Ep. 1

Fluffy gumihos, fox beads, barf, and teleportation — oh my! I wasn’t sure the tone this drama would take, but its opening week was as fluffy and silly as our hero’s many tails. Rather than take itself too seriously, My Roommate Is a Gumiho goes all in with its somewhat ridiculous premise, comedic antics, and fun stylized moments. In short, it’s pretty watchable.

I do  love a drama that jumps all in and gives 110%, and I think that’s what sold me the most about the opening week of My Roommate Is a Gumiho. The drama wastes no time getting right to the point. It tells its story in a playful way, but by the end of the first episode, our characters and their “frightening cohabitation” (to reference the drama’s literal title) are already explained and set in motion

We first learn about our 999-year-old gumiho hero SHIN WOO-YEO (Jang Ki-yong). A quick montage of his life in the Joseon era through the centuries, all the way to present day Seoul, tells us all we need to know about him. It’s as utilitarian as you get as a storytelling mechanism, but it’s also just enough detail to characterize him for us: he’s smooth, sexy, enigmatic — and has been passing off his bead for centuries to beautiful women, trying to become human.

 However, in Woo-yeo’s own words, the longer you live, the more detached you become, so there’s a hint of that in his character as well. People, relationships, eras — everything comes and goes. It’s not as much about nihilism as it is the fact that his extremely long existence has given Woo-yeo this almost playful aloofness. As we learn about Woo-yeo and see him in action, I couldn’t help but think of Dracula a bit, and some of those quintessential characteristics — luxury, seduction, mystery, danger, and detachment. Oh, and secrets.

However, Woo-yeo doesn’t really keep his secrets long — in fact, he is surprisingly quick to reveal his true identity to our heroine LEE DAM (Hyeri). The two meet by coincidence one night, when Dam is carry-dragging her drunk friend home and he just so happens to projectile vomit on Woo-yeo’s outrageously beautiful car. After a bit of comedic scuffle and save, the fox bead flies from Woo-yeo’s mouth right into Dam’s. And when she wakes up, she’s in his domain.

Woo-yeo is swift to come up with the cohabitation scheme. He matter-of-factly tells Dam that he’s a gumiho, tells her she must now protect his bead, and he also shows himself to her in his true form (read: huge, white, and fluffy — kinda like Falkor).

We follow Dam through her stages of terror, outrage, and eventual acceptance. It’s fast, fun, and it really doesn’t matter how buyable it is, because the suspension of disbelief is what this drama is all about.

Funny enough, I don’t think it’s the story itself that’s the strongest part of this drama — rather, the cast brings the story to life, so the story is almost subsidiary to the characters. In other words, I really like the casting here; the fun they’re having is self-evident.

Jang Ki-yong is at his best here (and I’m not just talking about his fabulous hair). Maybe this is a suitable role for him finally? For once, he doesn’t have to be only sexy, or only standoffish and silent. He gets to be both — and also a bit goofy — and it turns out it’s a good combination.

For instance, Woo-yeo will be creepily staring at Hyeri through the window, and then the next second, teleport in front of her with a gentlemanly smile and carry her suitcases for her. Or, in a bit of a reversal (which the drama seems to love), he’ll find her staring at him one night, and then it’s his turn to be spooked.

****--------*****------*****-------*****-----

Brief Summary of Ep.1

🍂All of the Ladies like Woo-Yeo🍂

Woo-Yeo drives the car to arrive at the building. The girls feel happy to see him. He nods and greets them. He goes to the office and has a meeting with Yoo-Jin. She asks him out. But he wants to do it next time. She follows him and asks him for giving a ride. He rejects it. Yoo-Jin tells him that she wants to be a friend of him. She thinks he was hurt by a woman.

🍂Lee Dam Dresses Up To Be A Queen🍂

Lee Dam tears up when she stands on the bridge and dresses up to be a queen. She gives a touching speech to the maid Soo-Kyeong after Soo-Kyeong asked her why she cried. She ends the speech because her eyes are hurt by the dust.

Soo-Kyeong blames Lee Dam for getting her to be the maid because she thinks she’s outstanding. Lee Dam talks back that she bought the dresses. Someone calls her and reminds her that the time is up. She has to leave the bridge.

🍂Lee Dam Tells Jae-Jin to Forget the

Woman🍂

Lee Dam drinks with Jae-Jin. She learns that he got dumped twice. He tells her not to talk to him because he’s very sad. She mentions what she said that his girlfriend is a bad girl. He thinks the girl didn’t intend to hurt him, and begins to tear up. She tells him to end the relationship. But he says that he’s thinking about the girl.

Jae-Jin wipes his tears and wishes some bad things happening on his lover. But he still tries to call the girl. Lee Dam takes the phone away. He begins to sing the song and fall asleep because he’s drunk.

Soo-Kyeong needs to take the class. But Jae-Jin doesn’t allow her to leave. Lee Dam tells Soo-Kyeong to do anything she wants to do because she will handle the boy. She carries Jae-Jin and walks at the street. She trips because he’s too heavy. He wakes up and begins to run. He confesses his feelings to the woman he loves. She chases him and finds out that he lies on the expensive car. The car owner Woo-Yeo is standing aside.

