Yumi's Cells

best of 2021, best of "romcom"

tbh I'm not a fan of romcoms, or romance genres in kdramas, and it's not because I look down on them, but they're always so repetitive, and that's why this show was so great
it had a normal meeting, normal relationship, flawed characters, crushes, heartbreaks, goodbyes, new meetings. it was not "destiny", it was not "perfect", there were no evil mother in laws, no orphans, no poor fl/rich ml, no corruption, this was a slice of life romcom~

yumi had a job, she was independent even though she easily let love "change" her values. but as time went on she learned and grew.
the "evil" 2fl was not a random force trying to break them up, there was history, reasons and conclusions
also, woong was not loved by everyone just because he was the ml xD usually the jerkest of the jerks have their own fanbase and no one can complain about their many flaws, but here people accepted it

and, the people who criticized him learned to love him and get heartbroken in the end ;) he was not bad, he was not selfish, he was naive and inexperienced just like everyone else. he had his dreams and he wished for love, he just didn't know how to balance them and that's so relatable

I'm actually sad this ended so fast, I hope s2 comes out fast ;(
I've always wanted a show where the ml wasn't set in stone, and thanks to a spoiler that was thrown at me, I know the 2nd season won't be cut and paste either xD

this, this actually is kinda like How I met Your Mother xD you don't know who the "husband" is and that's fun, not for 7 seasons, but it's fun and new


tbh, since it is seasoned and there needs to be a "finale" the last ep was meh, but I just loved the whole journey. also the ost was lit, it had gaho after all~

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Yumi: Journey of self love

Great marriage of animation and drama.

Yumi's animated cells, every single one of them, we didnt know we need them until we saw them and love them so much. Lust cell cracks me up. Hunger cell is too cute. Interestingly my fav cell is rational cell. What makes it good is how relatable it is. Everyone has many sides to them. Similar with yumi, today fashion cell takes over and she makes a splurge. Or emotion cell takes over and she does a reactive reaction that she may regret. Even how the weather reflects yumi's feelings.

What makes it good is seeing the journey of the cells which infers yumi herself learns from experiences- every fall, every heartbreak. And seeing how the cells lobby for her happiness.. its really a journey of self love. Learning how to open up, how to take intiative, how to flirt/be coquetish, how to give, how to stand up for herself and ultimately how to let go.

Romantic interest wise comic readers knows Woong and Yumi's rollercoaster. He may not be perfect but both him and yumi shared alot, experienced new things together and were once very happy. Hes definitely in a few volumes of encyclopedia in yumi's central library and forever will be up on her wall of special moments. He helped unlocked alot of things in Yumi's heart. I was glad he entered Yumi's life.

Lastly I noticed Kim Go Eun seems much more carefree in her acting here. Both her and Ahn Bo Hyun were truly great in their roles and played off each other so well. There may not be that much of Woong in the sequel but I still hope to see him.

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Engrossing series of a personal life and its trials. Kim Go Eun is gold.

Yumi's Cells series was definitely different, in a great way. I had to adjust to what they were doing with the animation. After episode one, it clicked. duh!  lol.  It made a lot of sense. Personally, I give the actress Kim Go-Eun a ton of credit for selling the emotions empathized by the cells. And I just finished seeing her "Little Women" about 17 days before. She's been good in most of the dramas I've watched with her. But in "Cells," her acting performance was stellar.

Overall, I enjoyed the series. So many scenarios and scenes reminded me of my times when I was in my 20s. Good and not so good decisions, learning my way through life itself. Especially when it came to personal relationships. 

Yumi's character's issues appeared self-produced at times. It all falls back to your inner core beliefs, your mental state, your self-esteem, and the core friendships and loves in your life. I'm trying not to reveal spoilers in this take, but there was one character that got on my nerves. That character's overly convenient appearances soon began to feel wedged. While I understand (a little) what they were trying to accomplish, I just feel that it began to dilute the great writing and story a little. I look forward to watching season 2.

