Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 14, 2017 Author Share Posted December 14, 2017 Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 16, 2017 Author Share Posted December 16, 2017 (edited) Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching So, what are we all watching this week? What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in… javabeans I’m Not a Robot: Aw, this show is adorable, and makes me laugh out loud. Sometimes the comic bits are obvious and sometimes they’re unexpected, but in both cases they’re utilized well within this robot setup, and I’m really enjoying seeing our two leads starting to bond in little ways. That “friend mode†is a pretty awesome loophole, but it’s going to break my heart later on, isn’t it? girlfriday I’m Not a Robot: Yoo Seung-ho’s character says the most ridiculous things, and I know I’d scoff if anyone else were saying his lines, but he somehow makes this eccentric billionaire lovable, like you just want to protect him from all of the things. Chae Soo-bin isn’t even being very roboty, but I love that he doesn’t question it, even when she’s so obviously human. The way she’s already getting under his skin has me excited for the romance to come. tineybeanie I’m Not a Robot: *SQUEEEALS* Yes, this was what I have been looking for this entire year. A cute rom-com with a coherent (even though a bit fantastical) plotline. I even love the semi-meta moments when Chae Soo-bin thinks that Yoo Seung-ho is a dunce for thinking she’s a genius after she used the Occam’s razor solution of chopping down the box, after not being able to compute his complicated request. Because that’s exactly what all the viewers are thinking: How can a genius investor like him be so gullible? So I’m really enjoying the ride right now. It’s interesting and the world-building is done well, but not high level enough that my brain hurts thinking about it (*cough cough* Forest of Secrets). And the chemistry between Chae Soo-bin and both Yoo Seung-ho and Eom Ki-joon clearly shows through. Edited December 16, 2017 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 (edited) I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 5-6 Jia causes one crisis after another as the robot stand-in, but Min-kyu is so taken by the novelty of a companion that he bears with the mounting inconveniences. He seems convinced that if he can train Aji-3 properly, she could become a source of much happiness. And since more happiness equals more smiles, that’s a good thing. EPISODE 5: “I am glad you are a robot†Min-kyu declares that he’ll create a room of his own inside Aji-3 where no one else is allowed. Pointing to her head, he explains that he will train her himself and that she’s to follow no one but him. Jia’s training begins with an introduction to the household’s hierarchy, led by the items that Min-kyu calls “pretty.†They include his backscratcher, an older robot vacuum, and the newer one that just had a birthday party. From the lab, Aji-3 responds, “I will become Pretty too,†but Jia ignores her to clarify that she’s at the same level as household items. Min-kyu laughs that they’re her seniors and describes how points are earned by making him happy. He explains that when an item reaches the top level, he celebrates its birthday (purchase date), while Jia thinks he’s crazy. Watching from the scientists’ house, Baek-gyun laughs at Min-kyu until his stomach gurgles. He heads to the bathroom, but there’s already a line, and he’s alarmed to hear the curry is the culprit because Jia ate some too. Sure enough, the same pain strikes Jia while Min-kyu explains which areas must never to be touched: the house of cards, his cabinet, and the action figure that Jia purchased. Min-kyu is about to go over the house’s layout when Jia doubles over. When Ssan-ip emerges from the bathroom, Baek-gyun wants him to tell Jia “to hold it no matter what,†but he can’t deliver the message because he has to use the bathroom again. Jia wiggles in desperation, relieved when she sees the bathroom. Min-kyu notices her fidgeting so she distracts him with a question about a set of closed doors and is solemnly told, “It’s a room only I can enter.†Min-kyu pauses in front of his family portrait and instructs Jia to input his parents into her memory. Jia recognizes the necklace around his mother’s neck, which he explains was stolen. Jia nods uncomfortably as Min-kyu tells her to remember, “If anyone deceives me, I will make sure they pay the price.†With the Santa Maria team in gastrointestinal hell, Jia is left to manage on her own. She can’t help but wince in pain when Min-kyu confesses that he’s grateful that she’s a robot because she can never deceive him. Min-kyu instructs Jia to input a childhood photo of him and a girl, and Aji-3 asks what to name the folder that will store the information. Min-kyu looks nostalgic as he recalls his first love but is interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a fart. Jia mutters, “Damn it,†which is what Aji-3 names the picture folder. Min-kyu whips around with his baton and asks what that was, so Jia innocently tells him, “Master, you farted.†Based on the smell, Jia suggests that Min-kyu might want to change his underwear and when it reaches him, he runs off. She’s darts to the bathroom, so when Min-kyu returns, he’s puzzled at her disappearance. Baek-gyun crawls back to command central to warn, “Jo Jia, hold it in, even if it kills you.