Birth of a Beauty

Sara, once an overweight and mistreated wife named Han Tae-hee, returns after a dramatic transformation into a stunning beauty following years of abuse and neglect from her husband Gyo Chul and his family. She encounters Sa Geum-ran's old flame Han Tae-hee, a sharp-tongued food critic, who is shocked by her appearance and begins to suspect her true identity.

Sara and Tae-hee strike a deal — he will help her get revenge on her cheating husband Gyo Chul and his mistress Chae-yeon in exchange for her help winning back his own lost love. The two begin their unlikely partnership as Sara starts inserting herself back into her old social circle unrecognized.

Sara successfully infiltrates a high-profile gathering where she comes face-to-face with Gyo Chul, who is completely unaware she is his supposedly dead wife. Tae-hee coaches Sara on how to behave with elegance and sophistication as their fake relationship begins to take shape.

Tae-hee introduces Sara as his girlfriend to stir jealousy and confusion among their targets, and the plan begins to yield results as Gyo Chul takes notice of the beautiful newcomer. Meanwhile, hints of genuine feelings begin to emerge between Sara and Tae-hee despite their arrangement being purely strategic.

Sara grows closer to Tae-hee as they spend more time together executing their revenge scheme, and she struggles with conflicting emotions about her past and future. Gyo Chul becomes increasingly intrigued by Sara, unknowingly drawn to his own transformed wife.

The revenge plot thickens as Gyo Chul openly pursues Sara, creating an ironic and uncomfortable situation for her. Tae-hee begins to show genuine concern for Sara's well-being, hinting that his feelings are evolving beyond their original agreement.

Sara discovers more painful truths about the extent of Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon's betrayal, deepening her resolve for revenge but also causing emotional turmoil. Tae-hee steps in to protect Sara from a dangerous situation, and the two share a moment of real emotional closeness.

Tae-hee begins to realize he has fallen for Sara and is troubled by the complexity of his feelings given their fabricated relationship. Gyo Chul's suspicions about Sara's true identity start to grow as he notices familiar mannerisms and traits.

The secret of Sara's real identity is nearly exposed when someone from her past recognizes a telltale sign of who she truly is. Tae-hee works to protect Sara's cover while also confronting his own growing jealousy over Gyo Chul's pursuit of her.

Tae-hee confesses his feelings for Sara, complicating their revenge partnership and forcing both of them to reconsider what they truly want. Sara is torn between her desire for revenge against Gyo Chul and the new life and love she is beginning to build.

The villains, Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon, begin to conspire more aggressively to secure control over the family company, putting both Sara and Tae-hee in danger. Sara and Tae-hee grow even closer as they face threats together and their relationship becomes more romantically defined.

A shocking revelation about the circumstances of Han Tae-hee's (Sara's original name) presumed death surfaces, suggesting foul play was involved. The stakes of their mission rise dramatically as both Sara and Tae-hee realize they are dealing with more than just infidelity.

Evidence mounts that Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon were directly responsible for engineering Sara's near-death experience to get rid of her and claim inheritance. Tae-hee doubles down on protecting Sara while they work to gather proof of the conspiracy against her.

Sara's identity is fully exposed to Gyo Chul, who is horrified and desperate to silence her before she can destroy his plans. Tae-hee and Sara face their most dangerous challenge yet as the antagonists escalate their schemes to eliminate the threat Sara poses.

Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon take drastic measures to reclaim control, putting Sara's life in direct jeopardy. Tae-hee risks everything to keep Sara safe, and their love is tested under the pressure of life-threatening circumstances.

Allies step forward to help Sara and Tae-hee fight back against Gyo Chul's powerful family connections and resources. New evidence of the original crime against Sara comes to light, bringing them closer to achieving justice.

The conflict escalates into a full corporate and legal battle as Sara and Tae-hee work to expose Gyo Chul's crimes to the public and the authorities. Personal sacrifices are made as both leads put themselves in harm's way to see justice served.

Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon's schemes begin to unravel as the evidence against them becomes undeniable, and cracks form in their alliance. Sara faces an emotional reckoning as she confronts the people who destroyed her former life and nearly killed her.

The truth about the conspiracy is fully revealed in a dramatic confrontation, and Gyo Chul and Chae-yeon face the consequences of their crimes. Sara finds closure over her painful past and must now decide what kind of future she wants to build.

Justice is served as the villains are brought down and Sara is finally free from the shadows of her former life. Sara and Tae-hee choose each other wholeheartedly, and the drama concludes with the two embarking on a happy, hopeful future together.

Birth of a Beauty was a 21-episode drama that aired on KBS2 in 2014, but standard international release counts it as having 21 episodes including special content. However, the main series concluded at Episode 21 as a special recap or bonus episode, as the drama's primary storyline wrapped up in Episode 20. Episode 21 served as a behind-the-scenes special or extended finale recap, revisiting the key moments of Sa Geum Ran and Han Tae Hee's journey rather than presenting new plot developments.