Kdrama producers occasionally make dramas in multiple seasons, the trend of which have been increasing ever since Netflix has taken over more drama productions in the past few years. Some of them are gems, the others remain mediocre or fail to meet the expectations and leave a lot to be desired given the bar set up from the first season. Can’t say the same with this series because Yumi’s Cells season 2 (2022) eats up perfectly as wholesome as the first season does to its viewers, especially to myself. Every tiny detail of Yumi’s cells has been nothing but a perfectly-melted ice cream cake in my mouth that I keep craving for more.
YUMI’S CELLS SEASON 2 / 유미의 세포들 시즌 2 (2022)
After her devastating breakup with Gu Ung (Ahn Bo Hyun) in the first season, Kim Yumi (Kim Go Eun) tried her best to pull herself together and recover from the painful attachment she used to have with him. Inside her are Reason, Emotion, Hunger, Love, Writer and many other cells that stand shoulder-to-shoulder to mend up Yumi’s deep wounds. On her way of healing her heart, Yoo Babi (Park Jin Young) came approaching and confessed his feelings. All progression occurred naturally until Yumi eventually decided to turn on her Love cell again for Babi. It will finally work out as an endgame couple until the end, won’t it? Regardless, this is the era when Yumi eventually listened to her cells and became somebody she used to dream of, a true writer. It’s a bumpy yet meaningful road to discovering herself and beyond.
INITIAL IMPRESION
Kim Yumi (Kim Go Eun) returns with her self-consciousness in getting through her day by day. With a different partner, there comes a different facet of Yumi’s personality that didn’t show up when she was together with Gu Ung. That being said, Yumi has matured herself a bit once she got over the growing pain because she no longer wants to remain helpless in the relationship. All conflicts aside, it feels reassuring to watch over Yumi’s self-development as she begins putting herself over anything else.
Kim Go Eun has always been so flawless in reenacting whatever emotions assigned to her. From Yumi’s heart-broken mess to any slightest altering emotion until she gets romantically-infatuated, Kim Go Eun never fails to deliver. She ensures the viewers that different partners bring out different facades of personality in someone.
Yoo Babi (Park Jin Young) is still a character that can hardly be deciphered because he doesn’t emote much or tries to be as subtle as possible despite being a meticulous observer. He somehow gives off the vibe of people-pleasing trait who wants to be nice to everyone. Nonetheless, it’s crystal clear through his gleaming eyes that he has so much interest in Yumi as a person and develops romantic feelings for her.
It’s impossible not to be head over heels with a seemingly-green flag character like him, especially added with charming nuances that Park Jin Young sprinkled. It didn’t feel like watching an acting performance, but rather a documentary of somebody who quietly contemplates before making a move on a person he likes. I don’t think Yoo Babi’s character would have been rooted that much if it were reenacted by other actor instead of Jin Young.
Gu Ung (Ahn Bo Hyun) unexpectedly returns with a much better look given his short cut and another gloomier yet more humane guise of him he has never showed to Yumi in the previous season. There are signs of remorse and despair from his face for having screwed up his romance with Yumi, but there’s no turning back. Regardless, I guess many viewers are still loving him given his abundant screen time, myself included.
Ahn Bo Hyun’s appearance brings back nostalgic moments I felt when I first watched the drama, in a good way. His chemistry with Kim Go Eun still soars high as they reunited on-screen and since he had the relationship first before Babi, I personally considered Yumi-Ung chemistry as top-tier because of how real it seemed compared to Yumi-Babi pairing.
Yoo Da Eun (Shin Ye Eun) only appears as a cameo, but she did kindle another turning point in Yumi and Babi’s relationship even during a short time. As a newly-hired student intern in Jeju branch, Da Eun falls easily for the newly-appointed team leader, Yoo Babi.
Shin Ye Eun played the role of an innocent student quite decently by looking harmless but still causing distress to the viewers for the fire she had somehow ignited. This is not exactly a breakthrough role since she has done more projects prior, but I think she leaves a more memorable impression here compared to her role in other dramas I have ever watched.
Ahn Dae Young (Jun Suk Ho) is a chief editor from a publishing company who is interested in Yumi’s novel. It turns out that he used to have a crush on Yumi on college and didn’t expect to encounter her again after such a long time. Nonetheless, Dae Young wasn’t being in the way of Yumi’s love life and decided to back down after learning that Yumi is currently dating.
Albeit I have nothing to write about Jun Suk Ho, him looking desperate while acting out his dialogues indeed became one of the sources of comedic reliefs in the drama especially his cringeworthy but adorable cells.
STUFFS THAT I LIKED
Still, lovable cells
I really love all those tiny cells altogether and the consistency of their traits, especially when they are on severe cloud nine. It’s fascinating to listen to what each of them has to say when it comes to nourishing Yumi’s love life and self-growth. Here we could also discover a glimpse of Babi’s cells and even the revelations of Ung’s cells.
