Nae Yeojachinguneun Gumiho
Tags: romantic

Plot synopsis:
Cha Dae-woong (Lee Seung-gi) is a normal college student, with ambitions of becoming an action star. Until one day, he accidentally releases a gumiho (Shin Min-ah), a legendary fox with nine tails who was sealed inside a painting by Samshin Grandmother (三神). Fleeing the scene, Dae-woong suffers a life-threatening fall and is only saved by the gumiho giving him her "fox bead" (여우 구슬). When Dae-woong awakes and meets a mysterious pretty girl, he initially treats her as eccentric or mentally ill, before finally understanding that she is a gumiho in human form. According to myth, gumihos eat men's livers, so Dae-woong is scared out of his wits, and the gumiho takes advantage of his fear by sticking by his side. He names her "Mi-ho," and keeps her happy by buying her beef and hiding her true identity. Mi-ho wants nothing more than to become human, so they strike a deal: she'll lend him her mystical fox bead so that with his increased speed and strength, he'll be able to do difficult stunts, and in exchange he'll help her become human. As time passes, they get to know each other better and Dae-woong is charmed by how Mi-ho looks at the world with childlike wonder.
Enter Park Dong-joo (No Min-woo), a half-human, half-supernatural being, whose cover identity is as a working veterinarian. Dong-joo tells Mi-ho that she'll be able to turn human if she follows these instructions: She must drink Dong-joo's blood then place her fox bead inside a human's body for 100 days. Once she does this, her supernatural self will start to die, gradually. Her gumiho energy will slowly empty away while her bead will live in the human for 100 days and take in his energy. And when she reclaims her bead, she will become human. Mi-ho happily complies, and Dae-woong accepts her bead.
However, Dong-joo deliberately withheld the information that this process will result in the human's death. Mi-ho and Dae-woong thus fall in love without knowing the consequences of fulfilling her goal: in 100 days, Dae-woong will die if Mi-ho becomes fully human, but Mi-ho will die if the bead isn't returned.

Review: My Girlfriend is a Gumiho is a Korean televised melodrama that aired back in 2010.
I've seen a lot these types of shows over the years and this one's not bad.
I won't heap the undeserved praise (my opinion) on it that the other two reviewers did, and I feel its current IMDb rating of 8.2 stars is a bit on the high side.
Nevertheless, it is good enough and solidly watchable.SPOILERS AHEAD!If you don't know what a Gumiho is, you clearly haven't watched much Korean cinema.
This is at least the 6th different Korean movie or show I can think of (just off the top of my head) that involves one; there are probably dozens more of these stories though.
A Gumiho is a mythical creature in Korean folklore; a nine tailed fox to be precise.
The most similar mythical creature I can compare it to in western culture is a mermaid, and that's because they are both usually beautiful enticing creatures with or without supernatural powers that may or may not lead to your doom if you happen upon one.Gumiho stories and mermaid stories have been overused to say the least, but both legends provide a wide ranging spectrum to craft a story however you like.
I've seen some really dark gumiho-centric stories, that involve torturing men and eating their livers, bringing about the destruction of the human race, taking over the world, etc.
This particular show sits on the other end of the spectrum, and it's basically just a fluffy romantic comedy.I don't really have any problems with this show, it's just that it's pretty forgettable; it breezes right in and breezes right away just as quickly.
Shin Min-a is your lead actress (the Gumiho).
I've always had a thing for her, but that pretty much goes the same for any talented and pretty Korean actress.
The lead actor is played by Lee Seung-gi, who is a young solo singing artist that I don't recall seeing in any acting role before this.
He doesn't yet have the star power of Min-a, but he did just fine in his role as well.
He plays a struggling young action actor who's trying to break into the big time.
EDIT 10-9-2018: Seung-gi is quite well known now compared to when I originally wrote this review years ago.
The story (which I will try to recall from memory) begins with Min-a trying to be married off in the Joseon era.
Rumors are swirling that she might be a Gumiho though, so she has no takers; everyone fears it will bring doom and destruction upon their village, and as a man, I'd rather slowly destroy my liver the old fashioned way, instead of having it ripped out of my torso and watch it being eaten as I die a painful death.
