasn’t a real point in stretching this B-plot for as long as this drama did, except for the sake of a conflict, this show didn’t need in the first place. The whole plot point about the red string seemed a bit like an afterthought to me. I didn’t hate it, but it was introduced to the drama fairly late and I really could have done without it. But I am nitpicking here, this is a romance K-drama after all and they can’t do without their love triangles, so I knew what I was getting into.

Should you watch this? Sure, why not. It’s not life-changing, but does it need to be? There are stories that stay with you, and I doubt that when I lie on my deathbed, that I will remember anything about My Roommate Is A Gumiho, but that doesn’t change the fact that for the past month this was drama was one of the few things that put a smile on my face. I thoroughly enjoyed this for how simple it was. Honestly, there’s really not a reason to NOT watch this drama unless you’re looking for something new, because this is everything but.

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