My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

 

Welcome to My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review.  A 999 year old gumiho is running out of time to fill his fox bead and finally become human when he meets a woman who may be his last chance.  If you haven't watched this drama yet, I recommend checking out my unspoiled review here.

My Roommate is a Gumiho

Aired:  May 26 -  July 15, 2021

# of Episodes:  16

Where to Watch:  Viki and iQIYI

Genre:  Romantic Comedy

Starring: Jang Ki Yong and Lee Hye Ri

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My Roommate is a Gumiho - Unspoiled Review

The Story

 

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

A 999 year old gumiho has been collecting human energy in a bead so that he can become human himself.  If the bead isn't filled by his 1000th birthday, he will turn into an evil spirit.  But one night a random collision with a young college student on the street causes her to swallow the bead.  The gumiho gets her to sign an agreement that she will live with him until he can find a way to safely retreive the bead.  Strangely, her presence seems to have a positive effect on the bead.  Could she somehow to the key to him finally being able to become human?

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Unspoiled Review

The Leads

 

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review
My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Jang Ki Yong  as Shin Woo Yeo

Shin Woo Yeo has spent the last 999 years trying to gather enough human energy to turn his fox bead from red to blue, so that he can finally be a true human.  But when an accident puts his bead into the body of Lee Dam, he senses that she is different from the women he has stolen energy from over the centuries.  Woo Yeo draws up a contract for Dam to live with him while she is in possession of the bead.  For the first time, Woo Yeo finds he enjoys having a human around.  And suddenly, after years of living in apathy, he wants them to have a future as normal people.  But when the Mountain Spirit ties Dam's destiny to another man, Woo Yeo and Dam are left wondering if they can actually chose their own destiny, regardless of anyone else.

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Shin Woo Yeo has lived a long life and seen it all.  Or so he thinks, until he meets Dam.  After causing the death of his first love, he has closed himself off emotionally.  He smiles at all the right times and is charming when the situation merits, but inside he feels nothing.  Little does he know that this refusal to allow emotion is the very thing keeping him from turning human.  Jang Ki Yong plays the cool and detached role well, but I had no idea he could also carry reluctant comedy, and when they boy smiles... My heart fluttered right along with Dam.  He has had a busy year, as he prepared to enter his military service in August, and he has really grown as an actor.  This role was a great chance for him to show a new side of himself and I thought he met the challenge well.

Lee Hye Ri as Lee Dam

Lee Dam is a college student who meets Shin Woo Yeo by accident, while trying to take care of her drunk friend.  She is shocked to wake up in Woo Yeo's home and his explanation does nothing to put her mind at ease.  But once Dam realizes that Woo Yeo really is a gumiho, she agrees to do everything she can to help him.  Her feelings for him quickly blossom into something deeper, but fate isn't making things easy for them.  Dam finds herself tied with a red string of destiny to Sun Woo, even though her heart has chosen Woo Yeo.  Now two seemingly impossible tasks lay between her and her happy ending.  First she has to find a way to make Woo Yeo into a human, and then together they have to fight for the right to chose their own fate.  

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Lee Dam is spunky and determined.  Having sworn off men and dating when she was younger, she's never really been in a relationship.  People are drawn to her by her simple honesty and innocent charm.  Lee Hye Ri has great natural timing and animated facial expressions that do well in comedy.  She could have easily overplayed this role, but I never felt like she pushed it too far.  I liked her character's boldness and I loved the way Lee Hye Ri brought the role to life.

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Supporting Characters

 

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review
My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Bae In Hyuk as Gye Sun Woo

Gye Sun Woo is a classmate of Dam.  He is rich and popular, and he falls in love with Dam.  Unfortunately, he confesses his feelings after Dam has already fallen for Woo Yeo.  Even though Sun Woo and Lee Dam share a destiny, Dam continues to gently and kindly reject his affection.

Kang Ha Na as Yang Hye Sun

Yang Hye Sun is also a gumiho, and she has known Woo Yeo for centuries.  But she successfully turned her bead blue and became human.  She shows up to try to help Woo Yeo before it is too late for him.  To help Woo Yeo, she starts attending the university where Dam goes so she can keep an eye on her.  Along the way, she ends up falling for Dam's best friend, Jae Jin.

