Spring of Youth

Loved the old school drama vibe!

I'll admit the drama wasn't deep, BUT what I loved was the way it returned to some of my favorite things about dramas from a few years back. Most dramas coming out these days feel the need to be edgy and intense and have whiny music, but this one was allowed to have youthful energy and simplicity (even the villains were given simple motivations and consistent behavior). I loved seeing the band idols doing what they're best at--playing their music joyfully and passionately-- and I loved having a soundtrack that ran through the drama and helped define the mood. Newcomer Ha Yu Jun was just fantastic. The character he created was vibrant and believable, and I look forward to seeing more of him in music and dramas.

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Spring of Youth have one episode that is the coolest!

I had started watching on February 19-February 27. I was watching episodes 1-2 on Rakuten Viki and the rest of the episodes on kisskh website.
Kim Bom lives with her aunt, Kim Ja-Yeong, and cousin, Bae Gyu-ri, after her mom, Yu Jeong-Ae, passed away. Sa-Gye was once a former K-pop idol. When Sa-Gye met Kim Bom, he ask her about the melody, but they were interrupt by Seo Tae-Yang. Sa- Gye didn't get the answer. He became an unexpected tenant. Sa-Gye fell in love with Kim Bom. Sa-Gye was going through a traumatic eye injury while he was getting flashbacks, and he was drinking alcohol. Sa-Gye didn't contact Kim Bom after 2 years because he said that he couldn't make her life miserable. Sa-Gye promises Kim Bom that no matter where she is, he will come and find her.
I like how Seo Tae-Yang and Sa-Gye have a battle against each other in episode 1. That's one of the coolest one episode! It's cute that Sa-Gye says that Kim Bom didn't push him away because she likes him too. I like that Sa-Gye went on a date, held Kim Bom's hand, and had their first kiss together in episode 4. I like how Sa-Gye put his headphone on Kim Bom's ears to listen to his cover in episode 6. I also like it when Sa-Gye wipes Kim Bom's tears away for her. It's funny when Gyu-ri sees Sa-Gye in a long time. I like how Sa-Gye cover see you later in episode 7. It was funny that Gyu-ri threw a tantrum towards Sa-Gye in episode 7. I like it when Sa-Gye cheers up with Kim Bom by playing on the piano keyboard with her in episode 9. I like how Sa-Gye meets Kim Bom again after 2 years in episode 10.
I didn't like that Jo Ji-Na of Jo & Jo Entertainment will have a contract about all the songs Kim Bom wrote belong to them in episode 1. That sounds unfair! I didn't like how Ji-Na is copying Kim Bom's music, and she didn't write it in episode 4. I didn't like Ji-Na's interview in episode 6. I didn't like that Ji-Na was gaslighting and manipulated while talking with Kim Bom. I didn't like Seo Tae-Yang taking Sa-Gye's place to replace him as the leader of the crown group. I didn't like Seung-Su breaking into Kim Bom's house and stealing the money he gave to Sa-Gye in episode 8.
I am shocked that Ha Yoo Joon is part of a K-pop group named AxMxP. See You Later is by them. The song is pretty good!

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Fluffy college rom com that took a nose dive into meaningless disconnected MESS

The first 4 episodes was ok, nothing special, a fluffy college romance. It was not terrible but it was not total trash. The ML is peppy, and energetic and ful role, the only thing is that I am dying to CUT HIS BANGS so that I can see his eyes, I keep wondering when he is gonna get an eye infection LOL
the 2nd ML is OK and at least looks good so when his acting is too stiff, there is at least a face to look at.
FL cannot act and is super stiff and obvious in her acting, that is annoying.

The plot wasnt terrible.

AND THEN - the deep nose dive into total MESS that just cannot be watched. Ep 5 is ... well.. all over the place, makes no sense, acting is terrible bc the script is total trash, it is just one of those WHOA!!!! what is this??? reactions when you watch something totally meaningless and disconnected

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dont pay attention bad reviews, it’s a good school drama !

I'm not going to pretend to be neutral: this drama completely captivated me, firstly because I love university mysteries, and even more so when music is involved! It's a combination I find irresistible.

The lead actor, Yu Jun, blew me away. Despite his young age, he delivered a truly remarkable performance, both accurate and expressive. Many tend to criticize idols who try their hand at acting—we know the bad tongues—but those who know a little about theater or cinema will recognize the quality of his performance. He brought his character to life with great sensitivity.

