My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018)

The first show that got me into Korean Dramas

My sister recommended this show to me and although I was a little skeptical about Korean dramas because of their infamous, and also incorrect title of being a cringe-fest, the show was far from it.

The story is a beautiful attempt at capturing the unrealistic beauty standards that women have to live up to and the impact it has had on them from a very young age. Cha Eun-Woo and Im Soo-Hyang have done an incredible job at bringing this issue on-screen.

In the first episode, the female lead Mi Rae is shown to be rating other women based on their looks and although this may sound extremely problematic at first, it's just her way of coping with her insecurities over her own facial beauty. Having been bullied all throughout her teenage years, she finally decides to get plastic surgery not because she hated how she looked but because of the way she was treated for it. Through the surgery, she wanted to enter college without the fear of being bullied and disliked which honestly was so heartbreaking to watch.

Although the show has been critiqued for its extremely toxic male side characters, it's the brutal reality of how men treat women and criticize them for their lack of physical "beauty". If I could change anything about the show it would be the slow-burn romance and also the general slow-moving plot. The two leads who are obviously made for each other end up together after a LONG and frustrating process.

𝙼𝙰𝙸𝙽 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂
Kang MI-Rae (played by Im Soo Hyang)
The female protagonist who suffered all her life due to her looks is an introvert who tends to keep to herself and finally before starting the new chapter that is her college, she succumbed to surgery to "fix" herself. Being great at chemistry, she's a natural at making perfumes however she struggles with an inferiority complex and fears what her new friends at college would think when they find out that the beauty that they praise her for isn't natural. Although she's soft-spoken she isn't hesitant when it comes to standing up for what's right.

Do Kyung-Seok (played by Cha Eun Woo)
Alright, another reason to watch this is Cha Eun Woo I mean need I say more? Do Kyung-Seok is the king of introverts and his Cheeky and straightforward behavior is just a front to hide his actual loneliness. Despite being socially awkward he feels comfortable around Mi Rae's company which is so cute if you're into the I hate everyone but you trope. Cha Eun Woo has been critiqued for his acting in the show however I think he carried the character with brilliance.

Yeon Woo-Young (played by Kwak Dong-Yeon)
Is a Kdrama even complete without the second lead's unrequited love? A selfless and relentless soul Woo-Young plays the loving senior in college who helps anyone in need and genuinely doesn't expect anything in return. Far from being pretentious, he is what every person would look for in their partner. His charming personality is to die for and no one better than Dong-yeon to play him.

Hyeon Soo-Ah (played by Jo Woo-Ri)
Jo Woo-Ri plays the typical pretentious antagonist. Soo-Ah considered the "prettiest of them all" in college, loves the attention she gets from men around her however her looks don't faze Kyung-Seok which annoys her and hence begins her journey of being the most hated antagonist on-screen. However, by the end of the show, it's understood why she has this weird complex of being liked by everyone. I've always felt if a person can make you hate them with all your heart on -creen it shows how big of an actor they are and Jo Woo-Ri showed her acting promise with her portrayal of Soo-Ah.

Overall the show is beautiful and is a Must watch especially for people struggling with their bodies and general appearance. The romance between the couple, although slow, is to die for and the side stories are extremely relatable as well. Although it will not have you hooked as I mentioned it's slow-paced, it's still worth your time.

