Han Ye-seul, Joo Sang-wook confirm Birth of a Beauty
by girlfriday
It took three years, but Han Ye-seul (Myung-wol the Spy) will be making her dramaland comeback this fall in the new SBS weekend drama Birth of a Beauty. She and Joo Sang-wook (Sly and Single Again) have confirmed that they’ll be headlining the series, about an ajumma who sheds weight, gets plastic surgery, and becomes a whole new person. Both actors can be really winsome in romantic comedies, so while the drama’s concept sounds a bit iffy, the pairing should be a cute one.
The new weekender comes from the PD of Madame Butterfly and the writer of One Well-Raised Daughter, and stars Han Ye-seul as an outspoken, brash ajumma whose big turning point in life happens when she undergoes a radical physical transformation into a glamorous beauty. The bizarre part is that Joo Sang-wook’s character is the one who makes her over. He’s a chaebol heir (of course), who suffers from broken heart syndrome — stress cardiomyopathy, which is apparently a real condition — and decides to transform the heroine into a beautiful woman in order to regain his first love.
Okay, first of all, that’s just plain weird. Is he pulling a Vertigo and creepily trying to make her look like a bygone lover that he’s still obsessed with? Or is there a logical (or even logic-adjacent) reason why he’d need to make one woman beautiful so that he can win back a different woman? If so, this is a really convoluted scheme. In any case, she loses weight and gets plastic surgery because of his plan, and naturally, he falls in love with her instead.
I’m wary of the crazy-sounding premise and what the drama’s treatment of beauty will be, but I do think it’s interesting to make her an ajumma at the outset, which gives her transformation more dimension than if she were just changing her appearance alone. I hope the focus is more on her second lease on life, and okay, that the hero is hopefully not a control freak who’s trying to make her a doppelganger of his first love. We have enough of those running around wreaking havoc on dramaland; we don’t need to go around making more.
Birth of a Beauty follows Endless Love and airs on Saturdays and Sundays beginning in November.
Via Review Star, IS Plus
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1 kakashi
September 29, 2014 at 3:08 PM
Joo Sang-wook! Didn't you get the memo about TEN3??!
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mrmz
September 29, 2014 at 3:14 PM
My thought EVERY TIME I see news about him!
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Gra
September 29, 2014 at 5:53 PM
Hahahaha Kakashi .. be patient. OCN said TEN3 is in 1st half of 2015. Hope they will keep their promise.
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DeNile
September 29, 2014 at 6:52 PM
Please please please let them keep their promise. I watched both season one and two this past week and I'm eagerly waiting for any news on 3
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Gra
September 29, 2014 at 6:59 PM
Earlier this year, OCN put TEN3 on their 2014 drama list ... but eeeerrrrrrrrr so disappointed finally. Let's pray hard for 2015
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2 ujsid
September 29, 2014 at 3:15 PM
The leads are beautiful, but the plot sounds weird. I can do without the whole first love bit. "200 pound beauty" is kinda similar to this, except the girl transformed for herself.
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3 AJ
September 29, 2014 at 3:24 PM
Oy Oy Oy -- the cast is killer in a good way, the plot is killer in a bad way.
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jomo143
September 29, 2014 at 3:38 PM
Perfect! I agree.
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Chandler
September 29, 2014 at 4:25 PM
Yup. Pretty much sums it up.
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4D
September 29, 2014 at 4:29 PM
My thoughts as well.
Plastic surgery beauty. *sigh*
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bbstl 🧹
September 29, 2014 at 5:51 PM
Me too.
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Pipit
September 29, 2014 at 5:49 PM
LOL. How true.
I'm going to watch not because the story compels me to watch it but because the leads are too strong a sirene to resist. Love them both.
