True Beauty

I don't know why it took me so long to watch this drama but here I am :) I would say it's typical and predictable high school kdrama about a girl who tries to cover her real face under make up. The most handsome and popular guy (ML) in the school falls in love with her even though he knows her secret. Of course, there's love triangle or should I say square? FL's best friend has been in love with ML for ages and then there's ML's ex best friend who is in love with FL.

All in all I loved watching this drama and it was very sweet. There were lots of funny moments and their chemistry is really good too.

I think it was completely unnecessary for Han Seo Joon to be in love with FL too. It made me feel really bad for him. He always put her first, even when ML returned from the States he told FL he was going back just so she wouldn't regret it and both of them could make up.
I also didn't like how Kang Soo Jin turned out, with releasing that video and revealing FL's secret.

I just think there were way too many things going on towards the end while the beginning was way slower. That's why last two episodes feel a bit rushed to me.

But all in all I enjoyed watching it and I would say it's a perfect drama to take your mind off things or if you are watching it after something deeper and more complicated.

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Not good, but not bad

This is my 1st review so please excuse my messy writing skills haha
The ratings are way too high and biased with this one, in my opinion...

The last 2 eps were rushed, I felt like I was watching it solely for Seojun and the family to be completely honest. High school dramas aren't my cup of tea as they tend to be very cliche. Nonetheless, I liked the whole message behind the drama even though it was cliche. I didn't get to read the whole webtoon so I don't know how that went on.

I loved the side characters especially Heekyung and Junwoo, they were hilarious and stole the show for me. What can I say about Hwang In yeop? I adore him, so ready for whatever he has coming. I love Eunwoo but I just can't get into his acting yet, he sure did improve from his previous dramas though. However, he has a lot of room for improvement so I'm looking forward to his future roles.

The OST wasn't memorable.
Rewatch value: I can't see myself watching it again.

All in all, it was an enjoyable and chill watch. If you're looking for a drama that has plenty of fluffy and funny moments, this is the one.

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funniest and fav kdrama!! dk why yall shitting on it.

this was honestly one of the best kdramas ive ever watched. its was hella funny, i laughed soo hard lmfaoo. but the topic abt looks and bullying was really meaningful and i really appreciated that alot. i swear, this is the most funniest kdrama ever so u need to watch. i also really liked seojun, even tho he liked ju bal, he still helped an supported her with suho sometimes. i really hope he can find love and happiness in life<33 honestly at first i didnt know who i wanted ju bal to end up w bc they were both good options. then i leaned more towards suho's side, but didnt rlly care if she ended up w seojun as long as she doesnt end up w baseball guy BC I HATE THAT BITCH SMM. i also really liked that it was wayyyyyy better than the webtoon, the webtoon was sooo boring in my opinion. also the bromace between the mls were so funny, but their friendship was also rlly wholesome, especially with se yeon. i also really liked taehoon, he was sooo funny and his relationship with his gf was so cute!! ju bal's brother was so funny, and his relationship w go woon was cute too. i also really enjoyed the emotional scenes, like abt bullying and suicide it really touched me and i even cried. ep 13 was def my fav!! ju bal was so badass slayyyy im so happy that she can she her face and date suho comfortably now<3 i also loved how her classmates cheered her on. i was rlly dissapointed w soojin, she was so badass at first and i loved her, but she just became horrible. but then i changed my mind bc she is definitely forgived of her mistakes and became a better person after getting away from her toxic dad. and no wonder i found him familiar, he played fl's father in hometown chachacha!! now time for my opinion on the ending. at first, i didnt like it, very cliche, suho moving to the states and leaving ju bal for awhile then coming back, but the end was rlly good and im so glad ju bal's sister and that dude got married and ju bal told that stupid chen girl off. i also thought selena was mean at first, but she is a pretty good person, just a little cold. i also feel so bad for seojun, he was a rlly great person and still supported ju bal and suho despite him still liking her. i think he shouldnt have tried to get with her when suho was gone, because she obviously wasnt over him but atleast he tried amd i appreciate his efforts. i hope he can find love and they can still remain great friends!!<3 the ost was also rlly amazing, i loved se yeon's song. though i wish ju bal's brother and go woon's relationship had more screen time. the only thing i disliked was ju bal falling like 728276262772 times bc it was so cliche and the 2nd hand embarrassment. this drama mad me so mad sometimes, but good that its hella funny or else it wouldve gotten a lower rating. the emotional scenes were really great though, bc i usually skip those but i watched thru the whole damn thing and sobbed. well i didnt like the romantic emotional scenes they were kinda boring lol. im really glad it was adapted into a kdrama and i highly recco to watch!! (might make edits bc i have sm to say but cant express in words).

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if inner beauty is the message, why are cosmetics front & center

A middle schooler, Im Ju Gyeong, is relentlessly bullied for her "ugly" looks until she discovers the power of cosmetics, changes schools, and enters a whole new world of social acceptance.

While everyone loves a makeover, this drama brings to light the questions of the value of appearance and how far one will go to be on top of the social pedestal. As the mother of a teen girl, my interest lay in exactly what message this drama would convey and how.