Music-wise, I really loved the OSTs, which I still listen to on repeat. They are both feel-good and perfectly in keeping with the drama's universe and the characters' personalities. A true success.

The lead actress, meanwhile, is a real sweetheart. I really liked her character: she has character without falling into the cliché of the annoying heroine. She managed to strike a nice balance, and her performance was very convincing.

As for Lee Seung Hyub, she's a special case. He was as handsome as he was infuriating! His role could have been more interesting, but unfortunately, he remained frozen: cold, jealous, trapped in a bitter solitude, with no real development. He performed very well, no doubt about it, but his character development lacked depth, which ruined it a bit in my eyes.

The super soft cinematography and pastel-colored shots really appealed to me; it was perfect for this season!

Concretely, what I liked, aside from the flimsy plot and pacing (it often felt like it was going around in circles), is that the story, when you think about it, is simply magnificent. The idea of ​​the eye transplant is really well thought out and brings real depth to the protagonists' relationship, even if, admittedly, the situation is rather unusual.

I won't dwell on the thriller part, which was neither thrilling nor particularly captivating, nor on the music industry aspect, which unfortunately wasn't emphasized enough.

I know many people are wary of idol K-dramas, often criticized for young and sometimes clumsy casting choices, or for plot-simplicity. But for me, it was a successful gamble. I had a very good time, enjoyable, despite its flaws.

Once again, you have to be receptive to this kind of show. I'm capable of appreciating more complex works, but at this time of year, I also wanted something lighter, and this drama fulfilled that role perfectly.

The characters, the music, the overall atmosphere... everything captivated me. It definitely deserves its place among the "school chill" recommendations of the year.

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Could've been great, but ended up being mediocre

The bones of the story here had a lot of potential to be a great story that could leave a lasting impression, but sadly this series did not deliver. The writing of this series is questionable and it produced characters that you know you should feel something for but which you just don't. I think the CEO and the DR had wayyyy too much relevance in this series and instead of being bad guys, they just became annoying at some point. I feel like everything else was just dusted over. And the finale was esp underwhelming and just furthered the disconnect of the story. I feel like giving this a 7 is being kind really, but that's what I'm giving it anyways.

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Strong Music and Band Chemistry, but Weak Plagiarism Plot Holds It Back

I watched it while it was airing, so I remember being genuinely excited every week waiting for the next episode. That weekly anticipation definitely boosted my experience at the time and made me more emotionally invested than I probably would’ve been if I binge-watched it later.

Looking back, though, I feel like the plagiarism plotline was handled quite poorly. It had a lot of potential to be more impactful and layered, but it ended up feeling underdeveloped and sometimes inconsistent, which weakened the overall narrative for me in hindsight.

On the other hand, the music and band dynamic were easily the strongest parts of the drama. The performances, rehearsals, and group chemistry were all engaging and carried a lot of the emotional weight of the story. It’s really what kept me watching.

Sagye was also a mixed point for me. In the beginning, he felt a bit too intense and difficult to connect with, but as the story progressed, he matured noticeably and became much more likeable and grounded, which improved his overall arc.

Even so, what stayed with me the most wasn’t just the drama itself, but the music outside of it. I genuinely fell in love with the real band AxMxP through this, and I still listen to them now. They make really good music nowadays, and that part of the experience honestly outlived the show for me.

Overall, Spring of Youth has strong musical elements and some good character growth, but the writing, especially around the main plagiarism storyline, keeps it from being more than a decent watch.

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Not the idol drama I hoped for - but a star emerged nonetheless

I admit it. I’m drawn to dramas about Kpop idols. They don’t even have to be all that good for me to stick it out. (Hence the fact I completed Namib.). Lovely Runner being the lone exception, idol dramas always seem to fall short. Spring of Youth started out with an interesting premise as Sa Gye (Ha Yoo-jun), the lead singer of Crown, is kicked out of the group and has to go to college. But because of a secret he learned, his former company president does everything he can to destroy him. It's really hard to watch as the president and his accomplice - both adults - do increasingly terrible things to silence teen Sa Gye. Despite everything thrown at him, Sa Gye manages to maintain a positive attitude. This, and the fact that I wanted to see the adults get what they deserved, is why I finished the series.

