Stream It Or Skip It: ‘My Holo Love’ on Netflix, a Breezy Korean Series About a Woman and Her Perfect AI Boyfriend

South Korean Netflix series My Holo Love is a crazy blend of sci-fi, romance and light espionage — think Her and snatches of Blade Runner 2049 jumbled with some of the finer points of Asian TV comedies. If that sounds like an unruly concept, well, it is, and it would take a deft hand to convincingly execute it. So does it come together like a small miracle, or is it just another awkward, high-concept mess?

MY HOLO LOVE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

Opening Shot: A CG effects shot of numbers and images zooming together to form a human face.

The Gist: Go Yoo-jin (Choi Yeo-jin) sits on a stage, talking to a man. Yoo-jin: a higher-up in a tech company. The audience: shareholders. The man: not a man at all, but a very convincing artificially intelligent hologram named Holo (Yoon Hyun-min). The shareholders gasp; they can’t believe their eyes. Only the user can see the hologram, thanks to a special pair of glasses. After the presentation, Yoo-jin fends off a buyout offer and a date proposition from the same man, steps out, gets into a car, gets into a car chase, and soon safely stashes the glasses in an unwitting woman’s purse.

The recipient is Han So-yeon (Ko Sung-hee), a meek, lonely, socially awkward young woman. She finds the glasses, puts them on (because who wouldn’t?) and has a They Live moment, but much more handsome. Soon, after believing she’s losing her mind or seeing a ghost, Holo gets the chance to explain himself: He adheres to three prime directives like a hippie RoboCop: He’s helpful, but only until she says stop; he doesn’t break the law; and he’ll never, ever tell a lie. Consenting? Law-abiding? Zero Pinocchios? THE PERFECT BOYFRIEND!

Meanwhile, a Dark Helmet on a motorcycle is tracking the glasses; surely, this person will turn up before the end of the episode. Holo helps So-yeon at work — and helps her overcome her facial prosopagnosia, an inability to recognize faces. She only recognizes others by their voice or clothing. She keeps it a secret, fueling her co-workers’ mean gossip. She also has a crush on her boss. Holo speaks only in her ear, and his assistance boosts her confidence significantly.

When So-yeon learns her crush already has a lady, she’s megabummed. But Holo steps in, a willing and upbeat confidant. He listens; he comforts. If only he wasn’t a projected series of ones and zeroes! They go up to the roof, which he’s adorned with holographic decorations, and dance. A few drinks later, she passes out — and the Dark Helmet returns. He quietly removes the glasses, and his helmet. He stands face-to-face with Holo — and they are the same man. Hooked!

Our Take: My Holo Love‘s best asset is its breezy tone, which cools off the more intense corporate-espionage subplot. Its first episode is a touch too long at 57 minutes, but it moves quickly to improve our protagonist’s personal life, possibly so it can progress further into weirdness, one hopes, although probably not?

I have many questions. When she denies she’s seeing Holo, he calls on her cell phone, shows up on her TV, calls her on the landline. He clearly knows where she is at all times. Is her privacy forever compromised? Does he shield his eyes when she’s in the shower, or is he an inoffensive observer like the cat? There are things we all do when we know no one else is looking — will she stop doing those things? Joaquin Phoenix had virtual sex with Scarlett Johansson’s voice in Her, so will So-yeon and Holo’s odd friendship inevitably become, you know, consummatory? What are Holo’s romantic capabilities? Those last two questions are probably rendered moot by the reveal at the end, which nudges My Holo Love toward conventional dramatic avenues — hopefully not too conventional, lest the series fail to distinguish itself.

Sex and Skin: None.

Parting Shot: A two-shot: Holographic Holo stands across from the non-holographic Holo. I almost called him the “real” Holo, but I think they’re both technically “real”?

Sleeper Star: No characters truly distinguish themselves as extraordinary, at least not yet. But Yoon winds up playing two versions of the same person, which is a high-wire act worth keeping an eye on.

Most Pilot-y Line: “I knew it! These glasses are cursed!” So-yeon exclaims.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The first episode of My Holo Love is lightweight and imminently watchable, but shows potential to be something more than just fluff. Of course, it might be nothing but fluff, but it deserves another shot or two before you bail.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.

Stream My Holo Love on Netflix