#stress mood during stressful times = emotional writing or dumb comedy

[limited-practice]

Mutual Bonding Through Salt

Just a quick thing I wrote that started off with talking about Sunder infiltrating the DJD, which led to the possibility of Tarn's voice killing ability being blocked, which brought in Hubcap, which led to him bonding with Nickel because the DJD and Wreckers are big idiots and they just get so weary dealing with them at times.

(Sunder isn't in this one - undercover mnemosurgeon in the DJD is another fic for another time)

3311 words of Nickel and Hubcap nonsense are under the cut.

“If you eat the salt that’s around the rim of your glass, it will put you in the medibay for a week. Possibly a month. Possibly two months.”

Hubcap froze, and the salt rimmed glass that was just about to touch his lips didn’t make contact. But only just. He slowly lowered his glass. And as he did so, more and more of Nickel’s deeply unimpressed face was revealed.

“I’m telling you this not because I care about your well being, Autobot,” she said, “But because I’m the one who’ll have to waste time treating you. The medibay on my ship is light years more advanced than yours, and since Tarn’s ordered us not to kill any of you or allow anyone to succumb to an unfortunate series of unpreventable accidents, I don’t want to disappoint him.”

Hubcap glanced around. They were sitting at the bar of a backstreet establishment in a run down town on a grimy planet hollowed out from the fallout of their civil war. In a desperate attempt to scratch out a living, the surviving inhabitants had made it clear they welcomed all races and factions. Organic, mechanical, neutral, Decepticon, Autobot, undecided, renounced, it didn’t matter. Your legally and illegally acquired money was most welcome here.

His eyes hovered over a large mass of shapes in the corner behind them. The Wreckers and the DJD were deep in discussions about a ‘business opportunity’ that had recently prevented itself. He was one hundred percent convinced it was illegal and one hundred percent convinced that it would somehow end terribly for him. Hence the need to drink as soon as possible.

Hubcap carefully rotated the glass, causing the thick neon yellow liquid inside to spin slowly. The electric blue umbrella in it bobbed happily. “That - ha! - doesn’t seem likely? It’s part of what makes this cocktail a cocktail? Look, it’s in the menu. On the menu I mean. The menu with all seven drinks listed?”

Nickel looked at Hubcap like he was the most pointless robot in the world. “Do you even know what you ordered?”

Hubcap glanced down at the plastic coated menu that was on the bar counter. He put a finger underneath the name of the drink he'd ordered. The plastic was warm and sticky.

“Pleasant Painkiller,’” he read out loud. “‘Cure what ails you with this tropical blend of high grade energon, creamy energon extract and refreshing crushed salt garnish. Chase down the tears and blood and cranial fluids of that filthy traitor with this indulgent signature creation that’s guaranteed to leave your fuel tank thrumming with-’”  Hubcap’s eyes widened. “I don’t- What? What? I don’t remember reading that. That wasn’t there when I read it before ordering.”

“Yes it was.” Nickel’s voice was flat. “That’s a DJD drink you ordered. Was the large purple badge and screaming victim next to it not clear enough?”

“I don’t- are you sure? I don't think that I...?” Hubcap peered closely at the menu. The Pleasant Painkiller was listed under the  Mechanical-Cybertronian-Decepticon category. He squinted to make out the small print next to his cocktail’s name: ‘DJD Speciality! Only the best of the worst can handle this!’

Hubcap’s secondary cooling fan clicked on. He slowly slid the menu away with his fingertip as far as his arm would stretch. He lifted his finger up and the menu stuck to it. “I mean- why?” he asked, waving his hand to shake the menu off of it.

"Why can't you read?" Nickel supplied. "Beats me."

"No, that's-" he shook his hand harder, worried that he���d somehow cursed himself and the menu was going to stick to him forever.

"That drink isn't going to kill you," Nickel said witheringly, as she watched the menu finally break free of his finger and float down behind the bar. "We're not in the habit of poisoning each other. But that salt will poison you. I know its composition and I know your frame type and processing specs. You can't digest it. You’re too weak. Too puny.”

“That’s not-” Hubcap said, heating up. “That was uncalled for. I can’t help that I was born with this frame. Why did you have to focus on that? Why are you being mean?”

“Oh I’m sorry, did I just say puny? I meant that you’re puny and piss annoying.”

“...I’m just...trying to have a drink here.”

“You’re trying my patience, that’s what you’re doing. Wipe that salt off now, and then you can have that drink you don’t deserve.” Without waiting for a response, Nickel shot out a hand.

Hubcap snatched the glass back just as her fingertips touched it, and cradled it protectively against his chest. He held it somewhat sullenly.

Nickel pointed one of her fingertips at him. “You’re going to lick that salt off just to spite me, I know you are. I know your type.”

