This review may contain spoilers
A drama that dipped its toe into self-acceptance and then cannonballed into teen romance chaos
A story about a girl who wanted to quietly survive high school, but got main character energy, two love interests, and one very public scandal instead.
This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
Cha Eun Woo… DUH.
Let’s be real, Cha Eun Woo was an absolute delight to watch. Was his acting perfect? No. But I mean I wasn’t watching for an Oscar-worthy performance after all. From start to finish, he was effortlessly handsome. (Truly a visual legend. 🤭🤭)
Team Seo Joon. No hesitation.
Apparently when True Beauty first dropped, the K-drama fandom split in half over the great debate: Soo Ho vs. Seo Joon. Regardless, it’s my turn to explain why I’m riding with Seo Joon. No hesitation. Here’s why:
Soo Ho was lowkey possessive
Somewhere along the way, Soo Ho’s vibe shifted. At first, it felt like “I like you and want to be with you,” but it slowly turned into “You’re mine because I saw you first and Seo Joon can’t have you.” That’s not love, that’s ego.
Seo Joon actually liked her
He constantly showed up for Ju Kyung, went out of his way to make her feel better, and genuinely wanted her to be happy. His affection didn’t feel forced—it felt real.
Soo Ho just stood there
Remember when Ju Kyung was afraid of being bullied because girls were mad about her dating Soo Ho? His response? Silence. His energy reminded me of Beck from Victorious—just standing around, not actively telling people to back off, assuming that not liking them was enough. (Spoiler: It wasn’t.)
The photo reveal incident
Okay, credit where it’s due, Soo Ho did try to comfort Ju Kyung when she got humiliated. But outside of that? He did nothing. Meanwhile, Seo Joon was on a mission. He texted her constantly, hunted down the culprits, confronted Soo Jin, and even got the video taken down. That’s a good man right there.
Her true identity? He fumbled it
The moment Soo Ho found out what Ju Kyung actually looked like, he immediately used it to mess with her. I get he wanted to get close to her and while his intentions might have been good, his approach was awful. It backfired, and rightfully so.
Meanwhile, Seo Joon found out, he respected her secret, never pushed her to reveal it, and, unlike Soo Ho, didn’t make her insecurities his business. Honestly, it felt like Ju Kyung fell for Soo Ho because he was the first person to see her face and still like her—which felt more like a trauma bond than a love story.
There are more reasons, but you get the idea. Seo Joon felt like the healthier, more emotionally available option.
Too Much Romance, Not Enough Personal Growth
While I did enjoy the relationship drama, the show’s title and premise suggested something deeper; a journey of self-acceptance. But instead of True Beauty being about Ju Kyung embracing her real self, it quickly turned into a love triangle spectacle.
Yes, there was some growth by the end, but honestly, it felt rushed and tacked on. Throughout the show, Ju Kyung seemed determined to never go without makeup; she didn’t actively try to accept herself. It wasn’t until the photos leaked that she was basically forced to face reality, which made it feel less like a journey of self-love and more like “Well, the secret’s out—guess I have no choice.”
I wish the show had explored her gradual acceptance of her natural face while helping other girls embrace their insecurities along the way. Instead, the message boiled down to: Fake it until you literally have no other choice. Imagine if, instead of her being exposed, she had reached a point where she chose to show up to school without makeup. That would’ve been way more impactful and a true sign of growth and self-love.
Story Dragged… Lost the Plot After Episode 14
I went into True Beauty expecting a drama about a girl hiding her face, embracing her beauty, and dealing with boys in high school. Next thing you know—she’s working and getting drunk on weekends?? Once she accepted herself, picked Soo Ho, and wrapped up her growth, boom, roll credits. The whole point was her embracing her true beauty, so why are we still going after that?
The Mom’s Sudden Change
The mother’s so-called redemption arc? Yeah, not buying it.
She spent Ju Kyung’s entire childhood being unbelievably harsh on her, never explaining why. Then, the moment she found out Ju Kyung was being bullied, she suddenly did a full 180 and was instantly forgiven—despite basically being one of Ju Kyung’s own bullies at home.
