There’s a new drama we’ve been following this month, and it is not getting nearly the love it deserves.  “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” is funny, loving, and one of the most relevant Korean dramas of 2018.  I’m here to tell you, this is one KDrama you don’t want to miss.  These are our top reasons:

My ID is Gangnam Beauty: The Premise

All her life Kang Mi Rae knew she was ugly.  Everyone knew she was ugly.  But worst of all, she knew they thought she was ugly.  How could she not?  They told her every day.  She tried to be strong, but it was impossible to not be hurt by so many cruel voices.

Now before entering college, Kang Mi Rae made a desperate decision; she would have her face fixed with plastic surgery.  Hours of life-threatening surgery later, Kang Mi Rae is the eye-catching beauty she always wanted to be.  But will fixing her face be enough to fix her life?

Reasons to Watch

Reason 1: A male lead who isn’t a bully

Perhaps the single most common story device used in Korean Dramas is the jerk boyfriend.  He’s smart, rich, and gorgeous; but, most importantly, he is a terrible human being.  In fact, it is so common that we have come to believe this behavior is acceptable in a lead character and even justified it by creating the term “anti-hero”– as though being the opposite of a hero could still be some kind of hero!

But “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” has stemmed the trend and given us a leading man who is kind, considerate, and protective.  In other words, someone who is WORTH the admiration of a million adoring fans…while still being gorgeous.

Reason 2: An honest look at the plastic surgery trend

Plastic surgery has become a common, widespread trend in South Korea, largely due to the pressure put on people to look like the “ideal” face or body.  Men and women are expected to feel ashamed if they don’t have narrow jaws, double lids, wide eyes, pale skin, the list goes on and on.  And while Koreans receive pressure to be perfect, they also are looked down on if they have the surgeries that make them “perfect.”

“My ID is Gangnam Beauty” faces this epidemic head-on in the story of Kang Mi Rae.  Cursed if she does, and cursed if she doesn’t, Kang Mi Rae at first believes herself to be ugly for being her natural self and then receives criticism after having plastic surgery.

But the hypocrisy is most prominently brought to life through the eyes of Kang Mi Rae herself as she perpetually grades every person she meets on a scale of their beauty.  Is her view of people’s worth really only based on their appearance?

Reason 3: A loving, dysfunctional family

Although she was bullied in school, Kang Mi Rae is blessed to have a wonderful, loving family.  Her father adores her and never saw her as “ugly.”  In fact, he refused to allow her to have the plastic surgery to begin with, so she and her mother had to sneak off to have it before he found out.

Which brings me to my one complaint about Kang Mi Rae’s family: her mother.  Although she might have seen herself only as supportive, the mother obviously did think Kang Mi Rae benefitted from surgery.  She praises and chirps about how beautiful her daughter is now.  Although I love watching the sweet interactions between mother and daughter, I have to wonder.  Was part of the reason Kang Mi Rae saw herself as ugly because her mom thought she was?

Reason 4: Almost no obnoxious tropes

Every drama has them: the wrist grab, the forced togetherness, the accidental kiss because one fell on top of the other.  We love them.  We hate them.  It doesn’t matter; They are there anyway.

But “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” has chosen to sidestep the tropes every time.  Instead of relying on clichés to carry the story, MIGB uses honest storytelling with a realistic look at real-life problems.

And when it does pull in clichés, it mostly does it to make fun of them.  Like when Do Kyung Seok and Kang Mi Rae get trapped in a room together when the door accidentally locks.  Kang Mi Rae thinks to herself “Isn’t this like what happens in the dramas?”  Hehe.  And then instead of them spending an awkward night snuggling together to “keep warm” (hehe, yeah right that’s the reason,) someone came and let them out.

Final Thoughts:

There are so many reasons to love “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” that it was really hard to choose only four.  We could have mentioned the sweet sismance, the growing bromance, the scrumptious second lead, and the villain we love to hate.  But you will have to watch to see the rest for yourself.

If you are looking for a feel good, light-hearted drama that also has substance and thoughtfulness, “My ID is Gangnam Beauty” is the perfect choice.

Related Posts:

• Reason to Watch: Mr. Sunshine