Lookism

This was my first introduction to Lookism both as an animated series and as a manhwa, and I must say it was a lot better than I expected! A LOT BETTER. At first I thought it was gonna be your average freaky-friday/bullied-becomes-chad/corny-overexagerrated-coming-of-age-story - while it certainly had elements of it (especially at the beginning) - it treated a lot of the topics a lot better and more skillfully compared to the other genre flicks I just stated.

Where this show gets dragged down though its with its rocky start especially from episodes 1-3. From the start we get introduced to unlikable characters (even the protagonist) which will certainly turnoff a lot of new viewers coming in (I guess this is where most of the 1 star reviews come from) But trust me, they do get better, the characters become more lovable. I do believe the start could've been handled better, but I also believe the unlikable aspects those characters had (especially the protagonist) was needed in order to establish the character arcs they had later on (and also to further drive home the message of the show) Past those episodes the series really takes off, and we get a fantastic bingable show, with surprisingly human characters.

Would recommend, just know that the start may turn some people off, so keep an openmind that the show gets A LOT better.

I love this! I had started reading the WEBTOON long back but lost track of it along the way(it's got a lot of episodes!) I was surprised to see this on Netflix and immediately clicked on it. 3rd episode down and I absolutely adore this series and how it deals with real issues and the superficiality of people. The songs and the characters are well made and have great backstories. I'm looking forward to see how they continue the series as the WEBTOON has about 400 plus episodes and is still ongoing

Bullying is definitely not an easy topic to discuss and showcase in a series. So I'm glad that the essence of the WEBTOON is adapted so well here.

First off, let me disclose that I have not read the webcomic, so I am judging this show for its own qualities and not for how well it adapts the comic.

Conceptually speaking, the show has a lot of potential. Bullying is an amazing topic to make a show about. At points, the show really convinces me, that it has what is needed to explore it, but at other points I am just let down.

This show shines when it comes to the characterization of the bullied characters. Time and time again, it gives them amazing characterization with a lot of heart to it. You sympathize with them, their interactions makes sense, and their feelings are realistic to those of bullied teens.

I absolutely hate how the general public and every teen is characterized in this show.

Women in the background will constantly talk about how weird it is that a handsome guy talks with ugly losers or actively agree with people that bully and beat up those 'losers'. I understand that this has roots in reality, but there literally are scenes that show the public actively cheering on the beating up of a fat child and bullying that child on the internet. It's crazy how cruel everyone is shown to be.

I kept hoping that at some point, this would change. That more than an incredibly rare few people would develop empathy. Perhaps that the series shows us how change in that regard is possible.

Instead, people don't change and I think this is incredibly disappointing.

Picking up on that point, it's horrible to watch how bad the main character is at defusing situations. He will barely be able to say 3 word sentences in shock before a fight ensues. At some point it just feels like the show forcing it.

I think the show has a lot of potential, but it keeps falling flat again and again. Hopefully some of those issues might be resolved in season 2 with the writing of the webtoon creator/netflix writers improving too.

With its incredible source material (written by PTJ), opening K-pop track (ATEEZ), and stunning animation (Studio Mir-same studio responsible for Korra), Lookism has easily become one of my favorite winter anime series. It has a unique balance of lighthearted slice of life moments, drama from misunderstandings and betrayals, and action-packed street fighting scenes. At times, you may feel uncomfortable with second-hand embarrassment from the extreme bullying scenes. However, don't let your first impressions fool you. PTJ has a plan for each and every character including the MC's bullies. From the bratty MC who yells at his mom for being embarrassing to the superficial classmate who shamelessly flirts with MC, main and side characters alike in the Lookism universe are all blessed with a compelling storyline. Some of these backstories will be comedic, while others will absolutely crush you and break your heart. This is the charm and beauty of PTJ's Lookism. It's a story that goes beyond just badass street fighting and delves deeper into the complex relationships between its characters.

It's frustrating to see so many low ratings from people who don't want to give a Korean manhwa a fair chance. If you can't handle the grittiness of a quality series like Lookism, then please go rewatch Sword Art Online and simp after those one dimensional Mary Sue waifus and Gary Stu husbandos. Lookism isn't meant for the simpleminded and weak-willed.

Ngl I dropped this manhwa halfway on the 400 chapters. I know many people were bothered with how the characters looked in the adaptation but The art style doesn't bother me that much and the animation is actually really good. The soundtracks are also great. It's all well produced. The plot is the same as the manhwa and they didnt change much. Hoping for the next season. I'm hoping to see the development of the characters and to see the mc grow. I'm a bit disappointed it doesn't have a lot of episodes but it's all good and this is a great start. Overall this is a good adaptation kudos to everyone .