The thread is now open for spoilers, comments, analysis, and Bitches.
A few words to the newcomers and lurkers.
I have reinstated my list of “banned words” that I used for Lee MinHo’s “The King: Eternal Monarch.” If you use these words in your comment, your post will go to my spam box, and sit there for 10,000 years awaiting for my moderation.
Please spare me and yourself the trouble. Avoid these words:
1. Bromance. Unless there’s an actual romance going on between two men (or three, four men), please use brotherhood instead.
Link: Just Bitching: Bromance
2. Chemistry. What’s chemistry for you might be physics for others. Everybody has different understanding of what constitutes as chemistry between leading couples. And I don’t want a fanwar between the two male characters based on something debatable as “chemistry.”
3. Cinematography. This is flatulent locution. 🙂 Use simple words like scene, background, landscape, vista and so on.
4. Eargasm. As I said before, ears don’t quiver like a vagina. We like a baritone voice but listening to it won’t arouse ecstasy — or apoplexy.
5. Epic. I assure you we aren’t going to see anything epic in this kdrama. But I’m hoping that we’re not going to see everything banal, too.
6. Explosive. No, just don’t go there.
7. Hot! Please, this is a kdrama about high school kids so let’s try not to sexualize the actors. Besides, I don’t think Cha Eunwoo’s physical comeliness meets the requirements of hotness.
8. “I love him.” Let’s reserve this sort of enthusiasm for fanfiction, shall we?
9. “Oppa!” Bitches don’t use this word…unless they’re actually Korean and a donsaeng.
10. “Psychic.” (new addition for this kdrama) Nobody’s psychic here. I don’t believe in junk science.
11. “Slay.” Again, I don’t expect anybody to slay his role here. Let’s not raise expectations so I don’t get spammed with complaints on Cha Eunwoo’s acting ability.
12. “Visuals.” Don’t state the obvious. This show is called “True Beauty” for a reason.
Thanks!
Let’s enjoy the show.
Watched episode 1 no comments it’s very different from the webtoon so far, lots of new scenes but I haven’t moved on from Start Up so the male lead is already disappointing me since we’re back to the typical Kdrama male lead. Hopefully we get more oomph with the story soon. Other wise I’m afraid it won’t be a focus of mine. On the other hand I’m enjoying uncanny counter but I don’t know how to analyse it properly so right now it’
s on my schedule as a fun distraction
@Beingwritten, I agree that coming after Start Up, True Beauty seems a pretty standard coming of age drama. But I’ve enjoyed several of the actors here – FL, mother, father, sister- in other dramas, so much will depend on the director. It’s indeed odd to see Moon Ga-Young without beautifying makeup.
There’s some fairly broad comedy (parents’ fighting) and exaggerated situations around physical appearance. (what family and friends would speak their thoughts about looks aloud in front of a young child?) I think this is possibly webtoon style. It’s definitely not Zombie Detective humour. 😔 Can I say ‘Long Live Zombie Detective ?’
The script gives us a mother who is a beautician by trade. Why couldn’t she help her daughter, who is clearly traumatised by a skin condition and people’s reactions to it to the point of self destruction. Irony?
I’ll keep watching in the hopes that all the people with potential get their development and rewards. Because, although I’m not expecting surprises, I would enjoy a light rom-com.
I feel like I am going to get the Lee Jaewook experience here since I’m already familiar with the second lead actor and Eunwoo’s on the same level of acting as Rowoon. So I don’t really plan on watching this drama. But I’m curious as to what is the story all about because True Beauty’s the most raved webtoon novel to this date.
Also, I heard from my friend who watched the episode that they added some moral whatever that’s not in the source material, and and she’s a little bit disappointed as she thinks that the story doesn’t take itself seriously, it should have stayed that way. I don’t know. Lol.
