The first teasers are out for MBC’s new romantic comedy I’m Not a Robot, and they don’t reveal that much about the drama, but they sure are cute. The meta teasers make references to the actors, for instance making light of the fact that this is Yoo Seung-ho’s first rom-com and teasing him for always crying onscreen (see: Ruler–Master of the Mask, Remember–Son’s War, I Miss You, the list goes on). I have to admit, that’s the thing I’m most curious about with this drama—what Yoo Seung-ho will be like as a rom-com hero.
The robot romance stars Yoo Seung-ho as a successful investor who seems to have it all, except he has an allergy to humans which prevents him from forming relationships with people. Chae Soo-bin (Strongest Deliveryman) costars in a dual role as a humanoid robot and the woman who pretends to be that robot, and Eom Ki-joon (Defendant) plays the robotics engineer who brings the AI robot to life.
The human heroine is an entrepreneur who wants to make things that are useful to people, and she takes on a part-time job as a stand-in for the AI robot because of her boyfriend who’s an engineering student. Ah, I see where this is going.
Yoo Seung-ho’s character teaser opens on his melancholy face under moody lighting, and then when he turns to face the camera, it pulls back to reveal an onion in his hand, to induce his tears. Heh. He says, “It’s your first time with me in a rom-com, isn’t it?” and then flashes the heart carved into his onion. The best part is that the camera keeps rolling as he drops out of character, and he looks up awkwardly to ask the director, “Are we done?” before bursting into laughter. Eeeeee, so adorable.
Chae Soo-bin’s teaser is set in a robotics lab with scary-looking Terminator-style robot parts. She opens her eyes and asks in a mechanical voice, “It’s your first time with a robot’s romance, isn’t it?” But then she suddenly turns cute and sweet and human, whispering at us, “It’s my first time too!” She blows finger-heart-kisses and then when the director yells “Cut,” she balls up her fists in embarrassment.
In Eom Ki-joon’s teaser, he walks down a dark corridor looking scary and tells us, “Don’t be scared… this time it’s a rom-com!” as he throws confetti in the air. He asks cheekily, “Don’t you believe me? It’s true!” and then proceeds to throw finger-hearts and dance around until he bursts into laughter and has to walk away.
I love seeing the sparks of cuteness and comedy and then the ensuing rush of embarrassment afterwards. I think it’s a good sign of the cast’s potential with the material, and PD Jung Dae-yoon’s (W–Two Worlds, She Was Pretty) wit.
I’m Not a Robot will be MBC’s next Wednesday-Thursday drama, and has been rumored to premiere in early December, though that hasn’t been confirmed.