†In the bathroom, Jia clutches toilet paper in relief, while outside, Min-kyu is spooked to hear the toilet flush. ===Read more: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/12/im-not-a-robot-episodes-5-6/ COMMENTS Friend or foe. That simplifies Min-kyu’s predicament pretty succinctly and other than Butler Sung, it doesn’t look as if he has anyone squarely in the friend category. Everyone in his life wants something from him and so Min-kyu is understandably suspicious of anyone who crosses his path, which is why Jia as Aji-3 is such a breath of fresh air. Here is one being that Min-kyu wants to believe exists for him alone, without any ulterior motives. Interestingly, Min-kyu seems the most taken with Jia when her unpredictable personality invades her robot efforts. As much as Min-kyu is convinced that he’s training Aji-3, he’s the one being trained by Jia on how to live with a real live woman. Ri-el’s re-entrance will of course complicate Min-kyu’s life, but rather than be an impediment to his relationship with Jia, I think that it may push them closer together. He can’t have any contact with Ri-el, which of course thwarts any marriage plans, but he doesn’t experience that limitation with Jia, so who will he spend time with and pour his heart out to? Ri-el may ultimately serve to make Jia jealous, which would clue her in to any burgeoning feelings for Min-kyu because for now, Jia falls in the foe category. I’m curious to see what Ri-el is really up to and where her loyalties lie. So far, I really like how honest and practical she is and that she’s the one connection to Min-kyu’s childhood that hasn’t been tainted, yet. But if she’s like everyone else from his youth, Ri-el is sure to break Min-kyu’s heart. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the comedy that resulted when the very human Jia had very human bathroom needs because I don’t usually like that kind of thing. Yoo Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin have good comedic chemistry and it’s so much fun to watch the two of them that the bathroom humor didn’t bother me for a change. The household hierarchy, that cat mask, Jia going into standby mode after the house of cards was no more… There were so many laughs in this episode that I lost count. I know that there is angst on the horizon, but for now I appreciate the laughs, even the bathroom ones. The insight into Jia’s past with Baek-gyun really tugged at my heart. It’s obvious that he’s not over her and that she had more of an impact on him than he had on her, especially because she wishes that she could forget him! It’s going to be torture for him to have to watch Jia and Min-kyu grow closer and develop feelings for one another. Baek-gyun’s dilemma is unique because he wove together his life’s work with his heart’s desire and there’s no way to separate them. He’s not a bad guy — like Min-kyu, he needs that one woman who can appreciate him — but it’s too bad that Baek-gyun wants that woman to be his ideal version of Jia. Edited December 17, 2017 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNEH5VfLrlo --- === looool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 ==== SUBS more BTS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUaZ-41ROpk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 18, 2017 Author Share Posted December 18, 2017 I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 7-8 After the nonstop hilarity of the last episodes, this hour takes a contemplative turn, and a trip to the past gives us new insight into Min-kyu’s condition. But the laughs are never far away when you throw together a bunch of dorks and a fauxbot, making for a stream of endless tittering that stills only for love (see: Min-kyu’s sweater). I’m so onboard with this romance that I almost don’t care which way it’s served to me. Bring it, bring it all! EPISODE 7: “Painful Memories†The scene opens on the past: Little Min-kyu’s parents cheer him on as he builds his very first house of cards. When it topples down, Dad chases away Min-kyu’s disappointment with cool card tricks. Present Min-kyu narrates, “There are some moments that become memories you long for intensely.†In another memory, little Min-kyu plays boisterously with little Yoo-chul. Everyone then gathers for Min-kyu’s birthday party, where Yoo-chul adorably dabs some frosting on Min-kyu’s face. Present Min-kyu narrates again: “Some moments become beautiful memories you’ll never see again.†On the drive home, Min-kyu and his parents play word-games. As Dad rolls down his window, one of the birthday balloons gets in his face and their car gets caught in the path of an oncoming truck. “And some moments…†The narration tails off. He next wakes up in hospital, sobbing for his parents, both of whom were killed in the crash. Yoo-chul’s father comforts him, saying, “You’re my son now. Yoo-chul and I will become your family.†Aww, little Yoo-chul is crying nearly as much as Min-kyu. He takes Min-kyu to his parents’ funeral, where a sea of company officials part to make way for them. Someone brushes by Min-kyu, slipping something into his pocket. KM’s Managing Director Yoon finds Min-kyu afterwards and gently consoles him. He then asks Min-kyu to sign off on the funeral, but Min-kyu goes to the bathroom first. While there, he discovers a card in his pocket, from “Madame X.†Ohhh! Inside, she advises him not to sign anything. He doesn’t think much of it, until he overhears Director Yoon reporting to Yoo-chul’s dad (not yet chairman) that an unsuspecting Min-kyu was about to sign the papers. Hiding, Min-kyu watches all the company directors pay their respects to Yoo-chul’s dad as if he were chairman already. Yoo-chul comes looking for Min-kyu, excited that they’re going to live together and become family. Yoo-chul offers, “I’ll be the hyung and you be my dongsaeng. Or if you don’t like that, you can be the hyung and I’ll be your dongsaeng.