''Gangnam Beauty'' () is a 2018
South Korean television series starring
Im Soo-hyang
Lim Soo-hyang (; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame playing leading roles in the television series '' New Tales of Gisaeng'' (2011) and ''Inspiring Generation'' (2014). After a series of supporting roles, she gained ...
,
Cha Eun-woo
Lee Dong-min (; born March 30, 1997), known professionally as Cha Eun-woo (), is a South Korean singer, actor, and model under the label Fantagio. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Astro.
Early life
Cha Eun-woo was born on March 30, ...
,
Jo Woo-ri
Jo Woo-ri (born March 29, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She starred in television series such as ''Medical Top Team'' (2013), '' Modern Farmer'' (2014), '' A Daughter Just Like You'' (2015), '' Descendants of the Sun'' (2016) and ''Gangnam ...
and
Kwak Dong-yeon
Kwak Dong-yeon (; born 19 March 1997), is a South Korean actor and musician. He made his acting debut in the television series ''My Husband Got a Family'' in 2012 for which he received Best Young Actor Award at the Korea Drama Awards. He then st ...
. Based on the
webtoon
Webtoons (), are a type of digital comic that originated in South Korea usually meant to be read on smartphones.
While webtoons were mostly unknown outside of Korea during their inception, there has been a surge in popularity internationally ...
of the same name published in 2016 by
Naver
Naver (Hangul: 네이버) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. It was launched in 1999 as the first web portal in South Korea to develop and use its own search engine. It was also the world's first operator to in ...
, it centers on the life of a college student who went under
cosmetic surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
to evade derision from her bullies, yet her decision seems to backfire as her peers ridicule her artificial look. The title of the webtoon and of the TV series alludes to the Korean word ''gangnammiin'' (''
Gangnam beauty''), a derogatory term in South Korea for people who are attractive but look as if they went through a number of plastic surgeries for a pretty face, a hot body or both.
The series aired on
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...
from July 27 to September 15, 2018, every Friday and Saturday at 23:00 (
KST). It garnered praise for its portrayal of issues affecting South Korean society, particularly on its superficial
beauty standards
Physical attractiveness is the degree to which a person's physical features are considered aesthetically pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but can also be distinct from either. There are many ...
and discrimination on the basis of physical appearance.
Synopsis
Kang Mi-rae (
Im Soo-hyang
Lim Soo-hyang (; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame playing leading roles in the television series '' New Tales of Gisaeng'' (2011) and ''Inspiring Generation'' (2014). After a series of supporting roles, she gained ...
) decides to get
plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
after years of being bullied because of her looks. Her "rebirth" seems successful at first, but as her life at the university unfolds, her plan starts to backfire. The pressure of being a "pretty girl" begins to get to her and, worse, those who can see through her surgery ridicule her and tag her as the "
Gangnam plastic surgery monster" and as Mi-rae's tries to recover her self-esteem as she gets to know her classmate, and former schoolmate in middle school, Do Kyung-seok (
Cha Eun-woo
Lee Dong-min (; born March 30, 1997), known professionally as Cha Eun-woo (), is a South Korean singer, actor, and model under the label Fantagio. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Astro.
Early life
Cha Eun-woo was born on March 30, ...
) who is quite cold but very affectionate towards his sister Do Kyung-hee (
Kim Ji-min).
Cast
Main
*
Im Soo-hyang
Lim Soo-hyang (; born April 19, 1990) is a South Korean actress. She rose to fame playing leading roles in the television series '' New Tales of Gisaeng'' (2011) and ''Inspiring Generation'' (2014). After a series of supporting roles, she gained ...
as Kang Mi-rae
**
Jeon Min-seo
Jeon Min-seo (born 20 May 2003) is a South Korean actress. She began her career as a child actress, notably in the television dramas ''Good Job, Good Job'' and ''Prime Minister & I
''Prime Minister & I'' () is a 2013 South Korean televisio ...
as young Kang Mi-rae
:A timid and insecure girl who has low self-esteem due to her "ugly" appearance. She desires to live a "normal" life and does not like standing out. After being bullied throughout her middle school and high school, she finally decides to undergo cosmetic surgery prior to starting college. As she enters the university, she starts to feel the pressure of being "beautiful" and "popular" among her peers. She aspires to be a
perfumer
A perfumer is an expert on creating perfume compositions, sometimes referred to affectionately as a ''nose'' (French: ''nez'') due to their fine sense of smell and skill in producing olfactory compositions. The perfumer is effectively an artist wh ...
