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Why “True Beauty” Still Obsesses Korea And The World In 2025

When Koreans hear the phrase “True Beauty,” almost everyone thinks of one thing first: the 2020–2021 tvN drama based on Yaongyi’s mega-hit webtoon. In Korean, the title 여신강림 literally means “The Goddess Has Descended,” and that nuance already tells you a lot about how the series plays with Korean beauty standards, high school hierarchy, and the pressure to be “perfect” in a hyper-visual society.

As a Korean who watched True Beauty live when it aired, followed the webtoon on Naver, and then watched the drama explode on global platforms like Viki and later on streaming services in Southeast Asia, I can tell you: this title is much more than a fluffy high school rom-com. For Koreans, True Beauty became a shorthand for a specific type of story: a girl who is “average” or considered unattractive by Korean standards transforms through makeup, social media, and confidence, and then has to navigate the gap between her “bare face” and her “goddess” persona.

True Beauty matters because it arrived at a very specific cultural moment. In Korea, the late 2010s were filled with debates about “gapjil” (power abuse), school bullying, plastic surgery, and the mental health impact of Instagram and beauty apps. By the time the drama premiered on December 9, 2020, the original webtoon had already been viewed billions of times on Naver Webtoon, and its main character, Lim Ju-kyung, was an icon for teens who knew exactly what it meant to feel “ugly” in a country with some of the world’s strictest beauty norms.

For the global audience, True Beauty looked like a cute K-drama about makeup, love triangles, and handsome male leads like Cha Eun-woo and Hwang In-yeop. But for Korean viewers, every classroom scene, every bullying flashback, every comment about “bare face” (민낯) versus “full makeup” (풀메) felt painfully familiar. The keyword “True Beauty” became a cultural conversation: What is real beauty in a society where everyone edits their selfies? Is it wrong to use makeup as armor? Can someone who hides behind foundation and eyeliner still be “authentic”?

In this deep dive, I’ll unpack True Beauty from a Korean perspective: its origins, the drama’s plot and characters, how it reflects Korean school life, why it still trends on Korean and global social media in 2025, and how it changed the way we talk about beauty, bullying, and self-worth.

Snapshot Of “True Beauty”: Key Things To Know

Before we go deep, here are the core highlights that define True Beauty in Korea and abroad:

Origin as a webtoon
True Beauty began as a Naver Webtoon by artist Yaongyi in 2018. It quickly became one of the platform’s most-read series, surpassing billions of accumulated views and gaining a massive female readership in their teens and 20s.
Drama adaptation success
The tvN drama adaptation aired from December 2020 to February 2021, starring Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-yeop, and Park Yoo-na. It consistently ranked in the top 10 cable dramas of its time slot and became one of tvN’s most internationally streamed titles.
High school beauty pressure
The story is centered on Lim Ju-kyung, an “average-looking” girl who becomes a “goddess” through makeup. This premise directly touches the Korean obsession with appearance, especially in high school where looks can define your social ranking.
Bullying and trauma
True Beauty doesn’t just glamorize makeup. It shows brutal school bullying, humiliation, and the long-term trauma that shapes Ju-kyung, Su-ho, and Seo-jun. Koreans saw echoes of real bullying scandals that frequently hit the news.
Makeup as empowerment and shield
The drama and webtoon sparked national and global discussion about whether makeup is a lie or a tool of empowerment. True Beauty presents both sides, making it a key text in Korea’s “escape the corset” vs. “my choice” beauty debates.
Global fandom and memes
True Beauty inspired countless TikTok transformations, YouTube makeup tutorials, and reaction videos. The “bare face vs goddess” trope became a meme, but for many Korean teens it was simply everyday reality.
Ongoing relevance
Even in 2025, True Beauty trends periodically on Twitter/X and TikTok whenever new K-dramas with similar themes appear, or when bullying scandals in the Korean entertainment industry resurface, bringing viewers back to this story.

From Webtoon To Global Phenomenon: The Korean Backstory Of “True Beauty”

To understand why True Beauty hit so hard in Korea, you need to know where it came from. The original webtoon, also titled 여신강림 (True Beauty), started serialization on Naver Webtoon in April 2018. Created by Yaongyi, a former ulzzang (internet “pretty face”) and model, the series drew immediate attention because readers suspected the artist herself had experienced the same beauty pressures as her heroine.

