Most people wouldn’t stop loving their partner if they got sick or lost their money. In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, right? But what if your partner suddenly turned into the opposite gender? Could you still love them?
The Wednesday-Thursday K-drama “My Girlfriend is the Man!” explores this very premise and invites viewers to ask themselves the same question.
Warning: spoilers ahead!
Park Yoon Jae, played by ASTRO’s Yoon San Ha, is a university student majoring in astronomy. He meets his now-girlfriend Kim Ji Eun (OH MY GIRL’s Arin) on a blind date after they accidentally mistake each other for their intended dates. Though they weren’t meant to meet that day, sparks fly instantly, and neither of them is blind to their feelings. Yoon Jae excuses himself from his actual date and runs after Ji Eun. And just like that, their love story begins.
But the cosmos has other plans. After dating for a while and falling deeply in love, something unbelievable happens: Ji Eun wakes up one morning and discovers that she has turned into a man (Yoo Jung Hoo). According to Yoon Jae, he’s even more attractive than him, but still, a man.
Ji Eun explains that this strange condition is hereditary. Her mother went through the same transformation and eventually returned to her original form. This means Ji Eun will likely return to normal soon. However, Yoon Jae struggles with the change. In hopes of not losing him forever, Ji Eun suggests they stay friends, at least until she transforms back.
But how can love survive in this strange new reality?
In 2019, a meme went viral and is still referenced today: “If I were a worm, would you still like me?” At first glance, the question seems ridiculous, even unnecessary. But the more you think about it, the deeper it gets. Love gives you strength, but it can also be your greatest vulnerability. It can build you up or break you down. It can make you feel secure, or painfully insecure. When people fall in love, they often wonder, does my partner love me for who I am or for what I can offer? And so, the question, “Would you love me if I were a worm?” becomes meaningful. If your partner changes in a way that makes them unrecognizable from who they were when you first fell in love, would your love survive?
The seemingly comedic K-drama “My Girlfriend is the Man!” confronts this question head-on. Yoon Jae is in love with Ji Eun like never before. She may even be his first love. But while turning into a man isn’t the same as becoming a worm, Ji Eun is still no longer the woman he once knew. Even though the body is just a vessel for the soul, the shift is significant enough to make Yoon Jae question his emotions.
There’s a pivotal scene that captures this perfectly. When Ji Eun first tries to explain her condition, Yoon Jae doesn’t believe her and even punches her. But later, the same scene is replayed from Yoon Jae’s perspective. When he sees the sadness in Ji Eun’s eyes, he knows it’s her. He just doesn’t understand his own feelings. How can he still love her when she’s now a man?
This love may be the very key to Ji Eun’s transformation back. After they agree to stay friends, Yoon Jae becomes jealous when he hears Ji Eun is going on a double date with his friend. Rushing to her location, he finds her passed out drunk at his friend’s house. The sight of his shirtless friend sends Yoon Jae into a spiral of emotions, but he soon realizes nothing happened. Ji Eun had simply blacked out and was fast asleep in her masculine form. Despite everything, Yoon Jae insists on taking her home and stays by her side all night, protecting her while she sleeps.
The next morning, Ji Eun wakes up back in her original body!
Though this may be temporary, it suggests that if Yoon Jae can truly fall in love with Ji Eun again, this time in her new body, she may transform back permanently.
Despite the drama, romance, and fun packed into the first two episodes, one detail left viewers puzzled: Ji Eun’s refusal to talk to her mother about the situation. Had she opened up, she might have learned how to change back or, at the very least, received the emotional support she so desperately needs from someone who’s been through the same thing. Hopefully, upcoming episodes will answer this question.
Start watching “My Girlfriend is the Man!”:
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Javeria is a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram @javeriayousufs.
Currently watching: “My Girlfriend Is the Man!” and “Marry My Husband: Japan”
