My Girlfriend Is The Man! Review: A ‘Demure’ Yoo Jung-hoo Is the Heart of Comedy
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Imagine a dude coming up to you out of the blue, claiming he is your girlfriend? What would you do? Well, in Park Yun Jae’s case, he gives the ‘dude’ a punch. And that’s how Korean romantic-comedy ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’ takes off!
Directed by Yoo Kwan Mo, the 2025 romantic comedy ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man‘ (Korean title: 내 여자친구는 상남자) is based on the webtoon ‘My Girlfriend Is a Real Man‘ by Massstar. Singer-actor Yoon San-Ha plays the primary protagonist Park Yun Jae, a university student happily dating his first love, Kim Ji-Eun (Arin). However, things take a crazy turn for the couple when the pretty Ji-Eun wakes up one day as a handsome man (played by actor Yoo Jung-hoo), with no idea how to become a woman again.
Also Read: 6 Ways ‘My Girlfriend Is the Man!’ is Different From The Webtoon
Spanning 12 episodes, ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ follows Ji-Eun’s chaotic, comedic journey as Ji-Hoon, the name she adopts for her unexpected male form. Naturally, her boyfriend Park Yun Jae completely freaks out, and even after accepting the bizarre transformation, he struggles with what it means for their relationship. The two agree to remain friends until Ji-Hoon turns back into Ji-Eun… but no one knows when, or if, that will ever happen. Unfortunately, this series isn’t as consistently funny as it should’ve been, failing to maximize its own comic potential. But well, it does deliver some hilarious moments.
Adding to the comedy, Ji-Eun’s writer best friend Yu-Ri (Park Joo-won) develops an awkward crush on Ji-Hoon, while her own sister Kim Ji-Hye (Choi Yoon-ra) can’t help but blush over how her sibling is suddenly taller, stronger, and undeniably hotter as a man. Luckily, Yu-Ri soon gets distracted by the charming Min Hyeon (Hur Hyun-jun), who works part-time at the cafe with Yun-Jae and is also a big fan of Yu-Ri’s books.
Singer-actor Chhu joins in episode three as Min-Ju, a lovestruck girl determined to steal Yun-Jae despite knowing he has a girlfriend. Her presence fuels Ji-Hoon’s jealousy and plenty of love-triangle chaos. Though Chhu is undeniably cute in the role, Min-Ju becomes increasingly grating and annoying as the series goes on. It would’ve been funnier if Min-Ju would’ve shifted her crush on the gorgeous Ji-Hoon, since everybody is also swooning over him in ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’, and rightfully so.
Lead actors Yoon San-Ha, Arin, and Yoo Jung-hoo shoulder their parts with aplomb. But Jung-hoo is the star of ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’, playing a woman trapped in a man’s body with grace, poise, and quiet charm. Jung-hoo’s Ji-Hoon is self-aware, and uncomfortable in a man’s body, so he makes extra effort to blend in, not stand out, or embarrass Yun-Jae, which is in line with the character’s considerate personality. San-Ha’s character Yun-Jae, on the other hand, is also quite likable; however, he can often be irritatingly spineless, especially around the flirtatious Min-Ju. Througout the show, there’s more of a platonic buddy chemistry between San-Ha and Jung-hoo, instead of chucklesome romantic tension.
Actor Park Joo-won emerges as the most entertaining supporting character in the show as Ji-Eun’s nerdy-cute BFF Yu-Ri. Her onscreen buddy chemistry with both Arin and Yoo Jung-hoo is fun to watch. Choi Yoon-ra too is delightful as Ji-Eun’s older sister Kim Ji-Hye, their sibling relationship is humorous, relatable. However, a significant sub-plot about Kim Ji-Hye being caught in a romantic love triangle with former classmate Hong Yeong-seok (Kim Jong-hoon) and the wealthy Jeong Ha (Jeon Soo-jin), was quite unnecessary.
The cinematography for ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’ is bright, soft, and very summer-romance themed, although a significant chunk of the story takes place in the winter months. As with any Korean drama with a significant budget these days, there really isn’t much to complain about visually, it has a stunning lead cast, and even the supporting characters are mostly likable.
The climactic episodes pack in a bunch of twists, some of which are predictably formulaic, although one major revelation is quite surprising. And the show remains loyal to its “gender bender” conflict until the very end. Overall, this is a decent one-time watch, with its beautiful cast working in its favor.
If you’re looking for something beyond surface plot and visuals, try something else. The only show I can think of recommending right now is the Japanese drama ‘Kamisama no Ekohiiki’, which isn’t a gender-bender comedy but is a poignant, underrated series about a teenage boy waking up in a girl’s body, hoping to win over his boy crush.
Rating for ‘My Girlfriend Is The Man’: 6 on 10. The show is on Viki.
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