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The Story: Its a slice of life drama revolving around 5 twenty-something girls. I was pleasantly surprised by how relatable and realistic it was. And for a person who often googles "Realistic drama/manga/novel" you have nooo idea how pleased I was. I caught myself thinking " That is so me" many a times while watching AOY.
Here are some quotes from the drama to give you an idea of what a gem it is:
“Every time I have to face new situations, I have a nightmare. To me, new things make me anxious rather than excited.”
“Everyone has their own circumstances to deal with. And until you know the circumstances they’re in, you can’t tell people how to live their lives. I’m sure you have something like that about you, too. Something that others can’t understand about you, but you can’t help. That’s why you can’t judge people willy-nilly…”
The cast: Though I'm a bit biased towards crazy Ji Won, the entire cast did a phenomenal job and it's as if they were meant for their roles. Perfection!
Music: Butterfly!!!!
Rewatch value: This drama will never get old.
Overall: Brilliant. Praying for a season 2! Puh-leeeeeeeeeeeease!
Similar dramas: Reply 1988.
And that is all folks. Hope this review was helpful. Sooo, if you haven't watched this already, watch it NOW. Like right now....go on. Now!!
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Either way this drama is a must watch. I would give this a trigger warning for violence especially against females.
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I completely fell in love with each of these girls. They were all unique and interesting. And even as a guy, I find them all very relatable. While of course there are still extremes, like multiple characters having dark pasts coming back to haunt them (as well as a psycho ex), it still never fell into cliches or silly situations that we are so used to in most dramas. It told it's story with care, with mostly relying on the girls' relationship with each other to push the story further, rather than throwing extreme situations or crazy plot twists at them. They had such great chemistry with each other that you really felt that they were roommates. They were close and friendly, yet also awkward and weary of each other, and that felt real.
I did not want it to end. Twelve episodes was not enough. The way it ended didn't even feel like it should have ended there. They could come out with another episode now, and it wouldn't even feel like a new season, just a proper continuation. I really hope there is another season, but that is a rare thing in K-dramaland, so I won't get my hopes up.
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This show is a gem.
Story:Age of Youth took me by surprise. I came to find out about the show through recommendations that summarised the show in a way that led me to believe that it would be a simple slice of life show following the lives of 5 people in their twenties. This is true but I didn't expect it to go in the direction it did. I expected relatable but more light-hearted and even surface-level situations and instead I got in-depth storylines that made me take a step back and evaluate some aspects of my own life and ideologies.
The storylines for each character felt real and relatable. My favourite plotline is Yoon sunbae's because of how at first I didn't expect much from it but by the end of it, I felt so invested in not only her plotline but also her character and the burdens she bears. Seeing her being able to be willing to try something out freely by the end of the show warmed my heart.
The show managed to balance both light-hearted/humourous moments with more serious and darker ones. I cried and laughed in so many moments and it didn't feel forced.
Acting/Cast:
The cast is simply amazing. Each character felt fleshed out to certain degrees and that's something I truly appreciate. Their struggles and how they coped with them in their own unique ways made this even more enjoyable to watch. Yoon sunbae is my favourite character for the development she shows by the end of the show and Ji Won a close second because her personality just made me happy.
The cast's acting was phenomenal. They brought their characters to life and made me actually want to be friends with the characters if it was possible.
Park Hye Soo's portrayal of Eun Jae is my favourite. The way she portrayed Eun Jae's introverted-ness and shyness is something to be treasured. She doesn't make the character come off as unbearable or annoying. I remember thinking I wouldn't like her character but to my shock by episode 3 I realized I quite like her character and seeing her slowly get more comfortable with the other girls was a treat.
Han Ye Ri also did a stellar job with her portrayal of Yoon sunbae. I felt the character's pain, burdens, loss, relief and hope throughout the show.
They all did an amazing job, even the supporting cast did well and I commend the entire cast.
Music:
The OST for this show is probably my favourite and I'm going to look for the OST album and play it on repeat for a couple of days. I barely pay attention to drama OSTs because sometimes I find them either too distracting as they don't blend with the show or I find them dull and forgettable. So, the way the music of Age of Youth encapsulates the themes of the show while not being too distracting is something I'm grateful for.