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Breath in..... breath out.... calm.... calm.... calm......
NOT CALM!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING!??! I NEED SEASON 2, RIGHT NOW!!!

I without a doubt loved this show.... which is crazy to me because I never planned to watch it. Mostly because the whole concept screamed "Inside Out" to me and I'm not really hip to the whole coattail thing, but I gotta admit, they did a amazing job with this and I'm obsessed with all the cells! Hunger cell is my purly my reason for living. Lol

I remember seeing a post (that I really wish I could remember what it was about) and it made me more curious about the show than anything and I thought "eh why not" so -- I looked it up and only intended to watch a few minutes of it just to see what the hype was about.... It quickly turned into a binge watch black hole. Lol I mean, when your opening scene has a shirtless Minho, who in their right minds can turn that down? LOL!!!
But in all realness, I get it now. This show -- I have no words. Least none that cover how mind blowing awesome it was.

If you saw any of my updates, you know for a fact, I want to fight Woong and Sae Yi should maybe meet her match of the white truck of doom. I SAID WHAT I SAID!!! These two drove me up the wall with madness every time I saw them.
Yumi really didn't deserve everything Woong put her through. And gosh damn they needed to learn communication. Why is it so damn HARD to open your mouth and be like "hey we need to talk about some stuff"? or just be honest. Sheesh.
Let's just say this, the second he said "I can't lie" -- you knew, we all knew, that was a damn lie and a red flag straight from hell. It was like a ominus bell of doom the moment he said that. Not saying Yumi was perfect, but she really did try. Even when she kept getting sus over Sae Yi, Yumi really self sabotaged a lot around that time but I'm glad in the end, she talked to him about it. But I'm more pissed that he defended Sae Yi literally till the last moment. I get friendship is strong and everything but come on... you know damn well what she is doing and how she feels. It's insulting to Yumi to play the way he did. "I was handling it" pshhhh my ass!!!

I still have mixed feelings because when Yumi and Woong were happy together and had those great moments, I would forget how much I hated him.... of course, it would quickly get squished when he would pull some shit again. It was like a yo-yo constantly. back and forth and every now and then a trick would have you spinning around, then back to back and forth. Lol

I really hope next season we get to see more of Minho and Jin Young's characters. Which I feel like we will see more Jin Young, but not sure about Minho. Kinda want to see where his love life will be going. Lol Though can we all agree it's a little weird Minho's character and Yumi's ex kinda had the same character name (Ugi/U-gi) lol
I would even love to see where Ruby will be headed in the story... mind you, I couldn't stand her at all through most of the show but close to the end she grew on me a bit. Not sure why. Either way, if she is in season 2, I hope she grows up a little.

I think I have blabbed incoherently enough X_X what I'm trying to fully say is, if you're curious about this show, WATCH IT NOW!! Trust me, the cute cells are totally worth it and are what made this show what it was (for me). Can't NOT love hunger and lust cell. lol -- I seriously want to see other character cells in season 2. (that sounds weird to say hahaha)

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This drama is simply genius love it

My response is correct for both seasons and all episodes, (no episode is redundant) this drama is simply genius, smart and sophisticated, realistic, and unconventional. A spectrum of emotions that are expressed in animation, the endless struggle between emotion and logic (in life in general (work, friends, judgment and more and matters concerning love and reliability), the second season with new insights with maturity and maturation, the importance of open interpersonal communication, otherwise it brings To analyze wrong situations... perfect casting of the entire team, perfect acting from the wonderful main actors to the last of the actors, a simply great drama and how I almost forgot - a great soundtrack, so adjusted and precise for each episode.
The kind of dramas you don't forget so quickly
For me 10/10

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What killed the cat? Pride. And the wrong kind.

