Yumi is sleepwalking through her life into her 30s after a romantic betrayal. A series of events causes her to wake up and try again, and there is an addictive quality of wanting to see her succeed at last.
This addictive quality is also due to the 'roller-coaster,' action staged inner life inspired by Pixar's Inside Out. The Bond/action movie dramas of Yumi's interior feelings create more adrenaline to the situation, then this ordinary life and romance would inspire on its own.
The conflicts over pride, money, showing your vulnerabilities, ambiguous boundaries with friends and co-workers etc. are what make the show unique, these are the ordinary fights we've all had instead of the extraordinary larger than life conflicts in your normal Kdrama. But, this is also what holds this drama back, the determination to review over and over smaller, quiet dramas just between two people, prevents the show from truly lingering. .
Music was fine and certain scenes are such a good encapsulation of a first date, or a first fight that they are worthy of rewatch.
I also grade on other criteria:
Complex themes: 7.5
This is a character study of what prevents two, ordinary people, good looking, intelligent, nice from finding romantic relationships. Mainly, the inability to risk, be vulnerable, or show true feelings.
Complex Characters/Development: 9.5
Here, this show really shines, illustrating that surface human behaviors that we find so frustrating come from a very complex emotional and psychological inner self. Yumi also shows growth as she realizes that her past relationship has clouded her ability to commit in the present. The character of Sae-yi was truly exciting to see, a type of personality and friendship we often see in real life (encouraging dependency and discouraging growth and independence).
Relationships between Women: 7.0
Yumi is not fundamentally close to any of her peers, and keeps them at a distance which means she has some competitive and a bit catty friends from university/growing up and some kind fun to hang out with co-workers. She doesn't have an in-depth relationship with her mother and appears to have no siblings. The show really falls down on this point, though it may be realistic.
Cinematography/Production: 8.5
The inner feelings drama was cute and well done, and the film had a soft, indie feel to it that suited the show. The clothes and surroundings were all very realistic, and there were some artistic flourishes that mimicked the emotions that were concerning the characters.
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This review may contain spoilers
a different slow paced drama
I was really curious about this drama because I didn't watch many others mixed up with animation characters and from that point of view I wasn't disappointed.Yumi's cells is a drama centered around the protagonist' love Life. we follow her around and see what happens inside of her during all the important or emotional relevant experience throughout life.
the little cells that control Yumi are really well characterized. they have a peculiar personality and style and are by far my favourite part of this drama.
I sometimes loved the animated part more over the "real life" ones.
to be honest, the main protagonist is kinda bland. she's not that interesting and does not have any peculiarity. her interaction with other characters are full of meaningless things, she's the quiet one and doesn't say anything of substance, but miraculously her friends all adore her.
the male leader was slightly better. he had a better defined personality and traits. but he was also annoying at times.
what I didn't like about this drama is that even though the portrait of a love relationship was pretty realistic, many of the conflicts between the protagonists were easily solvable. It was a frustrating experience watching them struggle through easy and light issues.
the drama is slow paced and lacks a strong " plot line". it a nice tell of a love story filled with reality.
overall I liked. the ending was fine and realistic.
if you like plot twist and tension that's not he drama for you, but if you enjoy sweet moments, more realistic portraits of life, Yumi's cell is definitely your cup of tea.
the cell animation is hilarious.
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The live action isn't much dramatization, the animation that is represented by cells in Yumi's head explains a lot of things that are turbulent within Yumi in many ways that make sense and makes me think "oh this is what happens inside my head, when I see Yumi experience something."
The story of this drama is simple, about Yumi who goes about her daily life, goes to work, meets love, etc. but accompanied by the cells that work in Yumi's head, they try their best to help Yumi live a happy life, making this drama very exciting. The execution is good, the acting is good, I just really think this drama is good, especially when things start to get serious in Yumi and Woong's relationship, they're cute together and got a lot of dokidoki moments between them but the dynamics in their relationship feels organic.
The last two episodes is hard to watch for me, Yumi and Woong already spent to much time together, create a lot of memories together, the way they did it with that card gimmick and flashback, it broke me.
Oh yeah, the OST are also good, really helps to amplify the feelings and emotions in every scene. My favorite is "Our Story" by Melomance, they slayed with "Love, Maybe" this year in Business Proposal, and both songs affect me in the same way, that I will only take in the good memories between Yumi and Woong, like I did with Shin Ha Ri and Kang Tae Moo. I still can't move on from Business Proposal.
I don't know if I'm going to watch the 2nd season, I love Yumi and Woong too much. So yeah, 5-stars from me, thank you.
