Moon GaYoung & Cha EunWoo Or Moon GaYoung & Hwang InYeop In "True Beauty"? [VOTE]
Are you Team SuHo or Team SeoJun? Vote and discuss here.
Laure, Kpopmap Editor 4 min to read ·
Published : Jan 7, 2021
· Updated : Jan 14, 2021
tvN
Welcome back to our love triangle series!
It is time to have a look at the new popular love triangle in the drama world. It is none other than the one in "True Beauty". The drama starring Moon GaYoung (acting as JuGyeong), ASTRO's Cha EunWoo (acting as SuHo), and Hwang InYeop (acting as SeoJun) has viewers divided on who they would like the female lead to date. Some viewers love the male lead while some have the second lead syndrome.
The two boys have a lot of charms and a lot to offer to JuGyeong. Here are each of their pros and cons.
Vote and join the debate in the comments on who -according to you- should JuGyeong choose.
Note: The article is solely based on the drama and not the webtoon. Be aware of the spoilers (up to ep 6 only).
Moon GaYoung & Cha EunWoo Team [Team SuHo]
SuHo is handsome, cold looking, and very good at studying. At first sight, he looks calm but he is really good at sports and especially taekwondo (he knows how to fight if needed).
Pros
SuHo loves JuGyeong and that for her true self: the one with no makeup and the one who has low self-esteem. One of his most heart-fluttering lines was: "You are pretty even without makeup".
The two of them have been sharing a lot. That includes her secrets and pains also as well as a part of his trauma that he has shared with her. They also have the same passion for horror manga.
But that is not all, SuHo is her angel protector. He has saved her so many times from diverse situations: protected her from bullies, helped her hide her bare face from others, made a shield from others bumping on her in the staircase, etc.
It did take him some time to realize his feelings for her but they are strong. SuHo feels so attracted to JuGyeong that he even hugged her by making some excuses such as checking the scent of his new laundry detergent.
Cons
However, while SuHo knows almost everything about JuGyeong, JuGyeong is still far from knowing more about SuHo. He is not telling her more and he has issues expressing his feelings.
The huge obstacle to JuGyeong & SuHo is the trauma he has about his friend SeYeon (acted by SF9's Chani)'s suicide and his familial situation. He has been opening about it slowly but he has been hidden his true thoughts.
SeoJun asked him about how JuGyeong would react if she knew that he had "killed a friend" and emphasized that "he has no right to be happy". Even if SuHo would like to open his heart to JuGyeong, he can't and has rejected her harshly.
Will SuHo overcome his trauma and obstacles to truly reveal his feelings to JuGyeong?
Moon GaYoung & Hwang InYeop Team [Team SeoJun]
SuHo is not the only one interested in JuGyeong. The attractive SeoJun who is in the same class also likes her.
At the difference of SuHo, he has a bad boy/idol look with plenty of earrings and leather jackets. SeoJun rides bikes and gets into some fights with bad guys.
Viewers found him even more attractive when they learn that he is actually a soft guy with a golden heart. He had taken a leave from school and took part-time jobs to support his mom who was hospitalized while taking care of his younger sister at the same time. At the opposite of his first impression, he is a responsible and mature man.
Pros
SeoJun was first interested in JuGyeong because she was the one that interested SuHo (his enemy) but he has started to develop a true interest in her. He even fell in love with her in a cute scene.
JuGyeong and him had grown closer in the recent episodes. She got to help his sister and even learn a lot about his familial situation as their two mothers are close. The girl even got to witness him in a quite embarrassing situation (the famous "Okey Dokey Yo" scene).
Cons
However, SeoJun does not know the "real" JuGyeong! This might be the biggest con of this character.
Also, in the beginning, SeoJun was straightforward with her when his feelings were not real yet. He was saying that he will do whatever she wants and was even holding her hair so that it did not go into her food. Now, that his feelings are more real, he is shyer. Then or now, JuGyeong does not give him a lot of romantic interest compare to SuHo.
Finally, because of SeoJun, JuGyeong ended up running into danger and was kidnapped by the bad guys.
Will SeoJun gain more of JuGyeong's interest? How would he react in front of JuGyeong's bare face?
Hello, thank you for all your comments and love for the poll.
We have received inquiries about the voting period. We are not planning to close the vote. Everyone has easy access to the vote and can express their opinions at any time.
Viewers of "True Beauty" can share their opinion during all the airing time of the drama and after. We are not closing it because some might start watching the drama later and would also like to participate in the discussion Team SuHo or Team SeoJun.
Friendly reminder, the vote is just for fun and for all the viewers to express their opinions.
