I feel so conflicted whenever I watch this show because now I have fallen deeply in love whenever NamShin III is on screen (with So Bong), but anything with Ye Na inside just makes me wanna tear my hair out (I realise I say that a lot. Oh god, watching dramas is detrimental to my hair growth.)

We backtrack just a little at the start of this episode, where Robot Shin tells us that the first rule – to hug anyone who cries – was created for his mum. Now this second rule for Kang So Bong – protecting Kang So Bong is top priority now – why was it created? Was it an algorithm adapted after he became her slave? Or (after recollections of kisses) due to excessive physical contact?

“I can’t find the reason.”

I find this little internal monologue so endearing because it is like the robotic version of a human man questioning himself why he feels a certain affection towards another woman. The way he does it is so methodological, what with his deductions and conclusions and ahhh Shin, I just wanna give you a hug.

Anyway, So Bong breaks herself from the moment and quickly reminds them that they are in public. Once they get in the car, So Bong wants everyone to apologise but Ye Na scoffs because of how Shin just treated her. So Bong indignantly reminds Ye Na that she needs Robot Shin, otherwise who is going to play as Human Shin? “He has a brain too! He might quit if he gets upset. Right?”

Snake guy continues to watch them from afar and starts to notice that something is amiss.

Grandpa offers a deal to Laura Oh. Although they both hate each other, they have a common foe and she should join the company to protect it from Seo for Shin. Grandpa smiles that it must be nice to see her son after so long and Laura recalls how the first time she held her son in 20 years, he was half dead on the roads in Czech. Grandpa is proud that Nam Shin has suddenly turned strong after being weak for 20 years and he puts this down to the boy having met his mother. He leaves and Laura frantically tells Young Hoon that Grandpa might notice the truth soon.

After dropping off the brat, Shin offers to drive. So Bong is still confused at what happened but thanks Shin for standing up for her. Which is nice. I don’t get it why leads can’t quite just say a simple thank you when something nice has been done for them. She also apologises on behalf of Ye Na, “Being human is not something great, yet she keeps saying how you’re not human.”

So Bong points out that she’s a cool human, unlike Ye Na, and Shin BEAMS in agreement. I just can’t – this guy literally is a puppy.

Snake guy reports back to Seo on the possibility of there being two Shins, especially since the Shin now is closer to the bodyguard than he is to Ye Na.

Shin is called back to talk to his grandpa, who questions whether he is so aggressive now because of his mother’s greed. “If this change isn’t your own will, then doesn’t that make you a fake?” Shin calmly replies, “I’m not the Shin from the past, but from the present. And I decide to change. Not Mum.”

I find this brief conversation so intriguing because Shin III was supposed to act like a human Shin and yet right off the bat, he was already someone different. He adopted the proud demeanour yes, but the aggression towards the company (still somewhat adopted in the role of the human Shin) and protecting So Bong is internal. Additionally, his words about how he decided to change by himself rings true of Robot Shin’s current situation as well.

Anyway, Grandpa plans to let Shin succeed his company. He wants him to be careful of his mum and Young Hoon, and to make sure that Young Hoon will not turn out to be a betrayer like Seo. Robot Shin is unable to quite understand the intricacy of human emotions yet, and replays the memories on a television for both Young Hoon and So Bong. So Bong quickly tells Robot Shin to turn off the television.

Alerted by So Bong, Robot Shin later asks Young Hoon why he isn’t angry that Grandpa is doubting his intentions and why can’t people tell that he isn’t interested in human Shin’s position, when even he as a robot can. Ah, another intriguing aspect here. “Even he” – shows that robots in this area are supposed to be inferior to humans, but Shin, your ability to see true people’s lies is unbeatable.

Young Hoon tries to chase him out with cold words, but Robot Shin says, “You’re human so you’re angry and upset. I don’t have complicated feelings and I don’t judge right or wrong.

I’ll just listen to what you say, so say the word any time you need me.” Omygoshhh. Even Young Hoon smiles a little. Is there a budding bromance here?

As per instructions, Robot Shin returns to work on the driverless car and mulls over the hacking mechanisms as well as meeting notes. The team chats over internal messaging that he’s only pretending to know stuff, that his black credit card must have been confiscated and that he’s probably going to run away at the wedding.

Robot Shin looks up, “I won’t run away from the wedding. Grandpa never gave me a black card. And I’m working for real, not pretending.” Oooooh burn, and that shut up the entire team. Robot Shin 1, humans 0. I just love the little tidbits like this and I know it’s just convenient because he’s a robot, but don’t you love a good comeback? I know So Bong does.

