Origin and release year: South Korea (2020 – True Beauty)
Korean title: 여신강림
Starring: Mun Ka Young, ASTRO Cha Eun Woo, Hwang In Youp, Park You Na, Jang Hye Jin, Park Ho San, Lim Se Mi, Kim Min Ki, Oh Eui Shik, Kang Min Ah, Lee Il Joon, Lee Woo Je, Lee Joo Ahn, Lee Sang Jin, Han Yi Young, Yeo Joo Ha, Jung Joon Hom Jeong Hye Won, Seo Hye Won, Kim Ryul Ha, Oh Yu Jin, Yoon Seo Ah, Noreen Joyce Guerra, Li Yi Man, Hwang Jung Ha, SF9 Cha Ni, Shin Jae Hwi, Lee Jae Eun, Jang Young Hyun, Terris Brown, Kim Hye Yoon, Lee Jae Wook, Kim Jae Hwa, Joo Se Bin, Seo Sang Won, Jung Gun Joo, Park Young Soo, Lee Han Wi, Kim Young Dae, WJSN Da Young, Lee Tae Ri
Director: Kim Sang Hyub
Screenwriter: Lee Shi Eun (Yaongyi – webtoon author)
Synopsis: After being bullied and discriminated because of her ugly looks, a high school girl transforms herself into a gorgeous “goddess” and quickly rises to fame after mastering the art of makeup via online tutorial videos. (IMDb)
This has to be one of the most iconic K-Dramas to have ever be produced, especially in terms of webtoon-based K-Dramas. It is a fan-favorite for a reason. Firstly, the acting…
Whilst the jury tends to be out on ASTRO Cha Eun Woo’s acting skills despite how handsome and charismatic he is, this is hands down one of the best roles he has ever taken on as an idol-actor. Granted, he will continue to improve and take on different roles that show more of his versatility as an actor, but we have to give him his flowers for this particular drama.
As unrealistic as it seemed (because Cha Eun Woo haha), Su Ho was honestly the sweetest character. Especially the way that he accepted Joo Kyung (played by Mun Ka Young) and didn’t judge her based on her appearance. He was not having anyone talking badly about her and that was one of his most endearing traits.
Mun Ka Young’s duality in this drama? Unmatched. The supposedly ‘ugly’ version of her and the obviously beautiful version of her were portrayed to a tee, and once again True Beauty gave her an unforgettable role that is one of her signature characters.
The chemistry between Joo Kyung and Su Ho in the drama was heart fluttering to say the least. The two of them were giving sweet campus couple and we were living for it.
The same can be said for Hwang In Youp. True Beauty is one of his most iconic roles and this writer, in particular, discovered Hwang in Youp through this role when I first watched the drama way back when. We have to give a shoutout to his mullet aesthetic, too. We’re hoping for a comeback with this hairstyle, no doubt!
Hwang In Youp also did a number on this drama, creating the entertainment factor with his stellar portrayal of internal character conflict. The chemistry between the three of leads also had you smiling as a result.
The same can literally be said for all of the supporting cast members who were well-written and only added to the story instead of distracting us.
Overall, the drama was really wholesome and is an essential watch if you’re just getting into K-dramas or if you have a drama bucketlist to get through.
What did you think of True Beauty? What was your favorite scene? Let us know in the comments!