Translated by Kim Hoyeun Is there a word that better explains the drama than ŌĆ£beautiful facesŌĆØ? Even when we try to switch the channel thinking, ŌĆ£this is too obvious,ŌĆØ we find ourselves completely immersed in the drama thanks to actors whose faces are the perfect storytelling. This drama is tvNŌĆÖs webtoon-adapted drama True Beauty. For high school girl Im Joo Kyung, ŌĆ£appearanceŌĆØ equals trauma. Not only was she compared to her pretty sister and handsome brother all her life, but she was also bullied at school for being ŌĆ£ugly.ŌĆØ It is makeup that changed Joo KyungŌĆÖs life. Joo Kyung, who didnŌĆÖt know a thing about makeup, finds her own methods after a long practice and leads an entirely different life after being nicknamed the ŌĆ£goddessŌĆØ at a new school. But from the first day, Joo Kyung faces an unexpected situation when she realizes that Lee Su Ho, who she became friends with in her bare face when she frequented a comic book store, goes to the same school. Terrified of returning to the old days when she was bullied because of her appearance, Jo Kyung pretends to be two different people ŌĆō ŌĆ£school goddess Im Joo KyungŌĆØ and ŌĆ£comic book store Im Joo BalŌĆØ ŌĆō in front of Su Ho, but the truth cannot be hidden forever. The drama follows the romance genre by the book. As the saying goes, ŌĆ£becoming friends through bickering,ŌĆØ the male and the female leads who used to quarrel a lot start to grow closer, and when the second leads who spark ŌĆ£second lead syndromeŌĆØ step into the picture, things start to get complicated. This kind of story always works in every country and age, but it could become relatively mundane. Then how did True Beauty differentiate itself from others? True Beauty is a drama that shows the ŌĆ£fun in watchingŌĆØ for sure. First, the visuals of Moon Ga Young, Cha Eun Woo and Hwang In Yeop is awe-inspiring. Cha Eun Woo, who plays Lee Su Ho who has it all from appearance and brain to athletic ability, looks like he has just popped out of the webtoon, and Hwang In Yeop triggers second lead syndrome by flawlessly playing Han Seo Joon, who seems cold and rude but is actually considerate. Moon Ga Young also presents an attractive character, regardless of whether she has makeup or not. I didnŌĆÖt mention ŌĆ£beautiful facesŌĆØ for no reason. The ŌĆ£fun in watchingŌĆØ naturally leads to acting. There is not one actor that seems awkward, and of course, this is thanks to actorsŌĆÖ stable performances but also big thanks to the solid cast lineup. Maybe we feel that way because the harmony between rookie actors and veteran actors who have more than 10 years of experience is quite remarkable. Among all of them, the most notable actor is Moon Ga Young. Not only is she capable of delicate emotional acting, but she also excels in comical acting, presenting a performance that can certainly be called ŌĆ£Moon Ga YoungŌĆÖs One Man Show Drama.ŌĆØ The relationships are also quite attractive. Joo Hyun, Su Ho and Seo JoonŌĆÖs love triangle is undoubtedly fresh and heart-fluttering, but the relationship between Joo KyungŌĆÖs sister Im Hee Kyung (Lim Se Mi) and homeroom teacher Han Joon Woo (Oh Eui Sik) is eye-catching. Hee Kyung, who is enthusiastic in love, and Joon Woo, who is shy and cautious, flips the clich├® of the existing romance dramas. It is simply the reversal of stereotypes about gender roles, but itŌĆÖs refreshing enough. However, the letdowns are also quite apparent. The constant cheesy lines and exaggerated directing that seem to test our patience hinder the immersion, and the over-the-line Chinese companies product placement makes us feel like weŌĆÖre watching a Chinese drama. Ā The controversy over whether the drama is justifying lookism through a story that basically says everything will be solved if youŌĆÖre pretty is also a task to be solved. True Beauty has just reached its turning point. While Joo Kyung and Su Ho got to know each otherŌĆÖs true feelings, Seo Joon became a fan of Joo Kyung and Su HoŌĆÖs old friend Kang Soo Jin may become Joo KyungŌĆÖs rival in love. Most of all, the question of when Joo Kyung will unveil her bare face (or whether she will hide it till the end) is amplifying. I donŌĆÖt know how their story will end, but if thereŌĆÖs one thing I know for sure is that I will be watching it till the end. ┬Ā Verdict: The actorsŌĆÖ charms that make us look forward to the most clich├® story (6.0) ┬Ā Editor Yang Young Jun: There is at least one good part in every movie or TV series. A media geek who isnŌĆÖt picky with genres.