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I liked the message behind this drama
Outside beauty is not everything
And you should love yourself the way you are
And never care about others opinions

I can appreciate what the FL went through but for some reason which I don't know why
I hated her character a lot which inorder affects her face in my eyes
I saw her very annoying specially with her stupid haircut which made her much older than the ML
There was a fine line between kindness and stupidity
And she was really stupid and caring tooooooooo much about others opinions and let others bulling her easily
She was very weak character for me

In the contrary I loved the ML character so much he was kind, cute, strong and calm character
He was so mean to every girl except the one he loved which was so amazing

Woo ri and hee joon were brilliant actors they made their role perfectly
But till the end I couldn't love any of them

I loved the emotions I felt in this drama really
But for me it was one time watching drama

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Oh my, I read so many bad reviews about this drama and was scared to watch it after that. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a shot because I was very curious about the show’s plot. And honestly? I don’t really agree with the people who say that the drama is bad. Frankly, I agree with one thing, and it’s that the acting of the leads was not the best and kind of irritating at times. However, the plot and the messages that this drama presented made the story a lot of fun for me overall. I could really sympathize with Kang Mi Rae in this drama, and all of her actions were justified and came from a place of insecurity. We see two girls, one who turned rotten because of how much she paid attention to looks, and one who became a total empathetic sweetheart because she doesn’t want other people to suffer like she once did. This contrast between the antagonists created a very interesting plot with a lot of “SHE SAID WHAT’ type of drama and barely any stupid breakup/jealousy drama, which I really enjoyed. This type of slice of life drama will always be my favorite: the mundane, day-to-day stories of people where we really get to know them and their wishes and aspirations. This drama discussed a very important issue, and while we didn’t get to see Kang Mi Rae entirely fall in love with her looks or completely stop judging others’ looks, we notice a positive change in her character. Anyhow, it would be quite unrealistic for her to magically get rid of all insecurities, and I’m glad the writers realized that Kang Mi Rae suddenly becoming super confident after years of internalizing the message that she’s a hideous orc is extremely unrealistic and just not how life works out (not that this drama is the most realistic thing, but still). I have to say that Hyun Soo Ah was one of my favorite villains in a kdrama ever, and I ended up really enjoying her on screen more than I probably should. I struggle with very similar issues as her and could empathize with a lot of her actions for that reason. Overall, I’d recommend this drama to anyone who’s willing to overlook slightly cringey acting, because the story that is told in this drama is one worth watching!

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I was actually discouraged by my friend to watch this, however, the trailer made it quite interesting so I gave it a shot.

The story is actually great and quite unique. It gave me a new perspective about plastic surgeries. It was quite insightful. I also the ending for both Mi Rae and Soo A.

Im Soo-hyang's acting is very moving, and I liked some of her outfit.

Cha Eun-woo is very handsome. He's good at being serious, but there are scenes that his acting is a bit off like when he is jealous.

Dohee, Park Yoo Na, & Seo Ji Hye are simple but still noticeably beautiful. There acting is also great.

Kwak Dong-yeon is very attractive and his acting is great. I was attracted to him in Lovers in the Moonlight as he was playing as an assasin who's very quiet. He's noticeable there, and so in this drama. His acting is really great that I almost want him to be the one Mi Rae would ended up. Also, all the girls that liked him are great.

Though some scenes are cliche and not so entertaining, and there are times, especially the last episodes, that I moved forward on the scenes, still I find this worth watching til the end.

#myidisgangnambeauty
#imsoohyang
#chaeunwoo
#dohee
#parkyoona
#seojihye
#kwakdongyeon
#kdrama
#kdramahookedbylady28

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I just finished watching the last episode on My ID is Gangnam Beauty and it was a great ending. The sad part is that it’s over,I want more. I love the romance, the mean girl, and the whole story behind everything. This drama is definitely 10/10. It had me screaming at the TV. Of course I can’t forget about the acting like Cha Eun Woo was so perfect for this role, Im Soo Hyang was perfect for this role too and I loved it, Jo Woo Ri ok her acting was perfect too not only did she play the mean girl, she made me hate her guts so bad I wanted to jump in the TV and slap her so many times. I have not seen a really good drama in awhile but this is definitely 10. I recommend everyone watch this. ????????????

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I have to say this drama is bold. It has gone where (in my short drama life anyway) no production has -society’s mostly unspoken yet almost always skin deep obsession of beauty. This drama has lots of potential but (please don’t hate me too much) sadly fell short in so many ways. It could have been so much better and I tried, I really did.