. A student of Chemistry Department of
Korea University
Korea University (KU, ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea, established in 1905. The university is included as one of the SKY universities, a popular acronym referring to Korea's three most prestigious universities.
The ...
Class of 2018.
*
Cha Eun-woo
Lee Dong-min (; born March 30, 1997), known professionally as Cha Eun-woo (), is a South Korean singer, actor, and model under the label Fantagio. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Astro.
Early life
Cha Eun-woo was born on March 30, ...
as Do Kyung-seok
**
Shin Jun-seop as young Do Kyung-seok
** Moon Woo-jin as child Do Kyung-seok
:A handsome college student who possesses both intelligence and wealth, but secretly harbors emotional scars from his unhappy home environment. He is indifferent about what others think, thus appearing cold and distant; however, he does have a caring side within him. In particular, he does not care about beauty or physical appearances despite being praised for his good looks. A student of Chemistry Department of Korea University Class of 2018.
*
Jo Woo-ri
Jo Woo-ri (born March 29, 1992) is a South Korean actress. She starred in television series such as ''Medical Top Team'' (2013), '' Modern Farmer'' (2014), '' A Daughter Just Like You'' (2015), '' Descendants of the Sun'' (2016) and ''Gangnam ...
as Hyun Soo-ah
** Lee Chae-yun as young Hyun Soo-ah
:The most popular girl in the chemistry department for her extraordinary natural beauty. She appears pure and kind, but the underlying motives of her actions eventually prove otherwise. She craves attention and adoration, attempting to attain it (or, at times, steal it) with her gentle and innocent persona as she cannot accept the potential for anyone to love other girls more than they admire her. A student of Chemistry Department of Korea University Class of 2018.
*
Kwak Dong-yeon
Kwak Dong-yeon (; born 19 March 1997), is a South Korean actor and musician. He made his acting debut in the television series ''My Husband Got a Family'' in 2012 for which he received Best Young Actor Award at the Korea Drama Awards. He then st ...
as Yeon Woo-young
:A chemistry graduate and teaching assistant in the chemistry department. He is also Do Kyung-seok's housemate later on. He is popular among the students for his handsome appearance and also his friendly and polite persona. He falls for Kang Mi-rae for her looks but grows to love her personality as they both shares their expertise in perfumes.
Supporting
People around Kang Mi-rae
*
Woo Hyun
Woo Hyun (born 1964) is a South Korean actor, and former democracy activist.
Filmography Film
Television series
Variety show
References
External links
*
Living people
People from Gwangju
South Korean male television actors
So ...
as Kang Tae-sik
:Kang Mi-rae's father as well as taxi-driver. He is initially against Mi-rae's surgery, but later learns to accept all forms of her.
* Kim Sun-hwa as Na Eun-sim
:Kang Mi-rae's mother. An insurance planner. She assists Mi-rae in receiving cosmetic surgery without the knowledge of her father.
*
Min Do-hee
Min Do-hee (born September 25, 1994), professionally known as Dohee, is a South Korean actress and singer. She debuted in 2012 as a lead vocal of South Korean girl group Tiny-G. She made her acting debut in 2013 with tvN drama '' Reply 1994'' ...
as Oh Hyun-jung
:A Childhood friend of Kang Mi-rae. A first-year psychology student in Korea University who dreams of being a hip-hop musician. She has a crush on Yeon Woo-young.
People around Do Kyung-seok
*
Park Joo-mi
Park Joo-mi (born October 5, 1972) is a South Korean actress.
Career
Park made her entertainment debut as an Asiana Airlines model, then began acting in 1991, starring in television dramas such as ''Beautiful Seoul'' (1999) and ''Feels Good'' ...
as Na Hye-sung
:Do Kyung-seok's mother and CEO of a cosmetics company. Due to a divorce that resulted from an abusive marriage, she has been separated from her children for years, until she met her son again through Kang Mi-rae.
