eye candy cast, shallow story
I was ultimately disappointed with the ending and overall message of this drama, but I knew it was going to go a certain way from episode 1. I didn’t finish the webtoon but I knew where it was headed and I didn’t want it to end differently. But perhaps I played myself for thinking that in an eunwoo drama the FL wouldn’t end up with him.I find Um Ji Gyeong somewhat relatable with wanting to fit in and for once be considered pretty by those around her, and I understand why she lied about her identity, but she was a bit too whiny for my taste. I felt so annoyed whenever she had a sad/crying scene because it was so obnoxious to watch her sorry not sorry lol.
Cha Eunwoo’s performance as Suho was about what I expected. He played the role he always plays-the popular smart good looking guy who’s cold to everyone and only has two facial expressions. In the previews and interviews he said he feels he improved but I digress. I feel like he showed the same side of him we always see, only this time his character was a little bit more emotional. It’s clear he gets casted in these roles because of his looks, but I crave to see him play something more challenging. But maybe he only gets these types of roles because that’s all he’s capable of doing. All I know is that he really didn’t improve besides being a tiny bit less stiff, but that’s about it.
Hwang In Yeob was unanimously the breakout star and the showstopper from this drama. His role was the stereotypical bad boy with a soft heart, but I found his character way more interesting than Suho. Not only that but HIY served visuals that are unique to what I’ve seen in dramas. Looking forward to his next work! Overall I give this a 6 out of 10.
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Perfect balance between funny and emotional and pinch of reality.
This is exactly what I needed to watch, the plot really touched me since I can say I've been struggling the same way the main character did. It really has an important message that makes you think about society standars. Loved how Suho started to fall for her not because of her looks but because her personality. The bullying she received because she was "ugly" is something we can see daily everywhere. I also loved how at the lasts episodes she sometimes when out with friends and Su Ho without make up and she was comfortable with that. 10/10. I strongly recommend it ♡.Was this review helpful to you?
Drop this
I’m dropping....the girl is still annoying......what’s with that character .....I thought it was a good entertaining series , what a waste of time...........what’s with the way she still talks ....c’mon is the director retarded....I’m sure she can act a little mature in the end now.....it’s a caricature , yes, but it doesn’t have to be so retarded......the screeching childlike talking, I’m sure this actress doesn’t talk like that ......I’m upset with the way this series progressed....blame on the director ....the story can be really cute but this main lead girl is annoying seriously I have to stop watching....it’s a shame ....????????????Was this review helpful to you?
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My heart!
I dont really care about the main leads as everyone knew who she would end up with, but why would u hurt seojun so much, it doesnt really make sense to me as he stayed with her for three years, he graduated with her, celebrated her birthdays, took care of her while suho wasnt there, they didnt even date for that long but seojun was the one who had to give up on his love. suho decided to breakup because "it would he hard on her" i mean this point itself is not understandable for me. Fine that she ended up with suho but they could have given seojun a better ending! he wasnt even at the wedding! I loved the show, the cast for the best, no one could have done it better, but the ending really ruined the whole show for me.Was this review helpful to you?
Just... disappointing
It was waaaaaay different from the webtoon. It was very cringy and I would say Moon Gayoung did a waaaaay better job in the great seducer. I felt like this drama was a whole different story from the webtoon just had the same title and the same character names.I mean, if you haven't read the webtoon then go ahead watch the drama. It's like any other high school/campus teen romance drama. But if you read the webtoon and are trying to see if you want to try this drama, just don't watch it. You'll be disappointed.
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I rarely experience such high as the first couple of episodes of this drama gave me. I was beyond hyped and the excellent soundtrack kept me entertained and in the mood (for dancing) the whole week. However, True Beauty ended up for me like a bottle of soda that you buy, excitedly open, drink a couple of glasses of, and you when you leave it overnight in the refrigerator all the bubbles disappear and it's simply not as yummy anymore. You finish it the next day regardless, because you know, you bought it and you are not going to just pour it down the drain. So I finished it.The story is very intriguing and I liked all the levels it presented. I think that was also the deal breaker for me - there was so much to be explored here, filled with refreshing ideas and in the end it just turned into a cliche story with a love triangle and a mediocre villain. To be honest, I did what I almost never do and forwarded some bits of the last four episodes. What heresy!
On the other hand, the secondary characters here are superb. Even the parents of the FL are super entertaining. This drama also created a story based around family, friendships and community and I think that it should be praised for that. I personally enjoyed the subplot around the FL's older sister.