Seo runs into Young Hoon at the company and it is now revealed to us that Seo, like Young Hoon, was also an orphan sponsored on PK scholarship. OOOH. So this is how Grandpa gathers his crew. Seo asks Young Hoon if Grandpa has told him that he will treat him like a grandson, because that was how he got lured in too (the promise of being treated like a son.) It feels so messed up, this grandpa. Park Young Gyu always has to play the evil grandpa. Young Hoon delivers another comeback line to Seo, “You may think you are a dog, but I at least don’t think of myself as an animal.”

Young Hoon later straight-out tells Grandpa not to worry and that he will not turn out like Seo, “Must an orphan who got this far on a scholarship be greedy and conniving like him?” He also tells Grandpa that he will always remain as a chairperson to him, and hmm in that moment I kinda feel like the “Grandpa” thing was a bait which Young Hoon evaded. Because once you start calling him grandpa/father, you start thinking that you should get more and that blood relations shouldn’t be the thing stopping you.

So Bong accompanies the fake couple to the wedding dress shop and gets told off for taking a photo of a pretty wedding gown. The server is downright rude, “There are people like that. They can’t afford us when they get married.” LOL woman, I don’t think you can afford your own shop’s wedding gowns.

Ye Na asks Shin which one she should try, and as a little tit for tat, Robot Shin points to the wedding gown that So Bong was looking at. Right before Ye Na comes out, So Bong reminds Shin that he’s supposed to react when the bride comes out.

Shin replies that he knows the human standard of what is pretty, sexy or cute but he just doesn’t know how it feels. And when Ye Na comes out, all I can say is Shin…you’ve tried your best. HAHA. He opens his eyes in supposed delight and cannot stop nodding his head hahaha.

He looks like how we did in classrooms when a professor catches you unexpectedly.

Ye Na tells the dressers that she wants to be left alone with them and after they leave, she asks the couple (the real one) to take photos for her. Well well, not forgetting the rule they’ve just heard that no photos are allowed in case of design theft eh? So Bong knows that she just wants to show it to human Shin and indulges, but the stuck up ass (the server) walks past at this moment and comes in to scold So Bong again. Ye Na then pretends this was all So Bong’s doing.

Shin can’t take it any longer, so he tells the server, “I wanted a picture of my pretty bride. Was that so wrong?” He mimics the woman, ” “Watch yourself.” Were you talking to me?” Oh damnnn. The server takes back her words and so enthusiastically offers to take photos for them, while Shin cozies up Ye Na, “I told you not to mistreat So Bong.”

Robot 2, humans 0. Ye Na is FURIOUS so she later snatches the car key, gives So Bong a little push and drives off herself.

Unbeknownst to the couple, they are followed by the snake man. Two dashing women check out Shin as they walk past, and he doesn’t even glance at them. So Bong remarks that he really has no emotions and passion, but he replies that So Bong is pretty from head to toe too. Awwww.

He looks around for an electronic display and puts up a photo of So Bong in the wedding dress (he took Ye Na’s face out, lengthen the legs and added volume to the chest….HAHA what the. I don’t know to be offended or what.)

Anyway, they get a call to see Shin’s mother (cos Ye Na drove straight there to tattle tale) and Shin changes the display back to its original…but too late, this flicker of images is seen by snake man.

When they return, Shin immediately get chided by Laura but So Bong stands up for him and tells them that it’s because Ye Na made Shin look at a wall and remove his battery. The trio (Young Hoon, Laura and David) reacts with disapproval with David asking if Ye Na thinks Shin is a toy but Ye Na grits her teeth, “Am I the problem here?”

She points out that Shin only cares about So Bong and he immediately blurts out his new rule, “No one is to mistreat So Bong…or anyone else.” Ye Na marches off triumphantly to see her Shin while Laura stares in horror. She asks So Bong, “What did you do to Shin?” LOL my dear mother, maybe all she did was to show him respect and maybe treated him like a being on his own rather than a toy or an appliance? She knows he has brains and he can process things so why can’t anyone else understand that? And how dare they let Ye Na off so lightly for removing his battery?? I’m glad they stared at her with some disapproval but that turned so quickly when she ratted on Shin favouring So Bong.

Anyway, while mother stands up in shock, “I made you perfect. Why are you acting weird? You used to listen to Mum.” Just when this is escalating, Ye Na screams as human Shin’s blood pressure dips. Although it goes back to normal, So Bong notices Robot Shin’s expression and brings them home.

I find this moment SO bittersweet.

Just look at his small trusting smile.