* Park Sung-geun as Do Sang-won
:Do Kyung-seok's father as well as a congressman running for mayor. A self-centered and career-oriented man.
*
Kim Ji-min as Do Kyung-hee
:Do Kyung-seok's 17-year old sister. An internet broadcasting jockey.
*
Lee Tae-sun
Lee Tae-sun (born July 16, 1993) is a South Korean actor.
Career
Lee Tae-sun made his television debut in the 2016 romantic comedy ''Entertainer'' where he portrayed a single dad and bassist of a band. The following year, he was cast in '' Qu ...
as Woo-jin
:Do Kyung-seok's childhood friend. A bar owner.
Chemistry students
*
Park Yoo-na
Park Yoo-na (born December 23, 1997) is a South Korean actress under 8D Creative's WIP sub-label. She is best known for her roles in the television series '' My ID is Gangnam Beauty'' (2018), ''Sky Castle'' (2018–2019), '' Hotel del Luna'' ( ...
as Yoo Eun
:The freshmen (Class of 2018) representative. Her chic personality makes her popular among the students. She has an innate sense of fairness and takes no sides in any conflict. She encounters Soo-ah in her neighborhood and starts questioning her actual family background.
* Jung Seung-hye as Choi Jung-boon
:A freshman. A cheerful girl from
Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
with a strong accent. She has a crush on Woo-jin.
* Jung Hye-rin as Lee Ji-hyo
:A freshman who is close friends with Soo-ah. Considered the prettiest in her class after Soo-ah and Mi-rae. She is self-conscious about her physical appearance and what people think of her.
* Kim Doh-yon as Jang Won-ho
:A freshman. He has a crush on Soo-ah, and treats Kyung-seok as his biggest rival.
* Kim Eun-soo as Kim Sung-woon
:A freshman. Jung Won-ho's best friend.
*
Oh Hee-joon
Oh Hee-joon is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' Gangnam Beauty'', '' How to Buy a Friend'', '' 365: Repeat the Year'', ''Cheese in the Trap'' and ''All of Us Are Dead''. He also appeared in movies '' The Acci ...
as Kim Chan-woo
:A student from Class of 2013 is in his third year of repeat studies. He is known as "Master Dog" due to his crude personality. He bullies Mi-rae after she rejected his confession, and develops a crush on Soo-ah. He later gets beat up by Kyung-seok for bullying Mi-rae while Woo-young threatens to ruin his future if he ever does it again.
* Ryu Ki-san as Goo Tae-young
:A second-year student. President of the student council. He has an indecisive personality and wavers in his decision to date Tae-hee.
*Baek Soo-min as Go Ye-na
:A sophomore. A student council member in charge of student affairs. She used to be the most popular girl of the Chemistry department till Soo-ah came along. She has a crush on Kyung-seok, but later develops feelings for Jung-ho.
*
Bae Da-bin
Bae Da-bin (; born on 24 December 1993) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in ''Gangnam Beauty'' (2018) and ''Do You Like Brahms?'' (2020). She has acted in two films: ''Beautiful Voice'' (2019) and ''Pipeline'' (2021). In 20 ...
as Kwon Yoon-byul
:The representative of the sophomores (Class of 2017). Vice president of the student council. She is decisive and responsible, with an honest and blunt personality. Because of her boyish looks, she is popular among women. She later develops a crush on Woo-young, but is rejected.
* Lee Ye-rim as Kim Tae-hee
:A sophomore. Secretary of the student council. She feels insecure due to her plump body. She likes Tae-young.
*
Choi Sung-won as Song Jung-ho
:A sophomore. A mood maker. He has a crush on Ye-na since the first year. Join the army after his sophomore year.
*Seo Ji-hye as Noh Min-a
:A sophomore. She likes to gossip.
* Kim Il-rin as Yeo-woo
:The representative of the third year students (Class of 2016). A superficial person who only cares about physical appearances.
*
Ham Sung-min
Ham Sung-min is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' Sweet Revenge'', ''Save the Family'', ''Gangnam Beauty'', ''Tunnel'' and '' All of Us Are Dead''. He also appeared in movies such as ''Psychokinesis'', '' The ...
as Jung Dong-won
:A freshman. He is a motae solo and otaku with a huge presence on the Internet community. He is deluded that Soo-ah likes him.