Rewatch Value:
I'd say the rewatch value is pretty high for this show. The friendship between the five is something I could watch over and over again.
Overall:
Age of Youth, a story about women in their twenties trying to navigate life while forming bonds, is a true gem of a show.
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One of the biggest upsets I have with Korean dramas in general is the weak female characters. Often times, they're portrayed as a damsel in distress (see Park Shin Hye's Eun Sang in Heirs) or "Candy" girls (see Han Hyo Joo's Go Eun Sung in Shining Inheritance), which can be frustrating when you're wanting a strong female lead with development and with more spunk instead of being dragged around all the time. Age of Youth, being a slice-of-life and romantic drama, manages to avoid that by showcasing the different personalities of five different women who each have their own story to tell.
While romance and lovelines certainly do play a part in the drama, it's really the relationships between the girls that really give this drama that special touch. It's about letting down your walls and allowing your friends, roommates, and significant others to care for you and tell you that it's okay when you're feeling like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Through this drama, you'll discover (or maybe rediscover) just how precious friends can be, sometimes even more so than family.
Park Eunbin is perhaps quite easily the most breakout star of this drama. She certainly has this wonderful presence on the screen that grabs your attention and is one of the most memorable characters as well. Han Yeri is also one of the more memorable characters as well. She has this great control of subtle facial expressions and is able to convey many emotions through her gaze, which is quite impressive. Ryu Hwayoung also deserves an honorable mention, as she's been playing side characters for a while and has continued to show steady improvement and growth in her acting. Her character was perhaps my favorite; strong on the outside and very straightforward in her words but she knows when to soften up and really take care of people.
While I do love this drama, if there's one thing I would say I'm dissatisfied with, it would be the ghost storyline. I feel like we've only barely scratched the surface of the stories behind the girls, and some were barely touched upon (such as the backstory of Yoon Jinmyung's brother and Jiwon's tendency to overexaggerate or overdo things at times). It would be great if we had more episodes to really flesh out the stories and get to know them better. At the same time, I can understand why we only get glimpses of their backstories as well; it's not the past that matters, but who they are now and how they choose to move forward from here on out. As people, we shouldn't live in the past, but rather keep the memories in our hearts and move forward. That's the greatest service we can do for the people we care for and the people who are not here with us today to join in our happiness and sorrows.
I would definitely rewatch this drama again. It's a pretty light-hearted drama, so if you're looking for something to sort of pass the time with, I definitely recommend this.
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Fav show ever
OHEMGEE I don't watch many Korean shows, but starting too. Anyway, this is one of the best dramas ever, the acting was just so perfect and the stroy!?! just soooo good. I came across this show off a clip of 2 girls fighting and was curious, so I looked it on Netflix and fell in love with it. Oh btw, never watched ss2 as there's new people and honestly I always prefer OG rather than new people. Anyway, I fell in love with these 5 girls, how they all live together and live complete opposite lives is so eye-opening to me like idk anyway I love them all, so cute. Also made me hate Korean men even more FRFR! so evil.Was this review helpful to you?
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My Comfort Show ??
It’s honestly hard to explain for how long I’ve loved Hello, My Twenties… I watched it in my early twenties and Season 1 still has its own corner in my heart. Back then I desperately wanted to live on my own, have roommates, have that little messy freedom. And somehow… life actually gave me all of that.I liked that I related to pieces of every character in small doses. I mean..it's a drama so some parts are unrealistic or stretched out, but I truly enjoyed every single moment. When life gets heavy and I don’t feel like starting something new, I go right back to this drama and I feel myself resetting again.
I still don’t know what makes it so special. Maybe because in school I was totally the Eun-jae in my friend group (quiet, awkward, unsure), later...once I got comfortable, I became more like Ji-won… loud, goofy, chaotic in the best way. I’ve also had phases where I worked two jobs and studied so much that life turned numb and robotic, and Jin-myung’s whole storyline felt a little too real. Dark times! Ugh... Sometimes I judge people too quickly like Ye-eun… and sometimes I get judged like Kang Yi-na without even realizing it until afterwards.
And Ye-eun’s relationship arc… :( yeah, that one hit hard. Being stuck in a toxic relationship and not realizing how pathetic you’re acting because you’re scared of being alone… scared you’re asking for too much… waiting for them to magically change… not understanding that real love isn’t supposed to feel like that. I’ve lived that. So I could never call her story unrealistic, even if it hurt to watch. I wanted to punch that guy in the face so many times!!!