†Aww. He has the papers with him, and Min-kyu leafs through to the last page, which would make Yoo-chul’s dad his legal guardian. Looking tormented, he signs it and hands it back. Thrilled, Yoo-chul grips his friend’s hand. “Be strong, my friend… wait, we’re family now,†Yoo-chul corrects, smile wide. But when Min-kyu looks down at their hands, Yoo-chul’s turns into monstrous claws. Terrified, Min-kyu runs away screaming, blisters forming where Yoo-chul touched him. Concerned, Yoo-chul returns the papers to his father, who opens the last page to see “son of a bitch†written in place of Min-kyu’s signature. Face tight, Yoo-chul’s dad says that it looks like Min-kyu wants to live alone. Little Min-kyu returns to his dark, empty home. As day breaks, he catches sight of his reflection, and screams to see himself covered in red welts. “Recollections, memories… all became punishments for me,†Min-kyu’s narration finishes. Min-kyu jolts awake in the present, with Jia beside him. He tells her that he was dreaming of people stabbing him in the back, and he’s surprised to find that he’s in totally normal condition, not a mark on him. “You recognized me!†he says to Jia, elated, “and you gave me the injection! Jia beams and assures him that she’d recognize him no matter what. He squishes her cheeks and says she’s promoted to the Pretty Squad, which she’s totally psyched about, hee. But he glares at her when he finds needles sticking out of his thigh and shoulder, and she explains sheepishly that she was able to inject him, but not quite able to remove the syringes. He cancels her promotion, but she won’t let him take it back. ===Read more: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/12/im-not-a-robot-episodes-7-8/ COMMENTS Ermagerd, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who thought that he really did go for the kiss! But I’m also afraid he’s so close that he’s sure to feel her breath—did they think of that? Did they? I find it hilarious that Min-kyu and Baek-gyun somehow have met a match in each other. It’s not that they see each other as equals—far from it! They each see themselves as better than the other, and I think it also irks them no end that they end up echoing each other’s thoughts. And Baek-gyun says “no†to Min-kyu a lot, which is probably a novel experience for him, so I’m all for the frenemy antics this relationship promises. However, I’m really uncomfortable with how Baek-gyun freely accesses the footage of what is essentially Min-kyu’s private life. It feels like an intense violation of privacy, especially when Min-ku was assured that it would be safeguarded, and I need the show to address this. ​ It seems like Jia’s the only person who can rattle Baek-gyun, though I may be in the minority thinking that he has no romantic arc in this show. I think his development will center on learning to relate to people as people, because all his interactions with Jia end the same way: with a scolding. It’s pretty clear that he’s just blundering around with no idea what he’s doing, or indeed, what he’s feeling; he might be great with all that math, but it surely is actively getting in the way of his chemistry. I’m also relieved to find that Jin-bae’s not actually terrible (though breaking Jia’s stuff is still not okay), but like his sister, he’s trapped between conflicting things. At work, he’s caught between two powerful superiors, and in his heart, he’s caught between doing his duty and doing what he wants. Maybe that’s what cuts him most about Jia—that while he’s denying himself, he sees her living as she likes. Neither of them are really wrong in their choices, but it’s all a matter of perspective. Speaking of perspective, I realize that my affection for Yoo Seung-ho softens me to Min-kyu’s faults. I genuinely enjoy his haughty moments and imperious nature, not only because it’s so at odds with the vulnerable, sad boy he is beneath, but also because his pride always precedes embarrassment. But he lets his guard down with Jia, and as he admitted to her last episode, that hard exterior is a deliberate construction for his own preservation. Given the circumstances, I agree with her: He’s turned out all right. So if he’s a little evil from time to time, I can’t hold it against him. The way Min-kyu relates to the robot also makes sense to me. As far as he’s concerned, Jia is a hunk of metal and wire, so there’s no argument that he should treat her like a person or an equal, AI or not. I mean, he already treats his electricals like people. I also don’t think his (or Baek-gyun’s) connection to the robot is remotely sexual. Both men are very in-their-heads types, and Min-kyu has much more basic needs to be fulfilled: emotional security, personal connection, and just simple human touch. Yoo-chul’s backstory also adds another layer to the game. Because he was such a sincere, kindhearted kid, I feel like I can believe in adult Yoo-chul not to ultimately be an enemy. If Min-kyu severed their bond without explanation, it may well have caused a wound that never healed for Yoo-chul, and that’s a pain that can easily turn to bitterness. I think Yoo-chul exists in an uneasy place where he’s forced to see Min-kyu as an enemy because Min-kyu treats him as an enemy. But I also feel like their friendship still has a chance, and that if we peeled away a thick layer of hurt, that love still lies beneath. I’m curious about what everyone thinks about the origins of Min-kyu’s “allergy,†and how his feelings manifested in… hallucinations? Does this mean he’s potentially psychotic to start