This review may contain spoilers
This show will make you want to tear your hair out
I tried, I really did. After finishing 14 episodes of the show I thought I should just finish it, but I couldn't. There was so much I didn't like about it.The plot: I was genuinely confused by it. Kang Mi Rae, the lead character, struggled with being bullied because of her appearance and dealt with mental health issues because of it. Most people would think that she would go to therapy to help with her depression and low self esteem. But what does she actually do? Get plastic surgery. This was a BIG red flag to me. Instead of promoting the idea that everyone is beautiful and deserves to love themselves just as they are, they show us that she was "flawed" and needed plastic surgery. Also, even after her plastic surgery, Kang Mi Rae continues to struggle with low self esteem and judges others on their appearance as well.
The acting: It was questionable. Their was absolutely no chemistry between the two leads and when they finally got together, I wasn't happy at all. It felt like they were forced to work together in a group project. Super awkward.
The leads: As previously mentioned, the actors had no chemistry. But to make things worse, their characters had the personality of a rock. Do Kyung-seok showed absolutely no emotions whatsoever and Kang Mi Rae was unlikeable at best. It was difficult to watch two people with no personality or chemistry get together. In fact, I believe the only reason they got together was because they were both attractive. That's it.
Overall: I wouldn't recommend watching this unless you want something to help you fall asleep because it is beyond boring.
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Bad story with worst acting
The story is so bad that just happens to be accompanied by the worst acting ever. this my opinion only and let be quick by just pointing at the ML is a stone that can talk. and for FL I think she portrayed the vision that the director wanted but it didn't help the show. The plot line is weak, I understand beauty gives social status inside circles of school and college but to be the most important thing I don't see how that works. For the ML he is supposed to be stone cold striped of emotion but he is not trying it look like a robot even when smells a candle there is no movement. I don't think a person can mess up the smelling candle scene as he did.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Kim Kardashians butt
Story- The story centered around a girl who got plastic surgery without both parents approval because she thought she was not beautiful. First of all, they wouldńt even show her actual face before the surgery so the watchers have nothing to conclude other than the fact she got plastic surgery because she was bullied. Even when she does get the surgery she still gets bullied and is unhappy so then it´s just frustrating watching her be so unconfident about something she so confidently wanted. Her overall character was just her being sad throughout the whole show and not showing much growth. The personalities of both the characters may have been why the chemistry felt so bad or maybe even the dialogue, but either way the romance aspect was so bland, which made it so hard not to drop the show.Acting- The acting was not it, the producers should have checked the chemistry between the leads. Even with a bad dialogue or clashing personalities I should still at least feel something between the actors but I just did´nt.
Music- I honestly don´t rember the music, if I ever rewatch I´ll change my rating.
Rewatch value- Not rewatchable at all.
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This review may contain spoilers
Second Female Will Anger You Like No Other
It's been a long, long time since I've seen this show but the one thing I do remember is that the second female was absolutely, horrendously, evil. Now, I've never seen The Glory but I've heard it's pretty dark. This is probably not even close, as I heard that is physical, but she is definitely twisted.Kang Mi Rae (Im Soo Hyang) is really sweet and after seeing True Beauty I realize they are a bit similar in story line and characters. Not to mention Cha Eun Woo is in both, and in both he plays the main lead!
I don't think I'd watch this again because I was livid throughout most of this show and then even more livid at the fact that we the audience are meant to feel sorry for the bully.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Doesn't follow the typical easy drama format
(One minor spoiler regarding the couple)I'm surprised by just how good this drama was. I thought it would be on the same level of ridiculousness as True Beauty but it's actually very real, sensible, mature, and genuine.
The ML is not like the typical cold and jerkish MLs who only later become "good" guys who are really still jackasses who don't apologize for their mistakes. He is nice to who he wants to be nice to and isn't to others. Simple. The rest of his "coldness" is just his sarcastic and dry humor he naturally has. He also doesn't fall for the traps set by the opposing FL like so many other MLs do. Not once. In fact, he catches the lies very easily and isn't fooled by crying or anything. That was so refreshing to see!
