Netflix is releasing a Japanese medical drama revolving around costume surgery on September 17, 2026. Titled "Plastic Beauty", the series follows Fumi Numata, a highly talented reconstructive and emergency-room surgeon who is forced to leave her university hospital. Looking for a way to continue her career, she takes a job at a cosmetic surgery clinic run by Rin Tohyama, a famous celebrity doctor.
Rin believes cosmetic surgery can help patients regain confidence and feel better about themselves. Fumi, however, has a very different reason for joining the clinic. She secretly wants to expose what she sees as the darker side of the rapidly growing cosmetic surgery industry, including its superficial values and focus on profit. Their opposing beliefs soon create serious personal and professional conflicts.
Lead cast members include Mayu Matsuoka, known for "Shoplifters", as Fumi, and Riisa Naka, known for "Alice in Borderland", as Rin. Shotaro Mamiya, familiar to fans of "Tokyo Revengers", is also part of the cast. The series is directed by Yuki Saito, whose credits include "Unmet: A Neurosurgeon's Diary", and written by Junya Ikegami, who worked on "The Queen of Villains".
A major part of the show's realism reportedly comes from its special effects makeup, led by acclaimed Japanese artist Amazing JIRO. His team spent months researching the real cosmetic surgery industry in Japan. Instead of simply showing patients before and after surgery, the production created three stages for each transformation: the original appearance, the painful recovery period with swelling and bandages, and the final result.
This realistic approach also explores difficult issues such as postoperative depression and surgery addiction. Rather than presenting cosmetic surgery as glamorous or perfect, "Plastic Beauty" aims to show its medical, emotional, and psychological realities.
