"Mask Girl" Kdrama Review: Never Expected It to Be This Dark

I was blown away by this Netflix Korean drama. "Mask Girl" explores the dark side of beauty and obsession. Here, Mo Mi suffered from the cruelty and violence of men who only cared about their looks. She tried to escape her fate by changing her identity, but she could not escape her past.

This drama began as a normal office K-drama, but then everything took a dark and twisted turn. It's not the faint-hearted, but for those who enjoy dark and intense stories. It challenged the norms of Korean dramas and exposed the reality of some social issues in Korea like online streaming and bullying.

Above all, "Mask Girl" raised some questions about Korean beauty standards and how they affect people’s self-image and perception. As you may notice, Kdramas usually cast actors with high cheekbones and monolids as “ugly” characters, which are features that are considered undesirable in Korea. I wonder how this impacts people with these features, who may feel discriminated against or insecure because of their looks.

Plot and characters in "Mask Girl"

1. Complex and captivating characters

The show was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The acting was good, especially by 3 actresses who played Mo Mi, who portrayed her character’s pain and resilience. The directing and cinematography were also impressive, creating a contrast between the glamorous and the grotesque.

The 3 Mo-mis are great in their character portrayal.~

I enjoyed the scenes where Mo Mi stood up to the bullies in prison.

Yeom Hye Ran has shown her versatility and talent in different genres and roles, from The Glory to The Uncanny Counter, to Mask Girl.

Ahn Jae Hong gave an amazing performance as his character as Joo Oh-Nam. He pulls off an oh-so-different vibe here from the one in the "Reply 1988" series.

2. Intriguing and intense plot

In "Mask Girl," Kim Mo-Mi (Lee Han-Byeol) is a regular office worker who had a childhood dream of becoming a star on stage. However, as she grew older, she felt that her face became “ugly,” even though she still had a nice body. She hides her identity behind a mask and livestreams herself as Mask Girl after work and at home. She gets involved in a mysterious case.

Joo Oh-Nam (Ahn Jae-Hong) is Mo-Mi’s co-worker who suffers from an inferiority complex about his looks. He is a fan of Mask Girl and discovers that she is actually Mo-Mi. He has a crush on her and joins her in the mysterious case.

Meanwhile, Kim Kyung-Ja (Yum Hye-Ran) is Joo Oh-Nam’s mother who raised him alone after her divorce. He is the most precious thing in her life. One day, he goes missing and she starts to look for him.

What about its flaws?

The drama explores the complex relationships between these characters, as well as their secrets. It showed how they struggled with their own demons, as well as the consequences of their actions. That said, it also had some plot holes and inconsistencies that made it less believable and logical. Some of the characters made poor decisions that could have been avoided with more common sense or planning. Some of the events were too coincidental or convenient to create more drama or shock value. 

For example, Chun Ae could have escaped from her abusive boyfriend when he was away or brought a weapon to defend herself. Mo Mi could have checked the pulse of the first man she killed and called an ambulance instead of hiding his body. Joo Oh-Nam who helped her could have done the same instead of stabbing him again. 

The police incompetence was shown in some scenes. For instance, when a police officer heard a girl scream after getting a report of a kidnapping, he decided to leave because there was an escaped convict in the mountain area. He didn't bother to check if there was another crime happening or call for backup. He just assumed that two crimes could not happen at the same time and that he was the only police available in the area?

But on the other hand, some may argue that some of these choices or events were realistic or understandable given the circumstances or emotions of the characters. For example, Mo Mi didn't check for a pulse because she was too scared or panicked after killing someone for the first time. Joo Oh-Nam stabbed the man again because he wanted to protect Mo Mi from being exposed or arrested. 

Some people may think that Mo-mi should have revealed that Mi-mo was Oh-nam's mother's granddaughter. But you have to understand that the woman was too mentally unstable to accept that. She refused to acknowledge that her son had attempted to rape Mo-mi, so why would she believe that Mi-mo was her granddaughter? It would be useless to talk to her. 

I don’t think telling her that her son was a rapist would change her mind, because she was in denial anyway. She would have just blamed Mo-mi for seducing him or something. But if she had known about the granddaughter, it might have been different. I think her religious fanaticism was a key part of her character.

Themes and messages

"Mask Girl" touched on some important themes, such as self-acceptance, friendship, and motherhood. It made me think about how society judges people based on their appearance, and how that can affect their mental health and happiness. It also made me empathize with the characters, even the ones who did terrible things.

One of the main themes of this Kdrama was the perception of beauty and its dark side. It showed how some people were exploited and abused because of their looks, and how they suffered from low self-esteem and depression. 

On the one hand, some of the tragedies in this series were caused by the women’s desire for love and acceptance from men. They should have focused more on themselves and avoided bad people to prevent their suffering. But on the other hand, some of you may think that this is a simplistic and unfair way of looking at their situation. They were not just chasing bad people, they were also trying to survive and escape from the abuse and violence they faced. They didn't have many choices or opportunities to improve their lives or find happiness. They were also victims of society’s judgment and pressure based on their appearance and background.

"Mask Girl" also highlighted the importance of friendship and motherhood in overcoming adversity. Some characters found solace and support in each other. Some characters sacrificed themselves or risked everything for their children or grandchildren.

One of the few positive moments in this drama was the brief reunion between Mi Mo and her mother. It seemed like they finally felt a connection after being separated for so long.

Final thoughts

I'm not genuinely satisfied with the ending, which felt too rushed and unsatisfying. I wish there was more closure for the characters. Also, I wish there was more justice for the men who harmed them, who seemed to get away with their crimes.

Plus, I wish there was more consistency in the casting of Mo Mi’s character, who was played by three different actresses in seven episodes. I think it would have been better if either Nana or Go Hyun-Jung played the versions of Mo Mi after the plastic surgery, with some make-up or hair changes to show her age difference.

Generally speaking, "Mask Girl" was a brilliant and unique drama that offered a different and thrilling experience for Kdrama fans. It had a captivating plot, a talented cast, an artistic style, and a meaningful message. I'll recommend it to anyone who is looking for something different and thrilling, but also willing to suspend their disbelief and accept some absurdity.