The misunderstandings between him and the FL are very few and are resolved quickly. He doesn't generally assume she had bad intentions or believe what others tell him about her outright.
Sometimes I got a bit annoyed with the FL but I understood why she still struggled with confidence issues and standing up for herself. And though she grew slowly I was proud of her journey.
The message is also incredibly well executed. We can diet to lose weight and get plastic surgery to "fix" our face but that won't necessarily make us confident or make everyone leave us alone/treat us as normal. In fact, it can bring more attention to us than before and cause new issues we never considered.
And there is nothing wrong with wanting to be skinnier or getting plastic surgery, just like there is nothing wrong with Not wanting to lose weight or Not getting plastic surgery. But understand that it won't make life perfect. It won't "fix" you. Your mindset is the biggest problem. And while you may be struggling with just being okay with yourself it isn't okay to push your insecurities onto others by rating their faces or judging them based on their looks.
Just a side note: There wasn't a kiss until the second to last episode and I didn't find myself caring one bit. I didn't even realize it until I finished the drama.
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The acting:
Probably my lowest score, yes there were supposed to be two socially awkward individuals but they were trying to hard! Cha eun woo looked stiff and the role did not suit him at all! He was only "handsome" which was reminded to us every single episode!
The girl's face did really suit the Gangnam beauty description but even her acting was rather dull. Terrible chemistry between them. From all the cast I actually like the sunbae second male lead. And the evil Soo Ah acted somewhat better on portraying a deceitful innocent girl.
Nevertheless they could have done better.
Story:
Good concept though, I enjoyed reading the webtoon last year and it followed a different approach to romance, dealing with serious issues like personality and physical appearances. Knowing how Korean culture is obsessed with "beauty", I did feel it was necessary to cover this topic. Although they still kinda dumbed it down, somehow they did the opposite! When she stated "she was ugly in the past" everyone just agreed. All accept her dad just constantly reminded her that now you are pretty (i.e. you were ugly). Not a great message to be honest, and in the end beauty still prevailed.
It felt rushed and unnecessary scenes at times, but it was the acting that ruined it.
Soundtrack was ok, not the best but nothing to complain about either
Rewatch value...?? Watching it once is enough, rather you won't miss out if you haven't watched it, I wouldn't personally watch it again.
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Possibly the worst kdrama I've ever seen
This show is terrible.1. The characters are all shallow and mean. I hate all of them, maybe not the best friend who likes to rap, she didn't seem bad, but everyone else is just plain terrible. There are a few others, but they are too small of characters to even give me relief from all the b.s. the main characters be pulling.
2. This is my main turn-off of the show: Why is the female lead TERRIFIED of the main lead?? I get being shy or nervous, but every time Cha Eunwoo walks near her, she looks physically uncomfortable, and it's incredibly hard to ship them. She literally looks at him as if he's some type of perv who's following her around. Whenever she sees him, she looks scared and I don't know if that's bad acting or what, but it's so uncomfortable. I like romance dramas for the romance and it just wasn't there.
3. They are not giving the mean girl what she truly deserves. It's like they trying to just write it off because she's poor and has an ed when she actually belongs in literary hell.
4. I tried to keep watching because I thought I saw something in the show, but there must have been something in my eyes because it was really just bad.
1000% do not recommend this show
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The acting is amazing and story too !
Could have been better if the have added some more scenes
Bcoz I am obessed with this one ....
Actually want a season 2 , and also before watching I haven't read the webtoon , but it is making me want to read the webtoon ... To those who are thinking of starting it , should hurry. ..
And get ready to fall in love with Cha Eun Woo
This is what I thought before watching this drama but now after completing it , I will say that I ended up falling for Im Soo Young ...
All the cast members are so adorable
And waiting for you guys !!!
