Gangnam Beauty[2] (Korean: 내 아이디는 강남미인) is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Im Soo-hyang, Cha Eun-woo, Jo Woo-ri and Kwak Dong-yeon. Based on the webtoon of the same name published in 2016 by Naver,[3][4] it centers on the life of a college student who had cosmetic surgery to evade ongoing derision from her bullies. However, 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.[5]
The series aired on JTBC from July 27 to September 15, 2018, every Friday and Saturday at 23:00 (KST).[6][7][8][9] It garnered praise for its portrayal of issues affecting South Korean society, particularly on its superficial beauty standards and discrimination on the basis of physical appearance.[10][11][12]
Synopsis
Kang Mi-rae (Im Soo-hyang) decides to get plastic surgery 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". Mi-rae tries to recover her self-esteem as she gets to know her former middle school classmate Do Kyung-seok (Cha Eun-woo) who is quite cold to others but very affectionate towards his sister Do Kyung-hee (Kim Ji-min).
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 student of Chemistry Department of Korea University Class of 2018.
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.
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.
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 share their expertise in perfumes.
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.
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.
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 with a strong accent. She has a crush on Woo-jin.
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.
A student from Class of 2013. He 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.
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.
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.
The first script reading took place on May 30, 2018 at JTBC building in Sangam-dong, Seoul, South Korea.[45]
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.[46]
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.[10]
The cast and staff of the drama went on a reward vacation to Cebu, Philippines for 4 nights and 5 days on October 19, 2018.[47]
You'll Meet Anyone Destined For You To Meet (만날 사람은 만나게 된다)
4.027%
4.061%
5
August 10, 2018
The Genius Face's Counterattack 1 (얼굴천재의 역습 1)
3.326%
3.837%
6
August 11, 2018
The Genius Face's Counterattack 2 (얼굴천재의 역습 2)
3.612%
3.415%
7
August 17, 2018
A Male Friend (남자사람친구)
3.963%
4.784%
8
August 18, 2018
Basic Instincts (원초적 본능)
4.392%
4.542%
9
August 24, 2018
A Twenty-Year-Old's Survival Story (스무살의 생존기)
4.391%
5.046%
10
August 25, 2018
I Can Be Your Boyfriend (남자친구여도 괜찮잖아)
5.022%
5.549%
11
August 31, 2018
Your ID is Gangnam Beauty (너의 아이디는 강남미인)
4.492%
4.598%
12
September 1, 2018
Don't You Have Feelings For Me? (너 나 안 좋아하냐?)
5.436%
5.825%
13
September 7, 2018
It's My First Love (첫사랑이다)
4.768%
5.513%
14
September 8, 2018
Start Secretly (시작은 비밀스럽게)
5.033%
5.265%
15
September 14, 2018
My Boyfriend is Do Kyung-seok (내 남자친구는 도경석)
4.832%
5.783%
16
September 15, 2018
Even Though We Don't Know Much About Life Yet (아직 인생은 모르지만)
5.753%
6.186%
Average
4.269%
4.645%
In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
This drama aired on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).