She sat back on her stool and picked up her own drink with a casualness that wasn’t faked. “And when we’re back on my ship and you come crawling into the medibay holding your stomach and complaining that your teeth feel like they’re melting, I’m going to ignore you. And if you don’t drag yourself back out, I’ll ask Tess to do it for me.”

Hubcap looked at her. This time there was a thread of steel in his voice when he spoke. “My frame has survived more than you could imagine.”

Nickel widened her eyes as far as they’d go. “Oh gosh really? Let me just- let me just topple off my seat in awe and wonder here. You’re telling me that you experienced physical and emotional pain and suffering during millions of years of war but still survived? Wow. Just- wow.”

Hubcap squeezed his glass tighter, and hoped he wasn’t blushing too hard. “I...ha, I know I’m not that special. I’m not special at all. I’ve been told I’m not special my entire life. If people notice me in the first place that is.”

“I,” Nickel said slowly, “Have prised things out of Helex’s mouth that gave me nightmares. I’ve scrubbed off encrusted liquids that release a vapour known to melt steel. But never - never in all my years as the Peaceful Tyranny’s Chief and Only Medical Officer - have I ever had a stomach ache. Until I met you. Until I listened to what you just said. Your pity party of one is making me queasy Hubcap.” She put a hand on her stomach and held her drink out towards his. “I feel my delicious drink churning. You’re ruining this for me.”

Several different emotions rolled across Hubcap’s face, before it settled on uneasy irritation. “It’s not easy to get people to pay attention to you. And it’s even more difficult to get them to notice the good things you do, let alone appreciate you. Not when you’re so small. Not when you’re so weak. You of all people should know that.”

Nickel slowly put her glass back down on the counter. It hit the metal with a sharp clink. She stood up and rolled forward to where Hubcap was sitting. He leaned back as she glared up at him.

“Of course I know that. I’ve always known that. And do you know what I do? Do you know what I do when they’re all ignoring me and refuse to come in for their check-ups?”

“Go crying to Tarn?”

Nickel shot out a hand and sunk her fingers into Hubcaps neck cables. She yanked his head forward until their noses were almost touching.

“I get up in their faces,” she whispered to him. “I force them to pay attention to me. I don’t ever accept them saying ‘no.’ I make myself known. Because that’s what people of our size have to do. We have to DO something. Skulking around underfoot the big bots isn’t going to get you noticed. It’s going to get you stepped on. You want your Wrecker friends to notice you? To appreciate you? Then you get up into their smarmy faces and don’t. Back. Down.”

Nickel put her hand on his forehead and pushed him away. Hubcap wobbled on his stool but kept his balance. His drink sloshed onto his lap. His face showed all kinds of alarm.

“Um...OK?”

Nickel sat back on her stool. She waved a dismissive hand at him that said ‘Yeah, sure you will. I know your type, and I know you won’t.”

There was a swell of loud voices from the corner followed by one, two, three glasses smashing into something. The voices got rougher and louder.

Hubcap shook his head. The only reason he’d been brought along to this business meeting on neutral territory was to use his Outlier ability to block Tarn’s voice from killing them all. He’d weakly told Springer that he could project a signal block from Debris and that someone should stay behind to keep the ship in secure orbit around the planet. But Springer had betrayed him by asking him a sensible question that he felt compelled to answer honestly. No, Hubcap had told him - my signal block wouldn’t be just as effective from Debris as it would be if I was in the same room as him. It would be zero point zero zero five percent less effective. Springer had looked at him kindly, and told him it would do him good to get off the ship and have some shore leave. Have a drink and relax while they took care of business. He could look after himself when- if, if - things got rough. He knew which way to point a gun didn’t he?

“I’m keeping the drink,” Hubcap said. “I paid for it and I’m keeping it.”

Nickel looked up at him from her drink. “Are you doing this just to keep the tiny umbrella that came with it?”

“...what?”

Nickel nodded her head towards his drink. “You’re being careful that it doesn’t touch the killer salt barrier. You care about it.”

“It’s a cheap plastic novelty umbrella.”

“Then give it to me.”

Hubcap looked down at the tiny umbrella floating in its yellow cocktail sea. He plucked it out and gently engulfed it in his hand “...no.”

Nickel rolled her eyes skywards. “Primus spare me.”

“HOW MUCH??” An incredulous voice roared. The other patrons of the bar froze.

“SAY THAT TO ME AGAIN AND I’LL RIP YOUR EYES OUT WITH MY TEETH.”

Some customers started whimpering.

“I’LL BLEND THEM INTO A NEW COCKTAIL FOR YOU TO DRINK.”

Some customers slowly slid onto the floor and began to crawl towards an exit.

“I’LL MAKE THE REST OF YOUR TEAM TAKE TURNS HOLDING THE GLASS UP TO YOUR LIPS.”

Some customers closed their eyes and prepared for the end.

Hubcap and Nickel casually glanced over at who was bellowing threats and who was receiving them.

