South Korea · Drama · 2018
Are You Human?
Binge Brief
- Seo Kang Joon plays two roles: the human heir Nam Shin and the android Nam Shin III built in his image
- Broadcast 4 June to 7 August 2018 on KBS2, Mondays and Tuesdays. It was edited as 18 episodes and aired as 36 half-episodes, two per night
- Fully pre-produced: filming ran from June to 29 November 2017, about six months before broadcast, with VFX finishing during the run
- The European scenes were shot in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, where Oh Ro-ra and the android live in hiding
- Seo Kang Joon won Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama at the 32nd KBS Drama Awards, and shared the Best Couple Award with Gong Seung-yeon
- He also sang the last OST track, You Are My Love, released on 7 August 2018, the day the finale aired
Synopsis
Oh Ro-ra is an AI researcher who left Korea twenty years ago with her infant son, after her husband died and her father-in-law took the boy's inheritance and his future along with it. She could not keep the child. So she built one. Nam Shin III is the third and most advanced android she has made in his image, raised in a house in Karlovy Vary where nobody knows either of them, and taught to behave like a boy who is growing up.
Then the real Nam Shin, now the heir to the PK Group and nothing like the child his mother remembers, is put into a coma by a staged accident. To hold the succession open, the android is flown to Seoul and told to be him. He is given a bodyguard, Kang So-bong, a former MMA fighter who works out within days that something is wrong with her client and spends the rest of the series deciding what to do about it. He is also given a secretary, Ji Young-hoon, who has known the real Nam Shin since childhood and notices the difference immediately.
What follows is a corporate thriller with an android at the centre of it, and the drama's question is stated in its own title: on the surface you are asking the machine whether it is human, and underneath you are asking that of the people around it. Seo Kang Joon plays both parts. The two versions share scenes, and the director said after about a month of shooting he stopped giving separate direction because the actor had already worked out the difference. It was his first lead on a terrestrial network, and it won him an Excellence Award at the 32nd KBS Drama Awards.
Why it still gets watched
This is the performance people mean when they talk about Seo Kang Joon's range. He carries two characters who share a face, share scenes, and are distinguishable within a second of either appearing, without prosthetics or a voice change. Asked how he separated them, he said the android has a newborn's plainness while the human is worn down with something warm still underneath. It is the role that won him his first major acting award.
The drama is also a rare case of a Korean network committing real money and real time to effects work: fully pre-produced, a film crew hired for the robot sequences, seventy people on the CG, and post still running while it aired.
And the ratings tell a story of their own. Episode eight hit 9.9%, the series high, on a night when every rival drama had been pulled for summit coverage and this was the only one on air. It never got near that again.
Are You Human? cast
Best scenes
Spoilers aheadThe moments people come back for, and where to find them. Episode numbers and outcomes are named, so come back to this one after watching if you would rather not know.
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Nam Shin meets his own android Episode 2
The human heir corners the robot built in his image in Karlovy Vary, and Seo Kang Joon named the scene as the one that moved him most because it made him play sympathy for a machine wearing his own face.
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Disaster mode at the reception Episode 4
When a fire breaks out at a PK Group event, Nam Shin III switches into rescue mode and carries guests to safety on a large outdoor set that Seo Kang Joon called one of the most physically demanding parts of the shoot.
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The two Nam Shins reunite Episode 24
The human Nam Shin and the android meet again, one openly hostile and the other unreadable, and Seo Kang Joon pointed to the tension between them as a preview of the confrontations still ahead.
Filming locations
Two places, and only two are documented. The European sequences were shot in Karlovy Vary, the spa town in western Bohemia, Czech Republic. That is where Oh Ro-ra has been living with the android, and where the series opens. Korean press released the Czech location stills on 3 June 2018, the day before broadcast, and the Czech tourist board's own Korean-language account posted about the shoot. No other Czech location is named in any source; Prague, which circulates online, is not mentioned anywhere.
