Noctis

I want to start by saying that My Youth isn’t a bad drama, just an unsuccessful one.. My issue with it is that it feels more like a collection of parts than a cohesive whole.. The pieces seem disjointed, out of rhythm with one another, never quite coming together into a story that feels complete or purposeful.. To me, it lacked those small connective moments that turn a sequence of scenes into something that truly moves as a narrative..

I was honestly reluctant to watch it because of the low ratings.. I am not someone who avoids Song Joong Ki’s dramas, not because I am a fan but because I appreciate his work.. The ratings did influence me, but I decided to ignore them and give it a try and I would say I did the right thing.. Is it a stunning piece of drama?? No, its not.. Is its storytelling style for everyone?? Probably not.. I can understand why some viewers might struggle to connect with the tone and pacing, especially in the early episodes.. Even I agree it’s slow, but that alone isn’t enough reason to justify such low ratings..

Personally, I didn’t like the first few episodes except for the parts with their younger versions.. The characters felt a bit weak, they didn’t have much impact.. It’s a narrative driven story, so I should have felt ' I don’t fully know where this is going yet, but these characters feel real. ' But it took a while for that to happen.. I agree with the most common concern, the pacing is indeed the real issue here.. 12 episodes felt like 20.. It’s too slow and the story itself isn’t anything new.. We just see that old, overused trope told from a different perspective with a new set of actors.. The acting was definitely the highlight of the drama..

Now, my biggest issue with this drama is how they underplayed the illness part of the story.. I mean it’s a melodrama, that’s supposed to be your main weapon.. But it didn’t make me feel anything, not the way lets say a drama like Our Movie did.. There's an illness that could kill the ML, but that’s it, it’s just there.. He is struggling, things happen around it and then it’s over.. It never reaches that emotional intensity you would expect from a story built around something so serious..

The romance, well I liked their chemistry, but I think the writer let down the actors in that aspect.. Their interactions were good but the writing felt weak.. It never really gave Song Joong Ki and Chun Woo Hee the space to show what they are truly capable of.. I sort of understand why people liked the second couple’s romance.. It was simpler and less complicated.. But to me, their story felt incomplete.. For a drama that felt too lengthy, we didnt' get enough of their story and that was a disappointment..

For me, the last 3 episodes were the best, well written, well executed part of the show.. The realization of what's happening and what's about to happen and what the first 9 episodes had been setting up for.. The emotions of each characters, even the supporting characters.. That final part, was just pure performative excellence.. But they did really dropped the ball on that ending.. It felt abrupt.. It should have been about everyone.. It almost felt like the others didn't matter.. For me a final scene bringing the whole family and friends together would have been the perfect closure..

I wanted to mention a few other things..

Saw a lot of people saying they rated the drama less because they weren’t satisfied with the romance.. But this is a melodrama, not a rom com.. The genre defines the story.. You knew what you were getting into.. If you can’t handle that, then no offense but maybe this just isn’t the kind of drama for you..

Song Joong Ki’s costumes were an absolute mess.. They could have gone with a simpler, more casual look but instead they ended up choosing some of the worst outfits for him..

Every time I read comments like, Ji Hoon is a much better actor than his peers, I can’t quite agree, at least not in the context of this drama.. His character simply wasn’t the kind of role that allows an actor to truly stand out.. His role could have been performed by many of his peers and achieved the same level of recognition.. I am not saying he isn’t talented, he is but this just wasn’t a challenging role.. His chemistry with the SFL was the only standout factor in this drama for him, not his acting..

I really hated how easily the parents were forgiven in the drama, especially Nu Ri’s mother.. She abandoned a young girl in the hands of her boyfriend, someone she herself didn’t trust enough to stay with.. And then she had the audacity to come back after all those years as if nothing had happened..

I really hope Song Joong Ki comes back with something like Vincenzo again.. Dramas like My Youth which rely heavily on story and performance are often unfairly overlooked.. He is one of the best actors in the KDrama industry and he doesn’t deserve the kind of hate he is been getting..

Overall, My Youth is definitely not for everyone, some might find the story too slow or bland.. But with a wonderful cast of characters and some strong performances from the leads, I would say My Youth is a good one time watch..