Within its first year, True Beauty became one of Naver’s flagship titles, regularly ranking at the top of the popularity charts. By 2020, Korean media reported that it had amassed over 4 billion cumulative views across languages, with official translations on platforms like WEBTOON (English). This scale is huge even in Korea’s hyper-competitive webtoon market.

The timing of True Beauty’s rise is important. In late 2010s Korea, the “escape the corset” (탈코르셋) feminist movement encouraged women to reject strict beauty standards by cutting hair short, stopping makeup, and refusing plastic surgery. At the same time, K-beauty and idol culture were pushing an ultra-refined, flawless look both domestically and globally. True Beauty sat exactly at this tension point: a girl uses makeup to survive and thrive, but the story constantly asks if that’s really freedom.

When tvN announced the drama adaptation in 2020, there was controversy in Korea about casting. Many webtoon readers worried that idol-actor Cha Eun-woo (already known as “face genius”) was too perfect-looking to play Lee Su-ho, a character who is handsome but emotionally scarred. But the casting also made sense in a Korean context: Cha Eun-woo’s visual perfection mirrored the impossible standards the story critiques. Moon Ga-young, who had a reputation for nuanced acting and “realistic” beauty rather than unattainable idol looks, was widely praised as Lim Ju-kyung.

The drama aired from December 9, 2020 to February 4, 2021 on tvN, with 16 episodes. In Korea, it averaged around 3–4% nationwide viewership according to Nielsen Korea, a strong performance for a youth-focused cable drama. Internationally, it was licensed on platforms like Rakuten Viki and later appeared on various regional streamers, quickly becoming one of the most-watched K-dramas in Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

What many global fans may not know is how often True Beauty gets referenced in Korean online communities years later. On sites like DC Inside and Theqoo, users still use screenshots of Lim Ju-kyung’s “before and after” as reaction images. On Naver’s knowledge forum Naver KnowledgeiN, teens ask questions like “How can I do True Beauty-style makeup?” or “Is it wrong to hide my bare face like Ju-kyung?”

In the last 30–90 days, True Beauty has resurfaced in Korean online buzz for two main reasons:

Casting talk about a potential second season or spin-off
Every time a related rumor appears on Korean portals like Naver Entertainment, keywords like “True Beauty Season 2” and “여신강림 시즌2” trend. Even without official confirmation, fans discuss how the webtoon’s later arcs (set in college and adulthood) could be adapted.
Renewed bullying scandals in K-entertainment
Whenever a new school bullying controversy hits idols or actors, Korean netizens bring up True Beauty’s bullying storyline as one of the more realistic depictions in mainstream drama. In early and mid-2025, several posts on Korean forums linked real-life cases with scenes from the drama, showing how persistent the association has become.

True Beauty’s cultural history in Korea is therefore layered: it’s a top-tier webtoon success story, a hit youth drama, a meme generator, and a reference point in ongoing debates about beauty, bullying, and authenticity.

Inside The Story: Plot, Characters, And Themes Of “True Beauty”

True Beauty’s plot looks simple on the surface, but from a Korean lens, every element is loaded with meaning. The drama follows Lim Ju-kyung, a high school girl who is bullied in middle school for being “ugly” according to Korean standards. After transferring to a new school, she masters makeup through online tutorials and transforms into a stunning “goddess,” quickly becoming popular. Only two boys, Lee Su-ho and Han Seo-jun, eventually discover her bare face.

Korean viewers immediately recognized the realism of Ju-kyung’s early life. The insults she receives—being called a “monster,” compared to horror characters, mocked for acne and glasses—mirror the brutal language sometimes found in Korean schools. The fact that her bullies film her humiliation and spread it online reflects real-life “cyberbullying + school violence” cases that regularly appear in Korean news.

At her new high school, Ju-kyung’s sudden rise in status just because of her looks is also very Korean. In many Korean schools, being “ulzzang” (best face) or “queenka” (popular girl) truly can determine your social circle, dating options, and even how teachers treat you. The drama exaggerates for comedy, but the structure is familiar to most Korean viewers.

Lee Su-ho, played by Cha Eun-woo, is the top student with perfect looks but deep emotional trauma. In both the drama and webtoon, his backstory includes the suicide of his close friend, idol trainee Jung Se-yeon, due to malicious comments and industry pressure. This storyline resonates strongly in Korea, where celebrity suicides linked to online hate comments (악플) are tragically common. For Korean audiences, Se-yeon’s story was a clear echo of real cases like Sulli or Jonghyun, making Su-ho’s guilt and withdrawal feel painfully real.

