Lim Ju-kyung is the likable protagonist in True Beauty and, just as she does, other leading K-drama characters deal with the relentless beauty expectations in society. K-dramas are known for their swooping portrayals of romance and gripping dramatic storylines, but an underrated theme in shows is those that deal with beauty standards in South Korea. Every country has its take on what true beauty is, but despite the specificity of South Korean culture in K-dramas, the pressure to fit within said beauty standards is universally understood.

True Beauty is a 2020 K-drama series that stars Moon Ga-young as Lim Ju-kyung. Overcoming her past mistreatment by others because of her looks, Lim Ju-kyung becomes a skilled makeup artist and takes it upon herself to transform her appearance before interacting with others. True Beauty only lasted until early 2021, but fans who miss Lim Ju-kyung or her connection with Lee Su-ho (Cha Eun-woo) are in luck. Resembling True Beauty, a few other K-dramas have a pleasant blend of romance, comedy, and commentary on beauty.

7

Oh My Venus (2015-2016)

A Gradual Transformation To Gain Back Confidence

As exhibited in Oh My Venus, a physical transformation isn’t always a bad thing. When one is made to feel less than because of one’s looks, a transformation can be a needed confidence booster. This is the case for Kang Joo-eun (Shin Min-a) in Oh My Venus.

As a young girl, Kang Joo-eun was admired for her beauty, but as she got older and became heavily involved in her work, she no longer aligned with society’s standards of beauty. As a result, Kang Joo-eun gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend and loses her confidence. On the surface, there’s a valid impulse to worry that Oh My Venus has a negative message about changing one’s image to appeal to others.

However, when Kang Joo-eun meets a personal trainer named Kim Young-ho (So Ji-sub), her transformation has a healthy message and is much more realistic and gradual. Kang Joo-eun and Kim Young-ho have a humorous first meeting and, through their shared fitness journey, the two grow closer with the heart of their romance being independent of the other’s physical appearance. For their chemistry and on-screen relationship, Shin Min-a and So Ji-sub won a KBS Drama Award for Best Couple.

6

The Interest Of Love (2022-2023)

Four Coworkers Learn How To Find Love

Moon Ga-young has had a busy acting career since 2006, starring in various films and television series like Salut d’Amour and Heartstrings. Two years after the premiere of True Beauty, Moon Ga-young had a leading role in the K-drama, The Interest of Love.

In the 2022 series, Moon Ga-young plays Ahn Soo-young, one of four adults who form a friendship while working together at a bank. Each friend in the group has a unique perspective on life and, for Ahn Soo-young, she believes that love is destined to fail. Differing from the pace of a typical K-drama, The Interest of Love is slower and requires a dedicated and patient viewer.

There aren’t many K-drama tropes or crazy plot twists that throw audiences for a loop. Instead, The Interest of Love is character-driven and relies on the connections of its four main characters. However, the pacing of The Interest of Love is complimented by compelling characters and rewarded with a unique ending that leaves certain characters’ fates up to the viewers.

5

18 Again (2020)

A Grown Man Reverts To His Teenage Years

Though it’s not too worried about a positive message surrounding beauty standards, 18 Again does have an equally charming lead as True Beauty. 18 Again is inspired by the 2009 film 17 Again, starring Zac Efron as the teenage version of Matthew Perry’s character. In 18 Again, Hong Dae-young (Yoon Sang-hyun) is in his late 30s, married, and with children.

When life starts taking an unfortunate turn, he magically transforms into his teenage self (Lee Do-hyun). 18 Again has a tasteful amount of humor and heart. Within 18 Again, there is an underlying message about life choices and the possibility of changing one’s life if given the chance to go back in time and do so.

Hong Dae-young’s children are teenagers as well and when Hong Dae-young is his younger self, he gets the opportunity to bond with them as one of their peers. As his younger self, Hong Dae-young’s life gets put into perspective and he learns some valuable lessons. Lee Do-hyun, who went on to have a main role in The Glory a few years after 18 Again, is a strong lead and excels in balancing the personality of a 30-something-year-old in a young man’s body.

4

Birth Of A Beauty (2014-2015)

A Woman Takes On A New Identity To Get Revenge On Others

Beyond the desire for attractiveness in Birth of a Beauty, there is an added need for revenge. Sa Geum-ran (Ha Jae-sook) finds herself living a miserable life while her husband is out of the country for business. Comparable to Lim Ju-kyung’s personality, Sa Geum-ran keeps a positive mindset when dealing with her bullies, who happen to be her in-laws who mistreat her because of her looks.