The performances of the actors are A+, the casting on this drama was done phenomenally. The most notable performance is delivered by Hwan In Yeop and he pretty quickly became a fan favourite. Cha Eun Woo grew a lot as actor, in my opinion, and I liked him here a lot. Moon Ga Young was very good as well, she created a lot of mannerisms for the character, including the best derpy smile, which I liked. It made the character of Im Joo Gyung seem very real to me. This drama also featured a lot of enjoyable cameos that makes it almost seem as a part of a bigger universe. The soundtrack is superb and I'm pretty sure that my neighbours now think I'm crazy for listening to it over and over again.
True Beauty presents a unique atmosphere revolving around a very particular age in every person's life. The quarrels between the schoolmates made me go on a trip down the memory lane and I found myself laugh out loud more often than I thought I would. On the other hand, somehow, it is also the drama's downfall. There is a good chunk of middle episodes that feel just stagnant and the tempo is greatly distorted since there is not much left to explore, since the story stayed within the basics. The drama also makes a hasty couple of ending episodes featuring an element that did not do anything for the plot at all, it just made a leap for the characters to tie everything up at a quicker pace.
That all being said, I don't regret the time I invested into True Beauty. It's a light drama that made my gloomy days a bit brighter.
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Average to its core, True Beauty aims more for Kpop fandom than following its own early magic.
In the beginning....Is becoming a true curse of my Kdrama journey. The first translated words of the Bible, are famous for their ubiquitous and straight forward approach to storytelling, yet over and over again are becoming a warning, that many times what starts strong has nowhere left to go.
It rings true yet again with True Beauty. At its start there is a certain magic to this take on the age old "ugly duckling" story. The female lead (Moon Ga Young) is cute and winning with a decent set of comic chops. Liking her is shockingly easy. When the male lead shows up (Cha Eun Woo) he is very dreamy and grade A South Korean boy beef, even though his character is locked behind the now oh so boring trope of cold stand-off aloof guy. He comes in as a hero, saving our FL from attempted suicide. (Korea is 4th in the world for suicide and their Kdramas have now made it a blase everyday plot occurrence, its chilling to watch as a westerner. This is a show directed towards a younger crowd and yet here it is. They must laugh at how upset the west was over 13 Reason Why) But once the actual saving is done, he retreats into being a standoffish jerk.
Why girls love this type of character, and why Asian dramas are obsessed with using this trope, is beyond me. I genuinely don't understand why anyone would want these guys except for their superficial beauty. The pretty asshole, is what gets you a pretty shitty real world life. Yet here, Che Eun Woo's Su Ho is quickly given enough backstory and home-drama to warrant his angst and keep him from being maligned into dirt-bag territory. In truth, his warmth is very much on display from the get go.
When the second male lead (Hwang In Yeop) shows up in episode 2, the rivalry between the two is fun to watch. They actually bring out charisma in each other, and both are at their best when the show is focusing on their frenemy bromance. But, of course this isn't why we are watching and thus the meaty scenes are far and few between.
Our FL's family has a larger role in the story and is a mixed bag. The older sister and father of the bunch are fun and delightful characters to watch and spend time with. The older sister arguably one of the best characters in the drama with her reverse gendered role love story a true treat. However the mother, and younger brother are as toxic as they come. The mother, arguably the worst villain of the show. If you want a step by step guide on how NOT to be a mother, watch this drama. The younger brother is just a ridiculous human being and not realistic, but has a somewhat redeemable story arc.
As for the rest of the cast, they are mostly the student population that surrounds our FL and her two rivaling MLs. Most of these characters are throw away, with a few exceptions. The most important, and one who ends up with some heavy lifting storytelling, is Park Yoo Na's Kang Soo Jin. You will love and hate her, I promise. Though almost all of the cast has a tragic home-life, hers is arguably the worst.
For the first few episodes to halfway through the series you will find yourself having a great time as you meet these characters and discover the world of the story. Again, there is an electricity, a spark, some type of magic that will keep you hitting play.
But then, the newness wears off, the story turns on its autopilot, and the mundane sets in. It is just another ugly duckling tale. Our main heroine quickly changes her face, but not her personality, and thus she just keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again. The same situations arise over and over again. And like all ugly duckling tales, she just can't believe the male lead likes HER! HER of all people!!!
And one begins to yawn while watching.
By the end, the whole subplot KPOP suicide (yep someone does actually make the fateful jump with a 2nd suicide plot-line) story takes center stage. The romance (which stalls for multiple episodes straight) takes a back seat as the ML family drama and bromance come to a boil. The love triangle, (Though I am tired of this term as it is inaccurate. A true love triangle would mean one of the boys falls for the other boy who falls for the girl who falls for the original boy. Three points interlocked in a triangle wanting what they can't have. This is just a love line or plane with three points. The girl at the center with a boy on each side. But whatever, everyone keeps calling them triangles) is really a non-starter. The second male lead is never given a chance at any point at ever being a true option for our FL. She never once looks at him with any resemblance of wanting. It kinda just dissolves. And just when everything seems to be resolved, you find you still have 4 episodes left, and BAM!!! Enter outside plot devices to reek havoc.