Han Seo-jun, portrayed by Hwang In-yeop, is the classic “bad boy with a soft heart” but with specific Korean touches: his family’s financial struggles, his mother’s illness, and his guilt over Se-yeon’s death all connect to familiar K-drama and real-life narratives. The rivalry between Su-ho and Seo-jun is not just about love; it’s also about unresolved grief and blame related to their friend’s suicide.

True Beauty also spends significant time on school violence, cliques, and academic pressure. Scenes of students attending hagwons (cram schools), doing group projects, and obsessing over grades mirror Korean teens’ reality. Ju-kyung’s struggle to balance studying, part-time work at a comic bookstore, and maintaining her beauty routine speaks to the overloaded schedules many Korean students face.

Thematically, True Beauty revolves around these questions:

Is makeup a lie or a tool?
The drama never fully condemns or glorifies makeup. It shows Ju-kyung gaining confidence and friends through her new look, but also living in constant fear of exposure. For Korean women, who are often expected to wear makeup to job interviews and even convenience store part-time jobs, this tension feels very real.
Can you be loved “bare-faced”?
The Korean term “민낯 공개” (revealing your bare face) is often used on variety shows as a kind of daring act. True Beauty turns this into an emotional climax: when Su-ho and later Seo-jun accept Ju-kyung’s bare face, Korean viewers read it as a fantasy of unconditional acceptance that many secretly crave.
Does society ever change?
Even after Ju-kyung gains friends, the drama shows that bullying, gossip, and lookism don’t disappear. Her old bullies reappear, rumors spread quickly, and even adults make harsh comments about appearance. This reflects Korean cynicism about how slowly social attitudes change despite constant public discussion.

For global fans, True Beauty might feel like a sweet, slightly exaggerated rom-com. For Koreans, it’s a mirror—sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable—of how deeply looks, reputation, and online image shape a young person’s life.

What Koreans Notice In “True Beauty” That Global Fans Often Miss

Watching True Beauty as a Korean is a very different experience from watching it with subtitles abroad. There are layers of language, social codes, and visual cues that shape how we interpret the story.

First, the Korean dialogue around looks is sharper than translations often convey. Words like “못생겼다” (ugly) and “돼지” (pig) are common insults in Korean schools, and the drama doesn’t soften them. When Ju-kyung is mocked for her “skin” and “face shape,” Koreans instantly recognize our own culture’s obsession with V-lines, clear skin, double eyelids, and small faces. Many international viewers see generic bullying; Koreans see specific beauty criteria being weaponized.

The way students talk about “bare face” (민낯) versus “makeup face” (화장한 얼굴) is also very Korean. There is a real social fear here: in Korea, it’s still common for women to say they “can’t go out without makeup” or feel “naked” without it. When Ju-kyung panics about being seen bare-faced at school or on a date, Korean women understand that anxiety almost physically.

The drama’s depiction of school hierarchy is also more layered than it may appear. The “iljin” group (popular bullies) who target weaker students are a familiar archetype. Koreans instantly recognize the subtle power dynamics: where students sit in class, who walks in the middle of the hallway group, who speaks informally (banmal) versus formally (jondaemal). These speech levels signal status. For example, when a bully uses banmal to someone who should be addressed politely, Korean viewers feel the disrespect more strongly than subtitles can show.

Another detail is the portrayal of parents. Ju-kyung’s mother is obsessed with her older daughter’s academic success and openly compares her children’s looks and abilities. While exaggerated for comedy, this reflects a real Korean parenting style where comparison is seen as “motivating.” Many Korean teens laughed bitterly at those scenes because they’ve heard similar comments at home.

The idol industry subplot—Jung Se-yeon’s suicide and the pressure on Seo-jun as a trainee—also hits different for Koreans. We’re used to seeing news about idols collapsing from exhaustion, suffering from depression, or being destroyed by a single scandal. When Se-yeon reads malicious comments and breaks down, Korean viewers recall real names, real headlines. It’s not just fiction.

There are also linguistic nuances in character names. “Ju-kyung” contains “kyung,” which often appears in more traditional or “ordinary” female names, while “Su-ho” literally means “to protect” in Korean (수호 = guardian/protection). Many Korean viewers joked that of course Su-ho would “protect” Ju-kyung, reading symbolic meaning into the names that non-Korean speakers might miss.

Even the comic bookstore where Ju-kyung works is a nostalgic Korean space. It recalls the old “manhwabang” culture, where students would escape reality by reading comics for hours. Setting her part-time job there, instead of in a generic cafe, subtly links her to that escapist tradition.

