My Experience and Thoughts on I Am Not a Robot (Korean Drama)
I Am Not a Robot was an endearing and mind-provoking experience for me. At first, I thought it was going to be a simple rom-com between man and robot, but it turned out to be so much more. The story is about Kim Min-kyu, who is a young, wealthy boy with a rather unusual "allergy to human contact" — he has incredibly severe physical responses to touching human beings. When he stumbles upon what he believes is a robot (who is later discovered to be a woman masquerading as one), his life drastically changes.
I was most affected by the emotional growth of the character. Min-kyu starts out distant and cold, but he starts to love and trust again in the end. Ji-a, the woman who pretends to be the robot, also embarks on a journey of self-discovery, responsibility, and love. The show combines science fiction, emotion, and comedy perfectly.
What I found most appealing was the way in which the drama portrayed human solitude, emotional traumas, and the power of love and relation to heal. The concept of a human being "allergic to humans" is a fine metaphor for the people who have been deeply harmed and are petrified of relationships. I could relate to the feeling of loneliness, and it made me understand the value of emotional care in life.
How I Am Not a Robot Embodies Korean Culture
This series, though it is set in the future, still reflects many Korean social values and cultural concerns:
1. Pressure to Succeed: The main protagonist Ji-a is a teenage inventor who wishes to leave a legacy in an ultra-competitive society — a classic case of the enormous pressures in Korean culture on children to succeed and excel.
2. Science and Technology: Korea is especially scientifically and technologically advanced. Sophisticated robots and start-up culture in the series are a reality in Korea's real focus on science, robotics, and entrepreneurship.
3. Isolation and Mental Health: Soap opera mentalities towards mental health — Min-kyu's is unrepresentative, yet characteristic of mental trauma. For Korean society, there has dawned a sluggish era when much more will be discussed psychological health, especially amongst young people.
4. Respect and Formality: And then, as always with any Korean soap, deployment of honorifics, formalities, and respect behavior differentiated by age and social status — all rooted in Korean Confucian practices.
Comparison with Bangladeshi Society
The drama being inside the Korean society, there is not much in terms of theme and aspects to be extrapolated compared to Bangladesh culture:
1. Technological Gap: Korea is far more advanced with robots and tech companies, and it is not as yet so for Bangladesh. The story of AI and robots in Bangladesh would be extremely futuristic and unrealistic for common people as well.
2. Expression of Emotions: Feelings are openly expressed by characters in I Am Not a Robot, especially in romantic relationships. Bangladesh does not have the practice of open or public display of love, and free discussion of emotions between men and women is more conventional.
3. Family Involvement: Min-kyu is by himself in the drama, with little family interaction. Being with the family is common in Bangladesh, especially for unmarried adults, and the family has a huge role to play in making personal choices — including love.
4. Social Status and Class: Both cultures also demonstrate the gap between the wealthy and poor. Min-kyu is extremely rich, and Ji-a is a poor young girl. In Bangladesh, this class difference is equally quite real and sometimes more visible in daily life.
5. Mental Health Awareness: In both Korea and Bangladesh, mental health is a sensitive topic, although Korea is slightly ahead in bringing about public discussion of it. In Bangladesh, emotional distress is typically repressed due to social stigma.
I Am Not a Robot is more than a science-fiction romance — it's about healing, identity, and the simple human need to connect. The drama touched me emotionally and made me think about how we treat people who are different, how we hide our pain, and how love can truly change someone’s life. Even though the setting is futuristic Korea, the message of the drama is universal — and very meaningful from a Bangladeshi perspective too.
My Experience and Thoughts on I Am Not a Robot (Korean Drama)
I Am Not a Robot was an endearing and mind-provoking experience for me. At first, I thought it was going to be a simple rom-com between man and robot, but it turned out to be so much more. The story is about Kim Min-kyu, who is a young, wealthy boy with a rather unusual "allergy to human contact" — he has incredibly severe physical responses to touching human beings. When he stumbles upon what he believes is a robot (who is later discovered to be a woman masquerading as one), his life drastically changes.
I was most affected by the emotional growth of the character. Min-kyu starts out distant and cold, but he starts to love and trust again in the end. Ji-a, the woman who pretends to be the robot, also embarks on a journey of self-discovery, responsibility, and love. The show combines science fiction, emotion, and comedy perfectly.
What I found most appealing was the way in which the drama portrayed human solitude, emotional traumas, and the power of love and relation to heal. The concept of a human being "allergic to humans" is a fine metaphor for the people who have been deeply harmed and are petrified of relationships. I could relate to the feeling of loneliness, and it made me understand the value of emotional care in life.
How I Am Not a Robot Embodies Korean Culture
This series, though it is set in the future, still reflects many Korean social values and cultural concerns:
1. Pressure to Succeed: The main protagonist Ji-a is a teenage inventor who wishes to leave a legacy in an ultra-competitive society — a classic case of the enormous pressures in Korean culture on children to succeed and excel.
2. Science and Technology: Korea is especially scientifically and technologically advanced. Sophisticated robots and start-up culture in the series are a reality in Korea's real focus on science, robotics, and entrepreneurship.
3. Isolation and Mental Health: Soap opera mentalities towards mental health — Min-kyu's is unrepresentative, yet characteristic of mental trauma. For Korean society, there has dawned a sluggish era when much more will be discussed psychological health, especially amongst young people.
4. Respect and Formality: And then, as always with any Korean soap, deployment of honorifics, formalities, and respect behavior differentiated by age and social status — all rooted in Korean Confucian practices.
Comparison with Bangladeshi Society
The drama being inside the Korean society, there is not much in terms of theme and aspects to be extrapolated compared to Bangladesh culture:
1. Technological Gap: Korea is far more advanced with robots and tech companies, and it is not as yet so for Bangladesh. The story of AI and robots in Bangladesh would be extremely futuristic and unrealistic for common people as well.
2. Expression of Emotions: Feelings are openly expressed by characters in I Am Not a Robot, especially in romantic relationships. Bangladesh does not have the practice of open or public display of love, and free discussion of emotions between men and women is more conventional.
3. Family Involvement: Min-kyu is by himself in the drama, with little family interaction. Being with the family is common in Bangladesh, especially for unmarried adults, and the family has a huge role to play in making personal choices — including love.
4. Social Status and Class: Both cultures also demonstrate the gap between the wealthy and poor. Min-kyu is extremely rich, and Ji-a is a poor young girl. In Bangladesh, this class difference is equally quite real and sometimes more visible in daily life.
5. Mental Health Awareness: In both Korea and Bangladesh, mental health is a sensitive topic, although Korea is slightly ahead in bringing about public discussion of it. In Bangladesh, emotional distress is typically repressed due to social stigma.
I Am Not a Robot is more than a science-fiction romance — it's about healing, identity, and the simple human need to connect. The drama touched me emotionally and made me think about how we treat people who are different, how we hide our pain, and how love can truly change someone’s life. Even though the setting is futuristic Korea, the message of the drama is universal — and very meaningful from a Bangladeshi perspective too.