with, or is it just a child’s overactive imagination? It doesn’t seem like he sees monsters anymore, but clearly the somatic effect continues. Why did one stop and the other didn’t? Also, any speculations on Madame X’s identity? I have a new favorite thing, though: how he calls Jia up (under her real President Jo identity) just to bicker. I thought there was no way to engineer a Jia/Aji-3 love triangle, but this is it, this is how! Phone calls! I can see how easy it is for him to fall for fauxbot-Jia who’s right in front of him, but how can we make him fall for real Jia? It’s also why the three-hour robot limit is great plot-wise, because it still leaves a zillion hours of the day empty, where he lolls around increasingly itchy for human contact. And this is a problem he hasn’t foreseen: that the human(oid) interaction he has with “Aji-3†makes him ever hungrier for it, now that he’s got a taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 20, 2017 Author Share Posted December 20, 2017 STILLS VLIVE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4ATDl078oU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Hb87BVT2c --- OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zjl6Uz7WlE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 24, 2017 Author Share Posted December 24, 2017 (edited) I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 9-10 This drama gets sweeter each week as Jia and Min-kyu spend more time together and get even closer. Having a human-looking companion has completely transformed Min-kyu’s life and for the first time, he doesn’t have to deal with his problems by himself. But not everyone is happy about their budding friendship and clouds finally appear on the horizon that promise to threaten their bond. EPISODE 9: “I’m cured†Min-kyu acts out what it would be like if his first love was a robot as he touches Jia’s hair, holds her hand and imagines going to crowded places together. Min-kyu moves verrry close as he imagines a kiss, only to step away when he accepts that it’s just wishful thinking. Min-kyu announces that he’s decided to give the necklace to the last woman in his life. That night, Min-kyu goes through his keepsakes from Ri-el and thinks, “She always remembered my birthday which is the same day I lost my parents.†Min-kyu reminisces how much her small gestures meant to him while he puts the necklace into a box and wonders, “Will I meet someone like that again? I’m thankful. And that’s enough.†On her way to the main house, Jia carries her umbrella in spite of the beautiful weather. When she arrives, Min-kyu is nowhere in sight so Jia arranges his mail so that her petition for KM’s business competition is front and center. Jia thinks of Min-kyu’s almost kiss and is suddenly annoyed, “Wait, but who does he think I am,†and then reminds herself that he’s convinced that she’s a robot. Min-kyu walks in while he tries to explain over the phone that his reservation for an entire restaurant means that not one person can be there. When he’s asked about servers, Min-kyu looks at Jia. On the way to the restaurant, Min-kyu comments that the weather is perfect for a proposal. When Jia reports that heavy rain is expected, he replies, “That’s even better.†Pi shows Baek-gyun the video of Min-kyu’s almost kiss and he orders Jia removed from the house right away, alarmed when he learns that she left with Min-kyu. ===Read more: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/12/im-not-a-robot-episodes-9-10/ COMMENTS I can’t imagine how Jia and Min-kyu can get any sweeter, but those two managed to surpass all previous levels this week. They just light up whenever they’re together and it’s impossible not to see that they’re falling in love, even though one of them is supposed to be a robot. I don’t see how the charade can carry on much longer and now that Min-kyu’s allergy is showing signs of improvement, it may soon be time for Jia to step out of Aji-3’s shadow (and that pink dress). Min-kyu’s meeting with Ri-el proved just how frozen he is in time and how ill suited they are for each other. He’s romanticized everything about Ri-el to the point that he doesn’t even see who she really is. She’s looking for a power marriage while Min-kyu needs a companion who genuinely cares about him. Jia can see how poorly Ri-el treats the fragile Min-kyu but he’s totally oblivious. How sad was it when Ri-el made fun of the mug that Min-kyu cherished for fifteen years? She didn’t even remember it and Min-kyu hasn’t forgotten a detail about her! When Ri-el left after he turned down her proposal, Min-kyu hit rock bottom and I thought he was ready to die when he didn’t use that syringe. Thank goodness Jia came to his rescue when the heavens opened with that torrential downpour. I think that’s when he was cured because for the first time, Min-kyu wasn’t alone. As encouraging as it was to see Min-kyu and Jia grow closer, it was maddening to watch Baek-gyun and his team turn on Min-kyu. I don’t understand why the team is so surprised that the allergic-to-humans Min-kyu would develop feelings of friendship for Jia as Aji-3. They’re the ones who recruited her to keep their project afloat and the fact that she’s spent so much time with him is their fault. Add to that the fact that Jia is Aji-3’s model, isn’t it obvious that Baek-gyun must have feelings of his own for his robot because he certainly isn’t over his ex-girlfriend? The outrage over Min-kyu’s innocent kiss after he just discovered that he might have found the cure for his allergy was disappointing and I really hope that this doesn’t drag out. I’d like to see the Santa Maria team work with