No. of episodes: 12
Genre: Idol, Romance, Comedy, Music, Showbiz, Friendship
Native title: 이미테이션
Original network: KBS, iQiyi
Adapted from a webtoon, Imitation is a drama based on the ever-popular K-pop industry and the main characters are living and breathing in daily.
Lee Ma Ha (Jeong Ji So) is one of the lucky trainees that made her debut eventually through JH Entertainment. However, the road that took her to the very stage is not a smooth sailing one.
Trainees
Lee Ma Ha is a trainee under Music Holic along with many others including Lee Yoo Jin (Jeong Yun Ho) which will eventually debut in a 4-member boy group Sparkling. OMEGA-3 is a debut project group that immediately needs a new member to replace Annie who is a trainee that suddenly disappears.
Music Holic sold Lee Ma Ha to the other company that promise she will be making her debut within months. She joined the Yu Ri Ah (Kim Min Seo) and Shim Hyun Ji (Im Na Young) to train and debut as OMEGA-3.
Almost there
Just when the girls are happy and hopeful, they got pulled down from the stage and broke the news that Annie left the world, and also they cannot proceed to debut. 3 years later, they finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
The agency crumbles and the manager used Ma Ha to earn cash money from singing and acting gigs. Just when they wanted to give up, Ji Hak (Danny Ahn) came up to them and ask if they are interested to debut.
Ji Hak formed JH Entertainment and took a huge loan, signing the girls with a monthly salary payout. Not going the usual route to prepare the group, Tea Party made their debut through news and interviews, going on several shows before they work on their music debut.
Idol groups
The three main groups include Tea Party, SHAX, and Sparkling. Apart from them, a soloist female singer La Li Ma (Park Ji Yeon) is the main influence in the industry.
Imitation – Drama – Tea Party 
Imitation – Drama – SHAX 
Imitation – Drama – Sparkling
Tea Party is a 3-member girl group with members Lee Ma Ha (Jeong Ji So), Shim Hyun Ji (PRISTIN’s Im Na Young), and Yu Ria (Ki Min Seo).
SHAX is a 5-member boy group that is already popular. The members including Kwon Ryok (UKISS’s Lee Jun Young), Do Jin (Park Yuri), Han Jae Woo (Ahn Jung Hoon), Lee Hyun (SF9’s Hwiyoung), and Hyuk (ATEEZ’s Choi Jong Ho).
Sparkling is a rival group to SHAX, this Kpop group has 4 members including Lee Yu Jin (ATEEZ’s Jeong Yun Ho), Hyun Oh (Boys Republic’s Lee Soo Woong), Se Young ( ATEEZ’s Park Seong Hwa), and Min Soo (ATEEZ’s Choi San).
Romance a taboo
Kwon Ryok and Lee Ma Ha knew each other even before Kwon Ryok debut and became famous through a small dance group. Reunited when Ma Ha acted in a few movies that Kwon Ryok is starring in.
They know each other so well and eventually fell in love. However, it is not easy to date in the industry and they will be pushed to the point of either career or love.
Overall, the drama is really interesting and has good pacing. All the characters have their growth and really show the dilemma of the ever-popular Kpop industry.