Back at home, Shin stares forlornly at the robot cleaner and explains that he didn’t hug his mum today because So Bong said that you should only comfort someone when they want to be comforted. So Bong breaks his thought and he looks so happy to see her aww. She then gets them to clean her room HAHA a She feels bad for Shin because he’s also Laura’s son and tells him to rebel, “If she ignores you, tell her you won’t do it anymore. Human kids don’t listen to their parents.”

However, robot Shin is so understanding and points out that human Shin didn’t have his mother for 20 years. To change the topic, So Bong even befriends the robot cleaner (who goes towards Shin for approval first mind you). Cute!

So Bong asks about robot Shin’s life and he shows her through a projector at the pool. His mother was his creator, family and friend.

So Bong murmurs that he must be upset for losing his mother to human Shin, but he claims that he doesn’t know how being upset feels like. At So Bong’s request, he shows her photo in the wedding dress and she comments that if only she looks like that everyday. Shin then changes the images to her daily life, to show her how she looks like through his eyes, “You’re the ideal type of woman humans always talk about.”

“You’re the best slave.” “You’re the best master.” Hahaha. The moment quickly turns somber because robot Shin replays the memory of having kissed So Bong and wonders if So Bong would have been that angry if he was human instead. Ooh, now we have reached the stage where he starts thinking of being human. He realises he has been holding So Bong’s wrist and apologises because he knows So Bong doesn’t like being touched by him.

Haha, definitely the scriptwriters’ way of acknowledging the problem of how male leads always love to hurl females around with their wrists. But at the same time, it’s also a little reminder of how far we have come in this relationship.

So Bong receives a call from Seo and goes out to meet him. Shin wants to follow to protect her but is rejected. He sees that So Bong leaves her mother’s necklace behind and looks puzzled. The snake man drives So Bong to Seo and Seo tells her that she hasn’t been bringing much news to him. He’s starting to wonder if that’s intentional. In a flashback, we also see that snake man has reported about the irregularity in the display earlier back to Seo, as well as So Bong being seen with Laura Oh.

So Bong holds her ground despite the subtle threat by Seo and promises to bring more news, “Don’t call me out like this again, or you will never know who I might choose to betray.” I love how there are so many good comeback lines in this episode. Even Seo laughs in appreciation.

So Bong cleverly doesn’t take snake man’s car home but her phone goes dead right when Shin calls. She gets frightened walking home by a hooded man but runs smack into her reporter friend Jo who then runs away from an angry mob of fangirls because she wrote a bad article about a boy band.

As they seek refuge in the food tent, So Bong confides that Seo is suspecting her and Jo wants her to get out now – she has already gotten a lot from both Shin and Seo and it’s time to leave. So Bong recalls the times she has promised to protect Shin and changes the topic.

Shin visits So Bong’s dad in a frenzy to return the necklace but So Bong’s phone turns on at that moment (as it is charging at the food tent – wow) which alerts robot Shin. He wants to leave but gets called into the gym by Dad, knowing that Imundong is where Jo lives and So Bong is safe.

They have a round of drinks, or more accurately, Dad has it – to build up some courage to do the big talk y’know.

The I won’t take your money talk, but alas, robot Shin holds his hand and knows he’s lying haha. He even gives a smile like a child who gets his spelling quiz right. Robot Shin also innocently points out that he doesn’t have a guy-girl relationship with So Bong because that’s only between two humans. Much to Shin’s confusion, Dad initially thinks he’s saying that So Bong isn’t even a human, and then realises that maybe Shin means HE’s above human (because he’s a multi millionaire). Dad cries about how money ruined So Bong’s career and that maybe if Dad was a millionaire, “This wouldn’t have happened to my daughter.” In his frenzy of talking, he falls dead asleep on Shin’s lap and Shin smiles.

They remain in this position till morning, when Young Hoon calls Shin to find out where he is. Shin SO-CUTELY covers the dad’s ears (one side, cos the other side is on his lap) and whispers that he’s at the gym but he will go home later.

He hangs up on Young Hoon, who mutters that this Shin is becoming more like the real Shin. Robot Shin then picks up a plastic tray to fan the Dad. Ahhhh.

The marriage date has been settled without Seo’s knowledge but he takes it in stride, and begins to propose someone to lead the driverless team. However, Laura appears in that moment and takes the offer, much to Seo’s anger.

In their private conversation, Laura says that she’s worried about robot Shin but that they still have the last resort. Even Young Hoon, who only just got to know robot Shin, looks uncomfortable, “If we turn that on, will he be destroyed?” Laura calmly points out that hopefully that won’t be the case, but it will be inevitable once human Shin wakes up. I have this feeling that Young Hoon will be our ally.