Min-kyu, not against him. That may just happen once the fight over Daeyang Shipbuilding and KM Financial intensifies. Eventually, Min-kyu will need to confront his enemies within KM Financial because they pose a very real danger to Aji-3 and by extension, to Jia. If he wants to protect his most precious treasure, I think that Min-kyu is going to have to face the trauma from his past to fight for his company and I’m hoping that Madame X will join him in that fight. I can’t wait to have that mystery solved but for now, I’m just happy to see the story allow Min-kyu out into the world. Just in time, because with Ri-el and Yoo-chul at KM and Ri-el’s father desperate to marry her to money, it’s only a matter of time before Min-kyu is challenged. Edited December 24, 2017 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 (edited) I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 11-12 The tiny circle of people who know Min-kyu’s secret is growing, and what they’re lacking in number, they make up in might. But the more deeply he trusts them, the more scared I am of how betrayed he’s going to feel when he discovers their secret. And as Jia falls for him more and more, will it compromise her robot identity? EPISODE 11: “I want to kiss†The Santa Maria team makes their way to Min-kyu’s mansion minus Baek-gyun, who won’t make it back tonight. Pi tells Min-kyu that they’ve come to take Aji-3. Trying to stall them, Min-kyu asks them to stay for dinner. Pi shuts him down, and at a loss, he cries out, “Korean beef!†and a whole assortment of costly delicacies that make Hok-tal and Ssan-ip’s resolve crumble. At the table, Min-kyu explains that he made some extra dishes especially for “Researcher 1†(Hok-tal) and “Researcher 2†(Ssan-ip). “You… don’t know our names?†Hok-tal asks. “Do I need to?†Min-kyu replies, undoing all their goodwill. Jia urgently takes the clueless boy aside and tells him that to ask a favor, he needs to build closeness with them, not just feed them. She advises him to have real conversation with them and answer their questions frankly. He returns to the table, and with a glance at Jia to reassure himself, he stiltingly asks Ssan-ip what his parents do. Ssan-ip replies that they run a laundromat in the US, and asks Min-kyu about his parents. “They’re lying in their graves, side by side,†Min-kyu replies, a pained smile pasted on his face. Oof. Everyone stops eating. Hok-tal asks what happened to them, and Min-kyu tells them about the car accident in quite horrific detail, his tone all the while casual. ==== EPISODE 12: “This is when you must kiss†“I want to kiss… Ri-el,†Min-kyu says. He tells Jia that he plans to go on three dates, and on the third, he’ll kiss her and propose. “But the kiss is the problem,†he wails, saying it’ll be his first kiss and he has no idea when or how he should do it. Jia sighs. Meanwhile, Baek-gyun finishes fixing the lamps. He smiles as they light up, but wonders what use they are. The next day, he tells Jia to wear the original pink dress and says that’s his price, but she refuses. Plus, she tells him, their real problem is that Min-kyu wants help for his kiss. “It’s not like I can practice with him,†she says. Baek-gyun nearly loses his mind and volunteers the rest of the team to help. “Impossible,†Ssan-ip declares on their behalf. Haha. “Isn’t there anyone who knows about this kind of stuff?†Baek-gyun appeals. Ask and ye shall receive: Enter Sun-hye, in a swirl of glamor. She introduces herself to the team, but is distracted by the robot. Amazed at the likeness, she says darkly that she’d have broken it already. “Then we’ll sue you,†Pi warns. Sun-hye turns away from Pi’s icy gaze and invites Hok-tal and Ssan-ip to her coffee shop, “Summer Snow.†Bedazzled, Hok-tal stammers that it’s an illogical name. Sun-hye replies dramatically that life is illogical. Before they meet Min-kyu, Jia warns Sun-hye that she’ll have to treat Jia like another person, not a robot. Min-kyu’s skeptical of Sun-hye’s qualification as a kissing guru, but a recital of her apparent credentials (and success rate) from Jia reassures him. The lesson gets underway and Sun-hye says that a couple goes through three stages before kissing. First, they have attraction, then a romantic moment, which leads lastly to skinship. She says most people need three dates to get there, but Min-kyu has an advantage because of his prior relationship with Ri-el, so he can go straight for the kiss. In sum, three dates are three opportunities to get his kiss. Min-kyu’s challenge is to make Ri-el see him as a man. “And for that, you need sexual tension,†Sun-hye elaborates, saying kissing is all about moving at the exact perfect moment. She indicates Jia and asks Min-kyu if he’s ever imagined kissing her. “No. Never,†he replies. Aw, Jia’s face falls, though Sun-hye says it’s a relief. Min-kyu nearly catches her slip but she covers by quickly instructing them to follow her. Hok-tal and Ssan-ip spy on the kissing lesson from the bushes, armed with popcorn. Ha! Sun-hye instructs Jia and Min-kyu to pretend they’re on a date and go for a stroll together. All of a sudden, she shoves Jia into Min-kyu, and he catches her in his arms as she loses her balance. Skinship achieved! After a few tense beats, Sun-hye asks, “Is this friend still not a woman to you?†Min-kyu quickly drops Jia and says it’s impossible: “I can never see this friend as a woman.