Television series
My Girlfriend is a Gumiho
A spoiled actor accidentally frees a nine-tailed fox trapped in a painting for five centuries. She gives him part of her life force to heal his injuries; he teaches her to navigate the human world. What begins as mutual obligation becomes genuine affection, tinged with the knowledge that their time together has a hard deadline. It's comedy and romance braided with real melancholy.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like a romance built from mismatched personalities, where a vain, scared young man slowly becomes a better person around a fox spirit who is far too sincere for him.
Skip it if you want a tight, fast-moving plot; sixteen episodes of hijinks and sulking can feel padded, and the tone swings between slapstick and melancholy in ways that may not suit everyone.
What it asks of you: Sixteen episodes of roughly seventy minutes each, the comedy runs light while the undertow builds slowly, so it rewards staying put rather than skimming.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Alchemy of Souls2022
A fantasy romance about a mage and a swordmaster bound by magic and circumstance, with the same blend of comedy, action, and genuine emotion. Fast-paced, gorgeously shot, and doesn't shy away from the stakes.
But Longer commitment at two seasons, and the second season loses some of the first's momentum. Also subtitled, which isn't for everyone.
Doom at Your Service2021
A woman accidentally summons a supernatural being and they're forced into close quarters. Mixes comedy and fantasy romance with real emotional weight, and the leads have tremendous chemistry that makes you believe the rush of falling in love.
But The plot gets messy in the back half and leans into melodrama harder than you might want. Some viewers find the pacing uneven.
Tale of the Nine Tailed2020
A nine-tailed fox in modern Seoul, dealing with his cursed past and a woman who's tangled up in it. Darker and more atmospheric than Gumiho, with stunning visuals and a mythology-heavy approach that rewards attention.
But It's genuinely eerie and sad at times. If you want lightness and comedy, this swings too far toward gothic fantasy. Also only one season, leaving questions unanswered.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from My Girlfriend is a Gumiho
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God2016
Both feature immortal beings counting down to their inevitable separation, and both frame that timer as the source of both comedy and genuine heartbreak. The Goblin just removes the rom-com safety net.
A goblin who's lived for centuries needs a human to pull the sword from his chest and end his curse. It's structured like Gumiho—immortal being bound to mortal, comedy and tragedy intertwined, a ticking clock—but plays it as operatic melodrama instead of rom-com. Astonishingly beautiful and genuinely moving.
But Very long at sixteen episodes, and it prioritizes atmosphere and sorrow over humor. The ending is designed to break you, not charm you. Not a watch if you need lightness.
More like this (6)
Abyss2019
A woman is resurrected by a grim reaper with a human face. It's got the supernatural-being-learning-humanity beat, plus a genuine mystery woven through that keeps you guessing. The chemistry between leads is electric.
But Darker and more violent than Gumiho, with body horror elements. Also takes itself seriously in ways that might feel heavy if you came for a lighter watch.
Extraordinary You2019
A girl discovers she's a side character in a webtoon and teams up with a mysterious boy to rewrite her story. Playful, inventive, and genuinely funny, with that same sense of two people against the world.
But The webtoon conceit feels gimmicky to some, and the plot gets tangled by the end. Not as emotionally resonant as it wants to be.
Crash Landing on You2019
A South Korean heiress falls into North Korea and hides out with a military officer. Hilarious, charming, and genuinely romantic, with excellent supporting characters. Somehow manages to be light and weightier at once.
But The geopolitical backdrop may feel tone-deaf depending on your viewpoint. At ten episodes, it's longer than Gumiho, and some find the latter half saccharine.
Bulgasal: Immortal Souls2021
A cursed immortal and a woman with mysterious powers are drawn together across lifetimes. Darker and more mythologically ambitious than Gumiho, with stunning cinematography and a premise that justifies the couple's intensity.
But Genuinely bleak and violent at times. The pacing is slow-burn to the point of glacial; if you want quicker gratification, frustration sets in.
A Whisker Away2020
Both explore what happens when someone uses magic to cross a boundary they shouldn't—and the tenderness that grows anyway. Both ask whether love based on deception can become real.
A girl uses a magical mask to transform into a white cat and get close to her crush. It's a feature film, not a series, so it's two hours instead of an episodic commitment. Animated, visually inventive, and surprisingly poignant about identity and love and the gap between who we are and who we pretend to be.
But It's a children's film at heart, and if you're hoping for adult romance, you'll find it slight. The premise sounds whimsical in a way that might feel cloying rather than charming.
The Book of Clarence2024
Both turn on the question of whether performing goodness or love eventually becomes the thing itself—whether a lie told consistently becomes true.
Two con men pose as prophets in first-century Jerusalem. Tonal whiplash: it's a broad comedy about grift that keeps breaking into genuine moments of grace and faith. Wildly uneven, but when it lands, it lands hard. Nothing like what you'd expect from the premise.
But The tonal shifts are jarring and not always successful. It meanders, and some stretches feel indulgent. Not everyone will buy that a raunchy comedy can pivot into real sincerity.