Top 10 Hottest Korean Actors And Must-Watch K-Dramas Dominating Discussions In The 2nd Week Of April 2024
Curious which K-Dramas and Korean actors are trending in Korea at the moment? Check them out here!
Kay Sesoko, Kpopmap Editor 3 min to read ·
Published : Apr 19, 2024
tvN
Reflecting on the 2nd week of April, the K-Drama landscape sparkled with series that intricately spun enchanting narratives and introduced memorable characters. These shows infused an additional layer of thrill into the new year, transforming the second week of April into a period brimming with endearing on-screen tales.
By the use of extensive data collection that involves analyzing netizen's reactions to various online platforms such as news websites, online communities, social media platforms, and videos, Good Data Corporation shows an insight into the Korean entertainment industry by providing a weekly ranking of the most talked about actors and dramas in Korea.
Wondering which K-Dramas and actors are trending in Korea at the moment? Read on to find out!
Hottest Korean Drama (On TV & OTT) For The 2nd Week of April
The most talked about drama was...
"Queen of Tears"
tvN
The K-Drama "Queen of Tears" first aired on March 9th, and it has since found its way to the top of the most-talked-about ranking. Viewers are loving the awesome cast, those laugh-out-loud moments, and the super interesting plot of the series.
Here is the full ranking of the hottest Korean dramas for the 2nd week of April:
1. "Queen of Tears"
2. "Lovely Runner"
3. "Parasyte: The Grey"
4. "Wonderful World"
5. "Blood Free"
6. "The Escape of Seven: Resurrection"
7. "Beauty and Mr. Romantic"
8. "Nothing Uncovered"
9. "Chief Detective 1958"
10. "Missing Crown Prince"
Good Data
Hottest Korean Actor (On TV & OTT) For The 2nd Week of April
The most talked about Korean actor was...
Kim SooHyun - "Queen of Tears"
tvN
Kim SooHyun has topped the ranking again. He has been relishing in praises from K-Drama lovers and fans thanks to his endearing on-screen performance. It's no wonder drama fans can't seem to get enough of his character.
Here is the full ranking of the hottest Korean actors for the 2nd week of April:
1. Kim SooHyun - "Queen of Tears"
2. Kim JiWon - "Queen of Tears"
3. Byeon WooSeok - "Lovely Runner"
4. Kim HyeYoon - "Lovely Runner"
5. Park SungHoon - "Queen of Tears"
6. ASTRO's Cha EunWoo - "Wonderful World"
7. Kim NamJoo - "Wonderful World"
8. Kwak DongYeon - "Queen of Tears"
9. Kim KapSoo - "Queen of Tears"
10. Han HyoJoo - "Blood Free"
Good Data
It looks like "Queen of Tears" generated quite the buzz (again) in the second week of April. Other popular dramas included "Lovely Runner", "Parasyte: The Grey", and more.
Make sure to check out these shows and their talented cast members!
Learn The Korean Word For Men Who Are As Pretty As Flowers - 'Kkotminam'
Is your favorite idol or actor as pretty as a flower? Find out the Korean word to describe such beautiful men - kkotminam.
Ishani Sarkar, Kpopmap Editor < 1 min to read ·
Published : Apr 20, 2024
ACEBED / Namoo Actors / Kpopmap
Did you know that there is a word in Korean to describe men who are so good-looking that they're compared to flowers? This Korean word is "kkotminam".
'Kkotminam' (꽃미남) literally translates to "flower-like handsome man". It is a combination of 꽃 (kkot), meaning flower, and 미남 (minam), meaning handsome man. It is definitely a compliment and praise of a man's beauty.
Some popular Korean actors who are called 'kkotminam' include Lee JoonGi (the OG), Park BoGum, Song Kang, Ji ChangWook, Lee MinHo, and Song JoongKi, among others. Some idols who are called 'kkotminam' include ASTRO's Cha EunWoo, Ong SeongWu, NCT's HaeChan, TREASURE's JunKyu, RIIZE's WonBin, and ZEROBASEONE's Zhang Hao, among others.
You can use 'kkotminam' in a sentence (informally) as follows:
그 아이돌은 꽃미남이야
Geu aidol-eun kkotminam-iya
That idol is a kkotminam!
Who do you think is a kkotminam idol or actor? Tell us on X!
Stay tuned to Your Korea Tutor - Kpopmap to learn Korean in fun ways!
15 Differences Between K-Drama "My ID Is Gangnam Beauty" & Thai Drama "Beauty Newbie" Based On Same Webtoon
Here a few differences between the Korean drama "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" (2018) and the Thai drama "Beauty Newbie" (2024) both based on the same webtoon.