Heartbroken that nobody wants her, Min-a realizes she has no place in society and is subsequently banished into a temple painting/mural to be stored for all eternity (this is another common Korean legend concerning how immortal and inhuman creatures, beasts, etc...can be dispatched of).
Min-a is getting pretty tired of "living" in this painting for the last several hundred years, so she tricks our young male lead who happens upon the temple into uttering the right phrase or doing the right thing that will release her.
There are lots of cute moments that follow where he discovers who/what she really is, and where she learns about the modern world and follows him around so she can eat more of her favorite dish (i.e. cow).
Her 9 tails pop out uncontrollably whenever she gets overly excited, and she's helps him out of numerous jams using her super human abilities.
At one point, she even saves his life using her special powers.The 2 leads quickly begin to fall in love, but all is not perfect; other characters find out about, or begin to suspect something is a little off with, Min-a, as she and Seung-gi try to keep her true identity secret.
There's also a modern day Gumiho hunter (who apparently does not understand how shirt buttons work) that's hot on her trail.
Eventually, Min-a decides she wants to become human and live her life as a "normal" person with her true love.
She's given a magical elixir by the Gumiho hunter that may just fulfill her wishes; it's not without risks though, as she or her new love or both may perish if she takes it.
Down the hatch it goes though and let's see what happens.From there, it's a matter of what will happen to the two leads as they wait to see if they'll survive her transformation into becoming a human.
And, of course, whether he, she, or both survive is dependent upon how strong their love is for one another.Bottom Line: I don't think this show belongs in the 8-10 star range the current IMDb reviews and ratings suggest (again, just my opinion).
I've seen a lot of Korean melodramas over the years, so I feel I have a pretty good prospective on this genre.
I also think it's a good recent "starter" show if you're not yet familiar with KTV dramas, as it's not as overly "taxing" as many other KTV melodramas can often be.
It's a light and short comedic romance series that's pretty effective at what it's trying to accomplish, and what's not to like about that?I think 7 stars is just about right, so that's what I'm giving it!.
All the cute and lovely supernatural creatures come to Korea only !.
"My girlfriend is a Gumiho" is a popular South Korean romantic-comedy- mythological drama series that involved the story of a gumiho or a nine tailed fox whose desire is to live human life and an ambitious actor guy who incidentally met her.
And it's a worth-watching melodrama series.
Initially my sassy girl-crush Jun Ji Hyun turned down the role of heroine gumiho- that's great because it's destined to be Shin-Min-Ah's show I think.
She was very cute, natural, and lovely as a gumiho, also a real fashionista- most of the times her simple dress-up suited her perfectly.
The chemistry between her and the talented hero Lee Sung- Gi ( as Cha-Tae-Woong) was adorable too bringing both emotional and funny scenes.
Yes, many times the drama was so funny that I laughed a lot and felt that it's one of the best drama series I had watched so far.
A lot of passers-by and random characters focused by camera also added more natural flavor.
The soundtracks specially the theme song were awesome and natural acting of other side characters- half human Dong-Ju ( thumbs up for No Min Woo!
) , Woong's aunt and grandfather , director and villain-like Hye-In brought fun and suspense.
So although in the ending episodes it became a bit cliché and a little more story development and care for side characters would be much better, overall it's a lovely-enjoyable drama.
However, 500+ years old gumiho obviously reminded me of 400+ years old alien Do Min Joon (Kim Soo Hyun) from my previously watched outstanding series "My Love from the Star".
Gumiho heroine looked too naive where alien hero looked cool and wise but undoubtedly the both were so adorable at so many times.
So why all these cute and lovely supernatural creatures from fictions come to Korea only can be a topic of good thoughts!
This stupid kid romance gain popularity by marketing.Typical overacting kids, overcliched beaten to death and insulting your brain over and over again.
The same level stupidity with kadarshian reality show or maria mercedes etc.There's many other k-dramas are better than this crap.
Unless you've already watched the other 100-150, you'd better pass this one..