Finally, the ending differences between the webtoon and drama are a big topic in Korea. Webtoon readers debated for months about which male lead Ju-kyung should end up with. The drama chose a more conventional route, but Koreans still argue about the “Seo-jun ending” vs “Su-ho ending” in online comments. This type of long-lasting ship war is itself part of modern Korean fandom culture.

All these details mean that for Koreans, True Beauty is almost like a documentary of our own youth culture, wrapped in a glossy rom-com package. The drama becomes not just entertainment but a way to process our own experiences with looks, school, and the intense pressure to present a perfect face to the world.

How “True Beauty” Stacks Up: Comparisons, Reach, And Influence

To understand the impact of True Beauty, it helps to compare it with other Korean works that deal with similar themes: beauty standards, school life, and identity. From a Korean critic’s perspective, True Beauty sits at the intersection of several trends.

First, compared to earlier school dramas like “Boys Over Flowers” or “The Heirs,” True Beauty is more explicit about makeup and online culture. Those earlier shows focused on rich-versus-poor class conflicts and chaebol heirs, while True Beauty focuses on visual hierarchy and digital reputation. In 2020–2021, this felt more relevant to Korean teens whose lives revolved around Instagram, Snow filters, and beauty YouTubers.

Second, compared to darker bullying dramas like “Sky Castle,” “The Glory,” or “Extracurricular,” True Beauty uses a lighter tone. It doesn’t show graphic violence, but Korean viewers still recognized its scenes of verbal humiliation, group isolation, and rumor-spreading as authentic. This allowed younger teens to watch and relate without the trauma of more brutal depictions.

Here is a simple comparison from a Korean perspective:

Work	Main Theme Related To “True Beauty”	Korean Viewer Perception
True Beauty	Makeup, school beauty hierarchy, bullying, idol pressure	Relatable, funny but hits close to home; seen as “realistic enough” yet comforting
Boys Over Flowers	Class difference, chaebol heirs, Cinderella romance	Iconic but outdated in depicting modern school culture and beauty standards
The Glory	Extreme school violence, revenge, social rot	Much darker; often referenced with True Beauty to show spectrum of bullying realism
My ID Is Gangnam Beauty	Plastic surgery, college beauty standards	Considered a “sister work” to True Beauty; more direct critique of lookism
All Of Us Are Dead	School, bullying, survival (zombie)	Uses horror metaphor; bullying elements remind some Koreans of True Beauty’s early episodes

In terms of global reach, True Beauty became one of the gateway K-dramas for Gen Z viewers, especially in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. On platforms like Viki, it collected tens of thousands of reviews and comments, with many fans saying it was their “first K-drama” or the show that made them try Korean makeup looks.

Social media analytics in 2021–2022 showed hashtags like #TrueBeauty, #TrueBeautyKdrama, and #LimJugyeong generating millions of views on TikTok. Korean beauty creators noticed a surge in international requests for “Lim Ju-kyung makeup tutorials” and “True Beauty school look,” which influenced which products they featured. Even now, when new K-dramas with school settings launch, international fans often compare them to True Beauty, using it as a benchmark for “cute but meaningful” youth dramas.

Within Korea, True Beauty also had measurable impact. After the drama aired, sales of certain makeup styles—soft brown eye looks, gradient lips, natural but flawless base—spiked among teens. Beauty brands used phrases like “여신강림 메이크업” (True Beauty goddess makeup) in marketing copy. Some middle and high school yearbook studios promoted “True Beauty-style retouching,” promising to make students look like webtoon characters.

Culturally, True Beauty sits alongside “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty” as one of the key 2018–2021 works that made lookism a mainstream conversation topic rather than just a feminist or academic issue. Korean newspapers ran opinion pieces asking whether shows like True Beauty were reinforcing beauty obsession or offering catharsis by acknowledging it. The answer, for most Koreans, was: both.

From a long-term impact perspective, True Beauty helped normalize the idea that a heroine could be deeply flawed, insecure, and even “fake” in her appearance, yet still be worthy of love and respect. This may sound obvious internationally, but in Korea—where “natural beauty” is praised but impossible standards are enforced—it was a significant emotional shift.

Why “True Beauty” Matters So Much In Korean Society

In Korea, True Beauty is not just a drama or a webtoon; it’s part of an ongoing social conversation about what it means to be “enough” in a society obsessed with visuals. The story touches several sensitive areas in Korean culture.