Reason said, “We misunderstood things and had the courage for nothing” but there really should be courage for everything, even if success isn’t guaranteed
I’m pretty sure this statement comes from plentiful negative experiences that built a skeptical resistance, as told in the first season. All those failures has trampled on Yumi’s confidence and refrained her from pursuing anything. Though Babi’s positive affirmations, Yumi was ensured that she could do everything without being wary of what other people might think. [SPOILER ALERT] Babi definitely served as a catalyst to Yumi’s career breakthrough until she finally made it. It didn’t happen when she was with Ung given his realistic point of view, which wasn’t wrong at all, but didn’t allow any chance for Yumi to gather her courage for something she actually loves. [END OF SPOILERS]
Love cell
[SPOILER ALERT] After the abrupt breakup, Love cell went into a coma and became unconscious for some time. When she finally woke up again, the whole village kept pestering her to accept Babi as a new boyfriend even if she had yet to recover herself. She eventually gave in, but the suspicion remained if Babi was really in love or merely lonely after getting abandoned by his ex. [END OF SPOILERS] I do think it’s perfectly normal to fall by intuition and logical reasoning first before allowing love to penetrate in since often times, people get so blinded by love and begin ignoring red flags that should have been noticed.
EP9. And all the bad hunches ended up being true. After declaring her infatuation for Babi, Love cell began liking things she didn’t use to pay attention to because Babi likes it, and ignore things she used to dislike because it involves Babi. That’s how she eventually put a lot of pretenses just for the sake of saving the relationship. [SPOILER ALERT] Among Yumi’s dating rules is not tolerating a man who gets swayed by other women, but Babi did it. Love cell hindered other cells from turning their backs from Babi because she wanted to keep the relationship going, but she suddenly grew horns as her love subconsciously turned into boiled rage. But then Yumi visited the village for her. “Love, I know you’ve been working hard. But I don’t want to live being in a rage. I chose having been in a relationship and being in a relationship because I thought I would be happy. Who cares if I’m not dating? What I want is always the same. I just want to be happy.” [END OF SPOILERS] It made me cry so ugly, seriously. If the love you have been desperately holding on doesn’t bring happiness, you know it’s time to let go.
Naughty cell
The comedic relief offered by Naughty cell who can barely control his deep lust towards Babi is just too entertaining to miss out. Given the steamy make out scenes of Yumi and Babi, Naughty cell must have been over the moon.
Resurrected Writer cell
As a fellow aspiring writer, I myself could relate to Yumi’s journey to self-growth. [SPOILER ALERT] When Yumi was flipping through pages of her self-written novel when she was young, Reason cackled up so much and made fun of Writer cell for writing something so cheeky and cringeworthy in the past. Nonetheless, Emotion fiercely stood up for her saying that at the very least, writing used to make Yumi genuinely happy. Also, her sudden big decision of quitting corporate life to become a novel writer came to my surprise especially considering her being in her 30s and having no backup plan nor sufficient safety net. [END OF SPOILERS] While I’m glad that it turned out well for Yumi after her novel was about to be published, becoming a writer is surely not for everyone. I had the same dream but only the surface-level courage to actually act on it to become a full-time writer.
A little bit flashback with Gu Ung
Even if their relationship already reached the bottom line, different feelings might emerge when we encounter people from our past. Albeit I didn’t put this pairing in the Lovelines Alert section given the almost zero possibility of reuniting as partners, sometimes I do wonder what would they have been if only hesitation and pride didn’t come in the way. There was no ounce of hatred towards Ung’s character since I still believe that nobody would have been as unconditionally genuine to Yumi as him even though his own life was falling apart.
EP5. I feel a sense of nostalgia when the drama previewed the flashbacks of Yumi and Ung, not to mention the what-ifs that Ung imagined by himself. [SPOILER ALERT] If only Ung didn’t insist on moving out of Yumi’s house and had her misunderstood his intentions, would everything have been different? If only Ung let down of his pride a little bit and begged Yumi so that she didn’t ask to break up, would they still be together now? [END OF SPOILERS]
Ung’s prime cell was Pride, but it has made him miserable in many occasions instead of giving help. Love cell eventually decided to abandon Pride because holding onto it brought nothing but heartbreak. It was a hard nut to crack especially coming from a person as firm as Gu Ung, but it only accentuates his sincerity towards Yumi even more.
I could relate to Yumi’s bewilderment upon encountering people from your past out of the blue, especially the one that inflicted the deepest wounds inside your heart. It made all sense that the village turned somber after all cells were affected with past feelings and grief. Once she realized that Ung did a lot of white lies to avoid showing his dark side, Emotion was devastated and regretted, but it’s not like they could rewind the time to set things right.