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho is a title I avoided for over a year after it arrived for European consumption.
I had long ago become a big fan of the charming "KDramas" and "JDramas" from South Korea and Japan.
Often inspired or even derived from anime and manga, these dramas, though generally formulaic, are wonderfully acted, charming, funny often, and hearken back to a time when movies and TV shows were great without gratuitous violence or demeaning language.
But I avoided "My Girlfriend is a Gumiho" because the title seemed to promise a television experience about as thought provoking as Beach Blanket Bingo.
Out of boredom I decided to try it out one night when I was looking for something to tide me over while waiting for a title to appear that would be more promising.Sounds rather stupid, doesn't it?
That's what I thought until I actually watched it.I was so wrong.
The two leads, Lee Seung Gi as Cha Dae Woong, the brash but good hearted college guy whose dream is to be an action star, and Shin Min-Ah as Gu Mi Ho, the "Gumiho" or "Nine Tailed Fox" a mystical creature who takes the form of a beautiful girl, are fantastic.
These two wonderful actors inhabit these cute roles that start out as silly and adorable and slowly take on deeper meaning as the two of them begin to realize they have feelings for one another, and then tragic overtones as they realize that they most likely can never be.I swear I have never laughed so much as I did during the early episodes, nor have I cried so much as I did during the final three or four episodes as they acknowledge their love and grow into powerful souls devoted to protecting the other at all costs.
I cannot recommend this drama enough..
gumiho...is a joy.
i'm fairly new to Korean drama/ comedy.
made me feel good every time.
i also enjoyed the shows " playful kiss " and " boys over flowers ".
i wish more shows emphasized such honesty of emotion.
i often feel the sense that i am gaining something positive after viewing these shows.
" my girlfriend is a gumiho " does not disappoint .
i think if you have love in your heart.
if you like to smile a lot , watch" my girlfriend is a gumiho ".
Cutest Couple Ever with a Star-Crossed Destiny.
My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho has a split personality; a light & fun initial half and an emotionally packed second half to the series.Successful formula for this series that I grew to love: Super Cute Couple + spunky Gumiho leading lady + romantic gestures from the leading man that will be tough to topSuper Cute Couple: Dae-woong and Mi-ho are the cutest - Finger guns blazing for how adorable they are!Spunky Gumiho leading lady: Mi-ho's forthright honestly about her feelings for Dae-woong and becoming a human were charming (though the honestly waned in the latter episodes to "protect" Dae-woong).
Romantic gestures from the leading man: The evolution Dae-woong from spoiled boy to sacrificing-all-for-his-Gumiho man slayed me.
The adult romance was ridiculous, the other secondary characters were one dimensional and the second leads didn't stand a chance thwarting the leading couple.
Dong-joo, the half- human/ghost was too pretty and wooden be an impact.
Hye-in was a successful obstacle initially but she just couldn't compete with star- crossed destiny and faded away.
**SPOILER** When without hesitation Dae-woong ingests the fox bead with the full understanding he must die to return the bead to Mi-ho, is a huge moment and forever seals my love for this character.
Initially Dae-woong was so unworthy and selfish, hard to believe he evolved so far.
The final episode had me transitioning from one crying jag to the next, Dae-woong ingesting the fox bead without hesitation and willing to die for Mi-ho, their airport reunion, the last day together, when Mi-ho disappears, Dae-woong getting hit by the truck, Mi-ho calling Dae-woong – would one phone call be it?, Mi-ho finally reappearing and their reunion, the tears just flowed.
THE GOOD An interesting premise The first half is consistently funny The smile of the lead actress lights up the screenTHE BAD I think this is best described as a product for kids: light in tone, little story development, and with plot holes so immediately evident it is impossible to brush them aside and remain engaged in the product.There are some conventions in K-dramas that you know you must accept: people sleep fully clothed, doors are never locked, a few hospital scenes, one or both characters are orphans, mobile phones are used extensively except when most needed, and so on.
But here are a few other major problems of this show, assuming you are older than twelve.A premise of UNLIMITED potential (supernatural immortal being awakes in a modern world totally unfamiliar to her, guy has to manage both her power and her ignorance) is criminally underutilized.