First, there is the issue of lookism (외모지상주의). Surveys in Korea have repeatedly shown that appearance can strongly influence job prospects, social treatment, and even romantic opportunities. A 2019 survey by a Korean job portal found that over 80% of female job seekers believed looks affected hiring decisions. True Beauty dramatizes this from the high school level: Ju-kyung is treated as trash when considered ugly, then as a goddess when considered beautiful. Koreans saw this as an exaggerated but accurate reflection of our own experiences.

Second, True Beauty intersects with mental health. Korea has one of the highest suicide rates among OECD countries, and youth mental health is a growing concern. The drama’s portrayal of Jung Se-yeon’s suicide due to online hate and industry pressure was painful for many Korean viewers, because it felt like a fictional replay of real tragedies. The guilt carried by Su-ho and Seo-jun reflects a broader Korean feeling of helplessness and regret when public figures die this way: “We all watched it happen but did nothing.”

Third, the story highlights how Korean families handle appearance and success. Ju-kyung’s mother pushes her older daughter to study relentlessly while criticizing Ju-kyung’s looks. This dual pressure—be pretty and get good grades—is familiar to many Korean teens. The drama uses comedy to soften it, but the underlying message about conditional parental love is serious. Korean viewers often commented online that they cried watching Ju-kyung’s family scenes because they felt “too real.”

Fourth, True Beauty plays a role in Korea’s evolving feminist discourse. While the drama is not explicitly feminist, it sits at the center of debates about whether using makeup is submission to patriarchy or an expression of personal agency. Some Korean feminists criticized the series for reinforcing the idea that a girl must become beautiful to be accepted. Others argued that by showing Ju-kyung’s inner struggles and eventual self-acceptance, it acknowledges the complexity of living as a woman in a beauty-obsessed society.

Finally, True Beauty matters because it gave Korean teens and young adults a shared language to talk about their insecurities. Phrases like “I feel like Ju-kyung without makeup” or “I need True Beauty-level transformation” became common in online comments. Even people who never read the webtoon or watched the drama understand the reference. In that sense, True Beauty has become part of Korea’s cultural vocabulary, a symbol of both the pain and the humor found in trying to survive under relentless visual scrutiny.

In 2025, when new K-dramas push boundaries with darker or more explicit content, True Beauty might look light and fluffy on the surface. But for Koreans who grew up with it—or saw themselves in Ju-kyung’s mirror—it remains a surprisingly honest snapshot of a generation negotiating between filters and reality, between social expectations and personal worth.

Common Questions Global Fans Ask About “True Beauty”

Is “True Beauty” realistic about Korean school life and bullying?

From a Korean perspective, True Beauty is emotionally realistic, even if some plot elements are dramatized for comedy and romance. The bullying Ju-kyung experiences in middle school—being mocked for her looks, filmed in humiliating situations, and ostracized by classmates—matches many real cases discussed in Korean media. The specific focus on appearance-based bullying, such as calling someone “ugly,” “fat,” or comparing them to horror characters, is unfortunately common in Korean schools.

However, the way Ju-kyung transforms into a “goddess” and immediately becomes one of the most popular girls is somewhat idealized. In real Korean schools, makeup alone doesn’t instantly erase social stigma, and not every student has the time or money to maintain such a detailed beauty routine. Also, the presence of two extremely handsome, kind, and protective male leads is clearly a fantasy element.

That said, the emotional core—fear of being exposed without makeup, the obsession with looking good in class photos, the pressure to keep up with beauty trends—is very true to Korean teen life. Many Korean viewers commented that while they didn’t live a drama-level romance, the anxiety and social hierarchy based on looks felt uncomfortably familiar. So, True Beauty is not a documentary, but it captures real feelings and social dynamics.

How different is the “True Beauty” webtoon from the drama?

Korean fans often say that reading the True Beauty webtoon and watching the drama feels like experiencing two parallel universes built on the same foundation. The early arcs are similar: Ju-kyung’s bullying, her makeup transformation, and the initial love triangle with Su-ho and Seo-jun. But as the webtoon continues far beyond high school into college and adulthood, it becomes more complex in relationships and career paths.

The biggest difference is pacing and tone. The webtoon has more time to explore Ju-kyung’s growth, her work in the beauty industry, and deeper romance development. The drama, limited to 16 episodes, focuses more heavily on high school life and comedic moments, compressing or changing certain storylines. For example, the drama gives more screen time to Seo-jun’s idol trajectory and music, partly because Hwang In-yeop’s popularity skyrocketed during airing.