EP11. [SPOILER ALERT] Gu Ung’s Love cell had been deeply wounded for years after their breakup and could barely recover after he learned that Yumi didn’t have a boyfriend, only to be shattered again after Yumi was dating Babi again. Love cell’s desperate weeping was so vivid that I really wanted Yumi to come back to somebody whose heart and mind revolve around her. [END OF SPOILERS] But then, Ung still respected her decision and didn’t cling onto Yumi any further. To Babi, he also said not to worry about meeting him since Yumi doesn’t get sway easily unlike someone else. Ouch, ouch.
At this rate, I’m just heartbroken for Gu Ung who keeps getting a cold shoulder from Yumi even after he earnestly made efforts and showed his utmost loyalty. As if Yumi declining his friendship offer wasn’t enough, there came Babi and his slick and condescending words towards him that left a bad taste in my mouth. Seriously, Gu Ung doesn’t deserve to be dragged on like this after all his genuine devotion. I really hope that the scriptwriter would just allow him encounter another girl whom he can pour his love and be happy. I personally don’t find his bragging in front of Yumi or Babi that appalling because it’s nothing but a defense mechanism to hold himself together after all the heartbreaks, and Pride cell is no longer as harmful as the previous season too.
“Do you know what I regret the most in my life? It’s when I couldn’t answer when you asked if I wanted to marry you. I thought I would have another chance after I earned some money. When I wondered what love was, I realized it was when I couldn’t control how I felt.” It’s a beautiful closure indeed, albeit a heart-wrenching one. Despite his shortcomings, Ung tried to resolve things until the end and steals the soft spot from everyone. The moments he spent with Yumi had been the time he had the least money, but was the happiest one.
STUFFS THAT IRKED ME
Hidden intentions of Babi’s cells
Park Jin Young is surely cute and charming and hot, but Yoo Babi is written as too one-dimensional as a character that makes it difficult for the viewers to relate to. Some people say that he looks empty and shady because nothing is ever revealed inside him, which explains why he is deemed too good to be true. It’s a huge red flag that his cells keep a lot of things hidden just for the sake of convenience. When his Love cell was confronted, he bluntly said, “There’s a limit to being truthful,” and proceeded to reconstruct the truth before speaking up. That time, I know that his only flaw is the most fatal one. Even if his aim was to save the relationship, what Babi did was unforgivable in the long run.
EP9. What happened between him and Da Eun was the final nail in the coffin. [SPOILER ALERT] His cells gradually learned about Da Eun at workplace and spent much time with her as they commuted together. Babi’s Love cell found her cute, which could be deciphered as burgeoning feelings towards her as she was filling in the empty space of his long-distance relationship with Yumi. After Da Eun confessed to him, his village was attacked with an earthquake because he wavered. When Yumi confronted him about it, Babi gaslighted Yumi and himself that it was nothing. [END OF SPOILERS] Different people have different boundaries but for Yumi, given her history of being cheated on, would never tolerate emotional cheating like that. The fact that Babi was swayed alone was enough to be the final straw before she called it off.
It would have been better if the drama showcased more insights of Babi’s inner cells so that we wouldn’t be left in the dark about what Babi was actually mulling over deep inside. Even after completing the last episode, Babi still seems like a cardboard character that turned up for Yumi instead of a human being with thoughts and conflictions. He is no different than Lee Ruby (Lee Yoo Bi) or Kang Yi Da (Mi Ram) that are written only as side characters without self-awareness or purpose. I have yet to read the webtoon, but it bugs me that a character is being hated on just because we know less about him compared to the others. This is mainly the issue with the scriptwriting instead of Park Jin Young’s acting.
Even the slightest suspicion kills a hardly-built trust
There are two red herrings that came in the way of Yumi-Babi relationship. In Yumi’s case, she crossed path with a senior she was unaware of and didn’t initiate anything with him except for work-related duties. Ahn Dae Young, after learning about Yumi’s relationship status, abruptly decided to put everything to an end and shut his Love cell. On the other hand, things went differently for Babi’s case.
The thing with Yoo Babi is that he doesn’t keep his boundaries strictly. When he was dating his ex, he put a lot of attention to Yumi as a mere co-worker. When Ruby was playfully hitting on him, he was just as friendly. When he was dating Yumi, he was also taking care of an intern just because they lived around the same neighborhood. In this case, no matter how nice you are, it’s difficult for people with trust issues to put up with you if you sprinkle your kindness literally everywhere, even without malicious intention. Also, it’s interesting that as indifferent as Gu Ung has been, it turned out that he also noticed Babi’s sweet treatment towards Yumi when she was still with him, which is no longer a bad hunch if even fellow guys can recognize.