†He wants Sun-hye to get to the point, and she says that was it—that moment he just experienced was sexual tension, and that’s when he has to kiss. She leaves him with one last tip to take an umbrella if it rains. Yoo-chul’s dad sympathizes with Yoo-chul for losing Ri-el to Min-kyu. They agree that if Yoo-chul had been the majority shareholder, Ri-el’s father would have courted him instead. Dad asks how he can help, and Yoo-chul tells him he plans to get Aji-3 first. Min-kyu picks up Jia’s novelty umbrella and heads out for his date, but he’s surprised to see Baek-gyun accompanying Jia. The professor points out that Min-kyu will be wrapped up in his date so he needs to look after Aji-3. ===Read more: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/12/im-not-a-robot-episodes-11-12/ COMMENTS I really like that Min-kyu has no confusion whatsoever about how he feels about Jia as a robot, and how he feels about a woman. They’re totally different leagues (and Jia knows it, as does Sun-hye) and in that sense, Sun-hye’s tests reassure me: He won’t ever romance a robot, even if he can easily consider her his friend. It’s interesting because in relationships, we often love the friendship aspect of them as much as the romantic aspects, but there’s a hard and fast line here that the ordinary mind simply doesn’t cross. As much as we may love our babiesinanimate possessions, romancing them is beyond ridiculous: Romance, and subsequently intimacy, are things you do exclusively with other humans. So in that context, I get Jia kissing him, even at risk of her robot identity (although there’s also a good argument for it fitting in with her robot behavior, with AI’s adaptive learning). It’s not only that she’s been repeatedly friendzoned (or is that robotzoned?) all hour and desperate to be a woman to him, it’s also that it’s been tearing her up on multiple levels watching him with Ri-el, for all the reasons TeriYaki mentions. I admit I actually quite like Ri-el, what little we’ve seen of her: She’s smart, plain-speaking and practical. On the other hand, I dislike Min-kyu and Ri-el together, and I don’t think it’s really Ri-el’s fault. Min-kyu doesn’t give her room to be herself—which is a shame, because although she doesn’t have feelings for him, she could still be a friend. But it’s like it never occurred to him that she had grown up and become somebody he didn’t know anymore. And to be fair, I think it honestly hasn’t. For him, time seems to have stood still within the bounds of his estate. Some of you astutely noted last week the fairytale motifs in this show, and I think we can also add Sleeping Beautyto that list. Min-kyu is an odd mixture of cynicism and inexperience that is a result of his unusually isolated growing-up. It leaves him clueless (sometimes embarrassingly) and clinging to the familiar, which naturally extends to the way he feels about and relates to Ri-el. He’s clinging to the memory of a first love, and frankly, I don’t think the reality even then is what he remembers—as kids, they were friends. In the absence of new experiences, new friends, and better memories, she’s become a beacon for him in an otherwise bleak heart, but the Ri-el in his head was never the real Ri-el. So far, reality isn’t making a dent on his perceptions, which I find a little fascinating, because this is the same brain that saw people turning into monsters. Given his condition, we already know his brain perhaps functions in a different way to most, and its protective mechanisms are quite extraordinary. So I wonder if maintaining his illusions (and consequently rejecting contradictory input) is his brain’s way of trying to protect him once again. But I also fully admit that I might be overthinking it, as it can be explained much more easily: He simply doesn’t have enough experience, especially in romantic situations, to be able to read social cues and body language correctly, so short of Ri-el outright rejecting him, he might miss all the other signs. Buuuut: He watches TV! Shouldn’t that prepare him for real human contact? Speaking of human contact, the meal at the beginning was really something. The scientists are an enigma to him because in his experience of life, it’s only money that moves people. And given how everyone always wants a piece of him—or rather, his money—his mistaken belief has a foundation, though what it really reveals is that he apparently hasn’t ever met decent people. What he learns with the Santa Maria team is how to give a piece of his real, inner self. But it was so painful to watch. In that short time, I feel like we saw Min-kyu cut wide open, guts everywhere. He takes Jia’s lessons so literally that it makes my heart ache a little. He doesn’t just make himself vulnerable to his guests, he also shows an almost devastating level of trust in Jia. How much will it hurt him when he finds out they’ve all been lying to him? I’m really digging this grudging new truce between Min-kyu and Baek-gyun. I’m fairly sure that he was sincere in that moment he first called Baek-gyun “hyung,†but it was pretty great to see him get owned by the team after that. Min-kyu is someone so used to calling all the shots, being obeyed, and having his way, that it’s never going to be unsatisfying to see him bested in a friendly match. I admit it looks like his childhood friendship with Yoo-chul can’t be saved, and that was probably wishful thinking on my part, but this new one between him and Baek-gyun promises to be even more satisfying. As much as they’re trying to one-up each other, there’s a fundamental respect growing between them, and the beginnings of real trust, thanks to Min-kyu quite literally putting his life in Baek-gyun’s hands. That’s why Baek-gyun came back: because Min-kyu personally affected him. Despite his lack of relationship maturity, I think we’ve learned enough to know he’s a generally good guy, even if he does sometimes makes bad choices like giving his robot his ex-girlfriend’s face… Edited December 25, 2017 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 25, 2017 Author Share Posted December 25, 2017 (edited) Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching??