JK is a lovely character. She's not like the usual shy girl. She has an issue with her face but she's pretty confortable with the both guy : she doesn't lost her words because they're famous and handsome, she doesn't have issue to step into their personnal space, she can touch them. It's funny because it's them who are flustered by all of that.
I really like her humor like when she said they should have been married in their previous life or when she doesn't want them to fight in front of her, I loved her "I'll go this way" by running away.
I like both of her relationships with SH and SJ. She didn't realize that SH was trying to spend time with her by his "bullying" and she always ran away. But I was happy that she could tell him her feelings about and he apologized. Communication is important !
The bickering with SJ is pretty funny like when both of them told each one secret to the mums. If I like their relationship, I don't like the fact that SJ approached her to bother SH several times.

But the best part was Extraordinary You character's cameo! The fact that True Beauty is a webtoon made the stage/shadow worked pretty well. Danoh loved Haru in 3 different manhwas and a cameo in a webtoon won't change it! At least, this time the movie wasn't upside down :p

Thanks for the recap! I really need a show that's light, fun and breezy right now so I'm really enjoying the show despite all the cliches and some cringy moments.

I'm not sure it's already a romantic interest for Seo-joon at this point though. What he did in the last scene is done to provoke Soo-ho because he saw Soo-ho staring & walking up to her. Based on the next ep's preview he'll also show his interest in a very 'loud' way in front of Soo-ho to make him jealous, while Soo-ho will show his interest in his own discreet and subtle way, so his feelings for her is more sincere at this point. But of course Seo-joon will end up falling for real later on.

I'm glad that Joo Kyung got fed up about Soo Ho's orders early (ended in one episode). I didn't want to see him continue that torment much longer.

It's nice when Soo Ho shows his rare smile. Just something besides his cold, stoic expression.

The group of boys were drunk men picking on a teenager. It was an unbelievable, exaggerated scene. So many bystanders were there, just staring and doing nothing to help. At least help the girl move inside and away from the rain!

Seo Joon is such a mama's boy. Oh my gosh. His bickering with Joo Kyung was super cute in front of their moms. I like that she is comfortable with him and vice versa. And yesss he was incredibly swoony during the last scene. The two heroes rarely smile so it's a treat when they do. Especially Seo Joon's. He's confident and charismatic when he smirks. I didn't get the feeling that he was interested in Joo Kyung though. He's more interested in messing with Soo Ho.

That childhood connection was unnecessary!! Their connection in the present is good enough. I haven't read the manhwa, but it looks clear that Soo Ho is end-game in this drama. (No spoilers please.) Hope the writer doesn't do anything nonsensical.

Darn, I haven't watched Extraordinary You so I couldn't enjoy the cameo to the fullest, but it was still lovely to see Lee Jae Wook and Kim Hye Yoon.

I am loving this cheesy, fluffy drama so far. I don't know why we even need proofs to know Suho & JK are the end game when TVN has already released the relationship chart where Suho & jk has mutual love lines & Seojun has one line.

Coming to the story, I am actually loving everyone so far..All 3 are doing great.. Acting & portraying their characters. Seojun is given option to express so it becomes easier for him to portray his feelings while Suho repress his feelings, so all he has is his eyes & if you see them, you can see his pain, love, affection as well as hope. You also see him still considering Seojun a friend in some way. Is it too much to expect PD nim to focus on Suho & Seojun friendship? I would love to see them other thn as suitors of jk

Thank you, @missvictrix, for the recap. I am enjoying this drama specially when Joo-kyung confronted Soo-ho about his meanness. And what can I say when Soo-ho left to buy medicine for her knee and came back but couldn't immediately find her in the park? His face looked really worried. Seo-joon might not be the end game (I don't know, I didn't see the manhwa) but he's really making SH open himself to JK.

Joo-kyung is so funny, stuck between the boys but not knowing she is part reason. It was hilarious when she tries to break up the fights and send them in opposite directions. I am also glad they toned down the 'ugly' non make-up face and she looks sweet in those scenes too (without the exaggerated ugly makeup)

ok, so how are we not supposed to get SLS?? Seo Joon is interesting and Hwang In-yub is bringing so much to this role. If i didn't know CEW is the male lead, I would totally root for this couple. They are so much fun! (At least for now)

p.s childhood connection - really?

I'm a happy camper that Dramabeans decided to do an open thread on True Beauty, cos this show is proving to be such a fun watch and the experience is made all the better every week with reading the comments here. Stoked to have @missvictrix leading the recap because I reckon this show is right up her alley.