Laure, Kpopmap Editor 12 min to read ·
Published : Apr 17, 2024
GMMTV / JTBC
“My ID is Gangnam Beauty” (2018), also called “Gangnam Beauty”, was a hit, with many overseas viewers falling in love with the K-Drama. Based on the webtoon of the same name by Gi MaengGi, it tells the story of MiRae who was bullied for her looks at school, leading her to get plastic surgery. She now enters her "new life" with a whole new face at university. While everyone is focused on what people look like, KyungSuk, MiRae’s fellow classmate, thinks differently, and MiRae learns what real “beauty” is.
While it is a rom-com, the story also touches on many deep topics such as lookism, sexism, the societal pressure to meet beauty standards, and the importance of realizing one’s inner beauty. The drama received a lot of positive reviews because of its various messages.
However, did you know that there is a Thai adaptation of the same webtoon and that with top Thai actors? Named "Beauty Newbie" (2024), the Thai drama is based on the same webtoon as the Korean drama. The airing just ended on April 2nd. Although the story largely remains the same, it focuses more on the female lead making her first-ever friend in her new life at university than the Korean show.
Let us introduce the cast to you:
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
MiRae (Im SooHyang) becomes Liu (Baifern), KyungSuk (ASTRO's Cha EunWoo) becomes Guy (Win), SooAh (Jo WooRi) becomes Faye (Jane), and WooYoung (Kwak DongYeon) becomes Saint (Great).
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
ChanWoo (Oh HeeJoon) becomes Mac (Mike), WonHo (Kim DoYeon) becomes Mok (Drake), and Eun (Park YooNa) becomes Ann (Emi).
Important Note: To avoid too many spoilers we will cover until episode 5 of the Thai drama. We can't cover all the points. Also, the comparison is done with the Korean drama and not the original webtoon.
Here are a few differences we could notice between the Korean drama "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" (2018) and the Thai drama "Beauty Newbie" (2024) both based on the same webtoon.
Overall Differences
1. It's faster
The Korean drama consists of sixteen 60-minute episodes while the Thai drama only has fourteen 44-minute episodes, making it 344 minutes (or approximately 6 hours) shorter.
Since the Thai version is shorter, the drama starts way faster than the Korean drama, and all the main elements are quickly settled within the first minutes of the show. However, the Thai production still kept some key scenes, such as the face grading scenes (scenes where the female lead grades women's faces).
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
2. Its use of social media & cyberbullying
Like in some other GMMTV dramas such as “F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers”, the characters of “Beauty Newbie” are frequent users of social media. This leads to many cases of cyberbullying which were not present in the Korean drama.
The use of Instagram, X (Twitter), online messengers, online communities, and more are shown on screen and play an important role in the story and heavily impact the characters.
While both MiRae and Liu were victims of bullying in the past, Liu continues to struggle against online bullying at her university. Everywhere she turns, there are people talking behind her back or on the internet, not only in her department, but across the entire school
GMMTV / designed by Kpopmap
3. The fighting is more violent
Compared to the Korean drama, the Thai drama has more severe violence. The fight scenes are longer and taken to a higher level. If you don't like violence, don’t worry as it shouldn’t be anything that will stop you from watching.
KyungSuk does get into a few fights but the intensity of the fights is different from the ones Guy takes part in. We noticed more kicks, punches, and blood shown to viewers.
It might be a cultural difference or solely a choice to show that Guy is ready to be hurt for Liu.
Differences in the characters
4. Liu/MiRae: from a smart to a naive female lead
From the start, MiRae is quite smart and relatively quick-witted while Liu is much more naive. Their mental maturity seems different.
When Liu faces all the red flags of Faye, she still does not realize that she is being used and wronged. What is more, Liu does not side with Guy who is trying to help her. She keeps people who use her by her side and keeps the good ones far.
It seems that the Thai production wanted to make the growth of her character more significant and make her character more dependent on the two lead characters for their romantic interest.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
5. Faye/SooAh: from a villain with flaws to a self-centered vicious lady
This character is one of the most striking differences between the two dramas, in its nature but also in screen time.
The Korean drama villain is SooAh even if some events later on seem to redeem her. SooAh is a liar, has ill feelings for MiRae, and manipulates guys for her gains.
However, in the Thai drama, Faye is more evil and vicious. You might wonder, "how is that even possible?".
Faye's mentality and behavior possess a darker edge, as she's prepared to go to any lengths to uphold her façade of the 'beautiful angel.' Despite her charming exterior, her actions are fueled by self-serving motives, leveraging her beauty and influence to manipulate situations in her favor, all while making any of her rivals hit low.