Nickel tutted. “Why did he say that? That’s a back-up threat, not an initial salvo. We practised this. I wrote it down for him.”

“FEED ME MY EYES AND I’LL SPIT THEM IN YOUR FACE AND BLIND YOU SO THAT YOU’RE THE ONE WITH NO EYES.”

Hubcap winced in embarrassment. “He always says that. Always. And no-one takes him seriously. Why would they?”

“YOU’RE A LIAR!”

“NO YOU’RE THE LIAR!”

“I’LL FIGHT YOU!”

“NOT IF I FIGHT YOU FIRST!”

Something breakable smashed into someone’s head, a giant fist connected with a face, the DJD snarled and the Wreckers roared.

A fight erupted.

Hubcap and Nickel locked eyes. They shared a flat and weary look that said “Do you see the kind of shit I have to put up with every day?” It was a perfect moment of mutual understanding.

The fight intensified.

Nickel sighed. “It will take me hours to clean them up. They don’t bother with basic maintenance at the best of times, and these injuries won’t be quick to fix. They don’t listen to me. And I keep telling them not to fight when there are witnesses around, but they don’t listen to me.”

Hubcap watched tables, chairs, glasses and framed objects get torn down and used as weapons. He sighed as well. “That will all have to be accounted for. All that stuff they’re ruining. I’ll have to draw up a detailed inventory, calculate their value, source replacements, and spend days carefully filling out a hundred different forms to prevent us from getting imprisoned due to a grammar mistake a sharp eyed lawyer will pick up on when the bar owner inevitably works up the courage to sue us.”

A circular table rolled past them on its rim. It left a track of dark energon in its wake.

“Tarn would appreciate you,” Nickel blurted out. “He loves competent administrators.”

“My entire team would appreciate you,” Hubcap said. “We don’t have a medic. We have Impactor and his drill hand.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.”

The fight climbed up a gear. It got louder. It got more dangerous.

Nickel shook her head. “If I don’t put an end to this soon we’ll never get that deal signed, and then we’ll be stuck orbiting this armpit of a planet until they regain consciousness. The medical machines drain our power supply when they go at it like this. They suck it nearly dry. And the upkeep needed to ensure they’re in constant working order, that’s never ending.” She shook her head again.

“We had Springer on life support for years,” Hubcap said. “And do you think anyone undertook routine maintenance on it or sourced replacement parts or kept detailed records of his vital signs and regularly cross checked them with all known injury outcomes on file?”

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that only you did all of that. I feel that pain.”

“It’s a pain like no other.”

“You got that right.” Nickel put both hands on the bar counter and prepared to heave herself up onto it.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Hubcap asked in alarm. “Don’t make yourself an accidental target. Their aim is terrible.”

“Someone has to put an end to this,” Nickel said in a tight voice. “And as usual, it’s down to me.”

Hubcap put a hand on her shoulder. And snatched it back when she glared at him. “Sorry, I just- I mean you don’t have to do it. This time. I can.”

“You can put an end to this?”

“In less time than it takes for you to finish your drink.”

Nickel looked at him for a second. And then lowered herself back down onto her stool. “OK then - show me what you’ve got.”

“I, ah, need your auditory frequency codes. Primary, secondary and tertiary. All of you. I’ve got the Wreckers on file. And myself. Obviously. But not- not yours. Not your team’s.”

“Why do you need to know the frequencies we hear sound at?”

A whump of fire shot towards the ceiling. Chunks of metal rained down. A special ops ghost gun was primed with a chunk-chunk-krik.

“So that I can stop all of this.” Hubcap stretched out an arm to encompass the room. And withdrew it immediately as pieces of broken ghost gun flew towards it.

Nickel paused, weighing up the risk of trusting him against the extra work this fight would give her. She gave the frequencies to him.

“What are you going to use them for?” she asked.

“I’m going to use them to break that up.”

There was a ROAR and a clash of titanic metal upon colossal metal as the fight burst wide open and the bar’s fire, invasion, and panic alarms all tripped simultaneously with a whoop-whoop-whoop.

“How?” Nickel yelled, covering her head and ducking as a jagged disc flew over it.

She couldn’t hear what Hubcap said over the roar of noise in the bar, but she could read his lips. “Like this.”

Hubcap’s entire body shivered. An unnatural bright light entered his eyes. He tilted his head, gripped the tiny umbrella harder, and unleashed a split branch sub-atomic frequency wave that wouldn’t be identified and classified by science for another three million years.

The DJD and the Wreckers simultaneously slammed their hands over their ears and collapsed to the ground howling.

Hubcap tilted his head the other way. The screeching trio of alarms were silenced.

“Not bad,” Nickel said approvingly. “Not bad at all.”

“It’s just a basic frequency,” Hubcap shrugged. “Just a modification of one I’ve used on them before.” He straightened his head. His eyes dimmed back to normal.