Unnumbered gags were set aside in the name of conventional K-drama staples.The lead actress is excellent in her role, conveying cuteness, innocence, and making you wish you could be there to help her out and protect her: you simply struggle to imagine someone else doing a better job.
It would lose a lot of its appeal, right?The gumiho being is not realistically portrayed.
For comparison take the Japanese animated series "Spice and Wolf", which has a very similar premise: an immortal wolf-goddess somehow joins a guy and gets to live in the world of men.
In a show that lasts 16 episodes/hours, there is basically only one story told, that of the main couple.
The usual sidekick couple story arc (in this case the aunt and the director) is pure comedy fodder and does not present any drama: we are never in any doubt that they will be happy together in the end.The story of the doctor/teacher/phantom and his past could have been developed into something more consistent, but instead is limited to one single flashback repeated over and over: I felt that there was a great story in his past to be told to explain his feelings and decisions, but because it isn't properly told I never really connected with him.Episodes 10 and 15 are particularly infuriating, both because they seem edited by a madman with no regard for chronology and consequentiality, and because they exaggerate in their use of tired plot devices.Because the show is generally light, the cliffhangers at the end of most episodes are not very strong, totally absent, or botched.
For example they managed to ruin the first kiss: you have waited eleven episodes for it, and when it finally arrives the episode ends mid-scene.Up until the twelfth episode the male lead shows no signs of sexual attraction towards either his original girlfriend or his new roommate (and in the latter case it can't be attributed to her being a gumiho, since he himself clearly states that he's not afraid of her).
This is a complaint that I have with most of the K-dramas I have watched.
I understand the decision to refrain from going into the sexual aspect of relationships, but I can't be asked to believe that young people have no physical impulses.
Find a plot excuse to forbid/prevent them from having a sexual relationship (as they do in episode 12), or simply imply it off screen.Considering that you're never in doubt that the main couple will live happily ever after, there was too much drama at the expense of good comedy.
In the same way, once the old lady shows up at the beginning of the last episode, a happy ending is implied, and that robbed me of any hand-wringing uncertainty.The talents of the male lead are poorly used: in the first few episodes he shows a nice comedic range of expressions and body language, but as the story progresses the script only requires him to look worried.In my humble opinion of western person, at least one scene depicting Miho's feral nature was needed to make her believable as potentially scary (something like her face gory with blood), but maybe for Korean/Asian people knowing she is a gumiho is enough..
I Like This Drama.
Come on people who don't like this drama is a weirdo.
Yeah Lee Seung gi's acting is OK because he is acting like that in most of all his drama but I like his playful cheerful role here.
Same goes with Shi min ah I like her acting, she's not so pretty but she's charming and she was acting very good, I like the way she's acting shameless, cheerful, and interesting at the same time.
It is a good drama with a happy ending of course, don't expect not since it will ruin all the plot.
The newcomer Na min woo is OK here compare to "Midas" and "Full house 2 (which i find that drama is annoying and boring and predictable)".
I laugh a lot while watching this drama, this is an entertainment that I need after feeling stressful at work especially the embarrassing scenes between the aunt and the director, each time the director appeared the background music is leslie cheung's.
Good plot and a very entertaining drama.The soundtrack sang by lee seung gi is really nice but singing is definitely not for shi min ah..
My girlfriend is a gumiho has a weird description that will confuse some if they're not that familiar with the whole nine tail fox myth.
The leading lady is amazing playing the humanised fox who tries to adapt to not only modern society but also the human way of behaving.
Actually, the first half of the drama focuses on the comical element and it is actually very funny.
Eventually, however, the romance gets a bit too tiring, as things start to be on repeat and eventually there are too many clichés.
It's not that the two of them don't have chemistry, and actually the romance is cute and sweet, but it wasn't handled very well.
The main song of the drama, on the other hand, was perfect for the whole supernatural themed and created the perfect mood for the drama.
Finally, the second lead lady was kind of annoying, almost tiring in the end, though her acting was very good.