* Kim Min-ha as Sun-mi
:A second-year student. She has a great relationship with the juniors.
Others
* Jung Myung-hoon as Young-mo
:Chief of the National Assembly. Do Sang-won's assistant.
* Ji Sang-hyuk as Lee Soo-hyun
:Business director of the cosmetics company operated by Nae-seong.
* Ha Kyung as Yong Chul
:Mi-rae's middle school crush who brutally rejected her, mostly due to her physical appearance.
*
Yoo In-soo
Yoo In-soo (, born March 25, 1998) is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as ''Strong Girl Bong-soon'' (2017)'', Gangnam Beauty'' (2018)'','' ''At a Distance, Spring Is Green'' (2021), ''All of Us Are Dead'' (2022), a ...
as Park Rae-sun
* Cha Bo-sung as Ye Joon, a freshman (Ep. 2-3)
Special appearances
*
Lee Young-ae
Lee Young-ae (born January 31, 1971) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her appearances in the Korean historical drama ''Dae Jang Geum'' (2003), and as a revenge seeking single mother in Park Chan-wook's crime thriller film ''Sympathy ...
*
Um Hong-gil
Um Hong-gil (; born September 14, 1960) is a South Korean mountaineer.
Climbing career
He has led many South Korean summer expeditions to Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, where he has climbed South America's highest mountain several times.
In 20 ...
* Ahn Sang-tae as Taxi passenger
*
Junoflo
Samuel Juno Park (born September 25, 1992), better known as Junoflo (), is a Korean Americans, Korean-American rapper. He has released three studio albums: ''Progression'' (2015), ''Statues'' (2019), ''222:AM'' (2020), one extended play: ''Only Hu ...
* Jeon Jin-ki as Priest
*
Yoon Bo-ra
Yoon Bo-ra (born December 30, 1989), better known by the mononym Bora, is a South Korean singer, rapper and actress. She is a former member of the South Korean girl group Sistar and its sub-group Sistar19.
Early life and education
Bora was b ...
*
Tiger JK
Seo Jung-kwon, Hangul: 서정권, Hanja: 徐廷權, also known as Tiger JK (born July 29, 1974) is a Korean-American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur best known as a founding member of Korean hip hop group Drunken Tiger. He has also foun ...
*
Bizzy
Park Jun-young (Hangul: 박준영), better known as Bizzy (Hangul: 비지), is a South Korea-based rapper and member of the hip-hop trio MFBTY. He is an affiliate of YDG's, Yucka Squad, and also the hip-hop crew, The Movement. He became more know ...
*
Han Hyun-min
*
Abhishek Gupta
Production
* The series is written by Choi Soo-young (''
Cunning Single Lady
Cunning Single Lady (; lit. "Devious Woman Who's Single Again") is a 2014 South Korean romantic comedy television series starring Lee Min-jung and Joo Sang-wook as a divorced couple who rekindles their romance. It aired on MBC from February 27 t ...
'', 2014).
* The first script reading took place on May 30, 2018 at JTBC building in
Sangam-dong
Sangam-dong is a legal '' dong'' (neighborhood) of the Mapo District in Seoul, South Korea. In the wake of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, a large apartment complex and DMC business district have been created and developed into the center of western Seou ...
, Seoul, South Korea.
Reception
The series garnered much praise for its cryptic portrayal of the main character's childhood. Viewers applauded director Choi for his thoughtful representation of the characters.
The series was a commercial success and garnered critical praise for asking questions about the emphasis that society places on appearances and about the true meaning of happiness and beauty.
The cast and staff of the drama went on a reward vacation to
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
for 4 nights and 5 days on October 19, 2018.
Original soundtrack
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Viewership
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
*
*
* {{Hancinema drama, My_ID_is_Gangnam_Beauty
2018 South Korean television series debuts
2018 South Korean television series endings
Korean-language television shows
South Korean romantic comedy television series
JTBC television dramas
Television shows based on South Korean webtoons
2010s college television series
South Korean college television series