“Yeah but…” Nickel looked around. Everyone was laying still and silent on the ground and taking stock of what had just happened. Impactor jumped to his feet and tried to yell out in anger but immediately collapsed again. He whimpered pathetically. Kaon carefully stood up and made every effort to stay still and silent. He held his arms out for balance. He stayed on his feet.

“That’s not just not bad. That’s amazing. You’re an Outlier, aren’t you?”

“No. Yes. I mean- Well. It’s just- it’s just something I can do. It’s easy. I don’t have to think about it too much. It just comes to me.” Hubcap said this simply, without a hint of fishing for praise. “The frequency wave boosters won’t break down until everyone’s on their respective ships. Which will give me enough time to barricade myself into my office and beam a detailed memo to each of them explaining what I did and why I did it.”

“And it will give me enough time to prep the medibay and get my tools laid out. I’m going to sharpen all of them. And explain in detail how I’m going to use them. And then I’m going to write up reports on everyone. Even Tarn. They’ll be so dreadful that Tarn won’t have any choice but to put everyone on Corrective Action Plans that will last for months. Including himself.”

“Ping me if you want any help with the wording. I’ve got a lifetime’s experience writing those.”

“Thanks. And- thanks. For doing what you did.”

Hubcap rolled the umbrella between his fingers and nodded. “Any time. Except I hope it won’t be any time soon. Or any time again. But eventually it will be. You know, time.”

“It is time for us to leave.” Tarn’s voice ate through the air like a virus.

“Yeah, let’s move it.” Springer jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at an exit. “Get back to Debris, sort yourselves out, and prepare to leave for the Peaceful Tyranny in two hours. We’ve still got business to attend to.”

The huge mass of the DJD and the Wreckers divided itself into two. Everyone moved slowly and carefully and quietly to one of the two exits.

Hubcap and Nickel slid off their bar stools.

“And- thanks for not including me in your silent take down,” Nickel said.

“You weren’t part of the fight. You weren’t a threat. I mean you’re obviously still a threat, but- but you didn’t need that. You didn’t deserve that.”

“But it would have been the perfect opportunity to take revenge on me,” Nickel persisted.

Hubcap smiled faintly. “Nothing good comes out of wanting that. Believe me. It will eat you up and destroy you.”

“Spoken like a true Autobot.”

“Ha! I’m not one of them. Not really.”

“...ever thought of becoming a Con?”

“...yes. But they aren’t for me either.”

“You’re yourself.” Nickel nodded. “I get that. And now I get you.”

Hubcap reached over and carefully placed the mini umbrella in her drink. It was wrinkled and bent but not broken. “No you don’t. Not really.” He hesitated. “Not yet.”

Nickel looked down into her drink. “I’ll give you a check-up when you come over in a couple of hours,” she offered. “If anyone’s put a dent in you, I’ll deal with them personally.”

“Thanks.”

“Any time.”

They left the bar without looking back.

[thekoreanlass]

I’m Not a Robot (로봇이 아니야; Robosi Aniya) is a South Korean television series starring Yoo Seung-ho, Chae Soo-bin and Um Ki-joon. It is written by Kim Sun-mi and directed by Jung Dae-yoon. Producing the series for MBC is May Queen Pictures. It aired on MBC from December 6, 2017 to January 25, 2018 on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55 (KST) for 32 episodes.

The Cast

[Main] Yoo Seung-ho as Kim Min-kyu (28 years old) Chae Soo-bin as Jo Ji-ah (28 years old) / Aji 3 Um Ki-joon as Hong Baek-kyun (34 years old)

[Minor] Santa Maria team Park Se-wan as “Pai” Angela Jin (30 years old) Song Jae-ryong as “Hoktal” Kang Dong-won (33 years old) Kim Min-kyu as “Ssanip” Eddie Park (31 years old)

KM Financial Kang Ki-young as Hwang Yoo-chul (28 years old) Hwang Seung-eon as Ye Ri-el (28 years old)

People around Ji Ah Seo Dong-won as Jo Jin-bae Lee Min-ji as Sun-hye (28 years old) Yoon So-mi as Hong-ju (28 years old) Lee Han-seo as Jo Dong-hyun (8 years old)

The Plot

Kim Min-kyu (Yoo Seung-ho) lives an isolated life due to a severe allergy to other people. He develops extreme rashes that rapidly spread throughout his body once he makes any form of skin contact. Jo Ji-ah (Chae Soo-bin) is a woman who is trying to make it in life by creating her own businesses. However, after an encounter with Min-kyu, she ends up pretending to be a robot in place of the supposed Aji 3 robot. The Aji 3 robot was developed by Ji-ah’s ex-boyfriend, professor Hong Baek-kyun (Um Ki-joon) and his team. The robot was meant to be tested by genius Min-kyu, however an accident caused the robot’s battery to malfunction. As Baek-kyun modeled the robot after Ji-ah, the team ends up recruiting her to take the place of Aji 3.