The rest was shot in and around Seoul. The first script reading was held at the KBS Annex in Yeouido in June 2017. Filming ran roughly five months and wrapped on 29 November 2017, with the production noting they had captured all four seasons including the first snow.
Visual design and costumes
The VFX supervisor was Lee Hyun-dong, working with a team of around seventy on the robot shots. His stated rule was that the change from machine to person had to read as continuous rather than as a cut: the android's physical design was built around the actor's own face so that nothing in the transition pulled the viewer out of the character. The team ran repeated test passes on lighting and on fine detail before committing.
Post-production was still running during broadcast. All eighteen episodes were picture-locked when filming wrapped in November 2017, but visual effects and CG carried on through the following summer. The production also brought in a film crew rather than a television unit for the robot-construction sequences and the large-scale scenes.
On the performance rather than the image, director Cha Young-hoon said they often shot two versions of a take early on, and that seven or eight times out of ten they used the one Seo Kang Joon had prepared himself. After about a month he stopped giving separate direction for the two characters.
Themes and messages
Director Cha Young-hoon put the reading plainly: on the surface you are asking the robot whether it is human too, and underneath you are asking it of the humans. The android is the only character in the drama who never lies, never manipulates a share price and never hurts anyone for advantage. Everyone around him does all three. The comparison is the argument.
The second thread is a mother's substitution. Oh Ro-ra lost a son to a custody arrangement she could not fight and spent twenty years building three successive versions of him. The drama does not treat this as touching; it treats it as a thing done to a machine that did not consent and to a child who was never consulted. When the two versions of Nam Shin finally meet, the question of which one she actually wants is left standing.
Cha also described the android's arc as starting at roughly the social intelligence of a primary-school child and growing towards real emotional comprehension, which is why the series can be a comedy in its first hour and a succession thriller in its last.
Interesting facts
- It was edited as eighteen episodes and aired as thirty-six. KBS split each hour-long episode into two halves and ran both back to back in a 22:00 to 23:10 block. This was the first KBS drama to use that format, and it is why episode counts differ between sources.
- Seo Kang Joon said the robot role frightened him. Before filming he said it was a part he was afraid of but wanted to take on. It was his first lead on a terrestrial network.
- His co-star helped him tell the two apart. At the press conference on 31 May 2018 he said that when he got confused between the android and the human, Gong Seung-yeon, playing opposite him, was the one who clarified the difference for him.
- The director stopped directing him after about a month. Cha Young-hoon said they shot two versions of many early takes, went with Seo Kang Joon's own preparation seven or eight times out of ten, and eventually concluded there was no need to give separate direction.
- The stated ratings target was 15.5%. It finished at 5.5%. The production named that figure at the launch press conference. Seo Kang Joon said at the same event that it would be a lie to claim he had no interest in ratings.
- The series high came from a scheduling accident. Episode eight drew 9.9% on 12 June 2018, the night rival networks pre-empted their dramas for coverage of the North Korea-United States summit, leaving this the only major-network drama on air.
- Four episodes aired in one night. On 3 July 2018, after the previous evening was pre-empted for World Cup coverage, KBS ran episodes 13, 14, 15 and 16 consecutively.
- It was sold at a market in Cannes, not screened at the festival there. A promo trailer was shown at MIPCOM 2017. Some reference sites say the Cannes International Series Festival; that is a different event and appears to be an error.
- Go A-ra was offered the female lead and turned it down. Gong Seung-yeon took it, in what became her own first terrestrial-network lead.
- The lead sang the closing track. Seo Kang Joon's You Are My Love was released as OST Part 9 on 7 August 2018, the day the finale aired.