As a reader of the True Beauty webtoon, i also watched the kdrama. I didn’t expect anything though, since i’m fully aware that i still have hard time to move on from Start Up, lol. True Beauty is a light drama with typical kdrama tropes. So far the character that held my interest was the teacher. He truly invested in his students, encouraging them and teaching them to appreciate each other’s diversity. The drama highlighted deep-rooted issue of a teenager struggling to find her place in society, hence the classic choice: being good looking or being smart. The female lead didn’t have both, so she resorted to make up as her means of survival in order to be accepted at her new school and to be able to have friends.
Another thing i like the most is the OST at the end of episode: I’m in the Mood for Dancing by Gfriend Yuju (originally by the Nolans). I guess i would continue to watch the drama since i’d love to know how the story will unfold in comparison to its webtoon.
Strangely enough, I’m liking the show. lol.
I’m ignoring whats-his-name, the tall guy, but I’m laughing at the female lead Moon Gayoung. Especially when she went to school, looking like a ghost.
Will probably review Eps 1 and 2 when I’ve time.
I think Moon Ga-young can be so funny. I’m interested to see if and how she changes with her new look at her new school.
Yes, to the teacher who is supportive and attractively imaginative. Hee-kyung the sister, sees this immediately and asks Ju-kyung about him, but JK is oblivious, typical teen POV; like her classmates who think he acts slightly cringe-y.
I like the comic book shop and Mr Prince who remembers Ju-kyung fondly from her childhood. Why does he call her Ju-bal? Is it a private joke from when she was younger?
Fern, yes, ju-Bal sounds like a private joke, right?
Ju is probably from the first syllable of her name.
And “bal” means foot in korean.
But Jubal 주발 means bowl. I guess it refers to the bowl of ramen that she likes to eat.
But it can mean something else.
I was thinking of Jubal from the Old Testament who was said to be the first musician and who invented the harp and flute. But that makes no sense in this context. 😆. I like your idea of bowl because that makes it a semi-pun.
I like that these two diverse-seeming students both find solace and a meeting of minds in horror manhwa. The goth couple in episode 2 seemed more apt.
There’s Jubal?? From the Old Testament?
Yes. I find the goth concept funny. She likes heavy metal and horror comics.
What do you think about the other girl, the one who’s a childhood friend of the leading male? Do you get the sense that she’s attracted to the leading male? Or Jubal? 🙂
That teacher.
As he was leading the young student to walk on the crosswalk, the music is Lasse Lindh’s Hush. It’s the music from Goblin. Ep 2 when the girl Euntak was secretly observing Goblin at the cemetery and puffing on a dandelion. 🙂
I am struggling to get through Ep1. I like Moon GaYoung well enough. I have always liked her. She comes across as the girl next door and always brings a certain freshness to her role. And EunWoo…well what can I say? I just gawk (he looks exactly like he’s walked straight off the runway or morphed out of a ManHwa). Nuff said. 😂. What’s making it hard? The over the top bullying. And yes @Fern, I couldn’t quite believe that her beautician mom overlooked the fact that all the cutting comments passed by family and those around her would make life unbearable and push her over the edge. The storyline is pretty straightforward and the characters predictable so it would be an “easy watch” if I can get past the school bullying.
I couldn’t stop laughing when she shaved off part of her eyebrow. 😂😂
That was funny. She lost like half of her eyebrow.
But I like the scene when they were in the comic shop. (I wish it was a different actor. I wouldn’t have minded if it was Lee Jae Wook.) And they realized that they had comics in common.
Oh! And in Ep 2, I was laughing when he invited her to come out and she didn’t know if he wanted the ugly girl or the goddess to come out to meet him so she put on her helmet. 😂
I was laughing too bec she had half of her made up under the helmet. 😂
In episode 2, I like how Soo Ho is low-key showing-off his knowledge of horror comics. He’s begrudgingly impressed with Ju-Kyung’s knowledge of a book that mixed mysticism with sci-fi. And they both like the book titled, “The Cursed Mask”. Lol.
And she has the first edition that he wants.