From the first episodes, she gets a lot of screen time and we know what she planning early while we know later for SooAh.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
Liu is also much more under her manipulation, a real puppet. The first episodes portray how Faye is using Liu to give herself a better image. For example, after making sure everyone knows that Liu had plastic surgery and making people make negative comments about it, she would defend Liu. This whole plan makes her look like a "nice" person defending the weak, when really, she had planned it all.
Also, another difference is while SooAh hates being taken in pictures because of her trauma, Faye enjoys it and enjoys having her 'fanclub'/'followers' like Mok taking pictures of her, secretly or not.
The Thai production takes this character further to add more drama (read fun) and makes viewers even more engaged in hating Faye and hoping for Liu to listen to Guy. Also, the summary of the Thai drama mentions that Faye is Liu’s “first friend” ever, making her even more important to the story.
6. Saint/WooYoung: from a quick story use to a real second lead for a love triangle
In "My ID is Gangnam Beauty", WooYoung is a TA for the chemistry department and a neighbor of MiRae. He has a crush on her but this was mostly used to just move the plot forward and make MiRae date KyungSuk. He was not ever taken seriously as a potential boyfriend so there was never any real love triangle in the drama.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
However, in "Beauty Newbie", Saint is much more than just "a oppa with a crush". He creates a love triangle, and makes some viewers feel the second lead syndrome. Furthermore, not only does he live in Liu’s neighborhood, he also lives next door. Living in the same building and floor, he always appears in her sphere.
Saint is also much more sweet and kind to the female lead than WooYoung. He also got the support of Liu's parents from the very first episode, while this happens later for WooYoung. Saint is one step ahead of Guy and a strong contestant for Liu's heart. He also has his own perfume lab on the rooftop of the building, which only makes Liu like him more and spend more time with him.
Saint is even on the main poster of the drama while WooYoung is not. The Thai drama has four characters while the Korean one has three.
The Thai production decided to make Saint a more important character to add more romance and make viewers invested in the love triangle. Also, Liu needed a real friend to help her mature and Saint gives her a lot of help on finding solutions and building self-esteem. The character of Saint is very much popular among the viewers.
7. Not as many friends for the female lead
MiRae makes a few close friends at school, adding on her already close friend and roommate HyunJung (Min DoHee). However, Liu is friends with Faye and her two friends and that is all. In the drama, she is mostly surrounded by men and them. Liu does not have a roommate/friend like HyunJung either.
We can guess that since the drama is shorter, the production decided to make Faye and Saint more present in the story. They had to make some choices on who to put the spotlight on in Liu's life.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
8. Ann/Eun: quite similar but Ann is not Liu's friend but Guy's
Ann and (Yoo) Eun are quite similar. They are blunt and quick-witted. They are both quick to notice Faye/SooAh's true nature. Eun is the first one to know that SooAh was lying about living in Gangnam.
But we noticed that Ann is not as close to Liu than Eun is to MiRae. Also, unlike Ann, Eun is the representative of the department and much interest in what is happening among the students and doesn't hesitate to stand out.
Furthermore, Ann is a very close friend of Guy’s, whereas in the Korean drama, the characters of Eun and KyungSuk are not as close. The reason for this might be that there are no other students that match her mindset. This little twist is quite interesting. It seems that Ann is filling the void left by the character of Seo YooJin (Lee TaeSun), the male lead’s best friend, who is nowhere to be found in the Thai drama.
9. The "sunbae" vs Mac
You will mostly remember the "sunbae" named ChanWoo that annoys everyone and that includes Mirae. The Thai drama kept the character but changed a few things.
While in the Korean drama, ChanWoo grosses out everyone in the department with his actions and is not particularly attractive, Mac is just a senior who is physically attractive but has difficulties with dating.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
Mac becomes interested in both Liu and Faye, and Faye, who he prefers, manipulates him by confessing to him. Eventually, he turns violent towards Liu, but luckily, she is saved by Guy. This is exactly like in the Korean drama. The cafeteria scene and the kick-out scene were both kept with each their own twists.
However, there are quite a few differences from the Korean drama. MiRae was never really interested in ChanWoo, who didn't quite have the charm – mentally or physically – and even showed some borderline aggression in the first episodes. On the other hand, Mac seemed like a much better fit from the start, which is why Liu decided to give him a chance.
We can't be sure of the reason for these changes, but we can guess that the impact on Liu's mental would be bigger if she was interested in this character but then threatened by him.
