Gong Shim ~ The Ugly Duckling is Always a Swan

By cmoneyspinner - November 17, 2025

“Gong Shim” aka “Dear Fair Lady Kong Shim” is a 2016 Korean drama, 20 episodes, categorized as Family, Slice-of-Life, Romance and Comedy (Rom-Com); and streaming on Netflix and Viki.

Memorable Quote: “What’s wrong with this (seeds)? It’s not sprouting. … No matter how hard I try, they will be buried by the soil, right? … It’s just like me. … No matter how hard I try, I can’t bloom.”

SUMMARY: The ugly duckling is always a swan. But somebody has to tell her.

♦ I’m Not Adopted?

“Gong Shim” is the story of Gong Shim, a kind but insecure young woman who has spent her life overshadowed by her older sister, Gong Mi, the accomplished, conventionally beautiful lawyer who represents everything their family celebrates. The parents treated the sister so differently that Gong Shim ordered a DNA test to prove that she had been adopted. It turned out, she wasn’t. They had the same parents. Of course, that didn’t help explain why she and her sister were practically opposites. While Gong Mi’s career flourishes, Gong Shim struggles to find direction and dreams of studying art in Italy, a goal she can’t afford yet. But should she give up her dream?

To save money, Gong Shim rents out her tiny rooftop room to Ahn Dan-Tae, a scrappy, eccentric lawyer who devotes himself to pro-bono cases. She agreed to rent the room but thinks he’s weird and is having second thoughts. He’s definitely too weird to be honest. An incident occurred at Gong Shim’s part-time job. Her human rights were clearly violated. But her sister, Gong Mi, works at a law firm, and the woman who assaulted Gong Shim is the wife of the president of that firm. SO WHAT!! Why does that matter?

♦ DON’T MY RIGHTS MATTER?

It matters because her sister could lose her job and might not be able to work at any other law firm. SO WHAT??!! Doesn’t anybody care that Gong Shim was beaten and bruised? The woman, the president’s wife or not, is at fault. Once again, the parents choose to take sides and protect the sister. NO! NO! Gong Shim put her foot down. HER RIGHTS MATTER! If her parents and sister won’t stand up for her, she’ll defend herself. She’s going to sue that woman and just needs a lawyer.

Of course, she doesn’t have the money to pay for legal counsel. A friend recommended a lawyer who handles pro bono cases. Guess who? Oh no! NOT that weird guy! Yes, the lawyer her friend suggested is Ahn Dan-Tae. Despite his rough edges, Ahn Dan-Tae’s sincerity and cheerful persistence gradually break through Gong Shim’s self-doubt, forming an unexpected and heartfelt bond.

♦ Nice to Meet You! We Have a Lot in Common.

Ahn Dan-Tae soon befriends Seok Joon-Soo, the gentle heir to a major conglomerate. Seok Joon-Soo’s grandmother has lived for years with the unresolved grief of losing her real grandson, Seok Joon-Pyo, who was kidnapped as a child. When the grandmother meets him, she is impressed by his good nature. She asked for his help with uncovering the truth behind the grandson’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, Gong Shim gets hired as Seok Joon-Soo’s secretary. She wasn’t hired for her qualifications. Rather, his image-obsessed mother picked her because she’s an “ugly duckling”. The mother assumes her son wouldn’t be attracted to someone who is “unattractive”. However, as they work together, Gong Shim and Seok Joon-Soo grow close. Their relationship begins to unfold into a gentle, slow-building romance.

Ahn Dan-Tae had already begun developing a close friendship with Seok Joon-Soo. But his friend’s closeness to Gong Shim makes him jealous. He finds himself also drawn to Gong Shim. Complicating matters, Gong Mi, decides to pursue Seok Joon-Soo, although not for love. But because she covets status and recognition. Her competition with Gong Shim reignites, and long-standing family tensions resurface. But this time, the rivalry is different. This time, the ugly duckling is the one getting all the attention.

Main Characters:

Ahn Dan-Tae (played by Namkoong Min, “Our Movie”, “Part-Time Spy”, “One Dollar Lawyer”, “The Veil”, “My Dearest 1 and 2”, “Doctor Prisoner”, “Remember: War of Son”, “Awaken”, “Good Manager”, “A Girl Who Sees Smells”)
Gong Shim (played by Minah, “Miss Fortune”, “Delivery Man”)
Gong Mi (played by Seo Hyo-Rim, “Sungkyunkwan Scandal”)
Seok Joon-Soo (played by On Joo-Wan, “Moon In The Day”, “Cadaver”)

Where to Watch

Viewership and Rating:

IMDb: 7.4 out of 10 stars
My Drama List: 7.8 out of 10 stars
Dramabeans: 7.6 out of 10 stars
Viki viewers rated this series 9.4 out of 10 stars
Letterboxd: 3.3 out of 5 stars

My personal rating is the same as MDL.

“Gong Shim” (on Netflix), aka “Dear Fair Lady Kong Shim” (on Viki), has mixed reviews. It’s one of those kinds of K-dramas. You either like it or you don’t. But most people can relate to the predicament the “ugly duckling” finds herself in. Many of us grow up not realizing our own inner and outer beauty because others who have grown up beside us always got the spotlight. Thus, we have low self-esteem and don’t realize our own value. The plot may have dragged here and there, but it’s very relatable. It was a lighthearted rom-com, and weaving in the mystery of the missing grandson added a little something extra to keep the viewer interested.