Member Reviews
Review to come closer to the release day in May on blog/goodreads.
I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
EEP! I was so excited when I saw the second volume up on Netgalley! I just love this series it is so much fun. Beauty, trying to find your place, maybe a hot boyfriend along the way, and more.
In this one we are back into Jugyeong's life. Full of make-up, trying to manoeuvre through life and hot boys, figure out if she wants to go to university (well, with a mom like that you have no choice but at least there are still options for her), see her go between super pretty and normal mode, see her and her friends go to karaoke, and there is much more. I loved seeing her get better at make-up and I loved that at times she just went out normal. It was a shame that people judged her so harshly for her appearance with make-up, WTF is wrong with people. I loved the opportunity she got at the later part of the book, that is such a wonderful thing for her and it fits so well with her.
I loved seeing Suho and Jugyeong get more time together. And that she dares to be herself with him. Yes, the magic part is of course also a bit of herself, but we readers all know that she much rather goes out in comfy clothes and no make-up. I loved that he helped her study... and well that he probably wants more.
I also loved that our MC isn't the only one with make-up magics. Haha, we meet Sujin who can do some magic as well. Though I wasn't a fan of Sujin that much, she was so phony and annoying, and given this takes place in Korea, I would think they also got that people can pay through phone? I mean in my little country you can, so I would expect a big and tech-filled country like South-Korea to have even more advanced things. I did like that we got to see a bit more about her home situation and get a bit more of a view on things, but that still doesn't excuse her rotten behaviour.
And I know this takes place in Asia, so people are tinier and often thinner, but still, Jugyeong is by far NOT fat. She is all about OMG that body this and that body that, but GIRL you like fine.
I did love meeting new boys. OK, that one black-haired boy is a big no for me for now, but Aiden Kim? Love him. He is so sparkly and energetic and he made me laugh with how enthusiastic he was.
I am also happy that we got less of those weird reaction panels. I really didn't like those in the last volume so I am happy there are less of them here. It was just much better.
I did like meeting Gowoon, I hope that Jugyeong can help her out. Yes, make-up is not always the answer, but maybe it will help her get some confidence.
My review copy did end rather suddenly. At the moment that Jugyeong asks Gowoon about the make-up. Is that where it ended for real? It felt very sudden and I would have liked maybe some extra pages so it was more clear/felt more conclusive.
But all in all, I am hyped, this was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to the next volume.
3.5 stars
Okay, after reading the final episodes, I feel much more interested in where this series is going!
I felt pretty lost much of this volume and not sure if it's because of the bouncing around between different people Jugyeong was interacting with or not. She got a boyfriend and then lost a boyfriend, hung out with her friends, met a new guy who's pretty grumpy, and then having study sessions with Suho but suddenly got a job? It felt pretty rushed and jumpy, BUT!
I LOVED the last few episodes quite a bit! I felt things settled down and was 100% cheering for our main girl in pursuing her new dream! She didn't say it was her "dream" necessarily, but after her realizing what she would like to do, it makes me wonder why she didn't think of pursuing that already. (It didn't even cross my mind either and like how?! LOL!) I hope that goal/dream will play a much larger role in the next volume as well as the new young woman she meets. I really liked her!
Also Suho! I continue to really love his character! He didn't have nearly as much page time as the last volume which was a bummer, but he never fails to make an impact when he's on page! I absolutely loved loved loved the last scene he and Jugyeong have because is that a signal the ship could be sailing soon?!
I think the biggest surprise was how heavy the language was. I was super caught off guard by the amount of F-bombs and other language, which was personally jolting for me. I was glad it toned down as the volume progressed.
Overall, I was super unsure if I would keep up with this series after reading about half of volume two, but I'm genuinely interested in reading the third volume with that ending! Jugyeong continues to have some of the funniest expressions and liked her questioning about "lookism." Hoping we see a few of the new faces we met in this one and seeing her dream unfold!
*I received an e-ARC from the publisher. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
Meet Jugyeong, an average looking girl who wears lots of make-up to be pretty and be accepted her fellow schoolmates. Why she started wearing lots of make-up is briefly recapped here but was explained more fully in volume 1. The story starts with a selfish boy picking which girl to go home with that night whilst simultaneously stringing Jugyeong along. She also has to deal with South Korea culture where sons are treated better than daughters (so no money for her chosen college but her brother can have private lessons...). Then there's also the budding relationship between Jugyeong and Suho (your archetypal intelligent boy who'll help Jugyeong out with her studies) where he's clearly into her but she's somewhat oblivious to him. The story ends on a cliffhanger and I was left wanting to read more.
This is the second volume of the series and it sorta stands alone but the story would make more sense if you'd read volume 1 rather than relying on the brief recaps. There's also a load of (unnecessary) swearing so for adults only. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thanks you to the author and publisher for providing this book to me through NetGalley.
I did not enjoy this story. I honestly think it could have been solely based on the translation. The mom in this book was terrible to the daughter, and maybe that was the point….I did not read the first book. The story line seemed like it would be good based on the dynamic between the characters but I got lost in the language and behavior of the main characters of the story.