I wish that in a show about idols, there had been more music – rather than various iterations of the same song played repeatedly. And that the ending had provided more details about the future. But there is at least one good thing came out of watching the show – the discovery of its young star, Ha Yoo-jun, who is the main vocalist for the soon to debut band, AxMxP. I definitely plan to “see him (and AxMxP) later”!

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I have mixed feelings after watching this drama.

On one hand, I really enjoyed it - I laughed, cried, and got frustrated along the way. It was an overall pleasant watch, probably because of the music theme, which I personally love.

On the other hand, I’ve been looking for a really good music-themed drama for a while now, and I feel like this one fell a bit short of that title. Mainly for two reasons:

I would describe this drama as something you have to watch with a grain of salt. There are plenty of silly scenes where the adult characters behave like children, and their actions are often exaggerated and unrealistic.

This was the biggest issue for me — the pacing. In the first few episodes, things moved way too fast; we basically learned the entire plot right away. Then the story slowed down, only to suddenly explode in the final episode. Everything was crammed into it, which made each storyline feel shallow. The fate of the guilty characters and those who should have faced consequences (after annoying me the entire show) was glossed over. The main couple’s story felt rushed (not to mention the secondary couple). Kong Jin Gu’s storyline — built up throughout the series, with him pretending to be poor — was left completely undeveloped by the end. Honestly, the stories of all the characters felt watered down, as did the entire band’s development (what even happened to them afterwards — who knows?).

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I opened it because it's a short series. i have no expectations for this and it doesn't impress me.
The characters is good and the acting also but not great.
Her mother's death is a bit interesting, i will keep watching to know what happened.
The enmity between the first and second ML is fun to watch.
It's the classic love triangle (obviously i feel sorry for the second ML)
Their parents are making me nervous and angry.
I didn't like much about this according that no much is going on.
If you watch it thinking that it's like twinkling watermelon, you're in the wrong place.

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Fugiu da realidade, logo, deixou escapar potencial

São tantos furos de roteiro que não sei nem por onde começar. Uma história com elenco bom, uma premissa até então boa, conseguiu se perder e desperdiçar potencial a cada episódio. O kdrama de 10 eps que demorou uma eternidade pra finalizar e despencou aos poucos na qualidade logo na metade.

Um dos motivos de eu ter insistido nesse kdrama até o final foi justamente por ser um ep semanal, não ia pegar tanto do meu tempo. O protagonista me surpreendeu positivamente também. Nunca vi esse ator em trama nenhuma, então pra um primeiro papel e como protagonista ele entregou um carisma único.

O maior problema desse roteiro foi o plot desnecessário do Sagye lembrar das memórias de sua doadora de córnea. Isso não existe e até dentro da história foi irreal demais. Acredito que a partir do momento que o CEO o expulsou por causa disso, as coisas desandaram de vez.

Não fazia sentido nenhum todo o ódio dos "vilões", justamente porque o Sagye nunca teve provas concretas do que estava dizendo. Afinal de contas, ele não estava no local do incidente. Enfim, esse plot foi cansativo e totalmente sem nexo. Mesmo pra uma ficção, tudo tem limite.

Fora isso, achei o elenco harmonioso. O teaser e o início do drama mostravam jovens universitários que estavam formando uma banda na faculdade, com certeza se tivessem focado nas adversidades voltadas pra indústria musical, a banda conquistaria mais o público e a história seria bem melhor. Mas acabou que até a banda foi completamente deixada de lado por conta das tentativas de sabotagem de dois adultos perturbados, fazendo maior alarde por conta de uma memória sem nexo.

Gostei das canções e senti química entre os dois protagonistas, diferente dela com o amigo que não senti química nenhuma. Mas o casal também foi super prejudicado por esse plot, então nem o reencontro final sendo uma referência ao primeiro encontro deles me convenceu. E olha que o primeiro encontro deles foi lindo.

Os dois outros membros da banda, além do trio principal, foram super mal explorados. Tentaram fazer eles de alívio cômico mas nem isso deu certo, não conseguia ver graça neles e senti falta de explicarem melhor o contexto de um deles ser de família rica e esconder isso. A tia também era super chata e desnecessária em vários momentos.

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