Our Youth

Lost in the Tides: A Heartbreaking Journey of Love, Pain, and Healing

Introduction
"By the time I realized it, I had already entered the sea where you were waiting."

This drama is a poignant exploration of love, trauma, and vulnerability, set against the backdrop of societal expectations and personal struggles. It takes viewers on an emotional journey, delving into the lives of two vastly different characters, Minase Jin and Hirukawa Haruki, as they navigate the complexities of their circumstances and forge an unbreakable bond. The narrative thrives on its character-driven storytelling, where the unspoken and understated carry more weight than grand gestures or dramatic twists.

Plot Overview
The story revolves around Minase Jin, a high-achieving student from a privileged background, and Hirukawa Haruki, a troubled delinquent grappling with abuse and neglect. Their worlds collide unexpectedly, sparking a connection that challenges their preconceived notions and reshapes their lives. Jin, who has always played it safe and avoided emotional entanglements, finds himself drawn to Haruki’s raw vulnerability. Haruki, in turn, discovers a sanctuary in Jin’s quiet empathy, igniting a journey of mutual healing and growth.

Minase Jin: The Passive Observer

Minase Jin initially appears as the epitome of perfection—academically accomplished, well-mannered, and destined for success. Beneath this polished exterior, however, lies a young man burdened by societal expectations and the stifling influence of his mother. Jin’s life is meticulously planned, leaving no room for deviation or personal choice. He lives as a bystander, observing life from the sidelines without daring to participate.

Meeting Haruki is a turning point for Jin. For the first time, he confronts his own passivity and begins to engage with the world around him. His growing affection for Haruki awakens a depth of emotion he has long suppressed. The transformation is gradual yet profound, as Jin learns to defy societal norms and embrace his true self.

Hirukawa Haruki: A Lost Soul Seeking Redemption

Hirukawa Haruki’s tough exterior masks a lifetime of pain and rejection. Abused by his father and neglected by his mother, Haruki has internalized feelings of unworthiness and shame. He adopts the role of a troublemaker, using rebellion as both a shield and a cry for help. Beneath this façade, however, lies a deeply sensitive soul yearning for love and acceptance.

Haruki’s encounter with Jin brings an unexpected ray of hope into his life. Jin’s nonjudgmental demeanor and quiet support become a lifeline, allowing Haruki to confront his demons and begin the slow process of healing. Through Jin, Haruki discovers that he is deserving of love and kindness, even if his past continues to cast a shadow over his present.

Themes and Highlights

"It would be great if the boundary between you and me could melt away and become one."

This line encapsulates the essence of the drama—the desire for connection and the courage to bridge the gap between two seemingly disparate worlds. Jin and Haruki's relationship is a delicate balance of strength and vulnerability, and each character finds solace and strength in the other. Their journey is a testament to the transformative power of love and the resilience of the human spirit.
The drama’s cinematography is another standout element, with water serving as a recurring motif. The sea symbolizes the emotional depth and fluidity of the characters’ relationship, capturing their moments of harmony and turbulence with breathtaking precision. The use of silence and subtle gestures further enhances the narrative, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in the characters’ inner worlds.

Performances
The actors deliver outstanding performances, bringing authenticity and nuance to their roles. Their chemistry is palpable, with stolen glances and fleeting touches conveying emotions that words cannot. The portrayal of Jin’s quiet strength and Haruki’s raw vulnerability is both heartrending and uplifting, leaving a lasting impact on the audience.

Final Thoughts
"Your sea and my sea must be connected somewhere. Even now, I still believe that."

This series really resonated with me. It’s about love that’s raw, transformative, and full of vulnerability. The characters’ journeys—especially with the sea as a recurring symbol—felt so real to me. It’s not just about love, but about finding yourself and healing. The connection between Jin and Haruki is their sanctuary, where they can be vulnerable and grow despite the world around them. It’s a story of emotional awakening and strength, showing that even when life doesn’t offer a fairytale, love can still be a place of solace. I won’t forget it anytime soon. Highly recommend it for anyone who relates to stories about growth, love, and embracing pain to heal.
Inspired from @Jojo

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Naturally coming back to you, our youth brought us together

I was really surprised with this drama in every aspect. It's hard to figure out what you want to expect from a j-drama, as they are pretty much giving for everything. They are good at being camp, melancholic, just haven't seen it being done at one time. The way this drama is going is to be more mellow, and I find that completely correct based on the story that is being told.

