True Beauty

Im Ju-gyeong (Moon Ga-young) is an 18-year-old high school student who, since childhood, has suffered from teasing and bullying because of her physical appearance. Self-conscious and deeply hurt by how others see her, she taught herself the art of makeup through online tutorials.

When her family moves and she enrolls at Saebom High School, Ju-gyeong sees it as a chance to start over. Her transformation is dramatic: at her new school, she quickly becomes one of the most popular girls, and her classmates regard her as a true «goddess.» But behind this new image lies the same insecure young girl who lives in fear that someone will see her face without makeup.

Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo), a brilliant student who is popular but particularly reserved, eventually discovers his secret. Behind his apparent perfection, Su-ho, too, hides deep wounds tied to his past. Their growing closeness becomes complicated with the arrival of Han Seo-jun (Hwang In-yeop), a rebellious boy with a big heart whose story is closely tied to Su-ho’s and who, in turn, develops feelings for Ju-gyeong. Amid first love, friendship, rivalries, bullying, and the pressure of beauty standards, Ju-gyeong will gradually have to learn that her true worth depends neither on her makeup nor on how others see her.

Note

True Beauty is an adaptation of the famous Yaongyi's webtoon of the same name. While the drama retains the central premise of the original work (a self-conscious teenage girl who becomes a makeup expert and hides her natural appearance from her classmates), the TV adaptation develops its own plot and alters several characters and events. The series centers primarily on the trio of Ju-gyeong, Su-ho, and Seo-jun, while exploring themes of self-esteem, beauty standards, bullying, and grief.

This series is one of those must-watch cult K-dramas, especially if you're just getting started in the world of K-dramas.