IJG's family is ignorant of her suffering at school. Her mother is most worried about her grades, her younger brother mocks her for being "pancaked" and he himself falls for Han Go Woon, a girl who looks similar to his sister's natural self. HGW is an interesting character in that she represents an alternate version of IJG, similarly afflicted in appearance & bullied for it, but stronger in her self-confidence & clearer in her view of the role of beauty standards in society. She's a talented singer and accepts cosmetics only for the stage which is purely performative, and remains her natural self in daily life at school.

IJG, however, views her cosmetics as life saving medication as it hides her true self from her new classmates & friends. She fears the unbearable abuse of her former school will return if her new school discovers her secret. IJG's family watches her fluctuate between her two extreme realities but do little to address her problems. The drama became more of a comedy of double identities, along with the best friend love triangle, teen edition.

I wondered if the drama will end with IJG making a choice of how she wants to appear, or does she actually progress beyond that. Can this drama really make a statement about beauty standards when it's cast with idols? How about casting a FL who is more realistically plain-looking without exaggerating a leprotic skin condition? The makeover would actually be more dramatic. And her inability to stand up for herself then sets up the character's need for a man to save her. There's a line in the show which says if you have beauty then the only talent you need is kindness. All of the characters around IJG have some sort of talent regardless of their appearance, but all IJG seems to have is kindness. Perhaps that's what attracts the school "god" since he seems to have everything but kindness in his life. But this just means IJG only exists to fulfill another's need.

I fear a deeper message will be that cosmetics are the answer to every middle school girl's problems (and we know it's now hitting girls much younger). One of IJG's victories over her former tormentor is to beat her at her own game in an Instagram beauty contest. Instagram is now known for being a highly toxic medium for teen girls, but this isn't recognized in the show. IJG's obsession with makeup becomes her career aspiration. I'm trying not to think of that as a bad thing, but for IJG, cosmetics are a lifeline, rather than an art. Will IJG progress to becoming an artist? Will she own the cosmetics, or will the cosmetics continue to own her?

However, toward the end of the drama, most of these disturbing questions do get addressed. IJG makes a choice, but rather than being in a place of fear, she chooses from a place of confidence. Here's also where the adults she most depends on come through, and she also gains clarity in who her true friends are. Unfortunately, this transition lasts for only one episode and the character's personality remains rather flat. IJG isn't involved in any sports, clubs, or community service; is having a boyfriend the only solution to lack of opportunities?

Overall, this drama is very bingeable as I really wanted to see how things turned out for the main character. The early bullying scenes were quite cringeworthy but I waited to see what phoenix would arise from that mess. Unfortunately there were no surprises. Perhaps just rising up to "normal" is enough, but how does that give any inspiration? In the end, her highest achievement is to just be present for her friends but I don't think the story generated as much sympathy for her character as it could've.

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True Beauty a story of friendship growth and courage

True Beauty is a drama very similar to My ID Is Gangnam Beauty in how it explores society’s beauty standards and the effect they can have on a person’s mental health. Lim Joo Kyung puts extra effort into her appearance, and this comes directly from the intense bullying she experienced at her old school. She was treated as an outcast because of her looks and her awkwardness, especially her love for horror books, which made her an easy target. After learning how to do her makeup and completely transforming her appearance, she immediately notices how differently people treat her compared to her old school. This makes her believe that being beautiful is necessary to avoid bullying and gain acceptance.

Lee Su Ho meets Lim Joo Kyung when she isn’t wearing makeup and befriends her because of her caring nature and the fact that she doesn’t drool over his good looks. This connection is also rooted in their past, when Su Ho was extremely rude to her at school, which made her goal very clear: stay away from him. Of course, fate intervenes, and Su Ho eventually discovers that the girl he’s been talking to at the bookshop is Lim Joo Kyung. That reveal adds tension to their relationship and highlights Joo Kyung’s fear of being truly seen.

I really liked how at her new school Lim Joo Kyung has classmates who accept her, even after finding out she isn’t naturally pretty. Her friendship with Choi Soo Ah stands out. Soo Ah is upset that Joo Kyung kept her bullying a secret and didn’t show her natural face, disappointed that her friend thought she had to hide herself. That dynamic was very relatable and added depth to the story about self acceptance and trust.

Han Seo Joon is basically a walking green flag. He quietly protects Joo Kyung and consistently shows up for her without needing recognition or praise, which makes him both reliable and endearing.

Mun Ka Young as Lim Joo Kyung was perfectly cast. She’s a strong actress and handled the emotional scenes beautifully, especially the moments where Joo Kyung’s insecurities and fears came to the surface. She balanced vulnerability and humor in a way that made her easy to sympathize with.

Cha Eun Woo as Lee Su Ho was a bit more mixed for me. While he fit the visual and reserved nature of the character, I wished we could see more of his emotions. He often came across as stiff, which made it harder to fully connect with his internal struggles.

Hwang In Youp as Han Seo Joon, on the other hand, was perfectly cast. He effortlessly exuded confidence and embodied the bad boy image while still showing emotional depth when it mattered. His presence added energy to the drama and made his character especially memorable.

