[Review] My ID is Gangnam Beauty

Comedy, romance, teenage

This is a story about a woman named Kang Mi Rae who has low self-confident due to her appearance. Since she was young, her friends and classmate made fun of her for her ugly appearance. She then went for plastic surgery with her mother to change her appearance. Her father was against the idea, but they did it secretly. Mi Rae always judges people by their appearance. She even values their appearance by giving marks. She thought that after she went to Hankook University with her new look will not go through the same suffer as she did before during her middle school.

When she first arrived the university, there are many guys approached her and asked for her h/p no. Of course, she did not give them. she wasn’t comfortable to adjust herself with her new looks. Mi Rae, Soo A and Kyung Seok are also become the celebrities among the students for their pretty and handsome looks. During the orientation, senior Chan Woo approached Mi Rae and wanted her to be his girlfriend. Mi Rae tried to avoid his question. Soo A came over and spoke to Chan Woo that she likes him. Chan Woo was then giving up upon Mi Rae since she always hesitates to answer his questions.

Soo A was so pretty that many of the guys in the university wanted to hang out with her. During the freshman outing, Soo A asked Mi Rae whether she has done a plastic surgery? Mi Rae was surprised and did not answer her. Kyung Seok warned Soo A to behave herself not to act so ridiculously. Soo A pretended to cry and Mi Rae consoled her. Chan Woo approached to Soo A and asked for her to accept him has his girlfriend. Soo A dislikes Chan Woo. She just wanted to make a fuss towards Kyung Seok to pay attention to her. Soo A told Chan Woo that she cannot fall in love with her friend’s lovers. Chan Woo then scolded Mi Rae for making fun of him and scolded her plastic monster. Mi Rae was so angry and hit Chan Woo.

Mi Rae was so upset that even though she has changed her look, people still judged her plaster monster. She went back home and sleep over for a few days. She did not tell her mom about what happened in the university. Her mom just told her that she has to enjoy her university’s life as fullest as possible. Her father was angry with her mom and her for secretly went for plastic surgery without his consent. But, he still missed his daughter so much.

Soo A likes Kyung Seok (the most handsome guy). She tried to get closer to Kyung Seok but he always ignores her. He did not like Soo A because Soo A always bully Mi Rae. Mi Rae did not realise Soo A’s personality and treated her as her best friend. Whenever Mi Rae faced difficulties, Kyung Seok always helps her out. Soo A was so jealous and tried to find out their relationship.

Before that Mi Rae told Kyung Seok not to bother about her things again which has caused a misunderstanding about their relationship. Mi Rae and Kyung Seok were middle school friends.  Kyung Seok was curious and asked her whether she was from the same middle school as him. She told him to keep that to himself and not to reveal her past appearance. While Soo A questions Mi Rae, she accidentally told her that they are from the same high school. Soo A tried to find how Mi Rae look like in the past. She even found her high school alumni who happened to be her first love. She invited him to the chemistry festival. She purposely doing so in order to make Mi Rae feel bad about herself and tried to distance Mi Rae and Kyung Seok. However, Kyung Seok never bother about how Mi Rae look in the past. He finds Mi Rae was cute and she is also someone who make him laugh for the first time throughout the whole high school period. Mi Rae happened to meet Kyung Seok mom whereby she was the one who saved her from being suicide off the bridge.

Kyung Seok has a bad relationship with his mom. It is because she left her family when he was young. She is an expert in perfume and also an alumna of Hankook who major in chemistry too. Kyung Seok’ mom told Mi Rae that she hoped that she was ugly back then because due to her pretty face, she thought that she can succeed in everything including career and love. But she found out that her family life isn’t going as smooth as she thought.

One day, Kyung Seok’ mom met an accident. Mi Rae on the way visit her in her office and being told that she was admitted to the hospital. She informed Kyung Seok about the situation and asked him to visit her mom. She realised that his mom has lost her smell ability but due to her professionalism, she was really expert to produce a perfume without smelling it. Kyung Seok visited his mom and they has a small talk. He realised that all the while he has been misunderstood his mother for leaving the home for her career. He realised that his dad was the one who are too control over his wife’s life. He then ran out of home and stayed at his friend’s house. However, he has no pocket money for his daily life to go on, therefore he looked for part time job. Kyung Seok was a bit jealous toward his chemistry assistance lecturer (Woo Young) for inviting Mi Rae and her roommate to his welcoming home party. Soo A was lie about she has been living with her grandparents. This has been found out by the freshman student representative. Soo A tried to be nice with Head of student representative (HSR) when she found that her senior and the HSR are dating.

