Korean dramas have made quite a name for themselves when it comes to melodramas, they’re your conventional soaps that’ll have you scratching your head and mentally flipping tables because of messed up love lines. For several reasons and personal taste, I try to avoid melodramas as much as possible. In other words, I glance at the synopsis and leave it at that.
Mask has been one exception, and I can’t particularly narrow it down as to why I consider it a rare gem other than the cast (I don’t think I’ll ever see a drama pairing like that again) and possibly the incredible fashion? I never fangirled over high heels until this drama came along.
But you’ve been warned, it’s typical in every sense of the word and full of plot-holes when it comes to logic, if your going to watch this one then be prepared to shut your brain off. And I’m making it sound bad but I did thoroughly enjoy Mask. It had one of my favourite male leads, convincing enough villains, and valuable lessons to be learned especially in regards to money and human greed. It’s a rags to riches story, with chaebols and loads of betrayal!
Mask tells the story of Byun Ji Soo (Park Soo Ae) who’s desperate to escape her father’s debt, having to struggle to make ends meet. She’s offered a golden opportunity to live the good life and save her family when coerced into posing as Seo Eun Ha, her doppelgänger. Faking her own death, she takes on a new identity in the hopes of leaving her miserable life behind. While posing as Seo Eun Ha she meets Min Woo (Joo Ji Hoon) Eun Ha’s fiancé whose a volatile man, sick of his world that’s rife with betrayal and lies.
This would be my first encounter with a doppelgänger theme without the two females being long lost sisters or having the same parent, so I’ll give the drama credit for that. The chaebol-world aspects have all been established in other dramas but Mask offers a little intrigue and mystery that you can’t help but be hooked on. I think what did it for me was Joo Ji Hoon – I became a huge fan after this series ? he is just too cute! But my bias opinion aside, the cast is stellar even down to the supporting characters who only have a few scenes. If you want a good performance with seasoned actors, then Mask is the drama for you.
He even gets the girl matching couple sunglasses – now that’s what I call taste!
Release Date: May 27, 2015 (Eng Sub available on Dramafever)
Rate your favorite Korean dramas in 2015.
Sunny
Seconding your recommendation of this drama. I usually dislike the KDrama melodrama genre but this is the only one I've enjoyed and managed to watch through to the end. There were plot holes but it was riveting and I loved Soo Ae, Joo Ji Hoon and Soo Ae's wardrobe in this.
Debra.J
You've summed it up perfectly! I get easily worn out and tired with melodramas but Mask was the only one I watched from beginning to end without skipping a single scene. Soo Ae and Joo Ji Hoon are a perfect pair <3