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geese
September 30, 2014 at 12:04 AM
please don't get angry with me
but i really have mixed feelings with Han Ye Sol....
my dear Joo Sang Wook why does it has to be her..
there's ton of lead girl in kdrama land...
common sky you drop another one..****long sigh***
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4 mel
September 29, 2014 at 3:38 PM
Was loving the sound of this until I read one well raised daughter now im running for the hills
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5 PL
September 29, 2014 at 3:51 PM
Anyone else thinking of My Fair Lady and Pygmalion? Except that the change is strictly(?) physical here.
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6 mary
September 29, 2014 at 4:04 PM
Reminds me of King Flower (TW) recapped by koala last year(?)
Lead girl wasn't an ajumma but the premise is similar:
A nice rich guy loses his fiancee to an accident. For some reason, he had to find a similar looking girl and give her PS to make her look like dead gf. (Something about saving a grandpa's health?)
Anyway, it didn't sound too icky. They made a good story out of the "do I love her for her or because she looks like dead gf" conflict?
This could work. :) I'm glad Han Yeseul is back.
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7 kimchikay
September 29, 2014 at 4:12 PM
Though I like the actors, I don't see how Han Ye Seul will play the part of an "ugly" ahjumma when she's so freakin gorgeous and how it will be actually necessary for her to get plastic surgery. Are they going to have an special fx team, give her face makeup and a fat suit?? aigoo.
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8 Yasuko
September 29, 2014 at 4:49 PM
Oh finally! I've been waiting for Han Ye Seul uunie's comeback to dramaland!! Such eyecandy to watch them both onscreen.
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9 k-La
September 29, 2014 at 4:53 PM
haaa....i really love this....HYS is really good in rom-com..i can't wait!!!
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10 museofmanymasks
September 29, 2014 at 4:56 PM
Cast: Applause
Plot: Side-eye.
Verdict:To be determined
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11 brian
September 29, 2014 at 5:01 PM
Normally I would say that the plot is way too bizarre for me, but being that it's a weekend show, you never know, and sometimes their synopsis are not exactly what happens. I might have to give it a chance since I like Han Ye Seul.
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12 jkfan
September 29, 2014 at 5:28 PM
This sounds like a Lifetime-ish (USA) movie I watched a very very very long time ago, maybe 10 years ago?This was starred by one of the very pretty girls from that one super famous series...darn can't remember,but it was the one where it was about life guards and the girls wear red swimsuits and the opening and famous sequence is when they show one lady running on beach with the red swimsuit.
Back to the synopsis: The old man was rich and he lost his fiancee/wife, he is also a plastic surgeon and he found a lady that was in an accident or was hurt very very bad, so he took her and gave her the exact same face as the fiancee/wife that died.
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kimchikay
September 29, 2014 at 9:34 PM
Pamela Anderson? Baywatch??
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Ladytron33
September 30, 2014 at 5:45 PM
Oh my gosh, I love that made-for-TV movie! It's called "A Face to Die For" and it stars Yasmine Bleeth. I haven't thought about that one in years! That movie is a guilty pleasure - so bad but so enjoyable.
A naive and innocent woman with a scarred face goes to jail to protect the man she loves, only to discover she's been used and dumped. While in jail, she meets a doctor who promises to fix her face. After the surgeries, he seduces her and wants to marry her, but it turns out he did it all because she looked so much like his dead wife. She flips and goes out for revenge against the men who wronged her. Love it!
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13 jkfan
September 29, 2014 at 5:35 PM
This sounds like the lifetime movie that Yasmin Bleeth (Baywatch) starred in "A face to Die for" or at least the beginning. I think she gets into an accident then the older rich Dr finds her and gives her plastic surgery to look exactly like his wife that died.
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Quiet Thought
September 29, 2014 at 6:55 PM
On the plus side, Han Ye Seul is a much, much better actress than Jasmine Bleeth. On the negative side, Jasmine Bleeth probably looks better running on a beach in a swimsuit. But, on the plus side, no leading lady ever runs on a beach in a swimsuit in a weekend Kdrama.
