What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedIf I Had Your Face
Frances Cha · Book · 2020
If you loved If I Had Your Face, start with Itaewon Class (Cho Kwang-jin, 2020) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to If I Had Your Face across media.
What hooked you in If I Had Your Face was the way rigid social hierarchies collide with the intimate, often painful, search for identity.
Films on the same thread
The Housemaid
Paul Feig · Film · 2025
Explores: Class Conflict, Gaslighting, Identity Theft.
Like the ruthless social dynamics in If I Had Your Face, this thriller explores the high-stakes power imbalances and dangerous secrets hidden behind the walls of a wealthy household.
Frances Ha
Noah Baumbach · Film · 2013
Shares a thread with If I Had Your Face: Female friendship.
Much like the urban alienation found in If I Had Your Face, this story captures the messy, complicated reality of navigating female friendship while struggling to find your footing.
Past Lives
Celine Song · Film · 2023
Explores: Reconnection, Missed Connections, Fate vs. Free Will.
This film echoes the poignant yearning for connection in If I Had Your Face, grounding its exploration of destiny and choice within the deeply personal experience of modern life.
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Olivia Newman · Film · 2026
Explores: Grief and healing, Intergenerational friendship, Hidden secrets.
If you valued the resilience of women in If I Had Your Face, you will appreciate how this narrative finds profound solace and intergenerational healing through unexpected, life-changing bonds.
Series on the same thread
Itaewon Class
Cho Kwang-jin · Series · 2020
Shares a thread with If I Had Your Face: Social Mobility.
Fans of the underdog ambition in If I Had Your Face will recognize the same drive to overcome crushing social structures and achieve success in a demanding Seoul.
Yo soy Betty, la fea
Fernando Gaitán · Series · 1999
Shares a thread with If I Had Your Face: Beauty Standards.
This series mirrors the central obsession with beauty standards and social mobility found in If I Had Your Face, using a workplace setting to challenge deep-seated perceptions of worth.
When Life Gives You Tangerines
Lim Sang-choon · Series · 2025
Explores: First Love, Childhood Sweethearts, Island Life.
This drama captures the same spirit of endurance seen in If I Had Your Face, highlighting how personal history and steadfast connections provide strength against a backdrop of societal setbacks.
True Beauty
Series · 2020
Explores: Appearance Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Love Triangle.
Mirroring the appearance anxiety addressed in If I Had Your Face, this story explores the pressures of maintaining a perfect image and the struggle for self-acceptance in modern society.
Podcasts on the same thread
Slaggy Book Club
Podcast
Explores: Contemporary Literature, Book Recommendations, Literary Analysis.
For those who enjoyed dissecting the themes of If I Had Your Face, this podcast provides the deep literary analysis and critical conversation necessary to further explore similar contemporary narratives.
Nice White Parents
Serial Productions & The New York Times · Podcast · 2022
Explores: systemic inequality, educational reform, privilege and power.
If the critique of class disparity in If I Had Your Face resonated with you, this investigative series offers a sharp look at how privilege and power shape fundamental institutions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
What is the setting of If I Had Your Face?
If I Had Your Face is set in contemporary Seoul, South Korea. The story focuses on the lives of four young women as they navigate a world defined by K-pop mania, rigid social hierarchies, and the intense pressures of beauty standards.
Is If I Had Your Face a story about friendship?
Yes, If I Had Your Face explores the strength, spirit, and resilience of four young women. The narrative examines how these characters rely on the solace of their friendship while making their way through the challenges of modern life in Seoul.
Does If I Had Your Face address the beauty industry in Korea?
If I Had Your Face centers on a world defined by impossible standards of beauty. The novel examines how these societal expectations impact the lives of four young women as they navigate their daily experiences and professional environments in contemporary Seoul.
What kind of work environments are depicted in If I Had Your Face?
If I Had Your Face depicts the experiences of four young women, including their time working in after-hours room salons that cater to wealthy men. These settings serve as a backdrop for the characters as they navigate social hierarchies and personal struggles.