Can a 999-year-old fox spirit finally become human by living with a college student?
In short: In the South Korean drama My Roommate Is a Gumiho, an ancient fox spirit faces a crisis when a student accidentally swallows his mystical bead. To reclaim his humanity, the two must share a home, sparking an unlikely romance that blends supernatural folklore with modern collegiate life and destiny.
My Roommate Is a Gumiho, which premiered in May 2021, centers on Shin Woo-yeo, a 999-year-old kumiho—a mythical fox spirit—who has spent centuries attempting to transition into a human being. His goal is jeopardized when Lee Dam, a college student born in 1999, inadvertently consumes his fox bead. This accident forces the pair into an unconventional cohabitation arrangement, as they must live together to manage the bead and resolve their predicament.
The narrative is adapted from an original webtoon and explores themes of destiny and transformation. The cast of characters includes Yang Hye-sun, a former kumiho who successfully completed a 700-year journey to become human, and a mountain spirit named Sansin who observes the protagonists' progress. The show also weaves in complex human relationships, such as Lee Dam’s interactions with her college senior, Gye Sun-woo, whose romantic interest in her is eventually severed by the red thread of fate when he departs for studies abroad.
Produced as a joint venture between South Korea and China, the series holds the distinction of being the first South Korean drama produced by the streaming platform iQiyi. Across its 16-episode run, which concluded in July 2021, the show maintained a consistent presence on cable channel TVN. While the premise is rooted in folklore, the series grounds its supernatural elements in the everyday lives of its characters, balancing the weight of centuries-old history with the relatable anxieties of modern university life and budding romance.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: My Roommate Is a Gumiho
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