Well . . . that isn't necessarily a plus side, but Han Ye Seul will rock the part no matter how strange it is, and she deserves a shot at an interesting leading role, and Jasmine Bleeth was so lifeless as a actress she should never have gotten a leading role.
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AnotherFan
September 30, 2014 at 12:14 PM
lol
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14 Bex
September 29, 2014 at 5:36 PM
ngl this crazy ass plot is def right up my street!
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15 Licia
September 29, 2014 at 5:52 PM
Maybe he is trying to make his first love jealous to have her comeback to him. That could be the reason why he helps to "transform" Han Ye Seul's character. It could actually be real funny if she looks all regal but she still is this "brash ajumma" So kinda My fair Lady with plastic surgery instead.
At least that's what I would like it to be.
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16 Tammie
September 29, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Happy, happy, happy! I love them both! Can't wait to watch the craziness...
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17 Gwinna
September 29, 2014 at 6:25 PM
I like both of the leads, and would ordinarily be happy to see this pairing, but I'm not going to check it out until after I hear how they're handling the plastic surgery thing, because it could very easily be squicky if done wrong.
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18 Gra
September 29, 2014 at 6:42 PM
I read some not-so-good comments about the writer. I'm affraid now T___T anyone here have watched one of this writer's drama ? how is it ?
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19 qwenli
September 29, 2014 at 6:44 PM
i think this pairing is interesting and am just glad that han ye seul get to come back after her last drama fiasco. i waa rather upset abt wat she did with Spy myeonwol but she am glad she is given a second chance.
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eki
September 29, 2014 at 8:51 PM
If eric was my male lead, I'd run away to the US too. I think she is getting this chance because Discovery of Romance is flopping even more than Spy.
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fab
September 30, 2014 at 1:35 AM
You think.
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aisuzieya
September 30, 2014 at 6:03 AM
ratings doesnt mean a sh*t to me. and DOR is a very well written drama. the writer knows what she is doing while SMW's writer, i'm not so sure~ but, what about Eric? is he a diva or something?
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Jasmine
October 22, 2014 at 7:33 AM
HAHA…I guess those TV ratings make you blind about Discovery of Romance. DoR is stated as one well made drama in 2014 by film critiques. In fact, the popularity they got form SNS was no joke. DoR swept all the programs at the same time slot which reached in average more than 31% by IPTV ratings. The casts got recognized even for supporting casts. Jung Yoo Mi, Eric, Yoon Hyun Min is the most recognized one. They launched Kang Tae Ha's emoticon (Eric's character), Eric's hair style becoming syndrome for guys in Korea and many celebs enjoy this drama though. Eric became ambassador for new series of Volvo soon after drama ended. I don't know why still there is people blame Eric about Han Ye Seul case. The guy never said bad things about her. Ye Seul run away was nothing correlated with Eric. So, stop blaming and dragging someone else in her case. And he never acted as diva. Don't say bad things about good person otherwise GOD will be angry with you.
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20 Annie
September 29, 2014 at 6:55 PM
Ugh. Should have stuck with 200 pound beauty instead of making the lead an ajhumma and cheapening the story into every other divorce fantasy sold to female viewers
:-|
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21 WM
September 29, 2014 at 7:29 PM
Is there a drama where the (supposedly) ugly woman transforms herself without the guy knowing, but the guy actually liked her as she was before? You know, like they were friends, both had crushes on each other, neither knew, and she transforms (because she thinks she has to) in order to get the guy? However, he does not know who she is when she comes back, and he keeps longing for his crush who disappeared? Because I would watch the heck out of that sort of transformation show. This one...sounds sort of creepy, depending on how they handle the story line.
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Pipit
September 29, 2014 at 7:34 PM
In 200 pounds Beauty the guy is actually like the fat girl enough. And she transforms herself without him knowing that it's actually her.