We needed a deeper redemption arc for her. Without it, her sudden shift just felt unearned.
The Sister/Teacher Relationship Was A Major Eye-Roller
I seriously can’t stand obnoxious characters, and the sister/teacher dynamic was exactly the kind of thing that makes romance comedies hard to watch.
Soo Ho Let Seo Joon Hate Him
I get that Soo Ho was drowning in self-loathing and guilt, but why do characters act like clearing up basic misunderstandings is impossible?
Seo Joon blamed Soo Ho for everything, then later admitted that he didn’t realize how much Se Yeon’s death destroyed Soo Ho. And Soo Ho? He just let himself be hated, never once trying to set the record straight. If something isn’t true, say it. They struggled alone when they could’ve leaned on each other, and that? That was the saddest part.
Final Thoughts
In the end, this show was… okay. I mainly watched it because of Cha Eun Woo, but honestly, if he’d been killed off or moved to Canada halfway through, I would’ve stopped watching. If they had focused more on her self-love journey (and if she had picked Seo Joon), this show would’ve landed way better.
I started watching True Beauty expecting a coming-of-age arc where Ju Kyung grows through different stages of self-acceptance and ends up stronger for it. Instead, I got two boys fighting over a girl who only ever liked one of them.
I once read a comment that said, “Don’t watch True Beauty like a critic—watch it like someone who just wants a light romance comedy,” and honestly? I agree. If you’re not thinking too deeply, you might not even notice the flaws and genuinely love it.
So sit back, mute your brain, and enjoy the pretty faces. That’s the real secret to loving True Beauty.
And if that doesn’t work, just pretend it’s a Cha Eun Woo music video with plot cameos. 😌
~~~
What did you think of this drama? Are you team Seo Joon or Soo Ho? And if it’s Soo Ho, tell me why… seriously.
These aren't all my thoughts but I think you get the point!
This review is 100% my opinion — I’m not here to hate, just to share my thoughts! Also, SPOILERS AHEAD, so proceed with caution if you haven’t watched yet. Watch it, come back and let’s see if you agree. Let’s keep the discussion respectful and fun! 💕
The Good
Cha Eun Woo… DUH.
Let’s be real, Cha Eun Woo was an absolute delight to watch. Was his acting perfect? No. But I mean I wasn’t watching for an Oscar-worthy performance after all. From start to finish, he was effortlessly handsome. (Truly a visual legend. 🤭🤭)
Team Seo Joon. No hesitation.
Apparently when True Beauty first dropped, the K-drama fandom split in half over the great debate: Soo Ho vs. Seo Joon. Regardless, it’s my turn to explain why I’m riding with Seo Joon. No hesitation. Here’s why:
Soo Ho was lowkey possessive
Somewhere along the way, Soo Ho’s vibe shifted. At first, it felt like “I like you and want to be with you,” but it slowly turned into “You’re mine because I saw you first and Seo Joon can’t have you.” That’s not love, that’s ego.
Seo Joon actually liked her
He constantly showed up for Ju Kyung, went out of his way to make her feel better, and genuinely wanted her to be happy. His affection didn’t feel forced—it felt real.
Soo Ho just stood there
Remember when Ju Kyung was afraid of being bullied because girls were mad about her dating Soo Ho? His response? Silence. His energy reminded me of Beck from Victorious—just standing around, not actively telling people to back off, assuming that not liking them was enough. (Spoiler: It wasn’t.)
The photo reveal incident
Okay, credit where it’s due, Soo Ho did try to comfort Ju Kyung when she got humiliated. But outside of that? He did nothing. Meanwhile, Seo Joon was on a mission. He texted her constantly, hunted down the culprits, confronted Soo Jin, and even got the video taken down. That’s a good man right there.
Her true identity? He fumbled it
The moment Soo Ho found out what Ju Kyung actually looked like, he immediately used it to mess with her. I get he wanted to get close to her and while his intentions might have been good, his approach was awful. It backfired, and rightfully so.
