Mask Girl is a South Korean dark comedy thriller series on Netflix. It is based on the webcomic of the same name by Mae Mi. The series is directed by Kim Young-hoon and written by Mae Mi and Kim Young-hoon, starring Ko Hyun-jung, Nana, and Lee Han-byul. It is rated 18+.
The series follows the story of Kim Mo-mi, an office worker despite always having dreamed of becoming an entertainer. Insecure about her appearance, at night she takes to live-stream her show on the net wearing a mask, becoming a masked internet personality known as Mask Girl. Her double life will lead to complications whens she finds herself involved in a murder case – she will even be suspected of being a serial killer.
About the series
The premise is promising, and very contemporary, but the question is if this series makes the most of it in its seven episodes. It turns out that each episode is dedicated to portraying a particular character in this murder mystery. We get to see their torments, complexes, fetishes and what outlets they have to make it through the day. This is a whodunnit in all order, where we get to know several characters from their worst sides.
In episode two we are introduced to a key character Ju Oh-nam, a man who recalls his childhood trauma as he was an outcast at school, but sought solace in a fictional anime character on TV. Will he be the culprit of the murder? Has his reality been distorted to such horrid dimensions? Or will it be Kim Kyung-ja, the acerbic mother to Oh-nam Ju, who enters the story in episode three, who is behind the crime? And so, we can keep on guessing throughout all seven chapters.
The staging is rather rudimentary, the performances are apt for a sitcom, it has a goofy score, the sort of background music that is so often used in comedies, relinquishing its entertainment value to a a very, very good plot, which requires a couple of episodes to show signs of life.
Classified as a dark comedy, I failed to see the dark hilarity in it in the beginning, but it slowly grows on you, as it satirizes many of the mundane follies, unforgiving with the trials and tribulations of its characters, and a sharp observant of the group dynamics.
Our Opinion
An interesting murder mystery comedy series, with an ample array of characters. It does require some patience in the beginning, as it takes off slowly, but once you get the knack of it, after the first episode, it starts to become more intriguing. It is good at introducing its characters, providing the viewer with their background stories and how they ultimately intertwine in development of events. It is a true whodunnit number, with quirky characterizations and a rather smart approach to bringing the story full circle.
The Cast
Ko Hyun-jung
Go Hyun-jung, born on March 2, 1971, is a renowned South Korean actress. She first gained recognition in the entertainment industry as the runner-up in the Miss Korea pageant in 1989. Go’s breakthrough came with her role in Sandglass, a highly acclaimed and widely popular Korean drama. After marrying Chung Yong-jin, a prominent business tycoon, in 1995, she took a hiatus from acting. However, following their divorce in 2003, Go made a successful comeback to the acting world. With the success of her series Queen Seondeok and Daemul, she has once again established herself as one of the leading actresses in Korea, earning the title of the highest paid actress on television.
Nana
Im Jin-ah, also known as Nana, is a talented South Korean singer, actress, and model. She gained popularity as a member of the South Korean girl group After School, as well as its subgroup Orange Caramel.
Lee Han-byul
Park Jeong-hwa