The illustrations throughout the book were truly beautiful and it would be good to have a paper copy as well as a digital copy. The digital version when read in landscape on my Kobo device was beautiful as well.
I absolutely love this series! It is so funny, the characters are real and the subject matter is relatable. I can’t wait to read more!
3/5 Stars.
I should first note for this review that I've already read quite a bit of this webcomic and I did eventually DNF it completely. This was because of just how much they were shaming things and because there were so many promotions drawn in for makeup products. However, I really do enjoy these earlier chapters of this series and they feel very much like a good K-drama which I believe this series is based on one so that makes sense. I thought that the character doesn't have much of a personality except for being sad because she's not so attractive or being angry at everyone because of that as well. I think it's funny though and an interesting concept but I just don't like where the story goes later on.
Wonderful !!! Absolutely gorgeous !!! I’m more and more in love with this manga series !!!! I read the first volume here and it felt like it was the right one for me to start in this genre … and now that I am ready the second volume I’m more than convinced that I was right !!! I really like both the story and the characters of this series !!! I honestly cannot wait for this to go on and bring us more news about this young girl who’s trying to work through accepting herself … even with no makeup on !!!
Seojun has my heart- I had already watched the kdrama when it first came out and I like the webtoon even more. The illustrations are gorgeous
I read the first volume and was interested enough to continue reading. In this volume, we meet a few more characters like Seojun, who seems to have some resentment towards Suho. We are also privy to Sujin's background, though it still doesn't justify her malicious thoughts and actions against our gullible heroine.
I feel more connected to Jugyeong in this volume than in the first one, as she does feel less narcissistic as the story unfolds. I enjoy that she's now finding some ambitions in life. I also like that she's good and helps others, though she is still very childish. I find the additional characters in this volume interesting, and I'm looking forward to the story's development, especially with how the book ends.
The main character faces issues with romance. Her grades start to slip, and she wonders what she wants to do with her life. After being asked to be a makeup assistant for a photo shoot, she decides that she wants to study makeup professionally, but her mother says they can't afford the tuition. She decides to get a job and pay her own way.
Thank you Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group, Yaongyi and NetGalley for the digital copy.
I don't know if the volume ends like this abruptly or I'm missing pages but other than that I love being able to see that the webtoon is being published.
This story has quite a strong critique of what the pressure to be "beautiful" is, and what many girls and boys do to reach those standards (often too high) and how that affects their social and emotional lives.
Although here it is only the makeup, I think the criticism goes much further. If people choose to do what they want to do because of their choice and because they really feel it, I can't say anything. But it bothers me that people interfere with their physique in order to fit in better socially. How cruel is that? How can we be so superficial?
Little by little we are getting to know the characters and I cannot help but relate them to the series, because the casting of the series was definitely perfect.
This volume of True Beauty covers chapters 14-26 of the popular Webtoon series. The FMC has started to gain confidence and has managed to transform herself overnight into one of the popular girls. While she enjoys the attention, she also has to keep her nerdy, comic book-loving side hidden. The first one to discover her secret is the last person she expected to become her new friend and ally.
The storyline really picks up in these episodes. I enjoyed the first volume of this Webtoon as well and so far all of the chapters have adapted well to book format. I followed this Webtoon all the way through its end and although I already know what happens, I like reading in this style better.
I love the style of the illustrations. They have a somewhat exaggerated quality that really emphasizes the perceived concept of “beauty” in the MCs mind. The author/artist has a delightful sense of humor that shows throughout the dialog and images.
I would not recommend trying to read this as a stand-alone. It needs to be read after volume one of the series. This one does end in a bit of a cliffhanger and I look forward to reading the next volume when it is available.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group (WEBTOON Unscrolled)!
I absolutely love this series. In fact, I picked up a physical copy of book one almost as quick as it came out. I put that copy in my classroom, and it's been passed around about five times already. So, it's been worth it. When I saw that I could be granted early access to this copy to preview for my students, I got excited. This book is such a fast, easy, fun read. The main characters are endearing and likeable. The "villian" has nuance. Though some of the content is questionable, overall the book sends out a good message. I think this second book read even faster than the first because the plot is thickening. The characters are clearly crushing on each other, and it makes you want to flip through so quickly. I love the art style, even the quirky, meme-like cells. It's brilliant, and it's so exciting to see a beloved webtoon make it to a published copy. I'm really glad publishers are noticing how much talent exists on webtoon. As per the usual, I can't wait for the next installment in the series.
Access to an early copy of this book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
The drama, the mystery, oh boy.
I didn't love the first True Beauty volume, but I'm glad I tried this one. I think with a lot of graphic novel/manga series, it takes a little bit to get into it and for the story itself to find its footing. The first one seemed to be sort of shallow, but this one started to take on a little bit deeper thoughts as the main character started to think about "true beauty." I also liked the humor in the art style--the weird faces the characters were hilarious! Also I'm loving the build up of the different story lines! I might have to go on Webtoons and binge read now lol
I love this webtoon series so much! I'm really impressed with the way that it has translated from a scroll down format into an actual graphic novel.