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Very, very funny
If you have ever wondered how and why your heart and mind and body react in certain situations, here’s your answer. Yumi’s Cells portrays the inner debates going on inside of us through cartoon characters representing love, reason, anxiety and everything else which makes us who we are. The interaction between the cells is absolutely hilarious and I laughed out loud several times, especially when the male lead’s cells showed up. Very, very funny stuff and very well written.Surprisingly, despite the cartoon parts, this show offers a more realistic depiction of a relationship than many dramas that are entirely live action based. The two main characters fall in love (so cute!) but then struggle communicating. Love and betrayal, pride and miscommunication are all very realistically portrayed. We see the situations our couple find themselves in from the cells’ perspective, and they don’t always agree on what to do or say. Ultimately, a lot is left unsaid and a lot is left undone. (I would definitely recommend watching the first few episodes of Season 2 as well, because a lot of the events in the first season are explained further.)
The acting was phenomenal. Kim Go Eun’s Blue Dragon award was well deserved for her portrayal of Yumi, and Ahn Bo Hyun was just perfect for the role of her boyfriend. Give the cells an award too! They really were the stars of the show. I thoroughly enjoyed Season 1 and can highly recommend it.
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Season 2 is a must.
Good drama, great plot, acting and production. It’s a light romance drama it contains a lot of lovey-dovey scenes and comedy its perfect for those viewers who wants to relax after a stressful week, because it doesn’t have any annoying rival or antagonist in the show.--------------- SPOILERS AHEAD ---------------
--------------- STOP ~ DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARNED YOU ---------------
1. Plot.
Guys can say that the cells steal the spotlight, and the voice actors did a really good job! (watch their behind-the-scenes) I missed reason, emotion, hunger, love cell and lust and lustsaurus cells and each and every one of them. hehehe... I like how they present the scenes from the real to animation without creating any confusion to the viewers. I like the storyline because it shows what’s really going on in someone’s life, it gives the audience an idea of what emotions we feel in different situations, and they presented it in a clever way through 'talking cells'.
And as an introvert I can relate to Go Woong’s character, its hard to say things than thinking so as a result it creates a more misunderstanding, while Yumi her emotions speak louder in every situation that sometime create tension to the relationship. And I think they got me in the episode where in Yumi’s dream that the relationship of her and Woong is only a dream that Woong is an actor.
And for the supporting cast watch out for the characters of Ruby, Bobby, Seo Sae Yi and Ugi they add little spiciness to finish this dish. In my opinion, I’m okay with the ending its more realistic I think, not all relationship is perfect, everyone has flaws and reason that they choose to pick that card in the end but I’m also one of those hoping it’ll still have season two because we want MORE!!! and Go Woong is still Yumi’s endgame… ^_^ or not?!… >_<.
2. Acting
Ahn Bo Hyun give a different vibe in this drama the last time I watched him in Itaewon Class I'm very annoyed with his character, but here you'll loved him, and, in this drama, he proved that he can also be the main lead and not just a supporting character and as usual Kim Go Eun really did a good job portraying Yumi's character to life. In terms of their costume I like the pastel tones it gives more sweet romance vibe…(beware of the ‘bob cut girl’ and the boho style lead’) I loved the episode where Yumi and Woong first met, Woong's shirt is the same design in the webtoon I like how meticulous they are that they followed the even these slightest things from the webtoon to the drama.
3. Production
Kudos to the whole production team, actors and voice actors that manage this show from the beginning until the end they create a wonderful show that is dramatic and entertaining. At first, I'm a bit hesitant watching this show because of the animation that it might be cringey, but I was wrong because Yumi's Cells is an awesome show and a must watch I loved the cinematography, camera movements and the animation, overall, it’s a thumbs up for me! I recommend it to all the viewers who wants a light romance drama series.
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90% of this review is written by Emotional Cell.
I became Yumi’s Cell because at the end, I became an advocate for Yumi. I just hoped it was Rational Cell who did the breakup rather than Pride Cell so it would feel more genuine.I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that he was such a good guy, but one inconvenience and he was quick to leave. The writer captured reality and was able to show mundane moments that leads to a break up.
Enjoyed this cartoon-ish type of drama, even as adult. The cells are so cute especially the hungry cell.
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This show is from a novel!!!
Hi guys, if you are waiting for season 2, 3... then you would have to wait loooong...so, here's a tip:Read the Novel 'Yumi's Cells by Don Gun Lee'
It's just based on the novel and is a shortcut instead of waiting until the last season which probably would take 4 years....