So what is the story? Honestly I had no idea. I came into this hearing it was pretty good and expected to at least not get bored, I came out of it getting a lot more. The story is a lot more depressing and realistic than I expected, it was a punch to the gut when I first understood what this drama is really about.

You go into the drama the same way as the lead Jin, thinking Hirukawa is a delinquent and no good. Multiple people in his life warn him about 'ruining' himself by surrounding himself by the wrong people. It is sort of rich coming from the people that don't care to know him well enough, and as a result you can see just how lonely Jin is. From the outside you see a rich privileged kid that wants to succeed and is obsessed with getting good grades and appealing to the right people, on the other hand you have Hirukawa. Hirukawa is the textbook definition (from the outside) of the type of person that Jin should not be around. The drama gets this across several ways, so seeing the two of them get close admits all the internal dialogue just has the payoff of their scenes together leaving me on the edge of my seat. I understand that is why it feel so intimate, because you can see just how much is at stake for the both of them.

Jin has his whole life ahead of him, but he isn't selfish because he knows that. He recognizes the disingeuine acts of others.. especially when it comes to his parents. Each episode develops his character starting from that, as well as his relationship with Hirukawa. This drama is MUCH more than a romance, it's about a whole lot more than that. It isn't too on the nose with its themes, and the acting coming from the leads pulls the story along really well. Without the chemistry between the leads this drama would suck so bad, but luckily they are offering a lot more than just their visuals.

Hirukawa is abused by his father. He is clearly able to fight back for himself, but clears up why he hasn't and won't do that. Hirukawa isn't a delinquent or a scary person, he is misunderstood by everyone. The real story of this drama starts when Jin witnesses the abuse. Even when Jin knows this, he doesn't treat Hirukawa in any different way. Hirukawa is finding himself drawn to Jin because he doesn't have to put a wall up, he knows Jin has accepted him completely. Jin accepts the abuse is happening and doesn't push any boundaries, in fact the one who is holding himself back is Jin. It is sort of brilliant that Jin is the one still closeting himself so badly, where as he has nothing 'pathetic' happening to him in that way. Jin is just extremely tentative because of his privilege circumstances, where Hirukawa finds solace in his company because of his honesty.

The romance between them adds a whole other dynamic to this drama. It isn't cliche with how it does things, instead it is much more realistic. The attraction between the two is clearly there, and you can tell Hirukawa's lax attitude of it all is because he is trying to feign ignorance of his true feelings. He has been a 'nuisance' his whole life, so he doesn't want to get in Jin's way, but he also doesn't want to leave him alone? Why? Because he knows that Jin is a person in his life that makes him genuinely happy. It is when a story is able to be as simple as that, that the attraction doesn't have to spell it out for you, that it is just two people that make each other happy. The drama comes with the circumstances that are telling them to contradict their feelings. That they won't work for just as simple reasons. That they are both boys, that they have different lives, etc.

The tone of this drama handles the serious topics so well. I was also surprised to see that the abuse in Hirukawa's life is a strong part to the story, it wasn't there for shock value. It is shown how deeply that affects Hirukawa's attitude, but it hasn't made him a bitter person, in fact he wants to protect people.

Finishing up the drama I am happy to say it has stayed consistent with the tone. I was happy to see that nothing was rushed, and the story wrapped itself naturally. I was also more than happy at having an extra episode. The main romance continued to keep on theme with feelings of repression and doubt. I found every answer to these 'problems' as bitterly realistic. This drama as a whole depicts a very natural relationship, where in the end the communication between the two was pretty fulfilling.

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the mutual magnetic pull was mesmerizing

Overall: this is one of the rare series that I didn't watch at a faster speed because all of the pauses and silences carried weight. I was going to give it a 10/10 but I think the finale could have been better along with a few other things. The series was based on a Korean webtoon "Our Youth" which I read, but tried to review the series on its own merits. 10 episodes plus a special about 23 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4914/our-youth-2024

Content Warnings: child abuse, beaten up, alcoholism, non/dub con kisses, death, theft

What I Liked
- tension and chemistry
- caring moments
- centered on the leads
- the intimacy in episode 7
- metaphor of water (waves bring things to you and take them away, water is ever-changing and difficult to hold onto, water is refreshing etc)
- production value (cinematography)

Room For Improvement
- ominous intro scenes/voice overs and then flashbacks to tell the story
- an open window led to something cliche in ep 4
- a character ignored when another character looked uncomfortable
- that the re-telling took half of episode 5
- some lackluster kissing (I forgave the earlier ones but episode 10 was a let-down, felt there should have been more passion)
- episode 10 tried to cover too much ground/time, it felt rushed and anticlimactic

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" In the vast sea, how likely is it that a lost fish gets to reunite with it's shoal!"