This, is where everything just falls apart. The second warning side and curse of my K Drama journey. THE TIME JUMP!
Listing all the dramas that take this approach would be fruitless. Most being only one season with the creators diluting and stretching the story as much as they can to fill the episode count needed. The stories in play want to, or need to, move beyond the constructs of their premise. To solve this, and not need a whole new season worth of content, the powers that be just throw in a time jump. Is it needed? Of course not. Does it add anything to the story? Nope. It is just tacked on additional episodes because they hadn't meet their slotted quota, and also establish a false sense of closure to the story. Everything ends up in the same place after the jump as it was before. You as a viewer just find yourself repeating the same plot points in a shorter time-span to get back to where you already were.
By the time the show is done, there is a feeling of relief. You can now find something better to watch. It wasn't bad, it had some life lessons, there was drama, and by God are there some hunky leads, but whatever magic lured you in the beginning had fully dissipated. Ultimately you found yourself finishing it just because you'd already come this far! Oh well, we will try again with the next show!
6.5 C+, 3 1/4th star just above average outing. Not mad I watched it, but would never really recommend others to sit through it either.
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the worst adaptation in the history of webtoon adaptations
i'm not even sure this can be called an adaptation.... taking character names, their basic traits doesnt make it adaptation.i`ve been reading true beauty since 2018 although i dont even like it anymore drama made me drop webtoon completely. basically drama and webtoon have nothing in common names and few aspects aside. story is non existent, character personalities are pretty much changed from original and i knew it will be usual highschool drama cliche from the moment it was shown that suho and jukyeong knew each other as kids. actors did pretty good job, but ones who rewrote whole story didnt do nothing better from original.
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Good but very meh
This drama starts at nowhere and ends at nowhere there is no interesting plot and how the main 2 guys were treated like they are so special different than all the other characters in the school made me cringe a lot and the way it was forced every episode was tiring i often can't take those kind of drama seriously and quite them midway but i pulled through, I don't mind a main character being special if they had character development before or afterward but this drama ends with almost non existent character development to those 2 guys disappointing i think the actors did so well and got a fan in me but the drama was meh.Han Seo Jun ahh Seo Jun so they wanted the story to end with some painful moments where we the viewers would have emotional moments watching Seo Jun lose his loved one Lim Joo Gyung but it was all to be expected from episode 1 and the last 2 episodes were just drowning Seo Jun into deeper meaningless sorrow it was pointless i've seen 100 triangle drama's end it in a better way.
What actually made me tear up with joy was Lim Hee Gyung and Han Jun Woo the last 2 episodes they saved those 2 episodes with the other support characters.
Are you bored and got nothing to watch? just know that there would be other Drama's that would stimulate your brain better......
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an okay kdrama
final review: so i decided to finish this drama and i can say that it's just fine. nothing new and nothing fresh. personally, the ending could have been better. the second lead guy should have been more happier after respecting the lead's relationship. the resolution of soojin's character with other characters were abrupt. she disappeared then return and that's it. this kdrama would have been better if the last episode is more polished or a little more episodes were aired to develop the ending that they want. overall, this drama is okay. the ending was a little bit dissapointing.initial review: 5/10, 6 episodes seen
"going to be a disappointment if the story continues to go around in circles"
the preview for the episode 7 proves how this drama is going around in circles. basically the plot is the guy and girl like each other but every single chance they have will be ruined by an annoying thing that will separate them apart. seriously, they keep on dragging this for a few episodes already, and when it looks like the leads are patching things up in ep 6, that ep 7 preview showed up and it looks everything will go back to the start where they will misunderstood each other and separate AGAIN. it's especially frustrating and disappointing since you have to wait every week for almost the same thing you already saw the previous week. like wtf, give us something new. and boy, cha eun woo needs some acting lessons when crying. it looks half assed. it seems he is confused of either crying completely or just doing that poker face while crying. well i guess, i'm not surprised with everything that i've said since many people have already said that the webtoon itself is cliche and goes around in circles. it's hard to make something good out of a mediocre/ bad source material. if they want to redeem this drama, they better hire a new writer/ go a different writing direction.
