[Drama 2021] Youth of May, 오월의 청춘

[partyon]

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@partyon @Lmangla @Sleepy Owl

[backstreetboysfan]

OMG we got anther kiss, but omg that ending (Gun shot).

[kdramagrandma]

Hi all. Stopping by here because I'm currently trying to catch up with the episodes and I just want to rant somewhere. I just finished ep 6 and I am just boiling with rage over Soo Ryeon and her family but especially her. 

I get it, she is one of the righteous students who wants to fight for democracy but doesn't want to sacrifice her family. I get it. But it doesn't mean I can just accept everything she did. Everything snowballed because of her decisions and requests and now she doesn't have the backbone to admit everything while Hee Tae gave her so many chances to come clean before it gets too late. Before trying to fight, she really needs to learn not to run away from problems. I haven't watch latest episodes but I guess I need to calm down before continuing. I really tried to ignore her character but she gets really annoying as the story progresses. Now by lying she doesn't know about Hee Tae meeting Myung Hee made it seems like she is the biggest victim among all. 

 

Please someone tell me she will gets better because she is the reason I didn't follow the episodes every week. 

[agenth]

2 hours ago, kdramagrandma said:

 

 

Please someone tell me she will gets better because she is the reason I didn't follow the episodes every week. 

 

Just watched the last 2 episodes and yes it gets better, though there is an event that makes things ... more dramatic? Or how to say, well, it's a day that will change the landscape of South Korea.

 

Sooryeon isn't a bad person per se. Just someone who takes her status for granted and who is the only girl in her family, so she has been spoiled by her big brother and father, especially since her mother died. She does realise how her actions have affected her family and friend. 

 

 

 

 

[Koko]

SR is such a frustrating character she just stood there and took MH's apology.

 

On reflection, I have given up liking her character to any extend. Her character is so true to privileged women who have a complex of sorts about their upbringing. In the beginning of the drama she keeps taking about being the (?) symbol of the protests and that seems to be what her activism revolves around, herself. Knowing who is involved with her family she still chose to compromise a leading movement activist, that lead to his detention. 

 

Her here and there efforts to also work this out with HT shows a lack of sincerity to her friendship to MH, she was more than willing to move on with HT at many points in the drama. 

 

Anyways, here is something like cider:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

[Marta79]

On 5/25/2021 at 1:28 AM, Kdramaenthusiast 101 said:

Ahhhh I need to know your thoughts on episode 7 bestie >.< bc wtffffff

Did episode 8 make episode 7 seem less wtfffff? What are you thoughts on 7 and 8? I haven't seen the very end of 8 yet as the subtitles are not quite done, but I enjoyed the good communication between MH and SR and SR and HT. I'm so glad MH and SR mended their relationship. I didn't think they'd let it go so easily. I'm also really glad that SR and HT recovered at least some of their feistiness so that they can fight against their fathers' crap. 

 

Fathers are really villified in this show. SR's father is self-centred and weak. HT's father is pure evil, and MH's father just keeps suffering. I was surprised at MH's reaction to her father when she went home after the kidnapping. I understand how freaked out she was and how sorely disappointed about not getting to go abroad, but I thought this would be the moment when things finally made sense to her -- her grandmother's constant rants about the father being innocent and people coming to take him away; her father's struggles to provide for his family; and his advice to live quietly as protection. I thought, having just been reminded of how ruthless and powerful Hwang Ki Nam is, that she would assume her father's conviction was either false or unjust and be concerned about how much Hwang Ki Nam had made him suffer. I thought she might even look to her dad for comfort in their shared suffering or ask forgiveness for her treatment of him. Instead, she screamed at him about her own suffering and how it was all his fault. This seemed really unfair and also out of character for her. I hope they get a chance to reconcile. 

 

I also wonder what MH's father and Hwang Ki Nam's relationship is. The flashbacks in ep. 7 made me think that they might have been friends growing up. MH's father seemed really surprised that HKN would think him capable of the charges against him. Maybe it's just that they knew each other from growing up in the same place rather than that they were close. 

 

At least Jin Ah's father, and Jin Ah herself, are hilarious, without interrupting the flow of the story. (Her aegyo in the cafe, a few episodes ago, is one of my favourite scenes.) I also thought Hee Tae's questioning of himself was hilarious. So often, male leads go charging off like knights in shining armour, and it's the audience that might be asking why he's going where he's going and isn't it a bit much since he hardly knows the FL. (Though we still love that they do it.:)) To have Hee Tae asking himself, "Why am I going to her hometown just because she isn't responding? I know it seems a bit creepy..." was brilliant. I like that there's room for these comedic moments, though I'm not sure how much longer there will be.

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Marta79

[Latte_Anyday]

Glad that our otp are back together, though for how long..? There's now a war ongoing ahead & put Myung Hee, Hee Tae right in the middle of it. 

Nice to see both work together as a medical team as doctor and nurse. 

