They say beauty comes from within, but for high school student Lim Ju-Kyung (Moon Ga-young), it is her appearance that determines how the world treats her. Based on the wildly successful South Korean webtoon by Yaongyi, True Beauty explores the power and pressure of makeup in a society notoriously obsessed with appearances. Like shows such as Nip/Tuck and films like The Substance, the series examines the consequences of rigid beauty standards and the damage they inflict on those who fail to meet them. However, True Beauty takes a more grounded and relatable approach, setting its story based on students who are instantly praised or judged by their peers based on their looks — a concept that may feel universal, but is particularly unsettling in South Korea.