​ ​​ So, what are we all watching this week? What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in… javabeans I'm Not a Robot: Oh my god, Yoo Seung-ho killed my heart this week. I love this show and how it warms my heart and makes me laugh out loud. When he realized his “robot†was his cure, I was giddy at the twist of how he’d HAVE to keep Jia around even after he discovers her deception. This show is really rocking the forced proximity trope, and I’m eating it up. girlfriday I’m Not a Robot: Yoo Seung-ho and Chae Soo-bin really sell this connection, and I love that it starts from a place of genuine friendship. I buy the emotions, because he’s made me believe that this is a boy who truly loves his robot vacuum as a friend, and when he started to share those heart-fluttering moments with Jia this week, I totally swooned. tineybeanie I’m Not a Robot: It’s so cute. I can’t even. I’ve fallen in love with Yoo Seung-ho again. Rainbows and puppies can’t compare to the cuteness of Yoo Seung-ho caring for his Pretty Squad. Edited December 25, 2017 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 27, 2017 Author Share Posted December 27, 2017 stills more: http://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.nhn?volumeNo=11580536&memberNo=25909715 = Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 27, 2017 Author Share Posted December 27, 2017 OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IvZZE2RkW4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 27, 2017 Author Share Posted December 27, 2017 Click here to view the Tweet --- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsxXTMtu0Do[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 28, 2017 Author Share Posted December 28, 2017 Its kinda so pity that INAR rating could be this low, eventho its not even aired from cable channel Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Click here to view the Tweet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted December 30, 2017 Author Share Posted December 30, 2017 Team Dramabeans: What we’re watching?? So, what are we all watching this week? What kept you reaching for more (or agonizing when there was no more), and what made you want to throw your remote through the screen? Time to weigh in… javabeans I’m Not a Robot: Ahh, I really felt for the angst this week, because of how badly both Min-kyu and Jia want the same thing (for the robot to be human). The pain seems so easily remedied by telling the truth, but it made so much sense why the lie had to continue, and I appreciated that it gave our characters the time to explore how keenly they felt that longing in that moment. girlfriday I’m Not a Robot: Yoo Seung-ho is really quite dense about the robot not being a robot, but awwww, he was so heartbroken over her not being a real girl this week that it melted my heart. This show can be silly, but they always do a good job of bringing it back to an emotional center that keeps it grounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 (edited) I’m Not a Robot: Episodes 15-16 With the saddest start in the world, things can only get better, right? But with Min-kyu still struggling with the fallout of his emotions, Jia is forced to bear the brunt of it (it’s not his fault, he thinks she’s a robot!), and that makes hard watching for the tenderhearted. Now that his illusions are lying in ruins around him, maybe the time is right for him to build something real? EPISODE 15: “I’m not a robot†“If you wished that robot were a person… fold,†Min-kyu whispers, folding down his last finger. His head drops to the table. Jia lays hers down next to his. “I’m… not a robot,†she tells his sleeping form. Baek-gyun and Pi walk slowly back from their drink-buying run, which Baek-gyun thinks Sun-hye meant as a punishment to him. He guesses that he must have wronged Jia badly, and says he feels like he’s caught now in a one-sided love. “Still, you made it this far,†Pi encourages. Elsewhere, Hok-tal gazes up at the sky and tells Sun-hye how bright the moon is, while Ssan-ip sleeps in his lap. Mirroring his earlier comment, she points out that it’s only a crescent. Jia wakes up the next morning to the sound of glass breaking and discovers the team trying to stabilize Aji-3’s grip and motor functions. Jia’s excited that the robot is mobile again, but Baek-gyun explains that they still need to synchronize Jia’s input with Aji-3’s system, especially so Min-kyu never realizes the change-out. Baek-gyun tells Jia it’ll be another few days before the robot’s ready, and then he plans to tell Min-kyu the truth. She thanks him for explaining everything to her in a straightforward way. Dr. Oh is back in Korea, and calls Min-kyu. He wants to meet Aji-3, but a solemn Min-kyu tells him no. There’s not a problem with the robot, “There’s a problem with me,†he says, and plans to resolve it within the day. After they hang up, Dr. Oh wonders what went wrong when Min-kyu was so happy about the robot before. Jia makes her way to the mansion, nervous but excited about seeing Min-kyu. But Min-kyu grimly just tells her to get changed because they’re going out. Dissatisfied with her choice, he stops off at department store where he tersely orders the outfit on a mannequin. He says nothing to Jia except a clipped, “Let’s go.