Romantically, the webtoon sparked intense debate among Korean readers about whether Ju-kyung should end up with Su-ho or Seo-jun, with some arcs strongly favoring one side before swinging back. The drama chooses a more straightforward ending, which some webtoon purists found too neat. Also, side characters like Ju-kyung’s siblings and classmates have slightly different development between versions.

If you want a more detailed, prolonged look at Ju-kyung’s life and Korea’s beauty industry, the webtoon is richer. If you prefer a concise, emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story with strong performances, the drama delivers. Many Koreans consumed both and enjoyed comparing how certain scenes—like Ju-kyung’s bare-face reveal—were handled differently.

Does “True Beauty” reinforce or challenge Korean beauty standards?

In Korea, opinions are divided, and that’s exactly why True Beauty is so culturally important. On one hand, the story clearly reinforces certain standards: Ju-kyung becomes socially accepted and admired only after mastering makeup that aligns with mainstream Korean aesthetics—small face, big eyes, clear skin, slim figure. The narrative doesn’t fully imagine a world where she could be treated well while looking the way she did at the beginning.

On the other hand, True Beauty challenges the idea that only naturally beautiful girls deserve love or happiness. It shows a heroine who actively uses makeup as a tool to survive and gain confidence, and it portrays that choice with empathy rather than judgment. When Su-ho and Seo-jun accept Ju-kyung’s bare face, the drama sends a message that worth is not limited to external appearance, even if society often acts otherwise.

From a Korean feminist lens, some criticize the series for not going far enough—it doesn’t truly dismantle lookism or show Ju-kyung rejecting beauty standards altogether. Others argue that for a mainstream youth romance, simply acknowledging the pain and unfairness of beauty-based discrimination is already a significant step. In everyday Korean conversations, True Beauty is often used as a starting point to discuss these issues, which means it functions both as a mirror of current standards and a gentle push toward questioning them.

Why did “True Beauty” become so popular internationally?

Several factors made True Beauty a perfect gateway drama for global audiences. First, the premise of an insecure girl transforming through makeup is universally relatable, especially in the age of Instagram and TikTok filters. Viewers from different countries recognized their own beauty pressures in Ju-kyung’s story, even if the specific Korean standards were new to them.

Second, the casting had global appeal. Cha Eun-woo was already known internationally as an ASTRO member and “face genius,” and his presence drew K-pop fans into the drama. Hwang In-yeop’s breakout performance created a new global heartthrob, especially among younger viewers. Moon Ga-young’s expressive acting made Ju-kyung’s emotions easy to understand even beyond language barriers.

Third, True Beauty is visually and tonally accessible. It has bright colors, stylish outfits, and a balance of comedy and emotion that feels lighter than darker K-dramas. This made it easier for first-time K-drama watchers to enjoy without needing deep cultural context. Platforms like Viki also played a huge role, with fan-sub communities and timed comments creating a shared viewing experience across countries.

Finally, social media amplified its reach. Viral clips of Ju-kyung’s transformations, kiss scenes, and funny moments spread on TikTok and Instagram Reels. Beauty influencers around the world recreated True Beauty looks, tagging brands and drawing more viewers to the show. For many international fans, True Beauty was not just a drama but a style and makeup trend, which extended its lifespan beyond its original broadcast.

Is there going to be a “True Beauty” Season 2?

As of late 2025, there is no officially confirmed Season 2 of the True Beauty drama, but the topic resurfaces regularly in Korean and international fandoms. The webtoon’s long run, which continues into Ju-kyung’s college life and beyond, provides plenty of material for additional seasons or spin-offs. Korean fans often speculate about a sequel focusing on adulthood, career challenges in the beauty industry, and more mature relationship dynamics.

However, there are practical considerations. The original cast—Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-yeop—have all become even more in-demand since True Beauty aired. Coordinating their schedules for a full drama season is difficult. Also, Korean drama production culture traditionally prefers one-season stories with clear endings, especially for romance-focused shows. Extending a beloved story can risk disappointing fans if the sequel doesn’t meet expectations.

That said, every time a cast member mentions True Beauty in an interview or appears in a reunion photo, Korean portal sites’ comment sections fill with “Please give us Season 2!” In the last 30–90 days, a few entertainment articles and YouTube channels have revived the discussion, especially as more webtoon-based dramas are announced. While nothing is official, the demand is clearly there, and in Korea’s current content environment—where successful IP is reused in various forms—a future project related to True Beauty, even if not a direct Season 2, remains a real possibility.

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