MANILA, Philippines — Things are getting more exciting as the Korean rom-com series “My Roommate is a Gumiho” reaches its second half.
In case you haven't heard of it, “My Roommate is a Gumiho” is based on a popular webtoon about 22-year-old college student Lee Dam (played by Lee Hye-ri) who is forced to live with the 999-year-old nine-tailed fox, Shin Woo-yeo (played by Jang Ki-yong), after she swallows a marble needed for Woo-yeo to finally transform into a human being.
From there, a heart-fluttering story of characters with a 977-year age gap in the 21st century starts to unfold.
The series has gained attention from its first episode and kicked off with a strong start as it zoomed first place in its time slot in all channels in South Korea.
After all, you'd find nothing not to love about the series. Here are a few things about the drama and reasons to watch it:
1. A fresh take on the Korean mythological creature
Several adaptations of the legend of the gumiho (nine-tailed fox) have been made in the Korean television namely: “My Girlfriend is a Gumiho,” “Gu Family Book” and “The Tale of the Nine-tailed.”
Each has its own appeal, but what makes this latest "gumiho" take special is that it was adapted from a very popular Korean webtoon titled “A Falling Cohabitation,” which has a lighthearted approach on the legendary creature, wherein viewers can look at the story of gumiho in a different light.
The plot of the story was also simple but gave more substance as it offered a cute and fresh look at how a 999-year-old mythological being's quiet life turns as he gets involved with a lovely college student in the modern era for 22 years.
The series added its own charm that even readers of the webtoon would enjoy.
2. Funny and charming female lead
The female lead, 22-year-old Lee Dam, is assertive, straightforward and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind. She also has a playfulness and carefree spirit unconscious of how she presents herself around others.
Lee Dam also looks at herself objectively, which could be a reason why she has never been in a relationship before she met the gumiho.
*minor spoiler* Although she has a strong personality, she hesitates living together with the fox, whom she's afraid of. However, as the story progresses, she eventually loosens up and shows him her charming and silly side.
Lee Hye-ri, who plays Lee Dam in the drama, is 26 years old in real life. At an online conference on May 26, she expressed her delight playing the role of Dam despite the five-year age difference.
“Honestly, I thought I had a lot of similarities to Lee Dam, but when I looked closely, we were actually quite different. There were some things I didn’t know about younger people these days. So I had to study a lot through her,” Hye-ri said.
3. Contrasting sides to the gumiho
Shin Woo-yeo, the handsome 999-year-old gumiho carries an indifferent front and tends to stay away from human relationships. Regardless of his frigidity, he bears a sweet and gentle side toward Lee Dam.
While his goal is to be human, in the final year collecting energy from other people an incident made him invite Dam to live in his house.
There is a lot to discover from the gumiho’s character in the drama, especially his superhuman powers.
4. Chemistry
Lee Dam and Shin Woo-yeo's chemistry consists in the complementarity of their personalities and states. Lee Dam’s playful and emotional side balances out the uncaring attitude of Shin Woo Yeo. His gentle but strict nature balances out the carefreeness and stubbornness of Dam’s character.
A second couple in the series presents another interesting dynamic. Yang Hye Sun (played by Kang Han-na), a former gumiho and a friend of Shin Woo-yeo, and Do Jae Jin (played by Kim Do-wan), a friend of Lee Dam who has had a rocky relationship history.
Kim Do-wan who has previously worked together with Kang Han-na in “Start-Up,” expressed at a press conference his ease working with Han Na again.
“We were a bit distant because of our characters from our previous drama, but I was really happy to see her. I felt at ease. Han-na is really good at acting, so all I needed to do is stay still. I was able to film comfortably. It was so comfortable that we spent time memorizing our script, checking our lines and rehearsing together,” he said.
5. Friendship
Other than the romance, one of the highlights of the series is how it tests the bond of friendship.
Former gumiho Yang Hye-sun and still-gumiho Shin Woo-yeo are frenemies, while Lee Dam, Do Jae-jin and Choi Soo-kyeong (played by Park Kyung-hye) are close friends.
6. Romance
Progress in the couples' relationship was notable in the first half of the series. But as the drama approached its second half, romance begins to blossom.
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“My Roommate is a Gumiho” airs every Wednesday and Thursday at 9:30 p.m on tvN, and on the Chinese video platform iQIYI.