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A teenager story - that does end up standing out

As much as I don't consider myself part of the high-school series demographic as much as I have to say that I mainly enjoyed this sugar-coated, young love story.
The storyline is quite simple but the actors, their interactions, personalities and quirks draw us in and keep the momentum going. Most of the series breezed by, although some episodes were on the slower side (and felt a bit like a drag).
After finishing all 16 episodes I do wonder what it is that makes this stand out - and it does end up standing out. I guess that it somehow feels genuine and doesn't try to be what it is not. It is a story of young love, a story of teenage hardships, a story of friendship. There is enough sweetness here to melt anyone while there is at least 1 episode where we inevitably end up crying our eyes out as well. Nothing more and nothing less.
The chemistry is there, and the supporting cast (especially the siblings of FL) definitely adds to the colourfulness of the story. The gender-reversed roles and quirkiness of the sister and her boyfriend were one of the special highlights.

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Maaaria, Mariaa

True beauty is the first drama where I could not wait until it was finished airing to binge it.
The 8 weeks between December and February were a torture because I could not watch anything else besides this drama.

True Beauty evolves around Lim Joo Gyung who gets bullied for her appearance by her classmates. There comes a point where she can not take it any more and wants to jump from a rooftop. Before doing so, Lee Su Ho appears out of coincidence and stops her from jumping. Lim Joo Gyung gets into enhancing her beauty through make-up and changes her school. People at her new school admire her looks, and she quickly finds new friends. The only thing is that Lee Su Ho is one of her classmates and knows how she looks, actually. She wants to prevent him from finding out about her real looks, because she does not want to get bullied again.

True beauty has amazing main/lead and supporting roles. We get to meet siblings, friends and classmates as well as teachers and their storylines. The acting was extremely well too, and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Moon Ga Young (Lim Joo Gyung) captured my eye some time ago, especially since I found out that she was born in Germany. I really like her other dramas, and that one was no exception.
For Cha Eun Woo (Lee Su Ho), I do not know if they just give him these types of roles, like always, or if that is just how he wants to present himself, too. If you have seen him in other dramas, he is playing the exact same role, such as in My ID is Beauty Gangnam or the historical drama where he is a prince. He does not do his job awful, tho. It is just something we recognize from him.
Hwang In Yeop (Han Soe Jun) my dear baby :D. You did amazing sweetie. This is my first drama I've seen with him, and I genuinely liked his acting and his role sooooo.
All the other actors were incredible, too. Kang Soo Jin was such an interesting character. I completely understood why she was so desperate and rooted for her breaking free.

True Beauty is a light-hearted and funny drama with realistic elements. I laughed amazingly much and identified with the characters.
I personally liked the second-lead-male better than the guy she ends up with, but it is how it is :D.
Furthermore, I really liked that the gender roles, here, were not strictly followed to spice up some things in the side couple.

The ending scene and everybody gets together once again made me tear up.
Not all good dramas need to be heavy and complex. They simply need to be enjoyable and able to draw you into their world. True Beauty did exactly this, and I hope for more amazing dramas like this to come.

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The purpose of the story is depicted in a beautiful style. elegant story.

A beautiful simple story. every one doing best work for charish the drama. story concept is simple with motive but created and directed this drama with creativity. Good wishes. The purpose of the story is depicted in a beautiful style. To express your thoughts in a new way, the inner beauty of a person is more meaningful than the outer beauty. The story and its motive were simple but it was filmed in such a new style that it became a better story in itself. The director and everyone did a very good job. i really like this drama. Good wishes to all this drama members.

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No overreaction..... Just reality check

Those who have not seen this drama, please read the writings at your own risk. Spoiler Alert !!
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The story is not that good. There are many more dramas on such stories. But that's not the bad story. This is a little more drama than average. However, people are overtaking the drama by doing so-and-so. I would say you are better than "My id is gangnam beauty" see. A drama of almost the same plot.
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The first seven or eight episodes of this drama were quite good. Then the rest has made a mess.
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The hero likes the heroine and the heroine also likes the hero. There is love between them. But again it becomes a breakup. Meanwhile, the hero's friend also likes the heroine. The heroine thinks of him as a friend again. Like eight or ten dramas, at the end the hero-heroine match again.
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Everyone on the online platform is frustrated with the story of the second lead. But why they are doing is not coming to my mind. I think everyone has overreacted a little too much. The drama is over for this over react. Better dramas are lost in the crowd of these over react drama.
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The hero, heroine and second lead have performed well in the drama. But am I a bit confused first lead or second lead? Who is more troubled? It seems to me that the life of the first lead was dark. Then the heroine becomes the light in her life and enlightens. Unrest of the hero's family, friends misunderstand him. All in all, he got only love from the heroine. As a result, he helped the heroine from afar and always gave priority to her choice. On the other hand, the heroine had to endure criticism in school and society for her bad looks. And if we talk about the second lead, then he has also performed well. Helped the heroine in need. In the end his dream has come true. And the heroine has helped him to fulfill this dream.

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