I LIKED the Plot- it is real, current and so relevant. I DISLIKED how it was developed- it was drawn out ever so slowly that it was painful at times. I understand some typical scenes are needed, the sweet fluffy romantic and even the ever present shower scene but, it was just way too forced that it was actually cringey. There were so many unnecessary repeat flashbacks that I feel they ran out of materials which is sad because there are so many layers they could have uncovered just with the story of Mi Rae alone - there really was no need for Soo Ah’s story....but I digress.

I LIKED the CEO MOM character the most and the artist who played the part. I felt her love and longing for her kids mostly just from her facial expression and body gestures that she didn’t really need too many words- I’d say that is pure talent. I LIKED TA WOO YOUNG, his line “real life begins when you move out” is so full of wisdom! I loved Dong Yeon in his other dramas and love him here as well. The same goes for the ever firecracker small but terrible Do Hee, loyal as always :)

I DISLIKED the acting of the main FL, I feel bad for saying this because I think she truly did her best but she ... just.. didn’t carried out Mi Rae’s character. I didn’t feel the connection, I didn’t feel her agony nor her desperation...it just felt soooo shallow...whew, there I said it! And my dear Eun Woo did his best as well, his brooding character always angry at the world which he did well but, again I didn’t feel connected. Needless to say that their relationship did not have the click factor for me so it was hard for me to cheer or stand up for their relationship.

The one good thing this drama showed me was at the very end (I really have to dig deep here to find it) when Mi Rae asked Soo Ah to look at herself, is she happy because she’s been pretty all her life? No different than what Mi Rae felt before (and even after) her surgery, In short, enough of deep skin beauty already! Let us find and embrace the real beauty instead, ones that actually matters.

I would not call this RomCom material neither would it be in my recommended list....but I am off to take a whiff of the Atelier Pomelo Paradis in Sephora... my olfactory senses are piqued!

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This is the first time I'm giving a review for a drama...
That's because I just couldn't tolerate the people saying things like.. "The dialogue delivery was too slow" or "The male lead was expressionless all along"
This review is for the readers who are getting influenced by those reviews n chose not to watch this drama, because if you read such reviews, you need to know that they did not understand the story at all!
STORY & CAST:
The story is about a girl Kang Mirae(Im Soo Hyang) who was bullied throughout her school life and goes under knife to make herself pretty before she enters the college. But unfortunately, she starts being called "gangnam beauty" (which means pretty all because of artificial things like surgeries and cosmetics). Her low self esteem makes her life even harder.
The male lead Do Kyung Seok(Cha Eun Woo) is a perfect guy who attracts all the attention because of his good looks, also being called "genius face".
Yet he has the scars of his past due to his family issues which makes him not care about his surroundings (in other words, he's a loner)
A pretty girl Hyun Soo Ah(Jo Woo Ri) who was born beautiful and craves for attention and has her own story behind her strange personality
A kind senior Woo Young (Kwak Dong Yeon) who lives working hard on his own and helps his juniors through their problems.

ACTING:
The female lead whose character is supposed to have low self esteem was carried too well by Im Soo Hyang..talking in a low voice, giving a blank expression when she is praised or asked about something that's good in her (coz she was never loved before). Our male lead who is a loner had to give very subtle expressions but still show what he's thinking! This job was excellently done by our Cha Eun Woo! The character of Hyun Soo Ah which no one mentions, is pretty hard to be carried out...coz she has to be very kind out in front of everyone and keep her true self to herself! She was good too..and the casting was just done too beautifully.
So I suggest everyone who reads this review to try watching at least the first episode..coz you'll watch the next episodes on your own, out of curiosity!
Hope this review was helpful...Enjoy watching MY ID IS GANGNAM BEAUTY

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NOT JUST YOUR TYPICAL YOUTH ORIENTED DRAMA

This drama talks about plastic surgery a very controversial social issue but turned out to be a very positive, light hearted, romantic drama with all the positive message of inner beauty, loving yourself, growing up, first love, forgiveness, loyalty and freindship. The drama explores what is truly mens to be beautiful and happy. That is loving yourself and giving the respect that you truly deserve.