10. Guy's sister is free to do her broadcast
In "My ID Gangnam Beauty", KyungSuk's sister hides from her family to do her broadcast and covers her face with masks to keep secret her identity. But in "Beauty Newbie", Guy's sister is openly doing her broadcasts, face fully shown on camera, and is supported by both her father and brother. They even help her fix some of her props, something we would never see with KyungSuk’s family. Also in the Thai drama, the sister is a bit older.
We guess that since the Thai production had to shorten the story, they removed this element of the story that required more scenes in the Korean drama.
11. Professors are involved in the school tensions
In the Thai drama, professors (administrative professors) are involved in the trouble students are facing. If students fight, they are called and receive a punishment. The characters are more responsible for their actions and they are asked about it and face punishment for it. In the Korean drama, WooYoung is the TA and takes care of these.
As seen earlier, WooYoung and Saint are different in both dramas, so we can guess the Thai production did not want to give him this role at school in the drama. Saint is here to support Liu emotionally and as a man and not as a school authority. He also makes his stands clear in front of the professors when she is facing difficulties.
Differences in the story
12. A different level of the "bathroom kick-out" scene ft. kendo
One of the most famous scenes of "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" is KyungSuk kicking ChanWoo (or "the sunbae") in the bathroom to save MiRae. In this scene, everyone is scared to stop ChanWoo from screaming and threatening MiRae. KyungSuk jumps in and fights the sunbae putting him K.O. on the toilet seat.
Are you not curious how the Thai version portrayed this scene?
The fight scene was a bit different. Mac threatens Liu that he will reveal to everyone her pre-surgery picture by clicking on the remote if she does not agree with what he wants. Guy jumps in the room and intervenes. Since Guy does Kendo, he takes the broom from Mac's hands and makes a few moves. He ends up hurting his hand and bleeding but Mac is defeated.
While the two dramas use a broom, the result is different. Also, students were not helping Liu because they were curious about the picture while students were not helping MiRae because they were scared of the sunbae. The Thai version went for a longer scene for more impact and painted Guy as Liu's savior.
13. MiRae & KyungSuk vs Liu & Guy
In the first episodes of "My ID is Gangnam Beauty", MiRae and KyungSuk are not close but MiRae has no hatred towards him, whereas Liu as a deep resentment of Guy. Their relationships have different starting points. Even if Guy helps Liu at various times, she always has a reason to hate him even more and does not let him explain himself.
The Thai drama production team decided to put one more obstacle for Guy and Liu to get closer. It has a small taste of a "from enemies to lovers" trope.
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
14. Liu's dad is aware of her plastic surgery
In the Korean version, only MiRae's mom knows about her plastic surgery (and was the only one who agreed on it!). It's a big secret to her dad, who only finds out later on and is greatly impacted by it.
Picture JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
However, in the Thai drama, the dad knows about her plastic surgery just like the mom and is just as supportive from the start, which makes for quite a big difference in the story.
Just like KyungSuk's sister, this aspect of the drama has been omitted.
15. The whole school accessed Liu's pre-surgery picture
In “My ID is Gangnam Beauty,” MiRae’s department does know that she had plastic surgery but they don’t have access to her pre-surgery picture. However, in "Beauty Newbie", the whole school accessed it as it was spread through social media. The trauma for Liu and the hardships to overcome seem much bigger than MiRae with this element.
Bonus: Liu/MiRae pre-surgery face stay not shown to drama viewers
We were happy to see that the Thai production also chose to not reveal on screen the pre-surgery face of the lead character. She is seen with a blur or a mask.
The Korean drama never revealed her face, showing only her eyes or her back, because the production team did not want to create a standard for what is ‘ugly’ or not. The Korean director Choi SungBum talked about it before and highlighted that "it is unethical to create a fixed definition of ugliness in a drama that strives to find the real meaning of beauty" as translated by The Korea Herald (here). They left it up to the viewers' imagination to represent the "ugly"/"unattractive" face.
Bonus: The outfits for the school festival stay similar
Do you remember the scene when the girls of the department were forced to wear these revealing outfits to sell drinks at the uni festival? It stayed the same in the Thai drama.
To give you a bit of a spoiler, Liu is the victim of sexual harassment but the men in her department do not take her side because "it is her job to make customers satisfied".
Pictures from GMMTV and JTBC / designed by Kpopmap
Let us share one shocking line. Faye has customers staring at her chest and taking illegal pictures so she goes to ask for help from one of the men of the department. He then decides to send Liu to that table and says to Faye: "It's okay. She's all plastic. A bit of staring and touching wouldn't tarnish her, unlike a natural beauty like you."
You can watch the drama for free and officially with subs on GMMTV YouTube below:
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