First Impression

I’m Not a Robot didn’t strike me, at first, as anything interesting so I skipped it. I’m not really a fan of robot stories, much less one that mixes romance with it. Well, not unless it’s anything close to Transformers or Iron Man (I’m Team Tony Stark, sorry) or something akin to it, I’ll probably buy it.

Besides, what are the odds that someone can write some robot shit and love story in one without ruining the story line? Many attempted to do so but failed, so I had my own share of doubts about the drama. From it’s summary, to the choice of cast, the genre and themes. There are so much to worry about.

Plus, the ratings are really low when it aired and people’s reviews were bluntly realistic in a sense. Well, it made sense to me when I haven’t seen the drama yet, but now I think they are just being plain mean and judgmental or just had too much expectations since it’s an MBC produced drama and Yoo Seung Ho is the lead.

I don’t really enjoy criticizing a drama not unless it’s that bad. And I’m Not A Robot isn’t a failure, if you ask me. Finishing it put all my doubts and worries to rest.

Review

Cutie Min Kyu with the Human Allergy

I think that starting the drama with a question and a mystery was a good way to buy the viewers interest.

During the first episode, we see Kim Min Kyu enter a room, I guess, to an interview for his mandatory military enlistment. He must have been in that kind of situation in the past and all the time they think he was just making up excuse not to fulfill his duty to his country, but it’s quite funny to see the officers’ reactions when he revealed the reason why he can’t fulfill his enlistment–he is allergic to humans when his skin merely comes in contact with them. They think it’s a contagious disease and almost bathed in antiseptic.

I thought it was pathetic for people to think that, but at the same time I felt sorry for Min Kyu for getting the kind of rare skin allergy. Nonetheless, this caught my curiosity. I had my own question: why is he allergic to human contact? Is it even possible to be allergic to humans? If so, what caused for him to turn out the way he is? I have a clue as to why but I didn’t really want to get too ahead in the game. All I knew is that it has to be psychosomatic; meaning, he exhibits physical symptoms because of a psychological cause or stress.

On a brighter note, I am blessed to see a really cute side of Min Kyu after his visit to the base. Call it cliche; Min Kyu is a filthy rich 28-year old bachelor, but has the rare character that of a child. He’s so serious, snobbish and untouchable one moment, but has the naivete of a child. I’m not sure if people realized why he’s like that when they watched this, but I’m sure that it rooted from the isolation his allergy to humans caused him.

Just imagine yourself unable to touch another human. Imagine yourself putting up with it with no moral support around you, just an empty house in your inheritance, a huge company to one day rule, a gardener to be your guide, an awful lot of pretending people around you whom you couldn’t trust. I guess, it would really result to him depending on his own, learning on his own–with only books and movies to guide him through, resulting to a man with less knowledge of what life is really like. He was enclosed in a box filled with darkness that he didn’t know what it was like to be under the bright sun or how it’s like to love someone or what it’s like to do things. I think this is the reason why he was so dumb to realize that Aji 3 isn’t really a robot but Ji Ah, who is a human.

Not realizing this might make the story look really dumb, so I’m trying to make a point here if I even make sense to anyone else. Because of this, it made everything else really amusing; the fact that because it’s Min Kyu they were fooling that the plan of putting Ji Ah through the robot act made it foolproof and the fact in which even Santa Maria and Ji Ah are so frustrated and dumbfounded he wouldn’t get a hint she isn’t the real deal. It makes the entire mood comical and light.

And I guess, because it’s Yoo Seung Ho acting that I didn’t find Min Kyu annoying for being so dumb. In fact, he made Min Kyu a really sensible character, adorably charming even. His smile is always so precious and the moment he did that during the first episode when celebrating ‘Pretty’s birthday was so cute I wanted to pinch his cheeks. The depth of his character isn’t nonsense at all, in fact his backstory is really believable for me.

Ji Ah the Human Aji 3

If there is one thing I am really good at, that is doubting. Chae Soo Bin isn’t really a favorite of mine since her last antagonistic role in Sassy Go Go, where in she acted as the backstabbing and lying best friend of the main lead (played by Jung Eun Ji).

That’s also part of the reason why I avoided watching I’m Not A Robot as much as possible, because I felt like once I hate someone because of a particular role they played in the past that truly annoyed me, I would probably hate them forever. Nonetheless, I think I am getting over this pace just like with how I used to criticize Suzy or Park Min Young and I don’t regret any second I spent watching and giving Chae Soo Bin a chance. There’s no doubt she is an actress, a versatile one at that, that you know will do well whether it’s an anti-hero or lead female role.

She proved herself with being a double role with Ji Ah and Aji 3.