THIS SHOW SHUFFLED ALL MY CELLS.
As a 32 year old woman who hasn't dated in over four years, and as someone who closed all of her heart and emotions, this shook me up and woke my senses. Don't mind me showing off my card too early.
Yummy, a complex cell, got her DNA and RNA all tangled up. Knowing who she is, she just keeps forgetting what she wants and disregarding what she needs. Sounds familiar? I see Yummy in every person that passes trough my life these days. I see her in me, as well.
I'd like to switch my focus to more important topic, Woong. Goofy, down to earth, wanna do what makes me tick kinda guy, is all about himself while everything is all about her.
Writers tried to do something there, but not sure if they quite pulled it off.
No origin story to describe and justify him as a character, but we got deeper (origin) story from Ba Bi, and connected more with his core than with Woong.
Even tho we do see (somewhat) character growth in Woong (but do we?), he just seems to be unable to pull in the other foot to her. Always with one foot out, he keeps making her (and himself) doubt the point of them, finding purpose in their relationship or stabilize happiness and feelings.
From this point of view, he does seem a better fit with Seo Sae Yi, than with Yummy.
This kind of people tend to give you themselves only up until their point of comfort, never ever actually giving in. And I suppose the final pull up, grow up and/or giving in is reserved for season two, hence, the ultimately vast pride getting in our way in season one.

But, I suppose this may come as a true human nature, "please do come close to me so you melt my heart, but never close enough to make it burn of pure desire".

In the end, we see them dating for a year, one moth and four days, but never actually said I LOVE YOU to (themselves) each other.

May force be with you in second season, Yummy.

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best romcom

might have been the best romcom series i have watched in my life. genuinely love it so much .. i am so attached to this show. i love how they stayed true to the webtoon . great balance of everything, they didnt show too much or to less of the side characters, it was just enough to make the drama more fun and likeable. would it be a stretch if i say this show is perfect? well... i dont care ! it was perfect to me ! the cells were so entertaining to watch though there may be times i got frustrated with them but all characters have their flaws right hehe @_@ i am totally going to rewatch the show every chance i get because it is just so !! good !!

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I wish my brain cells are that cute

Yumi's Cells tells a fairly typical modern romance of two people from different walks of life. They met by chance, fell in love, experienced all aspects of a serious relationship, reach a critical juncture and had to make the tough decision to either push through or allow their love to wane. The inclusion of the animated cells added a new facet to the story telling and gave it a multi-dimensional aspect beyond the typical inner monologue. Without the dramas within the cell villages, the story would be engaging but hardly original.

Lucky for us, the complete package was a refreshing take of the old chestnut and the emotional ups and downs were amplified and bought to a sharp focus by the cells' dialogue and machinations. It was really funny to see how the writer-nim translated the characters' thought process into 'anime-action' of the various cells and their interactions. However, whilst this type of segue was a fun and welcome diversion in the early part of the show, later on when some serious decisions had to be made, the cut to the cells can feel jarring and break the tension. It is hard to relate the urgency of the decision to a cutscene full of cute toons even though they were agonising over the same point. This is particularly true for Woong's thought process. The cold AI overlay subsumed the more human side of his character which was much more prevalent earlier on. The mechanical deliberation also made his thought process seemed slow and ponderous. Quite unlike the impulsive Woong we loved. Let's face it, who can forget the out of control Naughtysaurus!

Having said that, it was interesting that in the last episode, the show introduced the face card motif whereby everyone is walking around with an imaginary game card on their forehead which showed their motivation or intention at any given moment. Of course, that also made possible the direct translation of phases like 'keeping your card close to your chest' or 'lay down your card'. It allowed a glimpse into other peoples desire and motivations but it is not as innovative as the animated cell village. Is that a cost cutting move or just exploring options for S2?

As I mentioned before, the core relationship of the OTP was not overly dramatic. It followed a fairly well worn path. When they arrived at the critical juncture, the ML stumbled (there were warning signs) and it started the downward spiral. It could have been saved but several opportunities were missed or mishandled. Both Woong's pride and Yumi's insecurities played key roles in putting pressure on their relationship. Coupled with Woong's stress over his failing start-up, it was hard to see a happy ending. It might be salvageable if both parties opened up and talk through the issues but they became more withdrawn and compounded their problems. It led to a sad outcome but it is not an unrealistic portrayal of a modern relationship. Everyday pressures have to be dealt with. Dancing around issues will not magic them away.