Are you going to wait until the next season season,
I am going to buy the Novel today itself🤭............................................................................................................................. I lovvvvvvvvvve yumi's cells....................................... What's your opinion? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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A very fluffy illustrated guide to your emotions
This show is first of it's kind because of the whole element of the cell village. The whole process of arriving at a decision is shown through various emotions living in the cell village and it is admittedly adorable. The show is fluffy and the ML and FL are definitely couple goals till they are not. It is definitely worth watching because of it's humor and romance. The casting is great, Kim Go Eun does justice to Yumi and Ahn Bo Hyun grows on you just like his character did on Yumi. Jinyoung is also cleverly placed in the story so you know that the now released sequel is not an after-thought. The show has some cute and funny moments which makes it worth watching.The side characters were unremarkable, but their presence were never supposed to be highlighted. The cells were cute, the cell village makes this ordinary rom-com extra-ordinary. The concept and the process of decision making while absurd sometimes , is still refreshing .
The cinematography is great, the OST is good too and the overall production value is pretty high. The drama seems in sync with current times and that is enjoyable. It leaves you wanting for more and the good thing is, it is developed in a manner to have multiple installments.
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A SWOONWORTHY KDRAMA
If you're looking for a romantic feel-good kdrama which depicts a slice of life and is relatable then this is the drama you are looking for.What makes yumi's cells stand out is the style of storytelling.
The show focuses mainly on her emotions and how she makes different decisions because of them. Her strongest desires are represented through her prime cells.
What makes yumi so relatable is that she is a normal working woman who has up and downs like anyone of us. Season 1 focuses on yumi and woong's relationship. Woong is a game developer who is completely smitten by yumi from their first date. Their relationship forms the main storyline of the series.
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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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"Inside out" with a kdrama twist
I thought this was a refreshing kdrama. It reminds me a lot of the Disney/Pixar film, Inside out, where the inside of a character's mind is depicted by animated characters.Casting:
Great acting. I really, really enjoyed watching the leads act. They conveyed their emotions perfectly. All the sadness, indecisiveness, the joy is conveyed well on the screen. Kim Go Eun was a real star in this, but so was Ahn Bo Hyun. I think this might be the first drama that I've seen Ahn Bo Hyun - and he really was great. Park Jin Young - if anyone that didn't look as handsome and sincere was cast as Yu Ba Bi I'd have really hated him. lol.
Plot (SPOILERS)
This drama is also different because it takes a different view on relationships. I haven't watched kdramas for years, but the one thing that bothered me is that they practically force the leads to be a couple at the end. And Yumi's Cell does not do this, which makes it very different.
It goes through the whole cycle of a relationship - the highs, the lows, the beginning and the end.
There are really two sets of worlds in this, and at first I thought the "cells" was a gimmick but I think it really enhanced the story telling and conveys how one feels internally.
I think the greatest character growth happened to Wung. He's really not good at conveying his emotions and really is bad at confrontation. Ironically with the last episode, I felt he finally grew. He knows what he wants and finally makes decisions. Before, I think he'd just go with the flow and would not confront the truth.
Yumi - I think she has shown her heart throughout (well probably because we are watching from her perspective) and I'm not sure what else she could have done "better". She has way more patience than I would have.
"Marriage" is one of those things that I think is important that a partner be on the exact same page. So I think it was the best decision.
Sae Yi - oh gosh she was annoying and felt like a virus lol. I was really glad when Yumi spoke up, and was so mad at Wung when he didn't say anything. He knows what's going on but yet lets it slide... for who knows what reasons.
Yu Ba Bi - gah - i wanted him to back off. lol. but he's played by Jinyoung, who just has enough handsomeness and sincerity to make me feel conflicted. I thought his ex was cool - how she ended it, but it sounded like their relationship was dead for a long time and they were dragging their feet
Anyways, I felt the ending was a good ending for this drama.
Production:
The cells were so cool. I really liked how they were integrated to enhance the story telling, and wasn't just a gimmick.
Personally - I sympathized a lot with these characters and I liked how the relationship was depicted. It let me reflect how I felt about my own personal relationship/break up.
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Relatable and adorable romcom!
This romcom is ADORABLE! They took the awkwardness, self doubt, and insecurities that come with dating and made it refreshingly funny and clever. The animation cells remind me of Pixar's INSIDE OUT concept where each cell is in charge of a feeling and serves as the leads' inner voice, often delivering the funny punchlines as well.. Being able to see and hear behind the mask is what makes this drama so fun and relatable.Kim Go Eun is effortlessly natural as Yumi, showing Yumi's loneliness, awkwardness, and insecurities to relatable perfection. Go Eun's talent of being able to convey so much through her eyes and expressions alone is what makes this drama work. It lines up with the animated scenes and you can just feel what she's thinking. It also lends to the comedy as well. By playing it realistic, those embarrassing situations are even funnier and cuter.
I liked the chemistry she had with Ahn Bo Hyun and would have liked more scenes of them instead of all the anime. That was my one gripe. While the anime is cute and clever,, there was just too much of it and sometimes it got boring..
I would have much rather seen the chemistry play out between the leads than watching it through the anime characters. I hope this is something they'll fix in season 2. Can't wait!
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