One thing I took away from Ep 3 and 4 was how JK's 'goddess' persona is spreading from the confines of school into other areas of her life (e.g. the blind date, her mom's beauty parlour) even as the places where she feels comfortable to be her makeup-less self appear to be shrinking (her home, the manwha shop). I like the tension and dilemma this presents and I hope the show continues on this trajectory. Right now, the only physical area of her life where the her 'goddess' persona and 'manwha shop' persona are allowed to be present together is when she's with SH, but in its own away, this area is also growing. Once SH realised how she perceived his actions as no different from those bullying her when he made her do his errands (despite his real intention of creating opportunities for him to see her and spend time with her), he stopped and made an effort to step out of his comfort zone to get involved in her world (e.g. study group, noraebang). JK already feels somewhat at ease around him since he knows her secret and has kept it so far, so I expect she will continue to lower her guard, even as he learns to lowers his.

On a side note, Unnie's fascination with JK's homeroom teacher is also catching my eye. Not sure where the writer(s) are heading with this, but I hope it's a fun ride.

I'm loving this drama.
Yes very predictable and all the cliche, etc, but it is nicely done.

I just adore Hwang In-yub. Can you believe he is 29. 29!
Unbelievable.
I know Seo-joon is not going to get Joo-kyung's heart but I wish he could.

And Lee Jae-wook and Kim Hye-yoon! Yay!
That movie theater scene was the highlight of ep.4 for me!

Run, Joo-kyung, Run! I feel like saying that to our heroine. She should join the school track team. 😂 She's lovable and funny, and her older sister is growing on me too (Teacher please take her out for a meal!).

Re. Seo-joon: I see the Lee Jun Ki resemblance too! It makes him even more swoony. Kdramas show us the most incredible and cheesy coincidences sometimes, but what can be more incredible and mundane than the fact that your parents know each other? However, if we are to guess who's endgame based on tropes, it's Soo-ho mainly because of the childhood connection, and the fact that Unni threw up on him. 😂😂

I guess the villain of the story is going to be So-hoo's father, which sounds like a predictable plot but with potential to tug at the heart. I felt sorry for the singer who was so bullied that he decided to kill himself. It seems the drama is trying to address issues of bullying, depression, and suicide - which I have to say reminded me a lot of Jonghyun, who passed away exactly three years ago now. 😢

One thing that bothered me: do high schoolers go on blind dates? I know this is a manhwa world, but it felt wrong to go out without her parents knowing. I also don't particularly like the friend who's always talking about dating and marriage... but I guess we also have those characters in Jane Austen novels, right @missvictrix?

This week episodes are much better than last week. JK finally stood up for herself with SH. I definitely feel that SH is developing feelings for JK and appreciate that he doesn't treat her differently regardless of how she looks. So far, I'm on SH's boat, but only because he seems to genuinely enjoy JK's company. SJ is only approaching JK to spite SH for the moment. That said, I love SJ as a character. I like how he projects a tough persona, but in reality he's such as softy. The conflict between SH and SJ is over the top cliche though. It reminds me of the conflict in School 2017. It must have something to do with SH's dad as the president of the entertainment group.

In shows as cheesy as these, the likability of the characters is so important, and they really nailed it with Joo-kyung. She's so cute and endearing. Soo Ho on the other hand... like, he's no Kim Tan but damn. It doesn't help that Cha Eun Woo's expressions in this show seem to range from stoic to stoic-with-mouth-slightly-curved. Also the mum and brother are so awful and I hope they get some sort of comeuppance but I feel like they won't.

Also, even without the obligatory sleazeball being the blind date, the fact that it was an adult (a college student) going on this blind date with our teen protagonist was plenty yikes on its own

I feel sorry for Su-ho. It's not like Ju-gyeong doesn't have other friends, or that she brought Seo-jun to their holy place Prince Comics, or that Seo-jun even likes her (yet), but it feels like Su-ho lost his only friend, even though he has Su-jin too.

Aww, he just wanted to hang out with her. What a shame she ran off before seeing he bought her ramyeon, and the reason food tasted good was because he was eating with her. Still, I was glad when Ju-gyeong called him out on ordering her around because it really was like her dumplings trauma all over again. In his defense, Su-ho didn't know she was bullied, and he apologized. I was praying he would save her at the convenience store and jujitsu the drunk assholes. I wish he had pulled her in from the rain before giving her his (wet) jacket and had bought her an umbrella at the convenience store.

When Ju-gyeong cried, "It's not my fault that I'm ugly," I was waiting for Su-ho to say, "You're pretty," and again at the manhwa store when he said he saw no difference with her bare face. Although it's due to his 10-minute time limits, I love how she runs to him without changing clothes as it shows she's comfortable with him. I wish Ju-gyeong gave Su-ho ointment for his split lip instead of Su-jin like he did for her scraped knee. Groan at their dreaded childhood connection.