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This review may contain spoilers
The beginning of the drama really fleshes out the underlining themes and points that this show is trying to emphasize. Therefore it is mostly driven by characters in the beginning which is not necessarily a bad thing. If you like dramas, that will give you small hints and develop them during the whole course of the series, this one is for you and it's done very well. The plot comes in a little later and it heavily involves the journeys of the characters. It actually almost reboots itself in the middle, mostly because one of the characters makes such an unexpected choice, that it changes the game. It also brings much humor to the series and keeps it on a light note until the end.
It's a character driven drama and I must say that it is written very solidly. Everything is well fleshed out, the characters develop the right way and the whole show is grounded in reality, sometimes in a bit of a scary way. It deals with very complicated themes that are familiar to you on a daily basis, especially if you are a woman. And it does it in a very respectful, yet real way.
The cast feels solid as well, they do justice to the characters. This drama also has plenty of side characters and there are some very capable actors in the bunch. The main antagonist is also done very well - you know that you should pity her, yet I found myself cursing at the screen at her... and a lot.
The music was fine, with some memorable tunes.
I liked it more that I expected and will think about a lot. It turned out to be a real gem for me.
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not it
While I truly appreciate the lessons this drama was trying to teach, the plot and acting are just not it. Maybe it's a me thing but everything moves SO SLOWLY. Like even the actors themselves speak slowly and the female lead's lines are seriously just made up of "oh what?" "oh" *shocked pikachiu face* *acts blur* *dont know what the hell is going on when its right there* *innocent doe eyes for every damn scene* and this seriously gets on my nerves so bad. Like I understand the character is meant to be really shy with low self-esteem but some things only require basic common sense.Plotwise it's really slow and draggy but I guess the beauty theme truly limits what the antagonist can do since she can only come up with petty tricks while the protagonist remains oblivious. Acting wise... I can't tell if they are doing it on purpose to be so slow and tsundere??? but definitely not the best there is out there.
However, this drama hit all the right spots regarding trashy men. It's like they handpicked the worst of men and put them in one space to disgust the rest of the population. Truly, I felt the anger the females had to endure with the douchebags remarks hurled at them by the male characters. They definitely got those scenes right because it infuriated me so much that I had to take a moment and then ponder about why society was built like this. How men never learn from their mistakes and think it's okay to treat women like objects while they remain superior. This is why I am thankful for the show because it definitely inculcated the right values and was going in the right direction. For people who are going to watch this drama, I truly hope it will teach you something valuable, for women know your worth and for men, respect women. For everyone, stop with this toxic beauty mindset, your physical appearance does not dictate your worth.
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Self realization
This drama was cute, sad and what is most important this show was for your own thoughts. You start think about how you look at other people. After watching this drama, you will realize how much damage can people make to others based on their looks.Also I don't get why people hate Eun Woo. I really enjoyed his acting and when I hear people talk about his expressions, I wonder, why they don't say this about Song Kang. Don't mind me wrong way, I love Song Kang, that is why I am mentioning him, because he mostly plays characters like this and nobody says anything.
This type of characters are always tricky and I understand that many people won't get it, so maybe next time turn it off and don't throw hate on actors.
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This review may contain spoilers
Before I get started, I want to address why I personally liked My ID Is Gangnam Beauty. This was a light drama overall, although it did have it's heavy moments. It's not the best I've ever watched, nor is it certainly the worst, but I don't believe it was meant to be a Korean drama of the year like Goblin, but more to stand up against the stigma around plastic surgery, and to show that no matter how you look, real beauty is always on the inside.STORY:
As I mentioned beforehand, this drama isn't heavy or dark or violent, but nor is it light and fluffy. I believe it somehow hangs in the balance of both. We see a lot of sweet interactions between Kang Mi Rae and Do Kyung Seok, as well as between Mi Rae and her family and friends. Throughout the drama, we watch as each character develops and becomes a better version of themselves. Kyung Seok learns how to be kinder towards others and not as antisocial, whilst Mi Rae battles against those who label her a Gangnam Beauty, and with the help of Kyung Seok and others, begins to 'live' again. In contrast, the darker tone of this series relies solely on the antagonist that is Hyun Soo A. There are many interactions between Soo A and Mi Rae, and as the series progresses, we instead see Soo A's character progression getting darker and darker, compared to the other characters, but somehow throughout all of this darkness that embodies her, Mi Rae and Kyung Seok always managed to bring some light. :)
ACTING/CAST: (MINOR SPOILERS)
Portraying a college student and acting alongside Cha Eun Woo, who is 7 years younger, is a feat in itself; and to keep the chemistry alive is an even bigger achievement. I had my doubts when Im Soo Hyang was casted as the role of Kang Mi Rae, but looking back, I have no idea why. The age gap is fairly significant, but boy, would you not know. The chemistry between the leading couple maintained all the way to it's finale, and each episode they had seemed easier and more comfortable. Im Soo Hyang expressed amazing emotions and cried when she needed to cry, laughed when she needed to laugh, and above all, she loved. The experiences Mi Rae had gone through broke my heart, and to see her still feeling like she was not good enough or beautiful enough even after getting a face she had always desired, was the saddest thing I have seen. Though, my heart was soon mended as I witnessed her growth from a shy, insecure girl to a confident woman who stood up for herself and made justice.
