My Roommate is a Gumiho (2021)

August 13, 2023

Our Take: A fantasy romance that explores what it means to be a human through the eyes of a gumiho and a university student. 

Based on an original webtoon, My Roommate is a Gumiho tells the story of Shin Woo Yeo (Jang Ki Yong) and Lee Dam (Lee Hye Ri). Woo Yeo is a 999-year-old nine-tailed fox (gumiho) who yearns to become human. To do so, he must turn his red fox bead blue before he turns 1,000 years old, which requires collecting human energy. 

One day, while Lee Dam (Lee Hye Ri), a university student, is out drinking with friends, she ends up needing to take her friend Do Jae Jin (Kim Do Wan) home. On the way out of the pub, he falls asleep on Woo Yeo's expensive car. In the process, she gets entangled with Woo Yeo and accidentally swallows his fox bead. Because the bead can only exist inside humans for up to one year before breaking and causing the host to die, Shin Woo Yeo convinces Lee Dam to move in with him while they figure out a solution. As they navigate cohabitation for the first time, sparks fly, starting the beginning of their fateful relationship.  

Jang Ki Yong as Shin Woo Yeo is handsome, intelligent, and mature. He gives off a mysterious aura and comes off as composed and unbothered, with the slightest hint of danger to his persona. Yet, despite his centuries of existence, he has plenty to learn from humans. His willingness to grow gradually brings out his goofy and charming side. 

His counterpart, Lee Dam, is the complete opposite. She is outgoing, immature, and temperamental. Dam frequently goes out to drink and eats everything she can get her hands on. Despite her imperfections, Dam is comfortable in her own skin and highly independent. She is shameless and unapologetic, never hesitating to stand up for herself. Though she does not have the typical "femme fatale" image, she is down-to-earth and easily relatable.  

Lee Dam establishes early on that she is no pushover when she finds out her classmate Gye Sun Woo (Bae In Hyuk) made bets with his friends over her body. She boldly tells him she is not an object, but a human being, calling out the blatant misogyny common in South Korea. Yet, when her imperfections, namely her heavy drinking, love for greasy food, and lack of ambitions, become her main attributes, she becomes occasionally overbearing. These flaws gradually overshadow her positive traits, making her character feel stretched too thin and a poor role model. 

Together, Shin Woo Yeo and Lee Dam complement each other well and have undeniable chemistry. Even with the age gap, they are respectful toward each other. Their relationship is built slowly based on mutual respect and feelings for each other. Through Dam, Woo Yeo learns what it feels like to be human and experiences a range of emotions, from curiosity to love to patience and joy. 

When tensions run high between Woo Yeo and Dam, another couple takes the spotlight and brings much-needed comedic relief. Jae Jin and Woo Yeo's only friend and former gumiho Yang Hye Sun (Kang Ha Na) are a perfect match. Their opposites-attract relationship was hilarious and compelling to watch. 

While Hye Sun is younger than Woo Yeo, she became a human much earlier. But she is awkward and a slow learner. Hye Sun is ignorant of the meaning of verbal expressions, which leads to frequent misunderstandings between her and Jae Jin. She is used to shallow love based on her looks, but Jae Jin gives everything he has to all his relationships, including theirs. In the past, this left him with low self-esteem and broken trust. With Hye Sun, they learn how to love and rely on each other while adapting to each other's personalities. 

In line with the uncomplicated storyline in the drama, Yang Hye Sun has a wholesome and close-knit friendship with Shin Woo Yeo. She has a mischievous and sly personality but bears no animosity toward Lee Dam and supports Woo Yeo in pursuing his goals and love. Their centuries of friendship make them the closest family member they have. 

The red string of fate often gets used as a trope in shows and movies, but the drama takes a new spin on the East Asian legend. According to the myth, a spirit or god ties a magical red string around the pinkie fingers of two people connected by fate and destined to be together. While the string may get tangled or twisted, it will never break, symbolizing the strength of the connection.

In this case, the red string leads to an ill-fated relationship between Gye Sun Woo and Lee Dam. Their relationship starts rocky and tense, with Sun Woo objectifying Dam behind her back as a joke. While she eventually forgives him, and they have their cute moments, Dam never reciprocates Sun Woo's feelings. Even though Sun Woo's feelings for Dam are genuine, they were just not meant to be. Instead, Dam ends up defying her destiny time and time again and creating her own fate, eventually severing her red thread with Sun Woo. 

Although Dam's decision was courageous and refreshing, Sun Woo's character was unconvincing and one-dimensional. He is supposed to be an attractive playboy. Yet, he lacked growth and a convincing backstory. Despite being billed as a major character, he felt more like a plot device in a love triangle and ultimately insignificant. 

Aside from the red string of fate, the drama incorporates mythical lore that initially seems promising. But, unfortunately, the fantasy elements are not properly explored. Woo Yeo's supernatural abilities never get fully explained, and his journey to becoming human feels poorly written. The criteria for him becoming human seemed designed more for dramatic effects than anything, especially in the moments leading up to his 1,000th birthday. 

Final Thoughts

My Roommate is a Gumiho is a light-hearted drama that mixes fantasy, comedy, and romance, though sometimes they are not always well-balanced. The story starts strong, but the plot doesn't live up to expectations, and the drama gradually feels more stereotypical and predictable. Still, if you are looking for a fun, no-frills romcom, this drama could be right up your alley.