However, when Sa Geum-ran survives a tragic accident, she changes her attitude and seeks revenge against those who hurt her. Sa Geum-ran, now going by the name Sara (Han Ye-seul) after having undergone plastic surgery to appear younger, teams up with Han Tae-hee (Joo Sang-wook) to take down her ex-husband and his new wife. The growing romantic feelings between Sara and Han Tae-hee are satisfying for romance fans, but it isn’t without complications.

The plot of Birth of a Beauty is chaotic, but in the best way, as new revelations appear when audiences least expect it, taking the series in a new direction. Luckily, the storyline is carried out over 21 episodes. Though Birth of a Beauty‘s new characters and plot twists are engaging on their own, there is also a quick pace to the series that makes it easy to binge.

3

The Beauty Inside (2018)

Two Individuals Find Connection With One Another

Based on the 2015 film of the same name, The Beauty Inside combines the romantic comedy genre with fantasy to create an intriguing love story with a deeper message. Just as True Beauty does, The Beauty Inside touches upon themes of beauty. Han Se-gye (Seo Hyun-jin) experiences a rare phenomenon where she transforms into a different person for a week. Such an occurrence provides many complications in Han Se-gye’s life, including her romantic relationships.

Seo Hyun-jin is a highly awarded K-drama actress and acting alongside her is Lee Min-ki, playing Seo Do-jae. Han Se-gye makes an ideal connection when she meets Seo Do-jae as he has a condition that makes it difficult to remember individual faces. Seo Do-jae tries to remember people by their personalities and interests to combat this.

Throughout The Beauty Inside‘s 16 episodes, the romance between Han Se-gye and Seo Do-jae blooms as the two have had difficulties connecting with others up until this point. Despite its fantasy elements, The Beauty Inside still feels rooted in reality, which is helped by the series’ well-written characters and on-screen chemistry between its lead actors. For its achievements, The Beauty Inside won the Best K-drama of 2018 award at the 14th Seoul International Drama Awards.

2

Lovely Runner (2024)

A Fan Saves Her Favorite Idol From A Terrible Fate

Lee Si-eun acts as the writer of both True Beauty and Lovely Runner, resulting in numerous similarities between the two. Like True Beauty, Lovely Runner is a K-drama based on a webtoon, and fans of Lim Ju-kyung’s personality will enjoy the equally endearing Im Sol (Kim Hye-yoon) in Lovely Runner. Kim Hye-yoon has a minor role in episode four of True Beauty but acts as the protagonist in Lovely Runner.

The encouraging words of idol Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok) mean the world to die-hard fan Im Sol. By chance, Im Sol gets thrust back in time and has the opportunity to save her idol from his future death. Tonally, Lovely Runner is similar to True Beauty in that they are lighthearted series with enough heartfelt moments to tap into the audience’s emotions.

Featuring Ryu Sun-jae and his band Eclipse, Lovely Runner has a catchy soundtrack with one song, “Sudden Shower,” earning a spot on the Billboard Global 200 chart. Though Lovely Runner didn’t premiere with large numbers, it has earned a considerable number of positive reviews, complimenting the series’ engaging storyline and ability to use familiar K-drama genres and make something that feels entirely new.

1

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018)

A Woman Finds It’s Near-Impossible To Abide By Beauty Standards

One of the highest-praised K-dramas that addresses beauty standards in South Korea is My ID Is Gangnam Beauty. Since its premiere, the series has been praised by critics and audiences for the handling of its characters and sensitive topics. My ID Is Gangnam Beauty is a great K-drama about a college romance and is led by Im Soo-hyang and Cha Eun-woo. Aside from the shared themes of beauty, the characterization of Gangnam Beauty‘s main characters draws a lot of comparisons to True Beauty.

Both True Beauty‘s Lim Ju-kyung and Gangnam Beauty‘s Kang Mi-rae were ridiculed for their looks growing up. Having been made to feel ugly for their entire lives, each woman takes it upon herself to adhere to societal standards of beauty. For Kang Mi-rae, this means getting cosmetic surgery to change her face.

However, she then receives bullying for her “plastic” appearance, earning the series’ title as her nickname and proving that it’s difficult for women to feel wholly accepted by others. The love interests of each protagonist are similar in personality too. Lee Su-ho and Do Kyung-seok both come from wealth and are conventionally attractive, but problems arise at home and they each become distant and cold to others — all but Lim Ju-kyung and Kang Mi-rae.