Moon Ga-young and Hwang In-yeop's chemistry is hot. Their bickering is my favorite. How cute is it Moms are friends, and the kids tattle on each other to Ajumma? Seo-jun basically saw Ju-gyeong without makeup, albeit with a facial mask. So Hwang In-yeop can sing? I was waiting for idol Seo-jun's talent show audition.

Both boys are love, and I'm already crying that one of them has to end in heartbreak. Thanks a bunch for the weecap, @missvictrix!

I forgot to mention that from this week's episodes, it seems like Su Jin may have feelings for Soo Ho. A few lingering glances here and there. Their relationship is pretty typical. Their families have known each other for a while, they are the top students in their class. She was the only one he decently spoke to before Joo Kyung came into the picture. She inquired about Soo Ho's & Ju Kyung's friendship. I'm concerned about this possible trajectory for her character.

Omg loved the Extraordinary You reference so much!!! With how this drama is directed, it feels so much like a manhwa. Now I can't help but think of Joo-kyung, Soo-ho and Seo-joon as characters trapped in a manhwa too lol.
Also Kim Hye-yoon's character (on the stage) in Extraordinary You reminds me of Joo-kyung's friend Soo-ah's character in this drama - FL's best friend who is dating her long time boyfriend.

I love their interaction at the comic book store. It's the place where Soo Ho can escape being Mr. Perfect and Ju Kyung can be herself. It's just hilarious to see him breaking into her safe spot, and how she tried so desperately to pretend she didn't know him in Episode 2.

I have to admit I've enjoyed every episode, no matter how silly it is, and it's been super fun. I also love Ju Kyung's determination to try to be successful only to end up on her knees begging Soo Ho. I also like that she helps Seo jun and has a relationship with him already through their mothers.

It's also fun to see a pretty girl who doesn't seem to have pretensions of being pretty (since she feels she's not pretty) and how people view her one way while she acts another way to try to either keep her secret or at least the way she wants to live her life.

Suho was just trying to spend time with Jugyeong but he did it in the wrong way! Good on her that she called him out on it. Also, can anyone tell me if Seojun also knows her secret? I thought he never saw her face when Suho and her were together in the park. I really loved the bickering between Seojun and Jugyeong. It was so much fun to watch. Still not sure though if he had actually started to like her or he just wants to piss Suho off.

"Eskimo eyes." I laughed out loud when the father said that. Was it in episode 3 or 4? By the way, Joo Kyung delivers the best unexpected one liners or truths on life and beauty. Love that.

I'm surprised by how much I liked ep 3&4, I semi hate watched ep 1 & 2.

I hate her mom - it takes a whole new level of arsehole in a beauty obsessed country to demean your own child for their looks. The brother too. This drama's characters were a stark contrast to my friends & family who reassure me over & over that I'm pretty even without my makeup, & those same people also appreciate my makeup+concealing skills.

I swear every time I watch teen/school kdramas I grow all the more thankful for my surroundings, people & condition.

Having been in the ugly duckling shoes - everyone around me looking flawless, tall, slim & beautiful whereas I wasn't - I sympathised so much with Joo Kyung in ep 3&4. I did think they played her insecurities for laughs really badly in ep 1 & 2, where my emotions turned to revulsion instead of sympathy. They got it right in 3&4.

I wasn't as blown away by SJ because he only started pursuing her romantically after he clicked on Suho's like towards her. I did like though how Joo Kyung saved him twice (thrice?) from his Dude In Distress Situation. & yes so with you on the LJK flashbacks. Now I have another bros in dramaland I want to see situation - after Lee Jae Wook & Kim Jae Wook, I want LJK +Seo Joon actor.

I also like how she banters with relative ease with both guys. I dunno if anyone noticed but schools #2 student clearly likes Suho. I also get a kick out of this since she & Cha Eun Woo were school mates for real 🤭.

I am only on the fourth episode, but I haven't felt to beat up by a drama in a long while. My face hurts from smiling too much, my ribs are sore from laughing, and I think I lost my breath when the writing turned to social commentary on how make-up doesn't cover up everything, especially the pain and insecurity of being bullied and one's own self perception. I really hope the writer continues weaving in the thoughtful commentary into the zany, hilarious, cute storyline.
Mom's resource for solving sibling conflict killed me, the confession (not that kind of confession), Unnie's pick-up lines, and the talent show audition (our poor girl). And this was only one episode!
Not to mention, Joo Kyung is turning in one of my favorite drama heroines. I cannot wait until she has the self-confidence to stand up for herself. Moon Ga-young shines here.
It really is no wonder and I do not question one bit why the two boys are falling for her hard. But my greatest hope is that her family finally sees her. My heart aches so much for her.
I just had to come here and squee a bit. Trying not to spoil myself. I will have to come back and read Beanie comments after.