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review
My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Kim Do Wan as Do Jae Jin

Do Jae Jin has been Dam's best friend since they were kids.  They both study history together at college.  Jae Jin gets his heart broken easily and tends to scare girls away by being too clingy.  When he gets paired with Yang Hye Sun for an assignment where they have to go on dates, he quickly falls for her but doesn't think he stands a chance with someone so far out of his league. 

Things I Liked

 

♥ Chemistry

Lee Hye Ri and Jang Ki Yong have such a natural chemistry.  Whether they were playfully teasing each other or getting passionate, their relationship seemed smooth and believable.  And they were really turning up the heat in some of those steamier kiss scenes!  There was also a nice development between the two of them.  From roommates to friends to lovers, we got to see each step unfold in a way that felt realistic.

♥ History and Mythology

I liked how this drama leaned hard into the supernatural aspects of gumihos.  Pieces of the mythology were constantly being brought back into the plotlines, so you never forgot this wasn't just a human love story.  And having Dam be a history major in college was a nice touch as well.  It gave her some understanding of the things Woo Yeo had lived through and gave them a common experience.  

♥ Male/Female Relationships

This drama did a nice job of showing mature friendships between men and women.  And it wasn't just one token friendship, but several.  I thought that Dam and Jae Jin were adorable.  I loved how uncomfortable they were when they pretended to be dating.  And the constant bickering and teasing between Woo Yeon and Hye Sun was perfectly executed.  It was nice that most of these relationships steered clear of any akward love confessions or secret crushes, with Soo Kyung being the one exception.  But even that had a nice twist that kept it unique, and watching Jae Jin try to help Soo Kyung get over him once he found out, was cute enough to make the storyline worth it.  

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Things I Didn't Like

 

Sun Woo's Character

Somehow, Sun Woo seemed like kind of a wasted character to me.  Even his transition from jerk to good guy is fairly lackluster.  I never believed, even for a second that he stood any chance with Dam, red string or not.  We just didn't see enough development of his character to make him very interesting.  There seemed to be ample opportunity to make us really care about his character, but it never really happened.  

 

Lee Dan and Gye Seo Woo

My issues with this relationship are twofold.  First off, we all knew the minute the two of them clashed over the scooter that they were destined to be together.  So why not give us at least a couple scenes of them interacting so we could celebrate it.  It's like the invisible relationship that happens without us seeing any of it.  What is the point?  Second, isn't it just cruel to introduce the idea that Dam and Sun Woo could one day be in-laws.  Can't we give the poor guy a break?  Again, what is the point?

Shape Shifting Story

The plot line about the shape shifting spirit in the middle of this drama felt strangely out of place.  It was too dark to mesh well with the rest of the story and only lasted a couple episodes.  I failed to see any real purpose for it.  And the violent death of editor Ji Eun was more tragic than the story warranted.  While it's true that we never get to know her character overly well, I still didn't want to see her heartlessly murdered by an evil entity.  

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

The Ending

 

It's pretty much happy endings all around with the exception, of course, of our poor second lead.  Sun Woo goes off the study in the US, leaving behind his sister, his prized technology, and his heart.  Let's hope some lucky American girl snatches him up!  Jae Jin is devastated to find he has been called up to the military, but less apprehensive once Hye Sun promises to wait for him.  Soo Kyung has an encounter with the adorable sunbae, Seok, and after catching her before she falls, we see the red thread binding them together.  Great things are in their future, which I loved.  We even see Dan and Seo Woo in the beginnings of a cute relationship.  Our leads have a rough road, when Woo Yeo is hit by a truck and spends several seasons dead.  But then, one magical day, he is back.  After successfully learning the lesson of what it means to be human and the heart of sacrifice required to love, the mountain spirit takes pity on him and sends him back.  And, we can presume, they lived happily ever after, as humans!

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Full Review

Should I Watch

 

My Roommate is a Gumiho - Unspoiled Review

"My Roommate is a Gumiho" is a unique fantasy rom-com that adds some fun twists to common drama tropes.  If you enjoy webtoon style dramas, this one is well-done and interesting.  But if fantasy drama and mythology aren't your thing, you probably won't enjoy this series.  "My Roommate is a Gumiho" does a nice job of staying true to the fantasy element of the story, rather than shifting into a rom-com with vague hints of the supernatural on the side.  It is a light, fun drama that never goes too deep but has plenty of cheesy comedy and cuteness overload. I give "My Roommate is a Gumiho" an 8 out of 10 ramen.

🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜

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