“Yumi’s Cells” (유미의 세포들): Season 1

By Jae-Ha Kim
jaehakim.com
July 25, 2022

☆☆☆☆
Yumi (played by Kim Go-eun)
Goo Woong (played by Ahn Bo-hyun)
Woo-gi (played by Choi Min-ho)
↑Note: Korean names denote the surname followed by the given name.

I really really enjoyed this series, which tackles insecurities, love, pride, heartbreak and work dynamics in a clever and resilient way.

Yumi is a woman in her early thirties, who had spent most of her twenties with a man who used her financially, cheated on her and then left her without any sense of closure after seven years together. She viewed those as wasted years and, in some ways, is correct. Doting on a partner who doesn’t value you is exhausting.

But there’s also something to be said for learning from negative experiences.

When a colleague tells Yumi he’d like to set her up on a blind date with his good friend, Woong, she is disappointed. She had developed a small crush on her would-be matchmaker, Woo-gi. (Read the SPOILER ALERT below for more intel about Woo-gi.)

A game developer at his small start-up company, Woong shows up for their first meeting in shorts and a flip flop, sloppy hair and a chip strap beard that does little to accentuate his attractiveness. But through a series of unexpected events, Woong shows her all the important qualities she wants in a man. But because her heart has already been broken, she nitpicks and find reasons to sever their relationship.

Like the 2015 American film “Inside Out,” this K-drama’s co-stars include a couple dozen animated cells that do their best to maintain a good life for Yumi. Hunger makes sure she is well fed. Reason does his best to help her navigate wise decisions. And then there’s Naughty, who is — well — horny 24/7. (Later, Woong’s cells will be introduced as well.)

Second lead syndrome comes in the form of Sae-i (Park Ji-hyun, who was so good as an assassin in “My Secret, Terrius“), who hates Yumi on sight (and the feeling is mutual). Sae-i doesn’t want Woong for herself until she realizes that Yumi is interested in him. Honestly? Both women fighting over him is a little embarrassing.

Many people complain that they dislike K-drama endings, because more often than not, there is no happily ever after finale. But what I liked about this series is that it didn’t fabricate an easy ending. You can be heartbroken, but you can also thrive without a partner. In fact, being alone is preferable to being with the wrong person. And in its own way, Yumi’s cells are learning that the most important requirement to Yumi’s happiness is … Yumi.

Airdates: Fourteen hour-long episodes aired from September 17 to October 30, 2021 on tvN. My Season 2 review is here.

Spoiler Alert: All the women in the office have a crush on Woo-gi, who’s smart, kind, calm and exceptionally good looking. But he confides in Yumi that he is gay. His sexuality wasn’t sensationalized or made fun of. It was just presented as fact.

The last two episodes are sad. Yumi and Woong break up. Though it’s evident that they both still love each other, they are not compatible at this point in their lives. Woong’s business isn’t going well and he’s not the type of man who wants his girlfriend to support him. He also knows she would like to get married, and marriage isn’t something he has ever wanted … although he is more amenable to the idea than ever before, after having met Yumi.

I know that some people would say that love will conquer all and that they can make it work. But I believe the couple made the right decision. Their relationship at this point is too difficult and wouldn’t survive without each making major compromises that they would most likely grow to resent.

It’s no secret that Season 2 is all about Yumi and Ba-bi (played by GOT7’s Jinyoung). And while Ba-bi is the epitome of the perfect man in so many ways, I’m still hoping that Yumi and Woong will wind up together.

FWIW: I never read the webtoon on which this K-drama is based. So I’m going into this without any knowledge of how it ends up.

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