I suppose we have been conditioned to expect rom-coms to have a happy ending but in this case, writer-nim gave us a dose of reality and I respect and appreciate that. Bring on Season 2. I will not take a smooth ride for granted ever again, at least for this show.

In terms of acting, I can't fault the main casts. They drew us into their world and shared their lives with us. It was heartbreaking when they were in despair but equally joyful when they were basking in glorious bliss. Support cast did their job well but most were one dimensional.

OST was good and had a broad range from happy tunes to soulful ballads.

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What an absolutely fascinating dive into not just a relationship with others but with oneself.

Every once in a while the K-Drama world delivers something totally unexpected. This is one of them...As someone who is into human behavioural psychology, this was such a fascinating dive into not just a relationship but the way our different cells 'run' us. I could really relate to the different cells and they are definitely the stars of the show, If you start watching this and you don't see the point of the cells (animation) then you are missing the whole point of the drama...it's a deep discussion presented in a very simple way and definitely gave me food for thought.

The cast really did a fabulous job of bringing it to life too. The OST was off da chain, I don't normally notice the music but this one I quite liked. altogether I give this a 10 for originality and carrying off something different successfully in my opinion

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This! What a gem

Update:
just finished the last 2 eps.
very happy with it, brought out all sorts of emotions and took me back to past memories.
loved how much Yumi’s cells always tried to do what’s best for her, always rooting for her, and it makes you realize how you should actually treat yourself :)
again, this show is so relatable.
it’s probably the most realistic take on relationships :)

I really enjoyed this. highly recommended.
can’t wait for season 2! ♡
__________

I’m very picky with kdramas. I’ve been watching them for a long time already and ive seen all sorts.

so i couldn’t believe there’s still one that would manage to surprise and fascinate me.
this is it. it’s so refreshing & relatable. so addicting.

it seems like such a simple slice-of-life story, nothing much going on, but the way they showed the inner workings of the mind through the cells’ interactions is actually deep & profound. it made me reflect a lot on my own experiences & thought process.

i wasn’t a fan of kim go-eun (didnt like her in goblin)
but here the acting/role is spot-on. music is perfect.
and the cells- they’re the life of the show! every character is done so well. they’re hilarious.

i know the story is based on a webtoon which i haven’t read. can’t compare, but i really like this. such a pleasant surprise. watch it.