Meanwhile, Seo Joon found out, he respected her secret, never pushed her to reveal it, and, unlike Soo Ho, didn’t make her insecurities his business. Honestly, it felt like Ju Kyung fell for Soo Ho because he was the first person to see her face and still like her—which felt more like a trauma bond than a love story.
There are more reasons, but you get the idea. Seo Joon felt like the healthier, more emotionally available option.
Too Much Romance, Not Enough Personal Growth
While I did enjoy the relationship drama, the show’s title and premise suggested something deeper; a journey of self-acceptance. But instead of True Beauty being about Ju Kyung embracing her real self, it quickly turned into a love triangle spectacle.
Yes, there was some growth by the end, but honestly, it felt rushed and tacked on. Throughout the show, Ju Kyung seemed determined to never go without makeup; she didn’t actively try to accept herself. It wasn’t until the photos leaked that she was basically forced to face reality, which made it feel less like a journey of self-love and more like “Well, the secret’s out—guess I have no choice.”
I wish the show had explored her gradual acceptance of her natural face while helping other girls embrace their insecurities along the way. Instead, the message boiled down to: Fake it until you literally have no other choice. Imagine if, instead of her being exposed, she had reached a point where she chose to show up to school without makeup. That would’ve been way more impactful and a true sign of growth and self-love.
Story Dragged… Lost the Plot After Episode 14
I went into True Beauty expecting a drama about a girl hiding her face, embracing her beauty, and dealing with boys in high school. Next thing you know—she’s working and getting drunk on weekends?? Once she accepted herself, picked Soo Ho, and wrapped up her growth, boom, roll credits. The whole point was her embracing her true beauty, so why are we still going after that?
The Mom’s Sudden Change
The mother’s so-called redemption arc? Yeah, not buying it.
She spent Ju Kyung’s entire childhood being unbelievably harsh on her, never explaining why. Then, the moment she found out Ju Kyung was being bullied, she suddenly did a full 180 and was instantly forgiven—despite basically being one of Ju Kyung’s own bullies at home.
We needed a deeper redemption arc for her. Without it, her sudden shift just felt unearned.
The Sister/Teacher Relationship Was A Major Eye-Roller
I seriously can’t stand obnoxious characters, and the sister/teacher dynamic was exactly the kind of thing that makes romance comedies hard to watch.
Soo Ho Let Seo Joon Hate Him
I get that Soo Ho was drowning in self-loathing and guilt, but why do characters act like clearing up basic misunderstandings is impossible?
Seo Joon blamed Soo Ho for everything, then later admitted that he didn’t realize how much Se Yeon’s death destroyed Soo Ho. And Soo Ho? He just let himself be hated, never once trying to set the record straight. If something isn’t true, say it. They struggled alone when they could’ve leaned on each other, and that? That was the saddest part.
Final Thoughts
In the end, this show was… okay. I mainly watched it because of Cha Eun Woo, but honestly, if he’d been killed off or moved to Canada halfway through, I would’ve stopped watching. If they had focused more on her self-love journey (and if she had picked Seo Joon), this show would’ve landed way better.
I started watching True Beauty expecting a coming-of-age arc where Ju Kyung grows through different stages of self-acceptance and ends up stronger for it. Instead, I got two boys fighting over a girl who only ever liked one of them.
I once read a comment that said, “Don’t watch True Beauty like a critic—watch it like someone who just wants a light romance comedy,” and honestly? I agree. If you’re not thinking too deeply, you might not even notice the flaws and genuinely love it.
So sit back, mute your brain, and enjoy the pretty faces. That’s the real secret to loving True Beauty.
And if that doesn’t work, just pretend it’s a Cha Eun Woo music video with plot cameos. 😌
~~~
What did you think of this drama? Are you team Seo Joon or Soo Ho? And if it’s Soo Ho, tell me why… seriously.
These aren't all my thoughts but I think you get the point!
Was this review helpful to you?
