Webtoon: 여신강림 True Beauty by 야옹이 Yaongyi (Chapters 1-53)
[edit 08/01/2023: This is a review of Chapters up to 53 before they were published in serialized English books. I’m using VOL1 cover as a placeholder since the previous imagine of the webtoon was flagged for copyright @_@. Annoying.]
Genre: romance, romantic comedy, drama, school
Published: April 2018-Present
Read: 2019-Present
This is exactly why I need to blog/write about what I read. I first read True Beauty in January or February? I quickly caught up with the LINE Webtoon English release within a few days, and then switched over to Naver Webtoon, the original Korean uploads… And it took longer to read because I would look up all the words I didn’t know and then write them down semi-alphabetically… But now all that has gone to dust because I basically forgot what happened… (Although I remembered the gist.) I just reread the English and so I’m writing this now so I don’t need to reread all of it again once more chapters come out…
For those of you who don’t know, a webtoon is a blend of web+cartoon, in other words, an online manga/manhwa. These can be read on LINE Webtoon (or the Korean version, Naver webtoon; both of which are also available as apps).
Read This Because…
The artwork looked pretty/cute… My style! And the premise that I would see in ads randomly on Facebook or Instagram seemed fun! (Also, this is being translated from the Korean version so it’s definitely more my style… Some of the original English webtoons are not my type…)
The Review
Most of this will be synopses in the spoiler section because this webtoon is still coming out.
True Beauty centers around high schooler Lim Joo Kyung (or Im Jugyeong), who is not considered beautiful by those around her—people at school or even her own mother. When she decides to try makeup and starts to watch online tutorials of how to do makeup, she learns that even she—a pimply, fuzzy-browed, glasses-wearing, plain-faced girl—can become pretty; even she can be beautiful. (Of course this is all being said in terms of what she thinks. In my opinion people in this webtoon—and people in Korea/Asia a lot of the time—are WAY too absorbed in outer appearances and looking beautiful to the masses.) Of course, she has her reasons (which is fine, because I love makeup too). She has been bullied and made fun of in school, so uses makeup to completely transform into someone who is admired.
One night, while out with her bare face, she runs into Lee Suho at her local comic book store. Turns out, he (and all the subsequent beautiful characters that she will meet, all) go(es) to the same high school as she does. Quickly, he discovers her “double” identity, but helps her hide her secret. As they spend time together, they slowly develop feelings for each other (i.e., secret blushing). We also quickly meet pretty boy Han Seo Jun, who is obviously the third leg of this love triangle. Other characters we meet also build and threaten Joo Kyung’s self-confidence, like the jealous Subin, for one, who has really crazy body proportions. As Joo Kyung finishes up high school, she is figuring out how she can be proud of who she is—with or without makeup.
SPOILERS
(highlight below to read)
“1) Lee Suho figures out who she is because she loses part of her key chain. But he’s fine with how she looks.
2) Lee Suho and Han Seo Jun do not like each other—but actually they were friends before, in middle school. Lee Suho’s dad is an actor, his mother passed away. He lived in Japan for a while, and when he moved here, he was made fun of since he didn’t know Korean well. He was befriended by Yoon Seyeon. The two of them are saved from bullies by Seo Jun and they become unseperatable. Seo Jun is a wonderful singer and Seyeon loves dancing. Seyeon convinces Seo Jun to audition for an entertainment company (ST Entertainment, where Hee Kyung (Joo Kyung’s unni) works). Seo Jun ends up being a show similar to Produce 101; but due to some dumb editing and stuff, he ends up getting a lot of mean hate comments. He starts to become depressed due to these evil netizens (think: Class 3A). On the day he commits suicide, he had called Suho, but Suho didn’t pick up. Because of this, Seo Jun blamed Suho for Seyeon’s death.