Getting to the point, I think she portrayed the misfit Ji Ah really well. At first, we come to learn that Ji Ah isn’t really bright and looks probably dumb to her peers, even her brother who graduated law; this is quite emphasized by her low IQ. That is really fine, though, with me since Chae Soo Bin didn’t really make Ji Ah seem annoying unlike a couple of heroines I’ve seen in the past who has the innocent character but are just really dumb.

Though this emphasis doesn’t really back up the fact that Ji Ah is innovative in her own way, where in she has a way of creating simple inventions, albeit as eccentric looking as how her brain works, she can make it work. She can’t just sell her inventions because of her lack of knowledge how to make a business out of it as President Jo, but because of her simple brain, she gains a little fan–who will later be revealed as our cutie Min Kyu!

Ji Ah gets the courage to join a contest to get herself a sponsor for her new invention–her heart lamps that simultaneously light up if you touch one no matter how far the pair is from each other–but she is hit by ups and downs along the way, including a low blow from her very unappreciative older brother, who will later admit Ji Ah must be a genius behind her dumbness; this was a notable scene where the eccentric-looking Doctor Hong Baek Kyun explained how Ji Ah used quantum physics in making her heart lamps without her realizing it.

On the other hand, as the robot Aji 3; the real one, I am quite impressed at how believable Chae Soo Bin acted as a leggit AI robot. As Aji 3, she fascinated me how she managed to act and speak like a robot. Aji 3 is quite refreshing and adorable with her innocent and blunt robot responses that sometimes frustrated Min Kyu for the lack thereof emotion from her.

With Ji Ah pretending to be Aji 3, I think this is where I get the most comedy from. Ji Ah’s reactions are just so precious, like that time when she reacted out of surprise of seeing Min Kyu after their unexpected squabble over a toy that they almost killed each other for, that I can’t help but anticipate for the next dumb and un-robot like thing she will do.

Min Kyu made the situation even better and even laughable by believing her poor acting as a robot that it’s hilarious. Plus, it is always so much better whenever she is in ‘friend mode’, as Doctor Hong called it, and is either fearlessly swearing at Min Kyu and the latter letting her or just being a friend to our lonely hero who apparently only has his appliances as friends.

With Aji 3 in the picture, Min Kyu finds a precious friend in the human he thinks is a robot. The friendship and trust Min Kyu allowed himself to give Aji 3 credit for, made it possible for him to get cured from her disease, not because of the thought she is a real robot, but instead because he thinks he finally found something real; something that will not betray him.

Chae Soo Bin is able to create a picture of a female lead in Ji Ah and Aji 3, who is filled with warmth, hopes and dreams, and a brightness that sets the mood of the drama to a really lighter note. She’s really pretty too and can really act as a nice girl apart from her old image that I stuck to.

A Unique, Bright Concept and Romance

I’m Not A Robot is arguably going to be your favorite in terms of concept and the adorable, bright, albeit unconventional romance of a human and another human pretending to be a robot.

There’s no dull moments in this drama and the heart fluttering romance is surely something you can indulge on if you’re up for some light romance with a touch of drama. It is so simple yet so complicated you will laugh at the thought of Min Kyu thinking he fell in love with a robot, though unknown to him, he is in fact right in liking this robot because she’s definitely a human. This really brings me back to the old Hana Kimi feels where in the second lead doubted himself because he was crushing on another guy, not knowing that this guy is in fact a girl pretending to be a guy. Ironic, right? Possibly dumb, but very effective to create laughs.

Then on one side, you will totally sympathize with Min Kyu as he starts learning other feelings because of Aji 3. Watching him grow and improve, with his human allergy almost gone, does really make me proud like a mother watching her son grow up. He’s just so cute and innocent, but with a secret angst about betrayal that I watch with a broken heart when he found out Ji Ah is in fact his Aji 3. He thought everything is a lie. That all they went through was too and this really almost killed him. That was probably one of the saddest parts of this series, but I guess, because Min Kyu learned to love Ji Ah as her, that it outweighed the mistrust and eventually he learned to move on from the shadows of his past, curing his illness in the process.

I love that the drama is able to use the robot concept well, in a very refreshing light that doesn’t feel too much or too less. The graphics or effects are absolutely stunning and realistic that I can give five stars for the visuals of it as a whole. And I am glad that they were able to remain faithful to the concept, not wavering one bit throughout the entire storyline

I think to this point that everything is just right. Just perfect that I still feel my heart flutter with thoughts of the story from time to time. Being reminded of I’m Not A Robot makes me fall in love with it over and over again because of these reasons. You won’t get bored every single moment of it.

Chemistry & Bromance is Real

In the beginning, I am not really sure whether Yoo Seung Ho and Chae Soo Bin will click, but I have not seen any moment in the drama where they became awkward or anything. In fact, Yoo Seung Ho as Min Kyu, with googly eyes and an adorable puppy personality, made me believe he truly likes Ji Ah as a robot and as a human. It’s so real I don’t mind them dating.