[ferily]

Looks like the events from the Gwangju Uprising are starting take in place now and Myung Hee and Hee Tae are definitely in the middle of it. Interesting to see that Hee Tae is helping out as a doctor, but it looks like he'll face something similar to his trauma. The person Hee Tae is doing CPR on is Jin Ah though  She definitely got caught in the middle of the war between the protestors and military.

 

Also finally, I don't like Hee Tae's father at all... 

[ARMY_amy]

This was really well done. It's beautiful. But the ending eh...  

[backstreetboysfan]

I have this feeling that it is going to be Soo Ryeon if the skeleton belongs to a woman.

[Latte_Anyday]

Ep. 09 was truly hard to watch.. the brutality of chaos and martial law is harsh, cruel and relentless. 

    That poor police officer.. he died a hero and pity he didn't get even a date with Soo Ryeon. 

    Jin Ah; good thing she survived. Hopefully Myung Hee's bro will be OK. Nice to see Hee Tae putting his medical knowledge skills to good use. His moments with Myung Hee were sweet, cute. 

 

Down to 3 ep. now. Wonder what fate will lie ahead for Myung Hee, Hee Tae..?

[Maui808]

Does anyone know the name of the song that was playing in the background at the ending of episode #9 preview of episode 10? It starts  at the 58:24 minute mark.

[backstreetboysfan]

Nooo, Please let Hee Tae come out alive. Please let the skeleton not be him.

[letsgoa_s]

I only watched this show for Lee Sang Yi so watching episode 10 was hard. Why did he have to be beat up so badly? 

[Latte_Anyday]

The atrocities of war continues as more blood is shed & lives are lost.. 

    Aish the kids, so stubborn.. It's probably no different to our current situation with the pandemic where everyone is self isolated & is cooped at home. 

    Poor Soo Chan.. Jung Tae finally sees his father for who he truly is. There's 2 more ep. left. I hope Myung Hee, Hee Tae get to escape & start life anew together. 

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2021/06/02/youth-of-may-implies-a-shocking-tragic-end/
‘Youth of May’ Implies a Tragic and Shocking End

by kim yeo un

Credit: KBS

In the 10th episode of KBS Youth of May, Hwang Hee Tae and Kim Myung Hee (Go Min Si) took care of patients in the horrors of the day while the martial law army started firing their guns toward citizens.

Kim Myung Soo (Jo Yi Hyun), Kim Myung Hee’s younger brother, left the camp when the patients came in a rush to the hospital. Lee Soo Chan (Lee Sang Eun) tried to save a student who a soldier was harassing. In the process, he was arrested, then released by Hwang Ki Nam (Oh Man Seok).

Kim Myung Hee went out to save a citizen and found a shoe that his younger brother used to wear. As soon as she saw the shoe, she lost her mind and went looking for him. But the person she found was not her brother.
Hwang Hee Tae was about to run away with a child in his arms when he encountered an armed soldier. The soldier with a gun was his friend Kim Kyung Soo (Kwon Young Chan). Hwang Hee Tae said with hesitation, “Seok Cheol is alive in Gwangju right now.”

At the end of the episode, the series gave a big shock to the audience by showing Hwang Hee Tae getting into a car crash on his way to the hospital for a blood transfusion. While having an argument with Kim Hyun Chul (Kim Won Hae) over whether or not they should go to his hometown together, Kim Myung Hee learns about the accident.

Youth of May tells a heartbreaking and unpredictable story of Gwangju in the 1980s, giving us the heart racing anger. Attention is focused on how the series will wrap up the remaining story in next week’s final episode.

Source (1, 2)
Translator Kim Y.U: Welcome K-pop, K-drama, K-movie, K-culture fans. I hope you enjoy our news about K-entertainment.

[chickfactor]

Goodness, this show is so good.

 

I think Su-Ryeon's story is great. She began as a spoiled princess with romantic ideas about social justice, but I think she really woke up when she saw the policeman die. I think she felt, for the first time, what it means to be selfish and do whatever she feels like, and how that can unwittingly hurt the people who care about her.

 

I can't even begin to talk about Hee-Tae and Myeong-Hee. Wow, just... their love for each other is so palpable. Their world is falling apart around them. I am crying so much.

 

So let's see - Gi-Nam beat and maimed his childhood friend (Myeong-Hee's father), beat and choked his future in-law (Su-Chan), and looks like he beats and tortures his own son in the preview! So he is all around a complete %^*&#%$@^&* because he wants more power! So basically a stand-in for the Korean government in 1980!

 

This show will not end happily. But I will enjoy seeing Gi-Nam go down.

 

Someone's gonna die, someone's gonna cry. I am looking forward to next week, but also dreading it.