3) In an attempt to save this old lady getting off the bus, Joo Kyung stepped out in front of a bus, and Suho pushed her out of the way, getting injured himself. He ended up in the hospital, and Joo Kyung ends up calling Seo Jun, since she knew that they knew each other from middle school and perhaps he can contact Suho’s family. We find out here (around chapter 40?) that Suho’s mom had died due to cancer. His father seemed like he was so in love with his mom, and briefly disappeared from the industry. However, he came back to support his family, and ended up in a scandal with a costar. While he denied it, one day Suho comes home and finds out that it is indeed true. He runs away, upset at his father for lying and for being so quick to seemingly replace his mother. He had thrown/left his cell phone, therefore missing Seyeon’s phone call the day he committed suicide. After this, the Suho and Seo Jun slowly start to become on better terms.
4) Joo Kyung works at a convenience store with Seo Jun’s little sister. Joo Kyung does her makeup for her and they become friends, with Joo Kyung sometimes going over to their house. Seo Jun accidentally sends Joo Kyung a facebook request and they slowly become friends. Their friendship is a bickering one, but Seo Jun quickly starts to like her (i.e., he blushes a lot).
5) Subin (forgot her last name) is a pretty girl who befriends Joo Kyung pretty early on in the webtoon. It’s because she likes/has some history(?) with Suho. She one day seems Joo Kyung and Suho walking and talking and becomes jealous of her, so she inserts herself into Joo Kyung’s life. Joo Kyung is entranced by Subin’s goddess-like beauty and admires her, but little does she know that Subin just wants her away from Suho. She calls her player friend (forgot his name) to play around with Joo Kyung for a while. Suho realizes that he’s a player and stops the relationship pretty early in the webtoon. They never figure out that Subin is the one behind this. Afterwards, Subin disappears from the webtoon for a bit, but not before we see that she is abused by her alcoholic mother. We also see that she is bulimic and gains weight for a bit. When she returns, she has slimmed down even more. She tries to stir up trouble when she sees Joo Kyung and Seo Jun out together. She secretly snaps a picture of them and sends it to Suho.
6) So by end of the 40’s, it is super clear and obvious that our two main leads like each other, but they won’t quite admit it to each other. Joo Kyung is super dense and turns to the internet for advice. This part is a little too naive/childish for me (the way she acts) in terms of what Korean person in high school doesn’t have a hint about relationships, being in the country that produces all those romcom kdramas… Hahaha :P. Seo Jun also really likes Joo Kyung, but she clearly sees him as a friend only. He can tell that she likes Suho, but…
7) I stopped reading mid-chapter 54, because I was too lazy to look up words and I thought I found a good place to stop: Joo Kyung was about to confess to him when he held her hand in his pocket, but she was stuttering too much/he thought she was cold? So he interrupted her and they went to a cafe. So nothing happened. What.
8) Other things: Joo Kyung’s mom is so rude to her.. :( She doesn’t see makeup as anything more than a hobby and doesn’t want Joo Kyung to go to hakwon for it; yet she sends Joo Young (younger brother) to acting hakwon. So rude. Hee Kyung went on a date with Joo Kyung’s history teacher. Nothing seems to have come from it, though, since he was weird.
9) The bullies that made fun of Joo Kyung in middle school are trainees now. Seo Jun has some friends who were super rude and mean to Joo Kyung without makeup. One day Joo Kyung goes to the supermarket with her mom and sis and sees Seo Jun. She’s not wearing makeup and is nervous that Seo Jun recognized her.”
</spoilers>
OTHER COMMENTS
1) Suho is so hot. *_*. I want one.
2) You would think—because I also thought—that the girls’ proportions were exaggerated, but if you check out the Yaongyi’s instagram, you will see how ridiculous it is… that she has the same body shape as her character. Yaongyi is super pretty and looks exactly like her character Joo Kyung. Additionally, parts of the webtoon are based on her life (?).
3) True Beauty is reportedly going to be made into a drama soon. Who are they going to get to play the characters ?_?!! So excitingg.
OVERALL
Did I cry? Not yet.
Should you read it? If you like cute and giggly things, yes yes yes!
Will edit when more chapters come out because I hate waiting @ cliffhangers ;_;.
-huay