I wasn’t sure about Soo Jin. After the bus incident when she hammer-threw her backpack to catch the guy upskirting Joo-Kyung – wow. JK said I wish I had a boyfriend like you and SJ seemed sort of pleased. Perhaps there are a lot more secrets than at first glance. Han Seo Jun is hiding something to do with his absence. Soo Ho is possibly hiding his relationship with his father and possibly something about the suicide of the young man a while back.
Ha, @packmule, we may want Lee Jae Wook in all of the dramas, but other actors need a break from time to time. 😂
I have the feeling that Seo Jun is so obsessed with his own looks that he wouldn’t be able to reconcile with JK’s natural ‘JuBal’ look. Soo Ho, who hates being photographed, is intrigued by the natural Ju Bal, who avoids him, meets him wearing the helmet visor down or, on his birthday, treats him like a normal person. I’m waiting to see what made him decide to protect her (Ju Kyung) when she got a face full of cake – after being so rude to her previously.
I was also wondering if they will make their poetry project about a goth – type poet.
I did like the scene at the rooftop though. When she was thinking of jumping and then changed her mind. The massive TV screen across from her was commemorating the death of someone named SeYeon (I think he was the guy EunWoo’s character was supposed to “save” but he was too late). He would’ve turned 18. From the picture he looked like he had everything going for him. Good looks, perfect skin etc. Yet he lost the will to live (probably jumped from that same rooftop? Which is why EunWoo’s character was there? 🤔). JuKyung was “ugly” (by Korean societal standards), yet she chose to live. The contrast was a nice touch I think.
I must be getting JP/Start Up aftershocks. I wasn’t happy that he left her to walk down those stairs initially by herself (after her glasses were knocked off). And she fell? 🙄. Granted he did piggyback her later but it was after her tumble? What sort of gentleman does that? The tsundere kind…🙄.
I enjoyed episode 2 very much, but admittedly the first episode felt flat for me! I continued watching to see Seojun and I’m so glad I did because I laughed a lot. Moon Gayoung’s pretty funny in this one. Fave scenes are definitely the comic book scene and the helmet scene haha
I am a fan of the webtoon and was hoping for Lee Jaewook to be casted as Seojun lol but the actor Hwang Inyeop they cast for the role of Seojun seems to suit it well. Cha Eunwoo looks the webtoon character, but his acting really leaves much to be desired huhu
re: Soo Jin’s character, they used the same name but the character in the webtoon is very different. I’m also wondering now where they plan to take her character. 🙂
@fern @jinyangie yes Soo Jin’s character in the drama is strikingly different with Soo Jin in the webtoon that made me kind of curious with the future role she’ll play in their friendship. Ju Kyung’s bully experience broke my heart, and worse because that one girl she thought as her friend also participated in the bully (even though she was clearly being forced to). I hope Ju Kyung doesn’t need to experience that anymore in her new school.
Did you notice the cameo by Squid (?) from Extraordinary You? 😂. He’s still working in the cafeteria 😂. I think Lee JaeWook and HyeYoon are supposed to do a cameo as well. And the school? It’s the same one from EO as well 😂.
😂 “SooAh, you’re prettier to me than Suzy”… Ep2 is much better. Strange but despite all the tropes and standard fare from a high school KDrama, I am enjoying it. I think it’s got to do with MGY. She makes all the cringeworthy scenes believable? I can’t help smiling and laughing at her antics.
Between EY and TB, EY is winning for me. First, I find EY more pretty. The stairs scene was so beautifuly filmed with the music and Danoh’s thoughts. When the first meeting in TB was pretty commun for this kind of scene.
Moon Ga Young is really charming in this role. I really liked her in Waikiki or her last drama.
For CEW, I prefered him in My ID Gangnam Beauty, his character was indifferent but not mean and his acting was more natural. In this one, his voice sounds weird.
Extraordinary You’s cast and production are pretty busy. LJW and LTR ended their drama. The first PD has True Beauty, the second one has Live On on JTBC, Rowoon will have Sunbae Please Don’t Put on That Lipstick after Live On, Kim Young Dae is in Penthouse and Cheat On Me If You Can.