At its heart, this drama is all about the characters - their struggles, growth and the quiet, powerful moments that shape them. It relies heavily on what is unspoken and unsaid rather than grand gestures.

Since this is a character-driven narrative, I will not delve into the story by its events but by what both the main characters brought to the table and how they allow themselves to be seen. (Spoiler free)

Hirukawa Haruki: Hirukawa's character is deeply shaped by the trauma and abuse he endured from his parents, especially from his dad. At the first glance, he is what you call a high school delinquent - rebellious, tough and indifferent to all those around him, making him unapproachable and even slightly intimidating.
Despite his tough demeanour, he unintentionally internalises the abuse and starts to believe that he is no better than his father! While his father had a major role but I feel his mother is equally responsible too for abandoning him and never actually checking up on him. Her lack of empathy towards him only reinforced his feeling of being unworthy and making his sense of self-worth fragile.

But after meeting with Minase, something shifts. Minase sees him for who he is with all his flaws and still doesn’t judge him. That acceptance brings out the side of Hirukawa he has kept hidden and guarded . That tenderness, hope, and a desire for a future that doesn’t feel so impossible when he is around Minase.
His journey is all about healing, slowly learning that he deserves love even though his past still haunts him. Minase slowly became his anchor, helping him realize that love and acceptance aren’t just for other people but for him too and he is most deserving of them!

Minase Jin: Minase is initially a passive observer, standing and watching from the sidelines as a spectator of his high school drama. At first, he seemed like a perfect student with great grades, well-mannered and seemingly unaffected by the complexities of life. But beneath the surface of this ideal life lies a man under high societal expectations from his mother and where his future is laid out to him with certainty without considering his choice.
He keeps his distance from Hirukawa because he is aware of the difference between his privileged life and that of trouble markers. Though the distance is not out of judgment but is more like a quiet fear of disrupting the delicate and carefully constructed life.

But as Minase slowly begins to understand Hirukawa the walls start to crumble. His growing affection for Hirukawa is not only deeply romantic but very empathetic and accepting. His love for Hirukawa becomes the catalyst for his own self-discovery to confront his fears and insecurities.
Minase started as a spectator in his own life but with Hirukawa he learns to actively engage with the world around him.

Together they created a safe place for each other where they can grow and heal, both together and individually. They transcend all societal expectations with a delicate balance of vulnerability and strength.
Slowly the distance between them is replaced by a quiet understanding that what once appeared to be a different universe is actually not so far apart.

Against all odds, they found each other—two souls as different as night and day with a quiet longing that defied logic and reason.

In the end, it was their differences that made them whole, even as the world around them seemed to push them apart. Their bond was fragile yet undeniable, a quiet rebellion against fate, a love that defied the tides of time and change.

Both the actors delivered nothing short of amazing performance considering this was my first time seeing them. They managed to capture the raw, unspoken pain of their characters with such grace and authenticity. Every subtle gesture, those gazes and the deep internal monologue felt real.

The cinematography is stunning, especially the water scenes capturing the stillness and movement of the water in contrast to the feelings in perfect harmony.
Also, the title track OST was very catchy and beautifully complemented the scene wherever it was used.

Overall, this was a heartfelt exploration of growth, vulnerability and healing which was both raw and hopeful. I am definitely recommending this. This as a binge watch would give a better watching experience than on air.

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Waters that should and can never meet, meet

"The sea had never called to me.
But you were wading out into it.
And, suddenly, I was up to my knees."

This drama draws you into Jin's world of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders, where he lives his life according to expectations and doesn't get involved or let himself be "swept away" by feelings. And as he is this way, the tone of the drama itself is unnatural--a blanket of passive and offness over everything.

But then he meets Haruki, and from their first meeting, there is a strange kind of unsettled draw and fascination between them as they "cleanse" themselves at the water fountain.

