The series was both a hit domestically, with a peak rating of 18.4% and internationally, especially in China.[6][7][8][9][10]
Synopsis
A romantic comedy, based on a true story, about two past acquaintances who meet again after they've gone through a reversal of fortunes and appearances, set against the backdrop of a fashion magazine's publishing office.
Kim Hye-jin (Hwang Jung-eum) was a beautiful girl from a rich family as a child. After her family's publishing company went bankrupt, she experienced hardships and grew into freckles and curly hair, losing the perfect features she has when she was young. Ji Sung-joon (Park Seo-joon) was an unattractive boy with low self-esteem, but grows up to be a handsome and successful editor.
The two meet again as adults, but Sung-joon didn't recognize Hye-jin. Ashamed to meet her first love and ruin his perception of her, Hye-jin asks her attractive best friend, Ha-ri (Go Joon-hee), to appear in her place. Things, however, soon get complicated as Hye-jin was assigned to work at The Most magazine publishing office where Sung-joon is the deputy chief editor. He openly mistreats and belittles her for her clumsy nature, not knowing that she was his real childhood friend. Ha-ri also continues to meet Sung-joon, and soon develops feelings for him. On the other hand, Hye-jin finds a good friend in her workplace, Shin-hyuk (Choi Si-won), who falls in love with her.
As Sung-joon gets to know Hye-jin better, he realizes there is more to the clumsy freckle-faced girl than he initially thought and it strikes him how much she reminds him of his childhood friend.
An intern in the administration section before being appointed as junior editor. She used to be a beautiful, wealthy, and smart girl, but lost everything. Embarrassed at her failures in life, she asked her best friend Ha-ri, to meet with her first love Sung-joon, using her name. She thought that would be the end of her fate with Sung-joon, but turns out it's only the beginning of her nightmare, as he then becomes her boss. Despite the misfortunes, she still strives to do her best.
The youngest deputy chief editor in Korea. Stubborn and arrogant but also brilliant in his work. Unlike Hye-jin, he was unattractive and shy but grows up to become handsome and successful. Immediately after returning to Korea, he contacted his first love, Hye-jin. He ends up falling for her even when he didn't recognize that she was his childhood friend and first love.
A hotelier. She is Hye-jin's best friend and roommate. A beautiful and stylish woman with good personality. While continuing to pretend to be Hye-jin, she ends up falling for Sung-joon. Fearing that her relationship with her best friend might be compromised, she tries several times to tell him the truth only to fail in the end and having Sung-joon find out first.
A senior Feature editor. He is generally a free-spirited, fair, and straightforward man but with mysterious identity (later found out to be the Korean writer, Ten). He is Hye-jin's direct supervisor at work, and they developed a close relationship. He ends up falling for her even before her beauty transformation. He finds out about her relationship with Sung-joon one day when she was drunk.
Supporting
Hye-jin's family
Park Choong-sun as Kim Jong-seob, Hye-jin's father who is currently running a small printing house.
Lee Il-hwa as Han Jung-hye, Hye-jin's mother who also treats Ha-ri like her own daughter too.
Jung Da-bin as Kim Hye-rin, Hye-jin's younger sister who often prefers Ha-ri as her own sister instead of Hye-jin.
Ha-ri's family
Yoon Yoo-sun as Cha Hye-jung, Ha-ri's birth mother and Jung-hye's friend.
The chief editor who is very fashionable and later found out that she is the chairman's younger sister. She speaks English, Korean, Italian, French and Spanish.
Head of the Editing team and director of the Fashion team who is so dedicated to her work. She speaks on behalf of Hye-jin during her initial days and later becomes the deputy chief editor.
A lazy and untidy Feature director who orders his junior coworkers around. It is revealed later that he is the Jinsung Magazine CEO's son and eventually becomes the Vice President.
An assistant of the Beauty team who finds out about the fact that the chairman's son is one of her co-workers and sets out to become his love interest. She then dates Joon-woo and eventually falls for his friendly charms.
A cute and kind assistant of the Fashion team who had feelings for Han Seol from the day when she mistakes him as the chairman's son and reciprocates his feelings. He always respects his co-workers and it is later revealed that his parent is the owner of a laundry place.
Kang Soo-jin as Joo Ah-reum
The editor of the Beauty team who is getting married.
Kim Je-dong as The Most 20th Anniversary's party MC (ep. 9)
Lee Joon-gi as the guest for The Most 20th Anniversary (ep. 9)
Seo In-guk as the guest for The Most 20th Anniversary (ep. 9)
Uee as the guest for The Most 20th Anniversary (ep. 9)
Park Hyung-sik as the guest for The Most 20th Anniversary (ep. 9)
Lee Sang-hoon as interviewee for Editor Kim (ep. 11)
Kim Bo-min as Ji Yeon-woo, Sung-joon and Hye-jin's daughter (ep. 16)
Production
The first script reading was held on August 10, 2015.[20]
The drama reunited Hwang Jung-eum with Park Seo-joon, who previously starred together in Kill Me, Heal Me;[21] and Hwang Jung-eum with Go Joon-hee, who previously starred together in Can You Hear My Heart.[22]