The issue that arises afterward, one which she hadn't anticipated, was that people would still judge, reject and critique her. She didn't undergo surgery to become beautiful, she just wanted people to accept her as a "person," which is incredibly heartbreaking. It takes just the first episode to understand how she became a victim of society's expectations. In that respect, Mi-Rae (our female lead) isn't the shallow person the summary might imply. This drama also emphasizes that the expectation to look a certain way affect everyone in different ways - with no one -regardless of whether they are considered naturally beautiful or not- being spared. Meeting those beauty standards has become a source of stress for women worldwide, but in South Korea -as this drama suggests- not being part of the "ideal beauty" results in a harsher treatment from society. This drama (as well as its source material) depicts a love story wrapped around a social critique of the often cruel role "beauty standards" play in women's daily life.
Listen in 24/7 on Digital Radio, by downloading our free mobile app or by streaming live here on our website.Rewatch Value 8.0 PLOT: Slow paced, ambitious & thought-provoking. So, have we convinced you? Will you be watching My ID is Gangnam Beauty? It works the other way too, showing how men are taught to be strong and not show emotion from a young age, with it being considered weakness rather than strength. Many of the characters show exactly what women deal with every day, like the sense of entitlement some men feel towards 'owning' a woman. The men in this show continually objectify the women, often talking about the girls' beauty and comparing them by physical standards. The most popular freshman, Hyun Soo Ah, begins undermining Mirae's life from early on, and it's morbidly fascinating to watch her not-so-innocent mind come up with cunning plans that only Kyung Seok seems to see through.
It is a uni drama after all, of course there's tension. The women in this show all have their insecurities which they talk about openly, from the girl who is considered to be 'chubby' and therefore not attractive, to another who is judged for her less-feminine appearance.Ħ. Plastic surgery is common in South Korea but still carries a stigma, as proven by the way Mirae is gossiped about. Frank conversations about beauty standards Long walks through campus, immaculate classrooms, exchanging long glances over beakers in the science lab: what is it about university romances that make us giddy? Also why doesn't anyone look like they just rolled out of bed and ran to a lecture? Guess that's the difference between K-drama uni and irl uni.ĥ. They're flawed but fully rounded characters, and when the student council girls see the way they're being treated by men, they stand up for themselves. There's a wealth of amazing women in this show, from the lead to her supportive best friend, the girls she joins on the student council and Do Kyung Seok's CEO mum.
Strong female characters supporting each other Not to mention his great sense of judgement that makes him able to sniff out the people who don't want the best for him.ģ. His quiet interest in Mirae is adorable as he tries to win her affections in the most subtle ways. The tension keeps building the more they bump into each other at uni and near home, with the two male leads engaging in everything from vein-popping arm wrestling to competitive meat grilling.ĪSTRO's Cha Eunwoo playing Do Kyung Seok is the definition of tsundere: cold on the outside but secretly warmhearted.
Kang Mirae catches the eye of both the teaching assistant, Yeon Woo Young, and her former schoolmate-now-uni classmate Do Kyung Seok. The love triangle will have you in fits of giggles Here's some reasons you should be watching My ID is Gangnam Beauty. Throw in a love triangle with the most handsome boy in class, a popular girl with a dark side and some classic uni shenanigans, and this is must watch tv! But when she gets to uni she has to deal with people judging her for having had plastic surgery. The story focuses on Kang Mirae, a girl who gets plastic surgery before entering college after years of bullying about her looks. K-drama My ID is Gangnam Beauty is now available to watch in Australia on Netflix, and there's more than one good reason you should put it on your viewing list!