@Sayaris I agree about EY. There was a novelty about it which made it more intriguing to watch. And it was definitely “prettier”. Layout wise and framing of scenes seemed a lot more deliberate and thought out. And HyeYoon of course was just delightful as DanOh. But TB is a nice easy watch after Start Up. So I am staying for the laughs for now.
Yes, the premise of Extraordinary You was more original than True Beauty. But True Beauty is funnier to watch than Do Do Sol Sol La La Sol. (And I need to forget that stinker. Still so cranky over the male lead 🤪)
Also, I like the actress here a whole lot more than the actress in “ID: Gangnam Beauty.”
Is it just me or am I getting the heir by Kim Eun Sook vibes with Lee Soo Ho,the fighting with the dad, seeing him cheat at a young age, being rich and hating his father and being cold and harsh? Lol he’s like the second lead of the heirs only thing is he doesn’t have mummy issues.
Episode 2 was actually really nice. The misunderstanding between these two is interesting, she thinks he knows who she is and her cover, and he thinks she knows him when he stopped her from hurting her self. Interesting perspectives. I like how natural it is for them to slowly get to know each other, despite me disliking the tsundere aspect of him. I like our second female lead but she probably has feelings for Soo Ho? I pray we don’t get girl hate but I can’t be too sure, don’t remember what happened in the webtoon anymore.
i thought whilst funny that her phone didn’t recognise her, it also felt sad, like it was more acceptable for her to be seen as pretty, than just be her real self, even her own phone doesn’t put the two together, she’s a different person just because she wears make up. Not sure if you get what I mean. I just thought it was an interesting observation
Second lead wow. Another love triangle? No thanks Start up has scarred me a bit. Also definitely the writer is a fan of Kim Eun Sook I see even Goblin parallels with the show and I find it funny haha. Also again with the heir vibes Soo Ho and Jun used to be close but they hate each other now. Haha
Also her made up self Ju Kyung
Her real self when Soo Ho sees her is Ju Bal. ]Just another observation.
I have more to say but I’ll wait to see your opinion on the show.
Go ahead, @ Being Written. Don’t wait for me to post. It might take a while.
I like the show. 🙂
Strangely, I am enjoying the show? There aren’t any massive surprises or plot twists. But maybe that’s why. 😂. I just watch it purely for eye candy. The familiarity of the usual KDrama fare is comforting in the lead up to Christmas.
EVERYONE 😭😭😭 HYEYOON AND JAEWOOK ARE GOING TO BE A COUPLE ON A MOVIE DATE FOR THEIR TRUE BEAUTY CAMEO 😍😍😍😍. I AM EXHALIRATED, I CAN’T CONTAIN MY HAPPINESS RIGHT NOW 😍😍😍💖💖💖. THEY LOOL SO HAPPY IN THE STILLS. CAN’T WAIT FOR LATER 😃😭😃😭😃💖
Just watched Ep3. Still liking it 😂. My only moment of confusion is why a car with smoke fumes emerging from the bonnet (and presumably the tyre) required a type change? When it wasn’t flat? 🤔. But okay. Not terribly invested in the sister’s romance with the Lit teacher or the second ML. I am staying for MGY and her character JuKyeong. She’s cute. ❤️
Also newsflash for Ep4.
https://www.soompi.com/article/1444008wpp/cha-eun-woo-comes-across-lee-jae-wook-and-kim-hye-yoon-at-the-movie-theater-in-true-beauty
For those of us who thought LJW and KHY should’ve played a couple? Well here it is. 😂. And they are actually playing DanOh and BaekHyung. 😂 PD has a sense of humour.
OMO the cameo, need to start watching now..
Finish the 1st episode, have to power through the bullying plot in the first 30 min grr..
Need to watch more to have more impression since nothing much happened in Ep1, First time seeing Cha Eun Woo, need to see more to draw an opinion, if nothing else he’s very pretty. Second time seeing Moon Ga Young after find me in your memory (only watched the first few ep though). Rooting for her to find her true friend as she wishes.