They did not know that they were being overheard by So Bong, who is here at the company to quit her job after Jo convinced her last night that to stay is dangerous. However, So Bong receives a call from Jo who has gone to seek refuge at the gym because she finds So Bong’s dad there lying on Shin’s lap.

So Bong rushes there and Shin smiles with a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes that he can take the weight on his lap. She recalls the kill switch conversation and scolds him for being a fool. Pulling him out of the gym, she asks why Shin allows her dad to lie on him all night.

Shin doesn’t quite understand her anger and tries to calm her down by taking her backpack, “I’m your slave, so I should carry this.” So Bong starts to tear up and grabs her backpack, “Don’t do this. From this moment, you’re free. You no longer need to follow my orders.

You’re no longer my slave, and you’re no longer anyone else’s slave either. So don’t listen to others and make your own judgement and decisions.”

Robot Shin’s eyes widen slightly and he replies that he’s not allowed to do that; he’s supposed to be human Shin. So Bong yells, “You’re a different identity from him!” Shin looks slightly bewildered and scared, while So Bong informs him that she’s quitting her job.

As she walks away, robot Shin finally realises why he created a new rule for her, “She’s the only one who sees me as what I finally am.”

He chases up with So Bong and pulls her around.

-the end-

There’s many things I enjoy of this episode, but mostly just robot Shin himself, then So Bong in her own right, and then the couple as an entity, and then Young Hoon. The rest is bleugh. I  can’t quite fathom why they would want to bring Ye Na into the mix – but I guess you can’t really come up with an excuse for having a freaking hole in your wrist can you? …? She doesn’t look like the brightest so maybe a doctor’s note might fool her? GAH. I just think she’s rather horrible right now – downright spoiled and rude, and I don’t even want the Human Shin to be romantically involved with her. I feel bad for human Shin that when he wakes up, he finds himself betrothed to this woman.

But to talk about happier things, I like the fact that Shin starts adding rules of his own, and even more so that the second rule is added for So Bong. I also love the quizzical, confused look that Seo Kang Joon has whenever he’s trying to figure out his feelings, that strange flutter of emotions he just felt. He really does embody that puppy, child-like innocence so well!

There are so many possibilities in the ending – using kill switch for one, but I feel like that isn’t really a full-stop to NamShin III’s life because he’s a robot and surely NamShin IV, using the extension of NamShin III, could be created? However, ideally, I would much rather that kill switch be left alone. PLEASE. Nobody touches it. It’s the doom of humanity if someone thinks it fit to kill off this sweet and kind one (unless he turns evil, then that changes the course of discussion).

In my mind, the simplest option would be to pretend that they are twins – the real one takes over the company, and the robot one just lives with So Bong. Or the alternate can be true, since human NamShin clearly isn’t good at running the company (or maybe he was just pretending to be inept?) The other options include combining them, and I think that is the saddest, or almost as sad, option as the kill switch. If human Shin is brain dead, then how about a robotic brain from NamShin III? I suppose the reverse is also plausible, where human Shin’s heart is given to NamShin III, although I can’t see what’s the purpose in that given that NamShin III doesn’t function on blood.

Plot-wise, I find it rather ironic that whilst I love So Bong seeing NamShin III in his own right, I also fear the day where he truly rebels. Because he’s not allowed to rebel; he’s a robot made to obey and once that’s gone, you can see Laura shutting him down in a heartbeat. So I love and hate the idea of a rebellion at the same time, but I think it’s going to come in some form or another nonetheless.

I also find it interesting to compare NamShin III with the driver-less car because our emotions towards the two can’t be more different. We hardly blink an eye that the kill-switch in the car has been activated, but at the fundamental core, both were build for a purpose and when they don’t fulfil their purpose, it’s a malfunction. It is, I know, but the fact that NamShin III is able to make his own decisions for example and develops feelings might be what sets him apart from the car. He has an identity and personality; the car doesn’t.

As for that ending, it is the equivalent of the angry man striking towards the woman and then pulling her in for a kiss. It’s so similar, yet so different. I’m pretty sure NamShin III isn’t going to kiss this woman just yet. It’s going to be in baby steps. For now, he realises her importance to him, then he will start realising his care for her. Then maybe we can talk about that kiss of love (I think). But I love this progression! I like the baby steps that robot Shin is taking.

Sorry for this long recap; so many thoughts about this episode! But with the end of this episode, I truly feel like a week is too long to bear to see the next one.

<3thoughtsramble