Then here comes my second and third favorite pair in respective order. (1) Sun Hye and Hoktal – this pair really only proves that opposite attracts. Sun Hye definitely has a unique taste with boys. She comes off as a playful character that doesn’t seriously date, but then when choosing between the cool Ssanip or the conservative Hoktal–that says the opposite of what he really means, she sees beyond the facade and chooses the guy everyone would probably think she won’t choose. (2) Doctor Hong and Pai – the relationship of these two took years in the making. You can probably relate their progress to that of a walking turtle; slowly but surely. Probably Doctor Hong’s lingering feelings for Ji Ah also became a hindrance for him to realize too late his affection for the timid Pai, who later takes the advise of Sun Hye and learned to come out of her own shell. Nonetheless, they are just as cute as the other pairs.

Let’s also not forget the cute bromantic pairs! Ssanip and Hoktal is probably my top bromance pair, leaving me in a heap of laughter with most of their antics. They are quite an unseparable duo to the point Ssanip thirdwheels even when Hoktal and Sun Hye already started dating. It’s like they were a package deal and he can never be left behind.

I also like the Min Kyu and Jo Jin Bae pair.  Together they are a mix of hot and cold. In terms of work, Min Kyu is the boss and Jin Bae is his loyal subordinate. On the other hand, when it comes to Ji Ah, it is fun to always watch whenever Min Kyu’s personality mellows and he resembles a puppy around Jin Bae, his future brother-in-law, always trying to please him. Even going out of his way to hire him again when Jin Bae tried to end his contract with Min Gyu.

Of course, the Min Kyu and Hong Baek Kyun pair also fairs. Though I won’t mind if there was some kind of tension that escalated to some sort of fist fight between them because of Jia, I’m not complaining that they got along instead. It seemed anticlimactic though that it didn’t happen, but it’s not disappointing that Doctor Hong became Min Kyu’s hyung instead and everyone is happy.

Lovable Supporting Characters

I think I have not loved supporting characters as I loved the ones in this drama. They just have very rich character and backstory that I felt more connected to them than not. It made the encounter with these characters even more personal and more human as the store went on, because despite the allegorical portrayal of some themes, these people’s emotions, words and actions made it simple for us to understand their point in a very relatable manner.

Santa Maria Team. I am dumbfounded every time these people bond, because their jokes aren’t really that funny, but their skills are so superior I believed they are real inventors that can do anything and everything. Santa Maria, on top of that, isn’t just a group of people with a hobby of creating robots, but instead a family that has loyalty for each other, is humble and really hardworking.

Doctor Hong Baek Kyun. Though I still can’t believe he’s Jo Ji Ah’s ex-boyfriend–who she calls ‘Fungus Guy’ by the way–I am hands down that Doctor Hong is a genius. Aji 3 is probably his most notable work, but I think there’s no doubt he can do so much more. Plus, I think you know now why he named the robot ‘A Ji 3’ and even created her in the image of Ji Ah; he was so hung up with his ex that is!

Nonetheless, Doctor Hong may be smart, but because he’s so focused at his craft that love always came second to him and eventually since Ji Ah isn’t really in the same league as him that they grew apart. Sharing something in common with Pai made them both more compatible with each other, though there’s no doubt constant bickering is expected of two very common personality.

Pai. To be honest, I found it a little hard to empathize with her character at first because she was too quiet and it looked like she didn’t like Ji Ah very much. But when I realized the reason is because he likes Doctor Hong, all I could complain from then is how annoying her curly curls were and how plain she dressed up. I could tell she is really pretty without the curls and the glasses that I am really happy she changed her appearance for the better but maintained her simple personality. She’s so enduring and so loyal to Doctor Hong that I am also quite happy her one-sided crush with him didn’t end in vain.

Sun Hye. I was thinking that this girl is going to be the typical sidekick that has no real depth in the series, but then it turns out Sun Hye is our modern cupid. Her looks makes her seem intimidating, but it is always quite fun whenever she opens her mouth and says something poetic and predictive and it always comes true. Truly, she is a love guru, who gladly found her own happy ever after with Hoktal. And also a loyal best friend that has a bag of wisdom that often help our protagonists clear their heads.

Ye Ri El. She comes off with a common bitch vibe at first glance, especially when she treats Min Kyu–who liked her for years since he was a kid–coldly and doesn’t acknowledge his efforts of winning her with his sincerity, but I guess it wasn’t really her fault Min Kyu misunderstood her. Her father was the one who continuously wrote to Min Kyu, anyway, pretending to be her, paving her fate by being Min Kyu’s first love and probably last.

I was just happy, though it made the build up turn anti-climatic and kind of get to waste, that she didn’t got with her daddy’s plans and followed her heart when she realized it wasn’t Min Kyu but Yoo Chul she likes and decided to pursue her own path.

