Lookism has settled on a new Netflix release date, which arrives after the South Korean series' original date experienced a delay due to the Itaewon tragedy.
Netflix Anime revealed on its official account that the animated adaptation of Lookism will land on Netflix on Dec. 8. The series, based on the South Korean webcomic of the same name, was originally supposed to air on Nov. 8 only to be delayed due to the Itaewon tragedy. The incident, which occurred on Oct. 29, was a deadly crowd crush, leaving 158 people dead. Consequently, South Korea entered a week-long national mourning period. Likewise, on Oct. 31, Studio Mir said it would delay the Lookism series "until further notice." The announcement added, "We will update you with a new streaming date."
On Oct. 29, an estimated 100,000 people visited Itaewon to celebrate Halloween. This year marked the first Halloween where COVID restrictions were lifted. A commercial area, Itaewon is a popular district for nighttime gatherings and is notable for its diverse culture and open-mindedness. Yet, it's also an area known for its narrow streets and alleys. By mid-afternoon, there were calls to the police, warning them that the crowds had grown exponentially and the alleyway, where the fatal crowd crush happened, was completely blocked off. Callers expressed their fear that people would get hurt or die.
Hours later, Itaewon was flooded with ambulances, paramedics and bystanders performing CPR on unresponsive partygoers and police officers struggling to pull people out of the alleyway where they had fallen on top of each other. 158 people died, and 196 people sustained injuries.​​​​​​ During the mourning period, shops closed, and TV programs canceled during this time as a sign of respect. An investigation remains ongoing, with many blaming the lack of police presence at Itaewon.
Lookism's Plot
Created by Taejun Park, Lookism is an ongoing webcomic that began publication in November 2014. Lookism has over 600 million views. The story revolves around high schooler Park Hyeong-seok who is a victim of severe bullying due to his unattractive looks. He moves to Seoul in the hopes of starting a new life. Instead, one night, Hyeong-seok looks in the mirror and finds someone tall, handsome and athletic staring back at him. Somehow, he now has the ability to switch between two bodies: one that fits the conventional beauty standards and one that does not. Studio Mir (The Legend of Korra and Dota: Dragon's Blood) will produce the anime with K-Pop group ATEEZ singing the theme song "Like That."
Lookism will debut on Netflix on Dec. 8. In the meantime, fans can read the webcomic on WEBTOON where it updates weekly.
Source: Netflix Anime