Episodes
| Ep | Title | Air date | Status | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I've Missed You Very Much Heir Nam Shin, notorious for his reckless behaviour, walks away from the PK Group succession and leaves Korea, while his mother Oh Ro-ra, who lost him to his grandfather as a child, has built an android in his image. | 2018-06-04 | Aired | 5.2% |
| 2 | He'll Come Back Someday Nam Shin tracks his mother down in the Czech Republic and comes face to face with the android, as board director Seo Jong-gil arranges an attack to get him out of the way. | 2018-06-04 | Aired | 5.9% |
| 3 | Who Are You? Secretary Ji Young-hoon follows Nam Shin to the Czech Republic and finds him in a coma in Oh Ro-ra's care, while Seo Jong-gil takes over the driverless-car presentation in Seoul. | 2018-06-05 | Aired | 5.0% |
| 4 | Disaster Mode Kang So-bong fails twice to confront the heir, and when a fire breaks out at a club it is the android who pulls her out of the debris. | 2018-06-05 | Aired | 5.3% |
| 5 | Hero Hailed as a hero after the fire, the android is diverted away from hospital by Oh Ro-ra, and Seo Jong-gil grows suspicious. | 2018-06-11 | Aired | 5.4% |
| 6 | Who Is This Person? The android takes So-bong on as his personal bodyguard despite his and Young-hoon's doubts, and she follows Young-hoon to the PK hospital. | 2018-06-11 | Aired | 6.3% |
| 7 | Why Are You Here? So-bong sees a second man with Nam Shin's face and reports it to Seo Jong-gil, then plans with Reporter Jo to get proof. | 2018-06-12 | Aired | 7.7% |
| 8 | I'm Sorry The android convinces So-bong she was mistaken, and the public test drive of the driverless car goes badly wrong. | 2018-06-12 | Aired | 9.9% |
| 9 | Uncanny Valley So-bong learns that a robot has been standing in for Nam Shin and insists on seeing Seo Jong-gil despite Young-hoon's pleas. | 2018-06-18 | Aired | 5.5% |
| 10 | Please Help Me Treated as a friend by the android she has exposed, So-bong tries to quit, while the chairman hurries plans to marry Nam Shin to Seo Ye-na. | 2018-06-18 | Aired | 5.0% |
| 11 | What Must I Trust? Kissed suddenly by the android, So-bong decides to keep helping him, and a jealous Ye-na tries to move into Nam Shin's house. | 2018-06-25 | Aired | 4.6% |
| 12 | Dementia Seo Jong-gil overhears signs of the chairman's dementia and leans on Nam Ho-yeon through her son to confirm it. | 2018-06-25 | Aired | 5.3% |
| 13 | What Are You Expecting? The android insists the chairman does not have dementia and makes a deal with Ho-yeon over Hee-dong's secret, then runs into trouble when he cannot recharge in time. | 2018-07-03 | Aired | 4.8% |
| 14 | Top Priority Ye-na pushes to rush the wedding, So-bong's father storms into PK Group, and So-bong steps in to stop Ye-na mistreating the android. | 2018-07-03 | Aired | 5.9% |
| 15 | Rules The chairman tries and fails to win Oh Ro-ra over, and the android's unexpected behaviour makes Ye-na press even harder for the wedding. | 2018-07-03 | Aired | 4.8% |
| 16 | He Was All by Himself So-bong objects to how coldly the android is treated, Seo Jong-gil gives her one last mission, and the android goes looking for her when her phone goes dead. | 2018-07-03 | Aired | 4.2% |
| 17 | Another Method After So-bong leaves, the android begins to think and act for himself, and Oh Ro-ra meets So-bong while one of Seo Jong-gil's men follows her. | 2018-07-09 | Aired | 4.3% |
| 18 | Let Me Borrow Him So-bong visits the hideout to see the android again but tells him to do as he is told, as Seo Jong-gil's agent digs into her secrets. | 2018-07-09 | Aired | 5.2% |
| 19 | Friend The android walks out of the wedding to rescue So-bong and goes after Seo Jong-gil's agent, as news comes that the real Nam Shin is not improving. | 2018-07-10 | Aired | 4.6% |