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WM
September 29, 2014 at 8:09 PM
Ooooo...thank you! I am off to watch it. I get the best recommendations from Beanies and DB.
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houstontwin
October 1, 2014 at 7:00 AM
I really like your plot. The guy likes the girl just as she is... Now, that's romantic! Let's hear it for real faces and bodies!
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Pipit
October 1, 2014 at 6:39 PM
In get Karl Oh Sujong Umh Jong Hwa's character actually falls in love with the fat awkward character of Oh Jí Ho before he transforms himself into a dropdead gorgeous world famous golfer.
Of course nobody believes that she really loves him.
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MajorDickason's
October 22, 2014 at 8:26 PM
The IU character in Dream High transformed herself not through plastic surgery but through diet and exercise - go girl! And the WooYoung character liked both her before, after, and later after the time jump.
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22 Fitri Iphiet
September 29, 2014 at 8:32 PM
kinda OOT, does she still dating YG Producer, Teddy Park? hehe
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23 Beng
September 29, 2014 at 9:05 PM
love them both!!!
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24 Abbie
September 29, 2014 at 9:45 PM
I LOVE Joo Sang-wook, but yeah, his character description is a little....creepy........ STILL! I will watch the first couple of episodes to see what I think about it!
Glad Han Ye-seul is back in dramaland. Looking forward to the drama.
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25 Aly
September 30, 2014 at 12:45 AM
Wait wait! This isn't a couple reunion!
Does this mean that the streak of kdrama couple reunions is over?
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26 Mel
September 30, 2014 at 2:30 AM
Joo Sang Wook! Let's see, hope this great! Thanks!
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27 J
September 30, 2014 at 4:25 AM
how old does one have to be a ajummah?
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28 whitewire
September 30, 2014 at 5:33 AM
I am now REWATCHING CUNNING (MBC) and WILL IT SNOW (SBS)!!! What are the odds?! I'm definitely in!
What a beautiful couple!
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29 Sophia
September 30, 2014 at 10:09 AM
I hate to put it this way, but the first thing that popped into my head was, "well that's like frankenstein falling in love with the monster he creates". It's such a weird concept...but I love both Joo Sangwook and Han Yeseul so hopefully they'll somehow show this is a less creepy-i-need-to-love-my-own-creation-esque drama?
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30 Perrie
September 30, 2014 at 10:10 AM
I promised myself that I would watch JSW in what even rom com he did following Cunning because i just loved him so much in his cunning role but but but...the synopsis sounds terrible
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31 goldeng
September 30, 2014 at 10:19 AM
I love JSW and hope the best for him but really? A plastic-surgery-is-the-answer-to-your-problems drama?! like thats what SK -or any country- needs to put on public broadcast :S I want TEN 3 NOOOW!! and VP3 too!!!
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32 irem
September 30, 2014 at 11:25 AM
Kimdo han, cha jung woo, joo sang wook... forever. Cant wait any longer.. love to see u soon
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33 a_diva
September 30, 2014 at 4:06 PM
HYS: Yaaaayyy!
JSW: Yaaaayyy!
Weekend: Noooooooooo.
My commitment issues prevent me from watching anything over 24 episodes. Hell, 24 episodes is a bit much for me so I'm most likely out. Sadface :-(
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34 Cpuii
September 30, 2014 at 6:37 PM
I'm happy that han ye seul is finally in a drama
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35 ODeer
October 5, 2014 at 9:04 AM
Joo Sang Wook oppa!!! I'll watch just about anything you're acting in! Love that I'll get to see you in a drama again this year - you were the best in Sly n Single Again!!!
I don't like the storyline - with plastic surgery and transformation through dieting - it's a terrible message for girls and women. I just hope the writers and directors stick to the comedy aspect and don't mash it up to become some silly message to men and women around the world. Oh please, please let it be in good hands (writer, director, producer).
Joo Sang Wook - I can't wait to see you deliver a fantastic character again! Love you Oppa!
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