Yoo In Young plays two versions of herself in the drama "Oh My Venus." She's the mean slim lawyer Oh Soo Jin. In flashbacks she's also the heavier and much nicer version of herself. The thinner she got, the meaner she got.
And that means trouble for her co-star Shin Min Ah.
The actress has been something of a chameleon in the past few years, switching back and forth between sophisticated mean girl and fierce and furious characters. And her k-drama styles have followed suit, ranging from sultry sophistication to warrior gear. Here are a few of her most recent roles and the looks that accompany them.
"Mask"
In this drama she was delusional and sociopathic but oh-so-well-dressed. She played Choi Mi Yeon, the wife of the ambitious man played by Yun Jung Hoon. She was a killer but so delusional that it all seemed worth it to hold onto her man. She was bad but somehow still pitiable. And she wore some beautiful, stylish clothes, befitting a rich but emotionally troubled heiress.
"The Three Musketeers"
In "The Three Musketeers" she played Jo Mi Ryeong, a woman who sought power after being hurt by the prince, played by Lee Jin Wook. She was fierce, devious, and did not hesitate to get what she wanted. As a powerful woman, she wore the clothes befitting her station. As she acquired her power and fortune in China, they did have a Chinese flair and palette.
"Empress Ki"
In "Empress Ki," she played Yon Bi Su, the fierce but noble warrior chieftainess who allies herself with the Korean king because she loves him. While she had occasion to dress in women's clothing, she most often wore fighting clothes, chopped off hair and brandished a sword. In "Empress Ki" it's Joo Jin Mo's character she wants the most and because she loves him she eventually pays the ultimate price.
"You Who Came From The Stars"
In "You Who Came From The Stars" Yoo In Young was an ambitious actress, whose chief competition was Jun Ji Hyun's character. She dressed like a star. But she was also ambitious to make a good marriage and it was the means she took toward that end that ended her life.
In all these roles, Yoo In Young plays a woman who is ambitious and prepared to pay the price for what she wants. And her k-drama wardrobe has run the gamut from historical to modern, conservative to flashy, and frumpy to stylish. Whatever she wears, except maybe for that "Oh My Venus" fat suit, Yoo In Young always looks good.