Review: KBS’ Baby-Faced Beauty is a Cute, Breezy Romantic Workplace Comedy

Baby-Faced Beauty follows Lee So Young (Jang Na Ra), a 34-year old who just been fired from her job at a textile factory after 14 years. When firing her, her boss tells her she’ll be fine thanks to her youthful appearance. She looks not a day over 25.

Having to provide for her materialistic sister and their mother, who runs a local street food stand, and help take care of their debts, So Young finds a job at the corner alterations shop. But she ends up in big trouble when her sister “borrows” one of the fancy blazers from the shop and has to get it back. Through a crazy string of events, she runs into Choi Jin Wook (Daniel Choi), a design manager for a big fashion company.

It is at that fashion company that So Young ends up working thanks in part to them believing she is in her early 20s. And it is at that fashion company where she and Jin Wook start a cat and dog, back and forth relationship.

In a culture and society where age and respect is important in everyday life, it is interesting and fun to see it being the basic premise of a romantic comedy. So Young has to continue pretending to be almost 10 years younger than she really is, in turn making her younger than the co-workers who should be looking up to and respecting her.

It is in these moments, especially between So Young and the cocky Jin Wook that bring the series its charm and fun. Mirroring the story so far, the series’ visuals are bright and colorful.

Choi and Jang have a nice chemistry, and Jang Na Ra couldn’t be any more sunny and rootable as So Young.

After just two episodes, it may not be fully clear what direction the series is going in. But with a nice mix of family drama, workplace comedy and romance, what Baby-faced Beauty did show was the potential for a fun, breezy and charming ride.

Here is the teaser trailer:

Share your thoughts!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Back to top