2 files changed, 19 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/rest_framework/utils/representation.py b/rest_framework/utils/representation.py
index 3f17a8b9..0fdb4775 100644
--- a/rest_framework/utils/representation.py
+++ b/rest_framework/utils/representation.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Helper functions for creating user-friendly representations
 of serializer classes and serializer fields.
 """
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from django.db import models
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
 from django.utils.functional import Promise
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ def smart_repr(value):
     if isinstance(value, Promise) and value._delegate_text:
         value = force_text(value)
 
-    value = repr(value)
+    value = repr(value).decode('utf-8')
 
     # Representations like u'help text'
     # should simply be presented as 'help text'
diff --git a/tests/test_serializer.py b/tests/test_serializer.py
index 56b39095..48fcc83b 100644
--- a/tests/test_serializer.py
+++ b/tests/test_serializer.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# coding: utf-8
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 from rest_framework import serializers
 import pytest
@@ -197,3 +198,19 @@ class TestIncorrectlyConfigured:
             "The serializer field might be named incorrectly and not match any attribute or key on the `ExampleObject` instance.\n"
             "Original exception text was:"
         )
+
+
+class TestUnicodeRepr:
+    def test_unicode_repr(self):
+        class ExampleSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
+            example = serializers.CharField()
+
+        class ExampleObject:
+            def __init__(self):
+                self.example = '한국'
+            def __repr__(self):
+                return self.example.encode('utf8')
+
+        instance = ExampleObject()
+        serializer = ExampleSerializer(instance)
+        repr(serializer)