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I am IN LOVE

I would like to thank Tiktok for introducing this show to me because I have seen multitudes of spoilers of the show but watching it is a really different experience as I soon got the experience to really understand the context behind those clips. To be honest, I know no one who is watching this show so I am entering this with no recommendations except the ones from Tiktok. I am glad that I did tho because Yumi’s Cells is just really at the top tier of the Korean series that I got to watch because it is so freaking relatable. I have mentioned a lot that South Korea do know how to create the best love stories because they go deep into the psyche of the characters instead of just focusing on the idea of them being in love to each other. I think this is where Yumi’s Cells is winning because they managed to combine the character-driven story that we usually see in Korean series and love stories with the more romantic-centric Western movies. The result is one heart fluttering show that just made my heart melt whenever they focus on love and breaks it when the character is experiencing the same thing. I have read online that this is focused on the relationships that Yumi will be having so I am kinda digging the idea that there might be a second season.
The story is about Yumi. I think that is a really good synopsis for the show because it is truly about her. We got to see how her mind works as we meet these animated characters who play vital roles in making decisions about her but one thing that I would command is the portrayal of Kim Go-eun. She is doing a lot of facial expressions because there are a lot of internal dialogues played by the voices in her head. She is not crazy. The idea is that we have these cells-type individual living inside us participating in different decisions that we commit creating one hell of a person. This may not sound so original since we watched something like this in Cells at Work or Inside Out but what really elevated this story is that it is not really focused on being criminally accurate like Cells at Work or as deep as Inside Out but what it is trying to do is to just introduce us to Yumi. We are shown as to how she thinks and we got to see how her mind works through these cells. Kim Go-eun is what helping all of this because she is really nailing the facial expressions of the internal monologues while keeping a very strong presence in the show. She is the main character and she is giving us what she is being asked for. It is a very cerebral performance and she is giving us that. It is also a romantic comedy and the way that her character Yumi is written is a bit different because she feels like someone that we can all relate to. Honestly speaking, I see myself in different characters so that is something that I really enjoy. I feel like Yumi is someone that I know or is me. Go-eun really brings life to her. Yumi, on the other hand, is a good character to follow because she is a complicated female character in a romantic comedy. I know that we do not usually get this kind of words for a romantic comedy but Yumi’s Cells captured that thought process that everyone has and they kept on going for it. They are committed making this show such a lovable one to watch. She is also the titular character. I like that she is not the typical female Korean character because she objectifies Goo Woong too. I am not saying that objectifying is good but it is a difference that I am actually interested in. Her story is more matured than what we usually see and this is a perfect character study of who she is and how one’s mind works. The scene where she had to call it off with Goo Woong in the 13th episode of Season 1 made me cry. It is such an overwhelming scene because I spent most of my time falling in love with the love. My heart flutters whenever I see them together and them breaking up is something that I expected and knew of but the execution is impeccable. Go-eun’s facial expression and the way Yu-mi’s mind worked in that particular moment is amazing. I love how that sequence was made because we got to see a side of her that is a bit different. We saw a version of her that we did not want to see because we all have been in that situation and we knew how heartbreaking it would all feel. This is a genius moment of the show and I approve what they did.
For the first season, we focused not really on her first love but the love after she got dumped. The interesting thing about this love story is that the way it started is really good. She met Goo Woong when she was set up for a blind date by Chae U-gi who is the guy that he actually wants to be with. Side note, before I talk more about Goo Woong, Chae U-gi is played by Choi Min-ho. His character is actually gay and I am quite surprised with this twist since that is something that we do not usually see in a Korean series. We have a very handsome character who is gay and I am in love with this idea. I wish to see more of who he is as well. Now, let us go back to Goo Woong. He is played Ahn Bo-hyun. He is a game developer who happened to be insanely ripped and one of the hottest Korean actors that I know but his character seemed very reserved with his emotions except when he first met her. I love their first meetup because we got to see another character’s village of cells and how they work. The good thing about this is that they really followed a strong narrative with this character by really building his character as this slightly shady character who is also very sweet with Yumi. There was this scene when they fought during Yumi’s birthday that is resolved by a very romantic exchange. This is something that I enjoyed in this show. The relationship of Yumi and Goo Woong is almost an ideal type of relationship that I am really digging it to a point that I want them to be the endgame and I kinda hated Sae-yi. I love their banters tho. Again, Ahn Bo-hyun is such a hot man and I loved the scenes where Yumi imagined him taking a shower when she first came in his house or the one where she booked the glass wall. Those are really sexy. I love Ahn Bo-hyun and I love Goo Woong but we have to admit that he is also a very complicated guy and we got to see a lot of different sides of him. I felt like he is a very sweet guy but at the end of the day, we got to see that he is still a man that we all know. He still got his pride and his extreme self-love became a hindrance for him to go through with what he wanted to say and do. We can all agree with that. We all have that voices in our heads and we can all agree that being in a relationship is hard because of it. Nevertheless, the relationship that he and Yu-mi had is such a beautiful experience that one can only hope for. It is beautiful. It is real and the ending where they met for the last time in the front of the fountain where they first met is such a nostalgic moment that gave us the same level of emotions but with different emotions with the characters. At the end of the day, we have to choose ourselves and be happy with the decisions that we make even though we know the pain that it will cause us. This is an amazing example of what love can be. It will not always be nice and beautiful. We have to face the reality for it will not always be what we expect. I truly commend the writers of this series because they knew what they were doing and they did an amazing job in highlighting this aspect of the story.
I also enjoyed seeing Jinyoung in the show. He is so handsome and I feel that he will be YHu-mi's next boyfriend and I love that they started as work friends and not romantically involved immediately.

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