Lookism (2022) - Korean Webtoon Review
Welcome to Sensei Sensibility! You are the hungry mind yearning to devour Asian viewing; I am the (questionably) knowledgeable Sensei, more than happy to satiate your televisual appetite.
If you're looking for an entertaining (yet deeply uncomfortable) watch over the holiday break, you'd do a lot worse than the eight episode Studio Mir Korean anime Lookism.
Piggy in the Middle Bottom
Adapted for Netflix from Taejun Pak's webtoon of the same name, Lookism is part slice-of-life/part body-swapping fantasy that confronts the viewer with harsh themes of bullying, trauma and exclusionary social classification.
Park Hyeong-seok is a chubby loner with unfashionable glasses and what is obviously a home haircut. Savagely bullied at school by his classmates, events escalate to the point where Hyeong-seok's mother must transfer him to a new school in the big city, where he can start again with a clean, un-bullied slate.
(By the way, the overly adult, tattooed and muscular character design of said classmates is strongly reminiscent of Masayuki Taguchi's manga interpretation of Koushun Takami's Battle Royale Programme participants...)
Initially over-flowing with optimism at the opportunities a fresh start can bring, the reality is soon revealed: poor Hyeong-seok remains a socially awkward, "piggly" target for better looking, testosterone fuelled peers. Peers determined to remind him (violently) of where he belongs on life's pecking order - the bottom rung.
In a display of grim, social commentary, oftentimes these pecking order reminders end up being viral online posts that are a source of mirth and vitriol for indifferent commenters: "That poor pig" or "Slaughtering a pig in Hongdae".
Bullying in the digital world as well as analogue. This leads to many John Merrick style musings of "I'm human too!"
Suspend Your Disbelief
For mystical reasons never explained to the viewer, our protagonist then finds himself in a bizarre body-swapping situation. By night, Hyeong-seok is the bullied geek, by day - he's a swoon-worthy, athletic, and highly popular version of himself. It's as this handsome version of himself that he enters Jaewon High, a vocational school specialising in fashion, dance and contemporary vocals.
Here our body-hopping (anti?) hero starts to inadvertently amass an array of jealous nemeses, almost One Punch Man style. Every class/street gang has its strong, hunky male leader - and boy are they threatened by Hyeong-seok.
Not only must he navigate the bizarre astral projection/wish fulfilment situation he's found himself in, work a part-time job at a convenience store by night, fend off the unwanted advances of his female classmates - his new body causes a reaction similar to the lads out of Boys Over Flowers - he must also unwillingly battle it out in fisticuffs with every jealous alpha in the town! It's... a lot.
Oh.
He also finds himself in a rather unexpected 8 Mile style Battle of the Bands with a new pal: the equally abused and looked-down-upon Deok-hwa.
Phew. Trust me. It's harder to explain than it is to watch, it's highly binge-able.
Not all Doom and Gloom
Lookism provides an unflinching, brutal portrayal of not only bullying, but the conflicting and confusing emotions that come with being bullied. At times it provides a heightened sense of black and white/good and bad moral values, but then at other times confronts the viewer's perceptions about what is good and bad.
For example, Hyeong-seok's mother is heartbreakingly kind and genuine, and her love for her son is almost unbearably touching at times. However, Hyeong-seok takes his anger out on his mother, venting his frustration at their poverty and the otherness that brings. There's many character studies throughout that show the complexity of humans, as well as their shallowness.
There's authentic heart and humanity flowing through the gorgeous animation. The camaraderie between our hero and the bullied waifs he takes under his handsome wing is uplifting to watch. There's light relief from the sometimes unwatchable scenes of violence, a great cast of colourful characters and some mild plot twists.
Also, keep an ear out for the amazing show intro by South Korean boy band Ateez.
Most importantly of all, regardless of what body he's in, Hyeong-seok learns many a life lesson, including deep gratitude and appreciation towards his endlessly self-sacrificing mother.
Well?
I couldn't find a lot of information online about whether or not there'll be a season two, or if there's any explanation for the body-swapping. It also appears that there's a live action adaptation of Lookism too?
Look, it's a bonkers piece of escapism grounded in reality portioned out in highly digestible bites. Give it a watch, sure baby, it is cold outside!
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