Lookism

Bullying is prevalent throughout the world but in South Kora, it’s a particularly sensitive issue. With K-dramas, we’ve seen these scenes played out across school and even at the workplace, and recent statistics, unfortunately, claim that more than 1 in 10 workers suffers from bullying every day.

Being on the receiving end of this feels like being stuck in a black hole that there’s no escaping from. No matter how you try to cope with it, things can spiral quickly and get out of control. From physical violence and name-calling to ostracism and, more recently, cyberbullying, these can be awful to have to deal with.

Lookism then is a Korean anime that tackles bullying directly and it does so through the lens of Hyeong-Seok, a poor overweight kid who’s pushed around by his peers. He’s bullied so badly in fact, that he changes schools and hopes for a fresh start. Only, that immediately goes awry when a misunderstanding turns into a viral video and Hyeong-Seok’s life turns into a miserable fight for survival.

When Hyeong-Seok falls asleep and awakens as the idealized version of himself, complete with good looks, tight abs, and an amazing singing voice. What ensues from here is a dual life of sorts, with Hyeong-Seok realizing that every time he falls asleep, he awakens as his other version. So Hyeong-Seok decides to work nights as his old self, raising funds to help his growing appetite, while the new version heads off to school and attempts to navigate the trickiness that comes with studies and navigating social circles.