My Girlfriend is a Gumiho

A few days ago, I finished watching the Korean drama My Girlfriend is a Gumiho but until now, I still have a hangover from the series.

I downloaded all episodes to my iPod and watched them during my free time. It's currently airing on ABS CBN but since I have work, I can't watch it there. I am pretty sure that it's available on DVDs as well but I don't have time to go to Ortigas to buy a copy. Thank goodness there's YouTube. I would like to acknowledge  d0nNa1992LeEn because she uploaded all the episodes on her channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/d0nNa1992LeEn#g/c/472935218666ECC8

How much are you willing to do for the one you love? Are you ready to give up your own life just so that person can continue existing? For me, this is the central idea of the drama.

Cha Dae Woong, portrayed by Lee Seung Gi is an immature and selfish brat whose ambition in life is to become an action star. His parents died when he was young and his grandfather, played by Byeon Hee-bong, and aunt, Cha Min Sook (played by Yoon Yoo Sun) were the ones who took care of him. Because his grandfather planned to lock him up somewhere so he can change his ways, he ran away and in the process stayed at a temple where a painting of a gumiho was kept. The gumiho, a nine-tailed fox was trapped inside the painting. She wanted to become a human before and in order to do so, she must find a husband. Unfortunately, the villagers started to spread rumors that she eats the livers of human. She waited for so long for a man to come but because of the rumors, nobody came. 

Dae Woong accidentally releases the gumiho after drawing nine tails on the painting. He met an accident trying to run away from the priests of the temple and when he wakes up, he finds a pretty girl. He then finds out that the girl is the gumiho in the painting and that she saved his life by giving him her bead. From that moment on, the gumiho has to stay with Dae Woong's side.

At the start, Dae Woong tries everything to get rid of Mi Ho, the name he gave the gumiho played by Shin Min Ah. He was, at that time, involved with Eun Hae In (played by Park Soo Jin) and saw Mi Ho as a hindrance to him expressing his feelings for Hae In. But Dae Woong eventually finds out that he's being used by Hae In so he started to lose interest in her and completely ignores her. Hae In suspected that it was Mi Ho's fault so she became jealous and angry with her. All the more when she finds out that Mi Ho became Dae Woong's girlfriend. All throughout the drama, she tries to find out Mi Ho's real identity. She succeeds in doing so but she did not succeed in getting Dae Woong back to her side.

Another important character in the drama is Park Dong Ju whom Mi Ho calls Teacher Park. He's half human and half monster. Initially, he intends to put Mi Ho back in the painting but she reminds him of Kil Dan, a gumiho who also desired to be human like Mi Ho. He helps Mi Ho by giving him a potion infused with his blood. Mi Ho needs to drink the potion and a human should keep her bead for her. After 100 days, the human needs to give back the bead to her so she can become a human. Mi Ho then entrusts the bead to Dae Woong but Teacher Park leaves out one important detail of the process, that is, after 100 days, the human who keeps the bead and returns it to the gumiho will die.

At the start, Dae Woong agreed to take the bead in order to do the action film he was signed up for. He intended to use Mi Ho and was wishing for the days to pass by quickly but with the passing of each day, he grows more fond of her until he eventually falls in love with her. Mi Ho, on the other hand, has confessed that she really likes Dae Woong and it is for that reason that she wants to become human. She wants to be always at Dae Woong's side. 

Mi Ho and Dae Woong encountered a lot of challenges.  They had a lot of misunderstandings but love triumphed over everything. 

This is part 4 of Episode 7. The first super kilig part of the drama. Watch from 00:29 to 5:18. Dae Woong gives Mi Ho a cell phone. Watch it so you'll understand how a simple gesture made me smile and kilig so much!

Below is a scene from Episode 10. Dae Woong was rehearsing his lines for the movie wherein he was talking to a maiden whom he has fallen in love with. He recites it to Mi Ho and adds some lines that are not part of the script. He has spoken what he truly feels for Mi Ho and how he wants to protect her all the time.

In this episode, Dae Woong tells Mi Ho 9 good qualities about her.

Because my girlfriend is a gumiho, there are 9 good qualities about her.
1. Special
2. Strength
3. Honesty
4. Courage
5. Confidence
6. The way she takes care of me all the time.
7. Nervousness
8. She will never leave my side. Belief.
9. (THIS IS THE SWEETEST) I just really, really, really, really, ..., really like you! ♥

In part 5 of Episode 11, Dae Woong finally admits that he likes Mi Ho. And this is the first time that they kiss. ♥

In part 4 of Episode 13, Dae Woong finally learns that either he or Mi Ho will die after 100 days. With this condition, both of them decided to take a risk. Dae Woong returns the bead to Mi Ho without knowing whether both of them will live. Dae Woong doesn't want to accept that one of them has to die, neither does he want any one of them to run away. I really love the part that they say Saranghae (Korean term for I love you) to each other and they kiss. :)

Part 3 of Episode 13 is the most heartbreaking part of all. Mi Ho spends the 100th day with Dae Woong and disappears when the full moon appears. Mi Ho wants him to remember her as a dream but as Dae Woong puts it, "If it's a dream, why does it hurt so much?" I really cried on this scene because I felt Dae Woong's pain.

But of course, all's well that ends well. Mi Ho returns to Dae Woong during the eclipse as a one-tailed fox. :)

Below is one of the songs from the drama. And I guess everytime it will rain, I will think of Mi Ho, too.

I love Dae Woong and Mi Ho. I love the actors because they really did great jobs on the portrayal of the characters. I love Min Ah because she's so cute and looks so innocent. I love Seung Gi because he displays this really cool personality but he has a soft spot for Mi Ho.

Though fictional in all sense, especially with the presence of a gumiho, one can easily relate to the characters. I mean, one-sided love is typical nowadays. Some get lucky that the person they like eventually likes them and reciprocated their feelings but the feeling of rejection and the feeling that you're unappreciated are really tough. When that's the case, there's no other choice but to give up and move on.

So back to the question I posed in the beginning of this entry. 

How much are you willing to do for the one you love? Are you ready to give up your own life just so that person can continue existing?

Personally, I'd be like Dae Woong, ready to give up everything I have for the person I love. People may see me as being selfish at times and maybe because just like Dae Woong, I haven't met the person who is willing to do the same for me. I know, it's too ideal but I want to believe that such person exists, someone who will love me unconditionally.

 

If you are looking for really cute and kilig moments, this drama is highly recommended. It will make you laugh, cry, and feel soooo in love. :)