Celebrity, a Netflix K-Drama, spills the tea behind the lens of the influencer world.
The word influence is derived from the Latin word for “inflow,” suggesting that we are mere vessels for thoughts transferred by influencers while they get an inflow of money.
While a Youtube personality was still considered a content creator, the term influencer formed its locus at Instagram. This upcoming breed amassed a following by showing a picturesque voyeuristic life.
Every pixel of the picture is manipulated to show the ordinary folks what they lack and how they can achieve these unrealistic standards by following this breed’s advice.
And here we are now…where a brand value revolves around the influencer’s beliefs; where an influencer can destroy a virtuous company while promoting a shady one; where an influencer has the power to harp on the followers’ insecurities.
However, there is no denying that some influencers have uplifted their community with transparency and honesty with their followers. But the pressures of consistently churning out content may derail their intentions.
While some young influencers fall victim to the vicious internet cycle of making and breaking a celebrity.
The “Celebrity” drama, directed by Kim Cheol-kyu (Flower of Evil) and written by Kim Yi-young, explores every aspect of the influencer’s community while not afraid to expose the ugliest side of beautiful online posts.
Quick Bite: Summary Of Celebrity
The drama is divided into two timelines–
The present timeline:
We see a livestream of what seems like a famous influencer with live comments popping up on her stream with several views. We discover that it is Seo A-ri, a famous social media influencer, and a “e-celebrity.” She addresses her followers and haters, spilling the ins and outs of her superficial world. But there seems to be an unsettling aura behind this livestream….why are there so many viewers? Why are other influencers so shocked? Why are people watching a dead person’s livestream? Yes…you read that right! Let us uncover the truth…
The rise-and-fall-to-fame timeline:
Let’s start from the beginning–
We meet Seo A-ri, a humble and ordinary girl making ends meet as a door-to-door salesperson for a beauty brand. She does view the influencer world with cynicism and a disdain for materialistic standards.
But one day, she meets her childhood friend Oh Min-hye, one of the elite South Korean influencers. Min-Hye is taken aback by A-ri’s state. And we are taken to a flashback where A-ri came from an affluent family when she was in high school with Min-hye.
But a few years later, the family went bankrupt and had to live below their means. Ari was even admitted to an Ivy League college but had to drop out because of financial restraints.
Min-Hye invites A-ri to an influencer party, where the rest of the “Gabin Society” posse is introduced– Chae-hee, Angela, Ji-na, and Yu-rang. For the first time, A-ri encounters this world this closely; and boy, is she enamored! After a little drama at the party, A-ri decides to try her hand as an influencer too.
And from here on, we navigate her journey to the social media ladder and the inevitable fall from grace.
Supporting characters for A-ri:
Han Joon Kyung: CEO of a major cosmetics company and a third generation of a “Chaebol” conglomerate. He supports A-ri when the world turns against her and is the greenest flag of love interest.
Yoon Si-Hyeon: Wife of a prominent lawyer Tae-Joon and Chae-hee’s sister-in-law. She is well aware of the perils of social media and Chae-hee’s drug usage. She bears the brunt of a moral dilemma when a man overdoses during Chae-hee’s “get-together,” her lawyer husband does everything to cover up this mishap.
Jeong-Sun: A-ri’s ride or die….well, let’s get back to her later.
By the end of episode 11, we see the two timelines merging–
A-ri’s declining reputation in social media and the force of hate comments make her take drastic steps. We know that she has committed su*c*de. But then, how is she on the live stream?
There is one mysterious Trojan horse character who helped A-ri fight against the Gabin society. This anonymous helper, “_bbbfamous,” soon became A-ri’s worst nightmare when they turned on her and destroyed her life. And here we are on the finale episode, unmasking the mystery–
Who Is _bbbfamous?
Ari was a total newbie when she decided to embark on the influencer journey. Meanwhile, the Gabin Society was the reigning queen of the digital world. Ari received anonymous tips on each of their lives, which helped her have the upper hand when playing the right cards.
But when Ari forgets her humble beginnings as she rises to the top, _bbbfamous becomes her biggest critiquer. And this keyboard warrior is not what we ever would have imagined…
In the next scene, we see a soft-spoken masseuse who is very professional in taking care of her clients. Lee Eun-Chae worked at a parlor where the Gabin Society were regular customers. She secretly records their conversations to use later against them or give Ari useful insider information.
She had immense hate for influencers who flaunted their money despite having no talent whatsoever. She was clearly not in her right mindset when her living situation was revealed, filled with filth and just one laptop.
She takes down Ari by doctoring her messages ad tarnishing her online reputation.
Is Seo A-ri Alive In Celebrity?
Turns out, the entire suicide fiasco was staged by Seo A-ri and her friends. Seo A-ri was well and alive and ready to regain herself.
First, in a heartbreaking moment, A-ri realizes that her best friend, Jeong Sun, is one of her hater trolls. Jeong Sun becomes jealous of A-ri’s quick road to fame and hatches an account just to troll her friend. But they both patch up, and Jeong Sun decides to help A-ri take revenge.
As the live stream is ending, the police find out that it is not actually A-ri but Jeong-sun using deep fake technology for the livestream.
Ari confronts Lee Eun Chae face-to-face, and in a fit of mental instability, Eun Chae declares that she has nothing to live for and jumps from the window. She does survive the fall, though.
What is The Ending of “Celebrity” Kdrama?
In the end, the Gabin Society crumbles like a house of cards. One damning speck of truth and the entire facade come to an end.
- Min Hye and her husband try to flee from the country.
- Chae Hee is arrested for drug usage, and Tae Joon is proven guilty of covering up the overdose incident. Si-Hyeon (our angel) divorces her devil husband.
- Angela’s husband finds out that she traded her body for money and demands she leave the house.
- Yu Rang’s husband is arrested for assisting Tae-joon’s plans. Yu-rang loses her followers.
But the ending reveals much more than how fickle the influencer industry is. It exposes how ordinary people are affected due to the sheer ignorance of these “celebrities.” Mr.Park is found dead in the warehouse and leaves a note of apology for Ari. But the internet believed he killed himself because Ari pressured him for her business.
Celebrity culture also reveals how less they value someone’s life to hold on to their reputation. An influencer’s currency is only the perfect facade they maintain, and when that breaks, they go broke.
In a more twisty end, we see a Jun Ho cameo.
This seems like a perfect start for the next season, hopefully.
What are your thoughts on this K-drama? Did you like the twists, or did you predict them? Who was your favorite character in the show? Let us know in the comments section below.
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