All viewers desire innovation in characterization when watching a series with a female protagonist, and Celebrity caters to this expectation. But is it a perfect series? Not quite. Here is our review of the K-drama Celebrity directed by Kim Chul Gyu.
A World Unexplored
Influencers are the new age stars, yet they have not been properly represented in media. Netflix’s Celebrity is set in the influencer world, but it’s not as glamorous as one might imagine. The series exposes the dark side of this industry.
The story follows an ordinary woman who struggles to find her place in this world. However, upon entering, she quickly realizes how dangerous and shallow it truly is.
The Tone and the Making of Celebrity
The K-drama “Celebrity” employs a back-and-forth narration, with the protagonist telling the story via Instagram Live.
From writing to editing, it mirrors the patterns of the online world. The palette, cinematography, and outfits are all distinctly Instagram-worthy.
It’s also an engaging thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, enhanced by an incredible background score and music by Kim Joon Seok and Jung Se Rin.
Celebrity – The Good and the Bad in the Writing of this K-drama
How often do we encounter an influencer character who is obnoxious, entitled, and ***tchy? Almost always. “Celebrity” is no different, presenting an array of what I’d call “influencer tropes.”
Most negative characters are written similarly, even repeating the same dialogue. They throw drinks at their rivals more than once and break things when angry.
The rivalry aspect is quite monotonous, while the romance part stands out compared to other K-dramas, except for the cliché of love at first sight. The actors share electrifying chemistry.
However, the writer excels in maintaining the thriller element. The plot is meticulous and engaging. It has some insane plot twists and an explosive climax. It’s completely unpredictable, keeping viewers guessing until the very end.
The Performances in this K-drama
The performances in Celebrity range from dramatic to extremely theatrical, yet most of the actors deliver strong performances, unlike in dramas like The Penthouse.
Park Gyu-young shines in the early episodes, offering a nuanced, understated performance. However, she struggles with emotionally intense scenes, often resorting to a deadpan expression, which feels like a copout. This is particularly evident in a scene involving betrayal and death, where her numbness becomes repetitive and frustrating.
Kang Min Hyuk, as the male lead, is a refreshing presence. He plays a typical K-drama role but brings his unique charm, expressing a myriad of emotions even with a blank expression. He’s one of those actors who can convey a lot without much effort. Unfortunately, his character lacks depth.
The Major Problem with Celebrity
Celebrity seems to depict perilous politics that might go unnoticed. When the setting is the influencer world, a rare domain predominantly led by women, the least it could do is refrain from disparaging everyone.
However, in Celebrity, this world is portrayed as doing everything wrong. Just as society often undermines successful women, here too, successful women rise not through their merits but through a “cheat code”—clinging to a popular celebrity like a parasite.
The protagonist is no exception, which feels far-fetched and frustrating to watch. Adding to this is a successful woman character who climbs the ladder by sleeping her way to the top.
This world is depicted as one of jealousy and obsession among women. It plays on the usual patriarchal ridiculous saying that a woman’s biggest enemy is another woman.
The series should have at least portrayed one character who achieves success solely through her efforts.
That being said, we want female protagonists like this who are human and extremely flawed instead of the cute, sweet, kind heroine who can do no wrong.
Our Verdict
If you are looking for an unpredictable thriller, Celebrity can truly give you that adrenaline rush. It’s not a perfect series but it will entertain you nevertheless.
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Arya is a curious soul and nerd who loves books and cinema. You can read her articles on Medium. You can also follow her on Instagram where she talks about her favourite books and movies.