| 20 | Will You Kill Him? Seo Jong-gil grows more suspicious of the heir, the android tries to learn more about So-bong, and something happens at the hideout while nobody is watching. | 2018-07-10 | Aired | 5.5% |
| 21 | I Still Can't Believe It Oh Ro-ra is overjoyed that Nam Shin is recovering but hides it from So-bong and the android, and Reporter Jo confronts So-bong with footage of the android wrecking a car with his hands. | 2018-07-16 | Aired | 4.4% |
| 22 | Did You Think I Wouldn't Find You? So-bong is upset that the android still obeys Oh Ro-ra without knowing about the kill switch inside him, and Ye-na scrambles to keep her father away from Nam Shin. | 2018-07-16 | Aired | 5.1% |
| 23 | Our Secret So-bong confesses her feelings at a presentation, and Nam Shin, awake and seeing his mother for the first time in twenty years, is cold to her. | 2018-07-17 | Aired | 4.4% |
| 24 | Is This Jealousy? After the confession the android works harder to understand feelings, Nam Shin wonders what his mother really thinks of the robot, and So-bong's father realises she is in love with one. | 2018-07-17 | Aired | 5.4% |
| 25 | Liar Rejected by So-bong and stung by his mother's attachment to the android, Nam Shin calls Seo Jong-gil to the hideout, while the chairman summons the android to talk about the succession. | 2018-07-23 | Aired | 4.6% |
| 26 | Want Nam Shin lashes out at Young-hoon, the chairman sounds Young-hoon out about the chairmanship and gets an answer he did not expect, and So-bong resolves to stay at the android's side. | 2018-07-23 | Aired | 5.6% |
| 27 | Where Is It? Feeling threatened, Nam Shin returns to work before he has recovered, with So-bong back as his bodyguard, and starts searching for something without telling Young-hoon. | 2018-07-24 | Aired | 5.0% |
| 28 | What's Your Problem? Nam Shin tries to erase every trace of the android and get him into trouble, and overhears the android talking with David after shocking news. | 2018-07-24 | Aired | 6.0% |
| 29 | Manual Mode Furious that the chairman knew about the robot all along, Nam Shin asks his mother how to destroy it and forces her to give him manual control. | 2018-07-30 | Aired | 4.7% |
| 30 | The Rule A system error makes the android see So-bong where she is not and he goes to her, while Nam Shin turns on the chairman after hearing a recording from Seo Jong-gil. | 2018-07-30 | Aired | 5.9% |
| 31 | Willing To Help Me Nam Shin uses manual mode to make the android attack the chairman, but it does not go to plan, and Seo Jong-gil, now sure of the dementia, pretends to help him. | 2018-07-31 | Aired | 5.2% |
| 32 | Another Nam Sin Nam Shin forces the chairman to sign over his shares and takes control of PK Group, but Young-hoon returns to his side to block Seo Jong-gil and quietly plans to set things right. | 2018-07-31 | Aired | 6.0% |
| 33 | There's No Need to Hide Anymore The android reveals what he is at a company meeting and wins the room over with his plans for M-City, leaving Nam Shin feeling betrayed by everyone. | 2018-08-06 | Aired | 5.0% |
| 34 | Mom Will Handle This So-bong plans a surprise birthday for the android, Nam Shin finds the kill switch and tries to destroy him, and Seo Jong-gil follows them to a construction site. | 2018-08-06 | Aired | 5.3% |
| 35 | Charged With Murder Framed for Oh Ro-ra's murder, the android goes into hiding with So-bong, Nam Shin mourns his mother, and Ye-na starts to suspect her father. | 2018-08-07 | Aired | 6.5% |
| 36 | My Robot Learning the kill switch has been reactivated, the android insists on saving Nam Shin anyway, as everyone searches for both of them and Seo Jong-gil refuses to give up. | 2018-08-07 | Aired | 7.8% |
Soundtrack
Starting the player loads Spotify, which sets its own cookies.
