Lookism is the title of Netflix’s upcoming animated series. The show follows Park Hyung Suk, a high school student tired of being mocked for his appearance. One day, the boy wakes up in a completely different body; he is suddenly tall and handsome, catching the eye of every girl he walks by. Realizing he switches bodies whenever he sleeps, Hyung Suk takes to living a double life, going to school with his better-looking body, while keeping his older one for less important tasks.
In its unique way, the show attempts to tackle social issues, as the protagonist witnesses first-hand the different ways humans treat each other based on looks. As described by Netflix:
“Lookism deals with the subtle lookism and materialism present in the lives of people living in modern society. Unique character designers have breathed life into the main characters of the original manga, giving them vivid voices, dynamic direction, and gorgeous effects.”
The release date for the series was previously Nov. 4 but ended up being postponed four days before its premiere. Recently, Netflix took to social media platforms to announce the new — and hopefully final — release date. As we can see in the tweet below, Lookism is now set to hit Netflix over a month later than initially planned, i.e., on Dec. 8. Accompanying the announcement, the show’s official trailer was also posted.
As you’ll notice from the trailer, Lookism does not look like other anime series; its art style is very distinct from the anime classics viewers are used to, and there is a reason behind that. Unlike most anime, this series is not based on a Japanese manga, but a Korean webtoon of the same name. Hence, the series was animated by the South Korean company, Studio Mir, in order to reflect the typical art style of the country. This also allows the show to retain an aesthetic closer to its source material, which fans of the webtoon seem to appreciate.
In a similar fashion, the series is also voiced by Korean actors and will be released with English subtitles for international audiences. Given that nothing about the series is Japanese, it stands to reason to question whether Lookism can even be considered anime. Many believe it can’t, and that defining it as such is incorrect, but it likely won’t make a difference in viewership or overall popularity.
Written and illustrated by Park Tae Joon, this webtoon started being serialized in 2014 and since then, it has gathered around 8.7 billion views globally. Given Lookism‘s worldwide reach, it’s no wonder that Netflix jumped at the opportunity to adapt it.