Actress Han Ga In is going viral after transforming herself into a “60-year-old aunt ahjumah” character inspired by YouTube creator Lala’s popular alter-ego. Onf October 31, her video titled "What Happens When Han Ga In Goes All Out and Gives Up on Her Face" topped YouTube's trending list. The video, posted on Han Ga In's YouTube channel, has sparked widespread attention and fan reactions.
In the video, Han Ga In undergoes a full makeover to resemble Lala’s character, “Lee Myung Hwa,” a fictional 60-year-old building owner who embodies a stereotypical middle-aged woman with distinctive makeup, props, and mannerisms.
Known for her stern demeanor and trademark pursed smile, Lee Myung Hwa has gained a fanbase among younger viewers, even inspiring a line of merchandise that recently debuted in department store pop-ups. Lala’s videos of Lee Myung Hwa regularly surpass one million views on YouTube.
For her own character transformation, Han Ga In played “Ms. Park Bok Sil,” a fictional friend of Lee Myung Hwa. Explaining her decision to embrace the comedic role, Han Ga In said, “No matter how absurd or silly I act, people still see me as proper.”
With Lala’s help, Han Ga In’s transformation into Ms. Park was so complete that she was nearly unrecognizable. Her husband, actor Yeon Jung Hoon, burst out laughing over a video call and joked, “Are you really coming home like that?” Han Ga In even wore the costume to take her kids out, later sharing her family’s reactions: “Our youngest was trembling in fear,” she said, adding, “and my mom kept saying I looked just like one of her friends.”
The video went viral almost immediately, racking up 1.57 million views and over 5,500 comments within a day of posting. A short clip of the transformation shared on Lala’s Instagram has since exceeded 7.7 million views.
Netizens responded with comments like:
“Seeing Han Ga In work so hard makes me reflect on my own day.”
"Han Ga In is so ridiculous. I love her personality."
"Her personalty is so different from what I expected!"
“I couldn’t believe my eyes; this is the most shocking thing I’ve seen this week.”
“It seems she really wanted to look unattractive for just one day.” Han Ga In joked in response, “Even now, as this video goes live, I’m questioning if I should have posted it, but I sacrificed myself for my subscribers’ big laughs.”
"I didn't recognize that that was Han Ga In."
"LOL!"
"Han Ga In is so hilarious."
"I watched this episode so many times because it's so funny."
"I didn't recognize her."
"I love her personality."
Lala is a popular internet broadcaster and YouTube creator known for a variety of comedic alter-egos, including a nail salon employee, a beauty salon manager, and a plastic surgery consultant.
Alter-egos, or “secondary characters,” became a popular trend in Korean entertainment around 2018, with celebrities creating and portraying separate personas in a playful, satirical way. Yoo Jae Suk famously created the trot singer “Yoo San Seul” on MBC’s 'Hangout with Yoo' in 2019, which was followed by comedian Kim Shin Young’s “Aunt Kim Da Bi” and Kim Hae Jun’s “Cafe Owner Choi Joon.”
In a 2020 interview, pop culture critic Kim Heon Sik explained, “Just as the character Kwak Cheol Yong from Tazza was reinterpreted as a comedic figure online despite his negative portrayal in the film, audiences ultimately consume and enjoy these unique characters.”
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