However, Mi Rae couldn't have done it alone. Throughout her side was the only one that had ever seen her for her true beauty, Do Kyung Seok, acted by Cha Eun Woo (who is so handsome *drool*). There was no single moment where I didn't swoon over his good looks, manly brooding and occasional smiles that could melt a heart. However, sometimes I felt there was no emotion there, but as I delved deeper, I begun to realize it was all part of his character development. Although I felt uncomfortable at times with his lack of emotion and occasionally, acting that fell flat, I cannot mistake his relationship with Mi Rae. One thing I loved the most about Kyung Seok was his ability to realize who people really were beyond the facade they wore. This was the exact description of Hyun Soo A, and his interactions with her were the best thing witnessed. Kyung Seok was blunt, unyielding in his love and proved time and time again, that there was more to the character than a stern (but handsome) face.
And finally, Jo Woo Ri. I could applaud the acting of her time and time again. She portrayed the character of Hyun Soo A perfectly, even to the point we all hated her face. But, as I like to remind myself, the actor is different to the character. And a good thing that is too, for Hyun Soo A was a pretty girl with an ugly personality. She manipulated people and felt a strong desire to be seen, as shown through her endless clinging to Do Kyung Seok, even with the knowledge her only had eyes for Mi Rae. Although we found out that this stemmed from a traumatic childhood and a lack of parental care, nothing could excuse how she treated Kang Mi Rae and the people around her. Only towards the final few episodes of Gangnam Beauty, did my opinion slowly begin to turn. I felt a pity for her, which intensified in the semi final and final episode, where she repented for her actions and seemingly changed. Again, I applaud Jo Woo Ri for her superb acting of Hyun Soo A, who was so brilliant to the point that netizens and k-drama lovers hated the character.
MUSIC:
To be fair, I don't have much to comment on this as I wasn't truly invested in the music with this kdrama as I have been in past dramas (note: Descendants of the Sun). It was okay, but nothing special, and instead I focused on the characters themselves.
REWATCH VALUE:
I can imagine myself rewatching this sometime in the future, if I have nothing else to watch. I certainly would go back just to see the developing relationship between Mi Rae and Kyung Seok, to see Mi Rae grow in confidence, and also for Cha Eun Woo's handsome face (which I have probably mentioned 3 times now). Although I would rewatch this drama, it wouldn't be in the top number to rewatch, but maybe when I feel an urge to watch it, or a boredom I cannot alleviate.
OVERALL:
I'll keep this short as I've already made this review too long. The relationships between the main characters drew me in and made me fall in love with them all over again. From their middle school encounters to meeting again, to going through many tribulations and hardships to reach the happy place they are now, I have found all a priviledge to watch. This drama was one of the few that I could relate to; through my life, I have always struggled with my appearance and anxiety regarding it, and to see Mi Rae experiencing similar hardships, made me feel less alone. I will forever thank the producers and the writer of the webtoon for creating such a masterpiece that fights against stigma and reminds others that we are all beautiful in our way.
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