Haruki, dealing with abuse at home, covers up his bruises and fear by playing the troublemaker role. But then, he is caught . . . By Jin. And Jin's unwillingness to pry and admittance of pity is foreign to him.

And as Haruki edges himself into Jin's world, Jin finds himself becoming attached; caring. He doesn't advocate for himself, dream, or even express his emotions. But he's willing to risk his future crumbling for Haruki. He doesn't cry for himself but for Haruki.

Waters that should and can never meet, meet. And Jin is swept offshore as he becomes "weaker." But he is not "weaker," no. The more he's with Haruki, the more he lets himself feel. And it's a needed revelation but also terrifying.

Again and again, I was troubled and moved beyond words. From Haruki inviting violence upon himself just to sit waiting on the steps for Jin in hopes he'll pity him once he sees how badly he's beaten enough to invite him inside (and admitting it to him on the spot) to Jin yet again resorting to his fake smile or an easy lie to keep his desires and relationship with Haruki a secret.

They can't rescue each other or run away; they're not adults. And even when they age, discrimination still puts up walls in front of them. They don't live in a fairytale, but they're happy just staying together, even in a reality with limits.

It's the kiss of a beer bottle's edge against your cheek, brown flecks and sharpened edges raining down on you in a beautiful but painful shower.

This is a drama of consequence that I would beg you not to ignore.

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Your sea and my sea, must be connected somewhere. Even now, I still believe that.

The drama adaptation of the webtoon "Our Youth" by Hi Noon, is a deeply emotional and captivating series that beautifully captures the essence of coming of age love story and self-discovery amidst of chaos.

The story revolves around Jin, a model student with a bright future ahead, and Haruki, a troubled child. As their paths intertwine, they navigate the complex situations, ups and downs of life and their swiftly changing feelings for each other while facing societal pressures and personal insecurities along the way.

The drama excels in portraying the raw emotions and struggles of the characters as adolescents. Jin's journey from a focused, ambitious model student to someone who begins to understand the importance of love and personal happiness is both heart-wrenching and uplifting. On the other hand Haruki, with his own set of vulnerabilities, adds depth to the emotional narrative which makes their relationship feel real and relatable in same way but in different levels.

The emotional elements of the drama are handled with utmost care, ensuring that audiences are deeply invested in the characters' journey from beginning to till the end. Haruki's moments of happiness, heartbreak, and everything in between are rendered with such sensitivity that it's impossible not to get emotionally involved with the him. Jin's warm embrace and belonging made him want to live better. The audience can't help but sympathize for him.

Must admit, the production quality is top-notch, from mesmerizing cinematography to beautiful OST that enhances the narrative by creating a dream like aura. Especially the soundtracks perfectly complemented the mood, adding an extra layer of emotion.

In conclusion, it is a heart wrenching and poignant adaptation of "Our Youth" whuch stayed true to its original webtoon. It's a must-watch for anyone who appreciates heartfelt stories about love, growth, and the beauty of imperfect chaotic youth. I truly believe that the struggles and triumphs of the characters will surely leave a long lasting impression on the heart of the audience. Highly recommend.

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I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve rewatched this drama! Every time I go back to it, it feels just as fresh and exciting. I absolutely love everything about it – the storyline, the performances, the chemistry between the leads… it’s all perfect. The characters feel so real, and the plot is engaging from start to finish.

What makes this drama even more special is the fanservice in real life. The cast's interactions off-screen add so much to the experience, and it’s great to see the genuine bond they share. It definitely adds an extra layer of connection to the show and makes the entire experience even more enjoyable.

This drama will forever be one of my favorites!

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IM DEAD IN LOVE

Im sorry I havent even finshed watching it uet because I want to wait until after exams to finish this show BUT I KEEP ON SEEING CLIPS OF THE LAST 2 EPISODES AND IM GOING FERAL.
I literally can't concentrate and 4 more exams are left 😭😭.

Its been a while since a drama has done this to me and so i hope it speaks volumes when i say just how invested i am into this show!?! And the actors did such a great job at portraying their characters so far its so refreshing to watch.

I dont know how the webtoon goes but this show makes me want to read it! I have no other reason not to accept the fact that I wont see Kenshin and Junsei's faces on the screen when I do😭.

I really hope to see both of them in other projects soon, hopefully as a pair and if not , as main charcaters. So greatful to see them grow throughout this series.

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