†They enter a fancy restaurant, but Jia’s face falls when she’s seated alone at a separate table and Min-kyu doesn’t look at her once. ===Read more: http://www.dramabeans.com/2017/12/im-not-a-robot-episodes-15-16/ COMMENTS Agh, what a place to stop! I just want him to properly meet (and fall in love with, obviously) real-Jia already arrrrgghhhh! Seriously, though. The previous episodes were so sad I thought I would die. I didn’t think I’d be particularly invested in this competition, but it’s been built up with so much emotional tension that it’s become a surprisingly high-stakes affair for a lot of our characters. Let’s talk Baek-gyun before we talk Min-kyu. Firstly, I rate a man who knows how to change. (But wow, was he bad.) I’m really rooting for him and Pi, though. They obviously understand each other really well, and I love that Pi is helping him with Jia. These scientists are ultimately problem-solvers, and whatever the outcome, it feels like it’s in Pi’s nature to uncross what tangled wires she finds. She strikes me as someone who would be decent at a relationship, which is more than we can say about our (lovable) romance-impaired dunderheads, Hok-tal and Ssan-ip. I also want to rewind a bit and deal with Baek-gyun’s assertion that Min-kyu’s apparent recovery is all the robot’s work. To put it plainly, he’s wrong, and this week’s episodes prove that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Aji-3 is responsible for one thing: what happened in their first meeting. That is, a contact with her that didn’t elicit an allergic reaction. While that laid the foundation for his belief in the robot, his current state is much more complex than that: It’s no longer about simple contact. With Jia, he’s become practically normal, able to have contact even with other people and function in the outside world. All that stems from the very real trust he began to place in her after the second time she saved his life (with all those needles). The fact is, the real robot would never have been able to achieve the relationship Jia-as-fauxbot did, because it came from doing things the robot could never have done. Put even more simply, that relationship came around because Jia was a human. She reacts to him with human sympathy and warmth, not to mention that she now has feelings for him of her own. Here’s the thing: Min-kyu is very definitely in love with her, and I think he knows this on a visceral level, even if it’s unthinkable to admit it. But she’s not “real,†and that’s what kills him. It was all fun and games when the emotions weren’t serious: you know, “Cool, a robot likes me!†But the second his emotions turned out to be real—more real than he anticipated or imagined—then it’s immediately a tragedy. It’s not even comparable to being “a man or an alien†because those offer a possiblity of resolution, where a robot offers none. And that, as Min-kyu proves, is utterly, absolutely soul-crushing. When you’ve felt loved, encouraged, supported and understood, and then you face the reality that it’s nothing but the result of algorithms and computations from a system you’ve trained to understand your input…there’s no way to reconcile that. Having experienced all the best parts of a real relationship with fauxbot-Jia, he’s now had to confront the fact that it was nothing but the illusion of a relationship—the illusion of closeness, reciprocity and authenticity, as created by a robot. And he’s at last reached the point where illusion no longer suffices, because what he really needs is something real. That’s what he’s needed all along, even though he’s only realizing it now; that’s what Jia was giving him, even though he doesn’t know it. But therein lies his crisis: The robot can never be real in the way that he wants and needs. That’s what makes the truth about Ri-el an even worse blow, as everything crashes down at once. All that said, however, I think he will accept his feelings, if harshly tempered by the reality that comes with it. But I don’t know if he’ll be able to hold onto that “truth†as long as Jia does things like make heart-displays with his books. That’s not the result of input—that’s all Jia! (That’s why he keeps falling for her!) It’s just as well that he’s inching ever closer to the real Jia, and I kind of love that the whole Jo family has a hand in helping him step back into the world. Jia aside, Min-kyu’s actively chosen to trust Jin-bae (even though I’m scared that it’ll go badly somehow), who’s acknowledged him in a way I don’t think anyone has before. Dong-hyun is even more fantastic, because she kind of meets him on his level, and that at once disarms him and forces perspective on him. I don’t know about you guys, but I found his moment of eating the rice ball a thousand times more emotionally affecting than any kiss. It just means so much more. As much as he was provoked by Dong-hyun, he was touched by her and the story of her lonely, outsider-aunt. It’s emotional closeness and relating to that experience that brings him to the point of trying her rice ball. Lastly, real-Jia herself has reached him in so many ways, and the letter was really lovely because it offered that closeness to him again, literally speaking to him personally. I am just dying waiting for him to put all those separate pieces of Jia together. I know there’ll be angst first (whyyyy?) but then there’ll just be puppies and rainbows forever, right? Edited January 1, 2018 by FranCella Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bella D'Amour 9,589 Posted January 3, 2018 Author Share Posted January 3, 2018 Click here to view the Tweet ==== clips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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