My Girlfriend Is the Man- Episodes 1-2

Things get weird fast and I'm all in!!!

We kick off Episode 1 with a moody, rain-soaked scene. A hooded figure steps into the quiet Jeongja coffee shop, suitcase in hand. Park Yunjae, the soft-spoken part-timer behind the counter, looks up and is floored when the mysterious guy pulls back his hood.

It’s Kim Jieun.
His girlfriend.
Except… she’s a he now.

Let’s rewind.

Yunjae is an astronomy nerd with a rigid, slightly neurotic streak. Jieun, his warm and happy girlfriend, adores him, despite his painfully detailed vacation itineraries and his 9 p.m. bedtime rules. The two are gearing up for a stargazing getaway in Suncheon, and on the surface, they’re a solid, loving couple. Jieun even gets the “lovers” card in a tarot reading from her sister, Jihye. Her bestie Yuri, sensing where the trip might be headed, hands over a condom with a wink. Everyone’s rooting for this couple to go all-in.

Meanwhile, Yunjae’s dad is lowkey praying for his son to “man up,” while Yunjae flexes by borrowing his boss’s sports car. Everything’s lined up for a romantic weekend.

Then Jieun wakes up in the body of a man.

Cue chaos. Jihye freaks out, mostly because her sister, in male form, is apparently hot. But the two confirm Jieun’s identity thanks to a shared family tattoo. Cue bathroom mishap, gender confusion, and a spiraling Jieun trying to figure out how to break this news to Yunjae without him calling the cops.

Yunjae, increasingly worried, tries to check in: bringing gifts, food, flowers, all the cute boyfriend things. Jieun hides. Until she can’t.

She finally shows up at the coffee shop. That’s where we circle back to the opening scene. Yunjae stares at the stranger claiming to be his girlfriend. When facts and memories don’t convince him, he reacts and not gently. The slap lands. Emotions explode. Jieun finally flashes the tattoo, and the family backstory about their mother possibly going through something similar surfaces. (Is it real? Or damage control? Who knows.)

Yunjae, understandably shaken, pulls back. The fear of losing each other hangs thick in the air. Their relationship has always felt like fate, from their cringey blind date to their starlit first kiss. They’ve built something rare.

Eventually, Yunjae decides to believe her or at least, support her. He teaches her how to shave (even though she has no facial hair), and their dynamic shifts again. There’s a weird tenderness, a flicker of unexpected tension. It’s not quite BL, but it’s walking the line.

The episode ends with the two of them trying to reconnect. Yunjae comes to her place, they pull out the so-called “cheat key” (we’re not even sure what that is yet), and just as things start heating up again, cut to black.

But wait, the epilogue reveals the real kicker: Yunjae knew. When Jieun pleaded with him outside his house not to break up, he recognized her. Deep down, despite everything, he still saw her.

Identity crises, near-kisses, and one very awkward sleepover

Episode 2 throws us straight into the lore: a flashback to Jieun and Jihye as kids, learning from their mom that their family carries a bizarre genetic “condition.” There’s a chance they might transform, from woman to man, one day. No big deal, right?

Flash forward to now. Jieun is in full male form, and Yunjae is still reeling. Just as they’re about to kiss, Yunjae slams the emotional brakes. He can’t go through with it. Not when he sees a stranger’s face staring back at him. They scramble to hide when Jihye enters the apartment, but she’s not fooled. She’s rooting for her sister to make things right, even if things are beyond weird.

Meanwhile, Jieun heads home and faces another hurdle: her own parents don’t recognize her. Her mom gives her a strange look, maybe a flicker of recognition, maybe just polite confusion. It's unclear. Jieun’s spiraling.

Then, a bombshell: Book Basket Publications calls, she got the job! Great news, if she didn’t look like an entirely different human. On top of that, a random talent scout drops a card and tells her she has “star power.” Apparently, Jieun's male form has heartthrob potential. She even picks up a few fangirls, high schoolers snap selfies like she’s already famous.

Over at the café, Yunjae is struggling too. His coworker Minhyeok takes an unexpected interest in “Jihun” (Jieun’s male alias), especially after getting a pic texted over. Yunjae, desperate and confused, asks Minhyeok to help him "practice" the cheat code. Whatever that means. Minhyeok, rightfully, is baffled. Possibly a little intrigued.

Jieun also realizes, too late, she’s missed Yuri’s birthday. She shows up that night to apologize, but Yuri is understandably weirded out by the attractive stranger on her doorstep. That is, until Jieun drops their super-secret friendship password: “penis fish.” Yup. That’s the keyword that’s kept their 15-year bond airtight. After passing a few more friendship tests, Yuri accepts the truth, her bestie’s now a man.

And then things get weird. Yuri starts touching Jieun, flirting shamelessly, even suggesting they date if Yunjae’s out of the picture. Jieun’s not into it, she’s still hopelessly missing Yunjae, who won’t return her texts or calls.

Yunjae can’t get past what he sees: a guy. Even though it’s still Jieun inside, the image messes with him. Still, he buys her a razor… which backfires hard when his sister Yuna meets Jieun and instantly catches feelings.

Enough is enough. Yunjae decides damage control is necessary. With help from a questionnaire Yuna designed, they craft a whole new identity for Jieun: “Kim Jihun.” Yuri steps in as coach, trying to give Jieun a crash course in seduction 101: suggestive glances, winks, soft touches. It’s a disaster. Jieun’s terrible at it.

In one last-ditch effort, she invites Yunjae to stay over. He refuses. Too much, too soon.

Enter Minhyeok. He swoops in and invites “Jihun” to a date instead. Yunjae finds out and stews in jealousy from afar. Minhyeok and Jieun actually get along, sharing encouragement and laughs. But when Jieun tries to use the men’s bathroom and gets flustered, she ends up drinking to cover the embarrassment… until she blacks out.

Yunjae, in full panic mode, rushes to Minhyeok’s place. Minhyeok answers the door, shirtless. Not helping. Meanwhile, Yuna back home finds the questionnaire and it’s not going to stay secret for long.

At Minhyeok’s, the drama diffuses a little. Nothing happened, Minhyeok swears. He even tells Yunjae that Jieun drunkenly kept whispering his name before passing out.

Then, a twist.

Morning arrives. Yunjae rolls over. And there she is, Jieun, back in her original body. Just like that.

Game on.

DramaZen's Opinion

Body swaps, romantic panic, and zero chill — I’m hooked.

Okay, I did not expect to be this obsessed, but the first two episodes of My Girlfriend Is the Man are pure chaos in the best way. Episode 1 hits the gas from the jump; rain, mystery, and then boom: the main guy’s girlfriend shows up in a man’s body. That reveal? Absolute gold. And Yunjae’s reaction? Equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious. You feel for him, but also... dude, try to keep up.

Episode 2 somehow takes it even further: family secrets, weird talent scouts, secret passwords like “penis fish” (yes, really), and Jieun trying to seduce her own boyfriend while looking like someone else. It shouldn’t work, but it totally does. The emotional beats hit hard, the comedy lands, and the tension? Perfection!

And that final moment in Ep 2? When she wakes up back in her original body? I screamed. If this show keeps this energy, I’m fully strapped in for the ride.