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2021/06/03/k-drama-review-youth-of-may-why-we-cant-hold-back-the-tears-behind-the-smile/
[K-Drama Review] ‘Youth of May’: Why We Can’t Hold Back the Tears Behind the Smile

by krishkim | Edited by Hwang Hong Sun | Translated by Kim Hoyeun

 

 

Set in 1980, Youth of May tells the love story of young adults. Is that why? So far, some of the conventional elements stand out. The series strictly sticks to the traditional settings of romance series, such as a conflict between social classes, political marriage, and birth secrets. However, once you know that the plot revolves around “Gwangju in May,” the cliché goes beyond “sadness” and reaches “the pain and grief of the time period” No matter how sweet the characters’ love story is, they look sad, and even when they’re smiling, we well up in tears. Let’s look at the three reasons why the series put tears on our faces. 
 

 

Ex-Siblings’ Lover Chemistry

The first eye-catching thing about Youth of May is the two leading actors. Lee Do Hyun and Go Min Si, who made their appearance as bickering siblings in Sweet Home, now became lovers. Lee leads the series as Hwang Hee Tae, a man who harbors a painful family history behind the title of the top student in the medical school. On the other hand, Go plays nurse Kim Myung Hee, who madly falls in love with Hwang and enlivens the story with her flawless dialect and delicate acting. 

At first, I was worried about their previous image in Sweet Home as siblings overpowering their new relationship, but Lee and Go pulled off their new romance chemistry with their skillful performances. One thing to note is how the two go from lying to each other, trying to be attentive to protecting their love as they understand each other’s innermost thoughts. The more they swallow their sorrow, the more we get choked up.
 

Romance Filled with Sentimental Vibe

Since the plot takes place in 1980, every scene brings out the romance and memories of the time. The drama is full of a sentimental vibe, ranging from home phones and handwritten letters, which no one uses anymore, to the old train scenery where people eat boiled eggs and sprite. Moreover, it depicts the excitement of waiting for the song you requested in your favorite music cafe.

But it’s not just about longing for the olden days. Kim’s brusque father worries for his kids on the down-low. Hwang wholeheartedly helps out his activist friend even if he grumbled at the request. Through these scenes, the series once again reminds us of what’s really important. This emotional ventilation plays a big part in making us feel nostalgic when watching Youth of May. In the process, Hwang and Kim’s struggle to protect their love even when they have so much against them is both sad and noble. Perhaps the real sorrow that the work is trying to show us isn’t the nostalgia for the olden days but the fact that we should reevaluate the precious value of disappearing things in the fast-moving age.
 

The Pain of the Time that Makes You Cry Even When Smiling

Youth of May is both sweet and bright. Sometimes, Hwang and Kim’s situations come back to haunt them, but they choose to put it aside and move forward with youthful energy. However, we already know that their love won’t sail smoothly. And that’s because we know the series will highlight “May” more than “youth” from now on. The production team once said that Youth of May is for “those who would have lived a happy life if May of 1980 was just another spring day.” Naturally, the more affectionate their love becomes, the more brutal the latter half will be. With the guilt of failing to protect the happiness of our neighbors, our families, our friends, the beautiful tone of the series is already bringing sadness.

 

And perhaps the 7th episode has already foreshadowed such pain and grief. Kim was being tortured just because she fell in love with Hwang. Nevertheless, she stays strong in front of him so he wouldn’t beat himself up. In an era dominated by illogicality, the affectionate and pure love story touches our hearts. But this emotion doesn’t stop at empathizing with the character. Recreating the violence of the time when we couldn’t protect the people’s happiness presents us the hot pledge of preventing the same thing from happening again.

Because the first half was so warm and beautiful, I’m not so sure if I could face the tragedy that awaits me in the second half. Even so, we should watch the series till the end as it conveys comfort to those who survived the desperate time. After a long time, I’ve finally met a great work that combines the genre’s charm and messages. Kim says, “I hate May without you,” as she bursts out her feelings to Hwang, who is getting engaged to Lee Soo Ryeon. For all you know, many viewers, including this editor, are already sad for June without Youth of May.
 

 

Verdict: The sincerity of “youth” who will heal the pain of “May.” (8/10)
 

Editor Hwang Hong Sun: A Korean movie buff who wishes that the warm messages in good works will warm up this world at least by one degree Fahrenheit.
Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.

[Koko]

I'm having a hard time with the lead's chemistry in the last few episodes. That said the events of Gwangju'a democratic uprising is what is holding up the last two episodes. Kudos to the writer for not romanticizing or glossing over it.  

[ferily]

Wow, I just finished episode 9 and the drama really didn’t sugarcoat anything. When y’all said that the drama is diving into the truth of Gwangju Uprising, it definitely is! That’s horrible what the military men are doing! Innocent children, elderly, and students getting injured and attack. I can’t believe they went to the extent to do that during the Gwangju uprising.

 

I teared up when the police officer died in front of Soo Ryeon. He sacrificed his life to save hers and many others just because of this dumb martial law. Watching all of these events breaks my heart and makes me so angry that something like this happened.

 

The narration at the end of the episode, the two of them are definitely in the middle of these events. Innocent people getting dragged into this and next episode (Episode 10) we see they have live ammunition now. Unbelievable. That being said this drama is really nailing it and I’m very worried about the future for our couple