Hwang Yoo Chul. I was determined Yoo Chul was going to be the ultimate villain with some vengeful plan in store for Min Kyu that will probably bring him to tears and make him pay with revenge at some point, but his role is almost similar to Ri El, where in he draws back and finds his conscience and admits to his own faults. I find it really  cool though, how he found the strength to ask for forgiveness and do the right thing even if it will compromise his father’s position. It made me respect him and cross him out of the blacklisted characters’ list I kept in my head,

Jo Jin Bae. I found older brother such a jerk when he got mad at Ji Ah for doing what she wants, because though it sounds too far-fetched and fruitless, an older sibling shouldn’t discourage their less privileged younger sister, right? I mean, he should have at least supported her not make her feel like crap more than the situation already was. Gladly, I think Jin Bae grew a pair and came to appreciate Ji Ah and saw how beautiful her her heart was beyond her 80 IQ.

Over All

If you want a cute and light romance, with a set of bright characters and superb acting, that has an easy and steady approach to its overall plot, I’m Not A Robot is going to be the perfect choice. Not only it is sweet, but also filled with underlying lessons about love and life figuratively placed across the story line.

I especially love that they tackled about the lives of different people with almost the same dilemma in the world; people who can’t find a place to belong to and who are struggling all the same whether it was about their dreams and aspirations or simply with getting by life in its tendency to put you into a loneliness that can break you or just finding someone who will sincerely love them. Because they were people yearning for these things that somehow they must have unconsciously found each other, somewhere to belong to.

Notably, I truly appreciate, too, the philosophical take on love; how sometimes the truest love can be in the form of the sweetest yet ugliest lie. This kind of love has seen negative effect most of the time, probably due to the motive of the doer. But I guess, not everyone has bad intentions towards the recipient of their actions. Sometimes you love someone so much that you have to lie to them in order to prevent them from hurting, but you basically hurt them in the process after all, especially if it comes to the point where in they learn about the truth in the most painful way.

“There are times when lying to a friend is better than telling them the truth.”

That’s why I was able to totally relate with Min Kyu when he found out Ji Ah was really his A Ji 3. I mean, it was nice he found someone that really is a mirror image of Aji 3. The idea of it was so dreamy and too impossible that wishing and looking from a distance at something you don’t think can happen and is too far-fetched would be great until it last. I am just glad that his love for her reigned and he was able to see the truth past the big lie.

I know lying may hurt and looking past through it takes so much courage, but if the person is worth it, why not?

“The deeper the love, the deeper the wound. He must have liked you more than you thought.”

In terms of the plot, I must say I commend the drama for having such a light story despite incorporating corruption and politics in the business sense, it’s a relief the story didn’t dive deeper into exploring that area and having our cutie Min Kyu turn into another protagonist fighting for his position in the office or battling for his inheritance for his parents’ sake or something like that. It will only make the story darker and I guess that’s not what the production is aiming for. Since the story have to be easy to watch and light for the heart, I love that they focused more on the romance and the relationship of the characters with each other. By doing this, I think we see a more graspable human story.

What I think  I will call an only ‘miss’ for this drama is the sort of sweet, but really fast-paced and mediocre ending. I guess, because I have invested so much time and emotions during the first 31 episodes that I didn’t expect the ending to just show a few seconds of heaven with how our team is doing. Yes, everyone seems happy and all but it doesn’t really say much or I might have expected so much more. But then, seeing Min Kyu finally get discharged from the military after two years, Jo Ji Ah finally doing good business with her heart lamps, and that sweet ending kiss made up for the miss.

Anyway, I think I got what I signed up for. The drama has hinted on a couple of ideas to which they left it open to the imagination to fill in the blanks. Just like what does Aji 3 really look like after the makeover? They said they will change her face and I guess they turned her to a male robot that they named after the late President of KM Financial. If so, does this mean he will look like the late president or…? Another example is when after all what happened, they didn’t really reveal the identity of Madame X. This mysterious character helped Min Kyu a lot with his battles against those who wished to take over KM Financial, but it isn’t really clear who she is, right? My only guess is that she is either the gardener or the lady Min Kyu talked to and said she is only there to represent Madame X. But then a guess can only remain a guess and we can only wish they will spill the beans.

See my point? They left some questions unanswered not because they want to leave us hanging or they just have a way to end it properly, but instead I think they did it to give us the liberty to find out for ourselves or imagine what comes next. So, even if some were left unsaid and it’s truly quite frustrating, I am not really that upset about it, it just makes me think from time to time what the answer to those questions are.

Nonetheless, I really had a fun time. I say it’s cool and if I will revisit this drama one day, I won’t really mind. Giving it a rating, I think 4.8 out of 5 is perfect.

Review: I’m Not A Robot – A One of a Kind Romance I'm Not a Robot (로봇이 아니야; Robosi Aniya) is a South Korean television series starring