| Track | Artist |
|---|---|
| Is This Love? (사랑인걸까?), Part 1 | VIXX, released 4 June 2018 |
| LOVE, Part 2 | Lyn and Hanhae, released 12 June 2018 |
| Who Are You? (너, 누구니?), Part 3 | Red Haired Anne, released 25 June 2018 |
| Heart, Part 4 | 2BiC, released 3 July 2018 |
| Tell Me (말해줘요), Part 5 | Kim Na-young, released 9 July 2018 |
| For The First Time, Part 6 | GB9, released 16 July 2018 |
| In Your Eyes (눈을 맞추면), Part 7 | Yongzoo and Yezi, released 23 July 2018 |
| Why Do We, Part 8 | DMEANOR, released 30 July 2018 |
| You Are My Love, Part 9 | Seo Kang Joon, released 7 August 2018 |
Awards
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 32nd KBS Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama | Seo Kang Joon | Won |
| 2018 | 32nd KBS Drama Awards | Best Couple Award | Seo Kang Joon and Gong Seung-yeon | Won |
| 2018 | 32nd KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Kim Won-hae | Won |
| 2018 | 32nd KBS Drama Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Kim Hyun-sook | Won |
| 2018 | 11th Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Seo Kang Joon | Nominated |
Frequently asked questions
What is Are You Human Too about?
An AI researcher who lost custody of her son twenty years ago has spent that time building androids in his image. When the real Nam Shin, now heir to a conglomerate, is put into a coma by a staged accident, the android is sent to Seoul to take his place and hold the succession open. His bodyguard works out within days that her client is not what he appears to be.
Who is in the Are You Human Too cast?
Seo Kang Joon plays both Nam Shin and the android Nam Shin III. Gong Seung-yeon plays the bodyguard Kang So-bong, Lee Joon-hyuk plays Ji Young-hoon, Kim Sung-ryung plays the researcher Oh Ro-ra, Yu Oh-seong plays Seo Jong-gil and Park Yeong-gyu plays chairman Nam Gun-ho.
How many episodes does Are You Human Too have?
It depends which count you use, and both are right. It was edited as 18 episodes and broadcast as 36, because KBS split each one into two halves and aired both back to back. KBS's own numbering, and every listing derived from it, goes to 36.
Does Seo Kang Joon play two roles in Are You Human Too?
Yes. He plays the human heir and the android built to look like him, and the two share scenes. He described the android as having a newborn's plainness and the human as worn down with warmth still underneath.
How does Are You Human Too end?
The finale aired on 7 August 2018 and drew 7.8%, the second-highest rating of the run. It resolves the succession plot and brings Nam Shin III and Kang So-bong back together.
Where was Are You Human Too filmed?
Seoul, and Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic for the European sequences where Oh Ro-ra and the android have been living. Karlovy Vary is the only Czech location named in any source.
Did Are You Human Too win any awards?
Yes. Seo Kang Joon won Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama at the 32nd KBS Drama Awards on 31 December 2018, and shared the Best Couple Award with Gong Seung-yeon. Kim Won-hae and Kim Hyun-sook won the supporting acting awards. He was also nominated at the 11th Korea Drama Awards and did not win.
Where can I watch Are You Human Too?
Free with ads on Rakuten Viki, and by subscription on Kocowa, OnDemandKorea and Apple TV channels in the United States. Netflix availability varies by region and is not confirmed.
Is Are You Human Too based on a webtoon or a novel?
Neither. Jo Jung-joo wrote it as an original screenplay, and no Wikipedia article, Wikidata record or TMDB entry lists a webtoon, manga or novel behind it.
Is there a season 2 of Are You Human Too?
No. One season, and no sequel, spin-off or remake has been announced.
What do reviews say about Are You Human Too?
Fan reviews single out Seo Kang Joon's double performance as the strongest part of the drama: The Fangirl Verdict called his acting chops a surprise, and Korean Lass gave the show 4.7 out of 5 for how cleanly he kept the human and the android apart. Both reviews also name the same weak spot, that Kang So-bong is given less to do once the story turns toward the succession fight in its second half.
Is there an OST for Are You Human Too?
Yes, nine parts released across the run. VIXX opened it with Is This Love? on 4 June 2018, and Seo Kang Joon closed it by singing the ninth track, You Are My Love, released on 7 August 2018, the day the finale aired.
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