For many drama fans, December could not get here fast enough as we eagerly awaited the webtoon adaption of True Beauty! Join the Fangirls as we discuss whether this new drama is a hit or a miss for us.

For those unfamiliar with the original story, a quick synopsis from our friends at MyDramaList:

True Beauty is a romantic comedy about a high school girl Lim Ju Gyeong, who rises to pretty girl fame after she masters the art of make-up from YouTube. She turns into a goddess because of her makeup skills, but would rather die than reveal her bare face to anyone. It tells her love story with the only boy that saw her without makeup, Lee Su Ho. Lee is an attractive and handsome boy who appears cold because of his dark past but is actually very caring. They grow when they meet each other sharing their secrets and finding love with each other, but can Su Ho make Ju Gyeong find her true beauty?

ALL the Typical High School Tropes

MiataMama: As someone who is current on all the (free) released episodes of the webtoon, I was pleased to see that the first two hours of the drama followed the story pretty closely. Some of the secondary characters have had their stories elaborated, but all-in-all, the feel of the drama has been conveyed just as the author originally intended, in all of its over-the-top school drama glory! 

Karie the Maknae: So I went into this knowing NOTHING about the webtoon. I don’t mind an over-the-top story if it’s told well, and I was looking forward to something lighter to balance out my current dramas. The premise is very silly, but I forgot something vital — I hate stories that focus on something shallow like looks. I realize there will be more to it, but right now it feels like Joo Gyung’s little bare face secret is a house of cards waiting to fall down. Not fun.

Bringing the to Characters to Life

MiataMama: When the drama was first cast, I was totally on board with Cha Eun Woo as the male lead, Su Ho. Having seen his previous webtoon-to-drama, My ID is Gangnam Beauty, I could easily imagine him in this current role. He does aloof and stand-offish well. But I’m waiting for that cool exterior to melt a bit, and the warmth his webtoon character gained later on in the story to come to the forefront.

Karie the Maknae: I adored Cha Eun Woo in Drunk in Good Taste, and I’m loving him here. He does pull off aloof well, but he’s also good at revealing that there’s more going on under that cold exterior.

MiataMama: It wasn’t until recently watching Moon Ga Young in the web-drama EXO Next Door that I realized she totally has the physical comedy chops to take on the role of Ju Gyeong! She’s thrown herself into this role whole-heartedly and brought all the angst and secondhand embarrassment from the page with her to the screen. 

Karie the Maknae: Totally agree that Moon Ga Young is doing the secondhand embarrassment very, VERY well. I don’t have to fast forward very much at all! And I love her family and her relationship with them — it’s so quirky.

MiataMama: Originally, I was uncertain about the casting of Hwang In Yeop as Seo Jun, the second lead in the OTP triangle. I admit while reading the webtoon I had already cast a different idol as that character in my mind. However, I was pleasantly surprised as In Yeop brought his role to life and am quite excited to see his portrayal of Seo Jun as the drama progresses! 

Karie the Maknae: Oooh, a bad boy second lead! That’s always fun. And I loved our introduction to him — he’s being chased by a gang of guys, but it turns out that it’s all in good fun. Bad boy with a heart of gold? EVEN BETTER.

Thumbs Up or Down?

MiataMama: It’s a thumbs up for me! Having read the webtoon, I was fully prepared for the simple storyline and the slapstick-style physical comedy. If you enjoy cringe-worthy high school shenanigans and a simplistic story that doesn’t require you to follow intricate plot lines, this is definitely the drama for you! If not, feel free to focus your attention on one of the MANY other dramas coming out this month and let the rest of us enjoy this fluff judgment-free, lol!

Karie the Maknae: As much as the characters seem fun and portrayed well, I’m not fond of slapstick comedy and secondhand embarrassment. Unless I hear phenomenal things, especially about Cha Eun Woo, it’s a pass for me. NOT a thumbs down at all — it’s just not right for me.

화이팅!

The Fangirls

Dramas with a Side of Kimchi