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Different to the webtoon but I enjoyed it
I have to say I LOVED this drama. It may not be the best story, but I enjoyed every second of it. I've been a fan of the webtoon ever since it first came out, but there are some things I liked better in the drama.Soo Jin's character didn't make much sense to me in the webtoon. She appeared from time to time to be mean to Ju Kyung but she didn't have much depth. I liked her family's story and the way she was related to Soo Ho. Her arc was amazing as well for me and I loke how she redeemed herself at the end.Ju Kyung in the webtoon is like... Character development??? Don't know her —but in the drama she finally accepted herself as who she is and even stood up for herself. She went from being a scared shy girl suffering from bullying to a happy, sensible and strong woman and I loved that. I also like how they handled the Se Yeon situation in the drama. Suicide to me is a hard topic to adapt in screen but I think they did well. I also loved how in the drama Hee Kyung and Mr.Han's relationship worked. Hee Kyung was my favorite female characters because she is just so badass like she's strong and determined and she won't stop until she gets what she wants. The Lim's family drama was okay to me as well. I don't remember reading about Ju Kyung's dad in the webtoon but her mom was just... ??? I enjoyed how, in spite of her temper, she supported Ju Kyung at the end.The only thing that I hated with all my heart is that Ju Kyung didn't give Seo Jun a chance like she did in the webtoon. I loved them as a couple in the manhwa and I don't know he's just so sweet and caring and handsome. The second lead syndrome is just too strong and it pains me that he didn't get a lot more scenesWas this review helpful to you?
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I don't want to be one of those, but the Mang... The webtoon did it better
Well this is my first review, and it will probably be my last because I don't actually like to write reviews, I am a nobody. BUT this drama, in particular, made me write one, just because it made me so mad.I am a webtoon avid reader and since quarantine, I have watched so many dramas that I feel like every drama is repetitive.
I am up to date with the original webtoon of True Beauty (TB). This is not my first drama base on a webtoon, but definitely is the first one I have read the webtoon before watching the drama.
I mostly read action webtoons, but for some reason, the premise of TB interested me when Cha Eun Wo announced for the main lead. I watched ID Gangnam Beuty (IDGB) and liked Cha Eun Wo acting, especially because I follow Astro and I know his real personality, so that's why I started reading TB
First. It was a really big surprise how the TV industry it's so out of themselves to not follow the original material. Yes, a few things are kept, but the amazing story made by the original author was sent to trash and decide to just make a cookie cutter of a drama. The story is quite repetitive and almost a copy of IDGB. TB's original story is pretty good when I read it the first time.
What I liked was its original plot progression. Lim Ju Kyung never dated Lee SuHo during high school and in college, she did end up dating Sea Jun. When I read that part I was surprised because after watching so many dramas, this was the first story I have read for a Korean writer to actually give the idea of a second lead chance with the main protagonist, and no a fling, like an actual big relationship. The webtoon is still going and the story is developing in more of an American series type story. Something that I thought was impossible by Korean writers because you know in every drama the two main leads will end together, second leads are just there to look pretty.
So I was an expectation for the first time a drama to make something different. TOTALLY disappointed when they make it a cookie-cutter. Nothing new, the drama was just predictable. All my expectations went to the drain, the drama keep some original plot but it was just too spicy it a little to then follow by a "sike". I finish it just for the sake of it, and because I didn't have anything better to do.
One thing that I did like, and that is something I have to praise about drama writers is that all characters have their part and their stories no matter how small they are. For example, the roles like Ju Kyung's sister and brother, and Kang So Jin in the webtoon are just there for props. But all three in the drama had their own arcs. The one I feel the most grateful for is Kang So Jin in the webtoon I could see the author trying to make her an antagonist from the very beginning but at some point, she just vanished like Thanos just snapped her.
My conclusion is that even though dramas have gotten better in terms of cheesiness, directing, and writing since 2017-18, they are still doing the same old story just with a different path and story backgrounds.
Dramas have become just predictable. I can count with two hands the few dramas that actually can differentiate from the rest, and normally those dramas are the more mature and risky in topic dramas. And I am referring only to romance comedy. Other genres are very original.
And that just... doesn't seem right. These rom-coms can actually have a twist and be original, they don't have to follow the same formula, they can actually take a different approach in the plot to make it good. The reason why the rom-com genre has lost so much rating is that the public knows how it will end.
One drama I can call original is SEARCH WWW, wao 10/10 writing. Even though we have our typical happy ending is actually the drama was more drama than romance. The romance was just a side dish, the character development of the three protagonists was the real main dish. Dramas like this can be refreshing from time to time.
I like romantic comedy-dramas because is an escape from the suffering of the world, I have too many problems to watch super dramatic and melancholic dramas or suspense or crime dramas. But seeing the same story just with a different mask is making it hard and hard to actually keep going into rom-com dramas.
Come on Korea you are just one step closer to make a difference.
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