🍂Lee Dam Encounters Woo-Yeo🍂

Lee Dam carries Jae-Jin off the car and tells him not to touch the car. She wants to compensate. But he rejects it because she’s a student. She thanks him for doing so. But she trips when she tries to take Jae-Jin away. Woo-Yeo tries to help Lee Dam. But his marble drops into her mouth.

Lee Dam wakes up and finds out that she’s at Woo-Yeo’s house. She asks him why she’s there. He tells her that he took her home because she ate his marble. He reveals he’s a Gumiho. He wants to live with her for the marble. She gets angry and tries to call the police.

🍂Lee Dam Sees the Real Looks of Gumiho🍂

Woo-Yeo turns into the Gumiho. Lee Dam is scared to pass out. She wakes up and sees Woo-Yeo again. She flees when he tries to get the tea for her. She notes that someone is following her. So she closes the door after she returned home.

She finds out that the person is her brother Lee Dan. He’s startled by her when she stares at him. She tells him that she saw a Gumiho, and asks him to shoot the Gumiho for her. But he wants to shoot her instead.

🍂The Marble Begins to Make Troubles🍂

Someone touches Lee Dam by mistakes in the bus. She doesn’t feel well because of the marble. The man asks the driver to stop the car because he thinks she’s going to go to the restroom. Lee Dam goes out of the restroom and runs into Soo-Kyeong.

Lee Dam tells Soo-Kyeong what happened in her belly. Soo-Kyeong tells Lee Dam to go to see a doctor. But Lee Dam rejects it and remembers she ate Woo-Yeo’s marble. Moo-Geun hugs Lee Dam from her back to greet her. But she passes out.

🍂Another Gumiho🍂

Woo-Yeo visits the police station and sees Hye-Sun who is giving a lesson to the guy. He stops her. She asks him for removing the memories of the people in the police station. He points out that she can do it on her own. But she says that she cannot do it because she’s a human now.

Hye-Sun asks Woo-Yeo for buying her a meal. But he rejects it. She thinks they should have a talk because they haven’t see each other for a long time. So he takes her to the restaurant. She thinks he doesn’t become a human because he rejected to the power from people.

🍂Woo-Yeo Cures Lee Dam🍂

Lee Dam runs into Woo-Yeo at the street. She asks him if his marble made her sick. He admits it and tells her that she will get pain when she encounters tiger man. He touches her face to cure her. He persuades her to live with him because it’s only way to save her.

Lee Dam packs her stuff and tells Lee Dan that she’s going to move out for some days. She tells him to call the police if something bad happens on her. But he tells her to use something to protect herself. She goes to the store to buy the flashlight.

🍂Lee Dam Buys Weapons to

Protect Herself🍂

Lee Dam moves in Woo-Yeo’s house. She’s startled when he stares at her from the window. He shows up in front of her and takes the luggage for her. The weapon Lee Dam just bought drops. He asks her about it. She explains that it’s a gift for him.

Lee Dam wakes up and takes a look at outside. She sees Woo-Yeo taking a sickle. He stares at her with scary eyes. She flees to the living room, and sees the blood on the floor. He gets back and walks to her. She tries to step back but she trips. He explains that he just fixed the tree.

🍂Lee Dam Reminds Herself That Woo-Yeo Is a Gumiho🍂

Lee Dam wakes up in the morning. She finds out that Woo-Yeo is very handsome when he’s making tea. But she reminds herself that he’s a evil Gumiho. Woo-Yeo tells Lee Dam to drink the tea, and thinks it will be good for her liver. She’s vigilant.

But Lee Dam feels pleased after Woo-Yeo showed the foods he bought her. He tells her that he’s going to leave for some days. She feels happy. But she’s startled after he turned into a middle-aged man. Soo-Kyeong tells Lee Dam that they’re going to go to the club. Lee Dam wears a beautiful black dress to show up.

🍂Lee Dam Encounters A Jerk🍂

Soo-Kyeong takes Lee Dam to get into the club. But Lee Dam’s phone drops. The guy picks up the phone for her. But he catches the chance to hug her. She realizes that he’s a tiger man when she feels pain in her belly.

Yoo-Jin praises Woo-Yeo and asks him for drinking with her. But he ignores her and goes to call Lee Dam. But she doesn’t pick up his phone. She leans in his arms when he finds her. She passes out. Woo-Yeo takes away Lee Dam’s phone from the guy, and throws him away when he wants to fight with him.

🍂Gumiho Tells Lee Dam Not To Fear Him🍂

Lee Dam wakes up in the cafe. She refuses to get up because she has no face to see Woo-Yeo. He tells her that he’s going to buy her a cake. She apologizes to him for making him come to save her. He tells her not to go to the club, and asks her not to fear him. Because she contains his bead. She feels happy and thinks he’s a good Gumiho.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***