Kyung Seok lived with Woo Young as his roommate. He has no money to take a bus, to pay for rental and even eat. He worked hard to look for part time jobs. Woo Young and Soo A recommended places for him to work. He denied Soo A offers because he did not want to work there and caused someone get fired. He and his mom relationship became closer, it is all thanks to Mi Rae for making that effort to resolve their relationship.

Kyung Seok and Mi Rae work in kitchen design kitchen as part timer. Soo A after knowing that, she also wanted to work at the same place. Kyung Seok fought with another part timer so insulted Mi Rae for her plastic surgery facial. The boss then fired that part timer. They are no longer working in that company. Kyung Seok mom offered the university student to join the hands-on experience about the perfume. The employees there were very fond of Mi Rae of her passion towards perfume. Soo A created tension between Kyung Seok and Mi Rae. She wanted Mi Rae to give up on him so that she can own him. Kyung Seok confessed his feelings toward Mi Rae and he has been rejected, but he never gave up. Woo Young also confessed to Mi Rae but she also rejected him. Mi Rae knew that she falls in love with Kyung Seok but she refused to accept him as she afraid that he might be laughed by others. 

The assistance lecturer confessed his feelings towards Mi Rae, but he has been rejected by her. Kyung Seok was jealous when he saw the assistance lecturer with Mi Rae. He was upset and drank beers. The next morning while he attended the lab study, everyone smell alcohol from his body and asked him to rest.  While he was rest in resting room, Soo A purposely told everyone that she loves Kyung Seok. Kyung Seok was angry when he found out what Soo A did. He warned her many times not to create unnecessary claim about their relationship. Mi Rae was jealous however she believed that he will not accept her. Mi Rae finally has the courage to confess her feeling to him.

They started their first date. Mi Rae was a conservative girl. She did not want anyone to know that they are dating. She don’t want to cause problem for Kyung Seok due to his good looking. When they are dating, they were like a spy movie to avoid any senior and friend that know them.  However, they relationship has been known by Kyung Seok's mom accidentally. She was surprised and at the same time she was happy that her son is dating with Mi Rae. Mi Rae found that revealing their relationships to others is not that bad. She decided to reveal them when anyone ask about it.

Tae Young broke up with Tae Hee. Yoo Eun suspected that Soo A was the one who behind it. Yoo Eun talked to Soo A and asked her to be honest with her if she has any issue. Soo A did not mention about anything. Soo A throw up everything after she ate at the toilet. It has been noticed by Mi Rae and Tae Hee. Soo A lied to everyone that she did not need to on diet to keep her body slim. This incident has became the anger of the seniors and friends that she lied to everyone about her. They distance with her and avoid being friends with her anymore. Mi Rae found that Soo A has many ways similar to her past self. She tried to pursue her but Soo A denied it.

Kyung Seok's sister has been caught by the people that she was the Youtuber Lovely Do and revealed her wealthy in the online stream. This has hugely affect the reputation of Kyung Seok's dad. Kyung Seok told him that it was dad's and his fault for not giving her love and affection whenever she needs.

Soo A's photo has been captured by someone. One of the senior saw it and informed Soo A. Soo A suspected Jung Won Ho (who has a crush on Soo A) was the one who upload her photo online. She warned Won Ho to delete all her photo. Won Ho deleted all her photo as instructed. He found Soo A's action is weird and decided to find out what is going on. He informed assistance lecturer to help Soo A. Due to Soo A always fooled with guys, one of guys Dong Won  take revenge on her. Luckily, what he splashed on her face was just water. Soo A was traumatised and wanted to commit suicide. Mi Rae, Yoo Eun and Kyung Seok came over and resolved the problem. Mi Rae consoled and pursued Soo A not to judge people by their beauty. Do what ever she want to make her happy.

After the incident, Dong Won has been kicked out from college and faced legal action. Soo A was on leave of absence from the college. Kyung Seok and Mi Rae were happy to spend time together.

This drama makes me recalls my university life back then. The issues that faced by the college students and struggle to compete with one another. And also the start of hanging out with different people with different background. It is also show the sweetness of falling in love with someone during university years as many of them find their first love there. It was so enjoyable and memorable memories that time could not go backwards. I miss my university life now!

source: https://www.dramafever.com/drama/5200/my-id-is-gangnam-beauty/