The drama definitely has flaws, I won’t deny that. But it somehow passed the test of time for me. It still feels warm and familiar every time I go back to it, like opening an old diary or photo album lol. idk. I can’t explain it properly… but I don’t get bored of it. Not yet at least. ;)
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This review may contain spoilers
A wonderful story about girlhood with an intriguing twist
It's been a while since I've watched such a good series and holy crap this just blew all my expectations away with how good it was. I laughed, I cried and then I laughed again. Truthfully I had been putting this series off since I solely wanted to watch it because of Park Eunbin, not the actual plot. I didn't really know what this series was about before I started watching which made me very surprised when they suddenly started talking about ghosts. Was this about to turn supernatural...? It kept me hooked and wanting more!!! I definitely reccommend watching this series!The various themes explored are also very intruiging and just what I needed - being a college student myself. It makes this series very unique and original. Each of the inhabitants has their own story arch dealing with different unique themes - (survivors) guilt, grief, loneliness, low self-esteem, being the glass child, jealousy, abusive boyfriend - which eventually all tie back into the over arching theme for Belle Epoque; Girlhood. We see how the women support each other in their happiness but also in their sadness and despair. We see how they're not afraid to give each other a piece of their mind or back each other up when making decisions. They make mistakes but also grow together. They go from strangers to friends to sisters for life and it is beautifully written and directed! And although the themes are very serious, there's also space for comedy, romance and happiness. This series is a true slice of life!
The chemistry between the lead actresses is also amazing! You truly feel how everyone looks up to the oldest, Yun seonbae and how the unnies are protective of their maknae. My favourite scene was when Eun Jae's bf tried to surprise her and they all attacked him when they heard Eun Jae scream. The characters were truly brought to life by this wonderful ensemble!
I especially admire Park Eunbin's comedic timing - the amount of times I've laughed out loud because of Song Jiwon's antics, I can't even count.
I also adored the chef and Jin Myeong's storyline...My heart ached so much for her...She wanted so much more from this life and she deserves so much more. And she liked him too so much and yet...And he was so patient with her, and so understanding....*SOBS* and that wasn't the only time Jin Myeong made me cry. The whole situation with her vegetable brother...and the manager...*CRYING HARDER*
And then Kang Yina's surivor's guilt...GOD how dare they give her such an emotionally complex backstory that has definitely made me cry.
The music was also great in this series and I am definitely looking up that sad song they use all the time,,,,goddddd it made me cry so hard. They really know how to use it...
So go watch it if you like slice of life stories that center around girlhood!
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As I am writing this review,i am listening to the amazing ost of this drama "collar bone" and it's making me miss the drama even more.
I was hesitant to start an all female drama because I mostly watch dramas with cute oppa to drool over.
This drama is one of a kind.
A rare drama that is complete in itself.Everyone can relate to it to some extent.It is a drama which makes the viewers invest in emotionally. It will make you cry,laugh,curious and angsty.
Every character had a story of their own and was given enough screen time. And I ended up loving each and everyone of them.This show left a strong impression on me and it's going to be one of those dramas who have a special place in my heart.It beautifully portrays frienship,relationships and real life problems and tells us that "despite everything life goes on." All the actors did a great job and the acting was upto the mark.And I liked all the boys in the drama.(infact I have been stalking that senior kang's male friend who is actually 31 but looks twenty for the past thirty minutes ????~too bad he is only a supporting actor)
As am I a person, who practically breathes music;i must say they did a wonderful job with the ost.
They were perfectly timed and didn't overwhelm the scenes.
All i can say is if you are thinking whether to give this drama a try then stop thinking and start watching it right now.I dare you to leave it midway after watching the first episode. ????
I hope they make more dramas like this and I am desperately waiting for a miracle to somehow find another drama like this right now.
All the other dramas seem bland in comparison.It will take me a long time to start liking another drama after this.still hungover!
Oh! Why did it have to end so soon? ????
It's 2am and I have an exam tomorrow morning at 8am,and here I am writing reviews.(it's because i sarangheo this drama so much) better hit the bed!
Take care chingus!
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