I am not a robot

EPISODE 2: "Aji-3"

Min-kyu cautiously taps Aji-3’s side with his baton and once he’s satisfied that she’s a robot, he pulls off a glove. When Min-kyu extends his finger to touch Aji-3, her programming references the iconic greeting from E.T., and she touches his fingertip with hers. Min-kyu breaks contact and checks his wrist monitor, which displays a very safe blue.

Aji-3 explains that when fully charged, the battery in her chest lasts for three hours. She adds that she can touch and smell, among other functions, and encourages Min-kyu to make use of her functions.

Min-kyu reviews the contract with Baek-gyun, and when the lights dim, Baek-gyun explains that they were unable to secure additional funding and couldn’t pay their electric bills. Thus they’ve been forced to use power from a nearby factory that just went bankrupt. Min-kyu calls Baek-gyun a scammer of the science world, but Baek-gyun replies that Min-kyu is a gangster in finances. Touché.

When Min-kyu asks if there’s anything else he should know about Aji-3, Baek-gyun asks Aji-3 to identify his emotion as he scowls. When she identifies anger, Baek-gyun explains that Aji-3 can read facial expressions and interpret emotions.

Baek-gyun explains that Aji-3 needs a month of intense learning to adjust to a person. Min-kyu wants her sent to his house the next day so that he can check her skills for himself before he decides on additional funding.

The CEO of KM Financial, HWANG YOO-CHUL (Kang Ki-young), is greeted warmly as he begins a meeting and asks how the contract finalization is going. Yoo-chul encourages his team to hit a home run this time, and earns a round of applause.

From his car, Min-kyu calls one of his subordinates, a team manager at KM Financial, to let him know that he’s on his way to join the meeting. The team manager notifies security and a red alert sets off a flurry of activity as the parking garage is emptied, along with the lobby and hallways, ensuring that no one is in sight when Min-kyu pulls in. He doesn’t encounter a single soul until one unfortunate man wanders out of a bathroom wearing earbuds, who quickly turns tail.

Min-kyu joins the meeting room and asks them to continue. Everyone’s mood grows noticeably tenser to have the big boss join them so suddenly. They wrap up the meeting regarding the sale of Daeyang Shipbuilding.

But then, Min-kyu raises his hand to ask, “What does Daeyang Shipbuilding’s team research?” CEO Yoo-chul clenches his jaw in dismay while his employee replies that they research shipbuilding technology. That, of course, is a far cry from Baek-gyun’s introductory video for Aji-3.

Then Min-kyu asks about Santa Maria Team’s results, and the employee replies that there have been no results so far. Thinking of Aji-3, Min-kyu says pointedly that the employee will have to take responsibility for those words.

In the company lobby, Min-kyu’s subordinate, Team Manager Jo, is approached by the head of the Social Contribution Team, who introduces himself as the brain of the company for the past twenty years.

Team Manager Jo has only been at the company a month as part of the research department, and the older man sympathizes that Jo must have it rough working under Min-kyu. He offers to help Team Manager Jo switch loyalties, explaining that the two top men in the company are friends and rivals, CEO Yoo-chul and Chairman Min-kyu.

Alone in the conference room, Yoo-chul reminds Min-kyu that Daeyang Shipbuilding is his responsibility. Min-kyu points out that he’s the chairman of the board of directors because he’s responsible for seventy percent of the company’s profits.

Yoo-chul asks Min-kyu if there’s something else he wants to say. Min-kyu says perhaps later, suggesting that they maintain the status quo till then. He leaves behind a very aggravated Yoo-chul.