It’s possible to find another person adorable and Babi wasn’t 100 percent in the wrong since he didn’t actually act on it. The main issue lies on his avoidance on problems. When Da Eun confessed, Babi decided to move to avoid temptation. When Yumi confronted him, Babi didn’t say anything to avoid further disputes. When Babi came back to ask for a second chance, both of them avoided deep talks about what should have been set right and were left with hidden fears and insecurities. When Babi was recovering from a car accident, he avoided Yumi’s calls so that she wouldn’t be burdened to take care of him. Avoiding conflicts just because you want to cater to the counterpart is a commendable thing, but it may turn sour in the long run because there are serious communication issues involved.
LOVELINES ALERT
Since this season mainly focuses on Yumi’s romantic development with Babi and nobody else, I didn’t put any subheading here. To my surprise, I ended up loving this couple as much as my excitement with Yumi and Ung in the previous season. Yumi’s character remains the same with her helter-skelter yet engaging cells inside her, and with her comes a different guy who fancies her in a different manner. Yoo Babi doesn’t mince his words and is being blatant in expressing his feelings, but is still perceptive enough to read the room and even the inner thoughts of people who he is interested with.
When Babi confessed to Yumi for the first time, there were lots of conflictions and bewilderment right there. Taking a step back, Yumi might have been garnering feelings for Babi before she even caught on it. Somebody on Reddit wrote a lengthy observation (thank you Zealousideal_Ddust456!) pointing out that Yumi’s Guard cell had been keeping an eye on Babi closely even from the first season, which might allude to something, because why else would you be so cautious about something or someone that doesn’t matter in the first place? He might somehow fit her ideal type, but she chose to turn a blind eye given her relationship with Gu Ung at that time. It’s a fascinating revelation that Guard cell was found to be the president of Yoo Babi’s fan club, and the fact that it was a private club foreshadowed a hidden interest that she tried hard to conceal from her other cells like Emotion and Reason.
Gu Ung’s Love cell didn’t manage to decode the 28-character password to Yumi’s heart and disguised himself as a cute frog to make an entrance, while Yoo Babi’s straightforward attempts had completely destroyed the gate and stole the likes of every single cell. His way of being forthright but still putting Yumi first and her convenience had taken over her heart.
Like the Anxious cell’s saying, she wishes that Babi is lacking in just one aspect, or else, how come a person be so perfect? [SPOILER ALERT] When Yumi was contemplating whether or not she should meet Ung on Christmas Eve, Babi adamantly let her go and trusted her without questioning. When Yumi was feeling down after failing her first writing competition, Babi came by to comfort her with the reassurance that not making it in the first try is a given, not really something to be disappointed about. [END OF SPOILERS] While it wasn’t a good sight that Yumi chose to step out for Ung when she was still with Babi, everything was well-resolved as Babi didn’t let jealousy overcame him and Yumi didn’t allow her heart to be swayed by Ung.
But then, there’s a point of limit to where happiness can soar. Babi could no longer brush things off with a smile to reassure Yumi now that the glass is already broken. [SPOILER ALERT] Babi was hoping if Yumi would trust him after learning about Da Eun’s confession just like how he trusted her when she went out to Gu Ung on Christmas Eve, but the train had left. Even if they reunited again, the feelings had altered and Yumi’s Love cell had departed. Her choice to get back with Babi might have been a momentarily impulsive decision. [END OF SPOILERS]
“The reason we broke up is not because Da Eun called Babi in the middle of the night, is also not because Babi still has Da Eun’s number in his contacts. It is because even though I saw that, I was calm. How could someone in love be so calm?“ The opposite of love isn’t hateㅡit’s indifference. Love cell wasn’t present even when Yumi was dating Babi again or bumped into Gu Ung by coincidence. It means that everything is over between them all.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Re-watching this drama sparkles the same fun as if I am encountering it for the first time. Following someone’s journey to navigate through herself amidst life chaos is an inspiration to learn from. Yumi’s strength to get through all the rejections and heartbreaks gets me a lot. Even though I am older, storms are still scary. But one thing is different. Now I no longer want to be swept away helplessly by the storm.
Once you start dating, you end up learning more about yourself than your partner. Whether it goes well or astray, there’s always something worth-remembering from every relationship we encounter. Yumi wouldn’t have become the person she is today if not for Babi’s supports and positive affirmations that guided her path.
It’s a meaningful discovery of Yumi’s better self that she didn’t even imagine she would have become. All those growths, good and bad, serve as the pathway to better upcoming opportunities and relationships. Even though a breakup is the end for love, I realized these days that a breakup does not mean the end to a connection to someone. At the end of the day, having romance doesn’t mean that you need to put yourself aside. Those failures made Yumi realize that she is supposed to be her number 1’s priority after all.
GRADE
9,8/10
The Scorching Heaven 