Talking about the actors, they are well chosen and that they brought life to the story. I swear Cha Eun Woo is the perfect Do Kyung suk and Im So Hyang gave beauty to Kang Mi Rae. It is like fate that brought this two to lead the drama and they gave 100
% justice to their characters. Their acting are raw, pure and natural. They are so comfortable with each other and interact with much fluidity that resulted to an excellent chemistry on screen. The supporting actors are well casted too and that they made the whole drama more relatable and delivers one of the best youth oriented genre in the last decade.

The music used fits the whole drama. OSTs made watching more ligt hearted and easy to watch. CEWs rendition of one of the background with his angelic voice becomes all the more romantic and heartwarming.

This is probably one of the few dramas I would like to rewatch again and again. If you want to feel in love and relieve your college and first love, rewatching this is the best way to do it.

All in all, this is such a heartwarming, heartfluttering drama. Light, sweet, romantic with a lifetime lessons it provides.

10/10

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Well, first of all i have some question to all of readers, do you judge others based on their appearance if yes then why? We shouldn't interfere in others life without knowing anything about them it may hurt them in many ways...

I've read others opinion and most of them were saying that story is slow running well this isn't wrong either but don't you think being slow story contains "Detailing" i mean, presenting this much characters in every single point of them within 16 episodes, isn't it too good like DevilMan Crybaby Anime it has 10 episodes and absolute masterpiece..

Why i like this series?
- This story is too realistic as much in know about Korea beauty is everything there and maybe that's the reason that country has different benchmark from others and this story presents and directly indicating this is wrong to judge others by their faces because being beautiful isn't up to us we can't do anything about this..

Acting/Casting of the characters was quite amazing specially Mi Rae's, taking plastic surgery isn't wrong in anyways it's just our mentality has became like natural beauty is everything and it mustn't be altered well naturality has it's own status like Ms. Na's character presented, in short overall i like this series too much after all this is my first time watching K-Drama and it influenced me in many ways i used to watch Anime....

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think before u do

I want to write a review .. here it’s probably better not to criticize nationality because people are different everywhere, but I noticed a strange thing among koreans, from the position of a victim they always strive to forgive the offender ... wake up! Life has not yet taught u in all of history that if the offender does not suffer punishment, then evil, roughly speaking, will never stop! The fact that someone supposedly “forgives” someone will not make him/her better, he/she will look even more pitiful than before and will not learn to fight back!
In this case, it’s about Mirae and Sua, some kind of sadomasochism, honestly! Well, u don’t like the person, u’ve finally realized how bad he is, move away from him or take revenge, why continue to help!? What does Mirae expect that Sua will change and suddenly stop envying her? Sua had the same bad life only in a different direction, but it was her own fault that she programmed herself for the result she got! But it would be better if she had acid on her face.. then she would understand how bad Miras life was! Although this is relatively all, she is so stupid that she would hardly stop .. just like Mirae... Mirae has a boyfriend and she cares more about other people’s opinions than about him! So she directly insults him! She wants to be treated well, but she behaves badly towards those who treat her well! If I were GenSok, I wouldn’t date her at all or leave her...trauma is trauma, but don’t forget that there are people around u just like u and constantly reproaching other people’s feelings to please urself is not good...so I think this drama is great will teach those who doubt themselves how not to behave so as not to have what Mirae had, and people like Sua will understand that what they ridicule in others can happen to them too... although of course the strange korean mentality... this it’s not the culture, but the mentality, a little sick, not healthy... I can’t understand how this can be popular there... I’d like to hope that there are adequate people there too..

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