Imitation (South Korean Television Series)

Imitation is a South Korean television series that premiered on KBS2 in 2021. The drama explores the competitive and demanding world of the K-pop industry, focusing on the struggles of aspiring and established idols. The series is based on the webcomic of the same name by author Park Kyung-Ran, which was serialized on KakaoPage from September 30, 2014, to April 15, 2020.

Promotional poster for the drama Imitation — Promotional artwork for the series Imitation.

Plot

The story centers on Lee Ma-Ha (played by Jung Ji-So), a member of the girl group Teaparty. Despite her efforts, the group struggles to find success. Ma-Ha gains minor public attention primarily due to her physical resemblance to the popular solo artist La Ri-Ma (Park Ji-Yeon). The narrative follows Ma-Ha's journey as she navigates the industry, including her interactions with Kwon Ryeok (Lee Jun-Young), a member of the prominent boy band Shax. Their relationship begins with tension following an incident on a reality television program, but they eventually cross paths through their professional work in music and acting.

Production

The series was directed by Han Hyun-Hee, with the screenplay written by Choi Sun-Young and Kim Min-Jung. It aired for 12 episodes on KBS2 from May 7 to July 23, 2021, in the Friday 23:20 time slot.

Cast

The drama features an ensemble cast portraying members of various fictional idol groups and industry professionals:

Jung Ji-So as Lee Ma-Ha (Teaparty)
Lee Jun-Young as Kwon Ryeok (Shax)
Park Ji-Yeon as La Ri-Ma
Yun Ho as Lee Yoo-Jin
Lim Na-Young as Sim Hyun-Ji (Teaparty)
Minseo as Yoo Ri-A (Teaparty)

The cast also includes members of the boy bands Shax and Sparkling, as well as various talent agency representatives.