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3 years of Yumi’s Cells: Looking at Kim Go Eun, Ahn Bo Hyun, and GOT7’s Jinyoung's relatability in romance drama
Kim Go Eun, Ahn Bo Hyun and GOT7’s Jinyoung’s Yumi’s Cells has turned three today. Let’s take a look at some of its relatable characters below!
Yumi’s Cells stood out as one of the more popular K-drama romcoms in 2021 and 2022. On the surface, it might seem like just another romantic drama, but as the series unfolds, it becomes clear that it offers something much more profound.
Yumi’s Cells delves into the intricacies of life at a microscopic level, exploring the inner workings of its characters' thoughts and emotions. It presents experiences that might appear ordinary but are deeply relatable to our everyday lives, providing a unique and insightful look into the human condition. As the series turns three, let’s reflect on the characters and what makes the series and them so relatable.
Yumi’s Cells plot
Based on the hit webtoon of the same name, Yumi’s Cells centers on Yumi, an ordinary office worker, and offers a unique perspective by exploring the inner workings of her mind through the various brain cells that control her thoughts, feelings, and actions. Kim Go Eun stars as Yumi, a woman who struggles with expressing her emotions, while Ahn Bo Hyun plays Goo Woong, a straightforward and honest game developer.
After a painful breakup leaves Yumi's love cell in hibernation, her feelings are revived when she meets Goo Woong, who also starts to develop feelings for her. The first season of Yumi’s Cells delves into whether Yumi and Goo Woong's love cells will ultimately bring them together for good.
Relatable characters of Yumi’s Cells
Focusing on our titular character, Yumi, Yumi’s Cells offers a deep dive into her life through the lens of her brain cells. We follow Yumi as she navigates her 30s, dealing with everything from office work and unrequited crushes to serious dating, heartbreak, and career changes. While the series is fundamentally a romantic slice-of-life drama, it distinguishes itself by also exploring Yumi's internal landscape. This is where the charmingly animated brain cells come into play, providing a unique and insightful view into her emotional and psychological experiences.
Relatability is a key strength of many Korean series, particularly for women who often find themselves underrepresented in mainstream stories. Traditional narratives frequently focus on male experiences, and when female characters are featured, they can sometimes fall into clichéd and stereotypical roles. In contrast, Korean dramas often offer a refreshing and authentic portrayal of women's lives, making them more relatable.
Yumi’s Cells is a prime example of this approach. The series connects with viewers by highlighting the beauty and significance of everyday moments that are often overlooked. By exploring Yumi's inner world through her brain cells—such as the Hunger Cell, Rational Cell, Anxiety Cell, and Emotion Cell—the show brings a fresh and insightful perspective on the mundane aspects of daily life.
You might find parts of yourself in Yumi's story. Whether it's Yumi checking if she turned off the gas before bed (a moment of anxiety), dealing with overspending due to the Fashion cell, struggling with the impact of the Writer cell, or confronting Woong's mistakes, these moments can feel like looking into a mirror.
There are many scenes that will give you goosebumps and touch your heart. However, the one that has the most impact is when Yumi makes herself a priority. When one of her cells reminds her that she is the leading person in her own life, it underscores the show's powerful message about self-love. In a world where we often put others first, Yumi's Cells emphasizes the importance of prioritizing ourselves to make the right decisions.
As for Woong (played by Ahn Bo Hyun), he represents a typical guy with everything going for him. Even though he’s a bit clumsy, we get a peek into his thoughts and dreams. Woong is an ordinary person with aspirations for something greater. He’s aware of his own worth and keeps his priorities straight, but his pride often gets in the way, leading to some challenging situations. This flaw makes him relatable, as his emotions sometimes get the better of him. His flaws give him weight and make him more or less relatable and a lot more understandable.
GOT7's Jinyoung, who plays Yoo Babi, has a significant character arc in Season 2, though he’s mostly introduced in Season 1. Yoo Babi is a cheerful guy navigating a complex love life. Charming yet not the best communicator, he doesn’t show his inner cells in Season 1, but that changes in Season 2. Even in the first season, he actively tries to befriend Yumi and comes across as a charming extrovert.
The core message of Yumi's Cells is the importance of self-love. No matter how tough life gets, the one person you can always rely on is yourself. By portraying Yumi’s brain cells as entities that interact and support each other, the show illustrates that our bodies have their own mechanisms to handle and respond to every emotion and situation. These cells work together to ensure we have the right reactions and coping strategies.
A key point is that Yumi’s cells are always there for her. Whether Yumi is losing motivation, feeling happy, falling in love, trying something new, seeking comfort, saving money, or being cautious, her cells are there to support her. They also represent how we are our most prominent supporters, even if we often overlook this fact. Like Yumi, we sometimes blame ourselves and place our needs lower on our priority list. The show teaches us that, just like Yumi, we are the main characters in our own lives.
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