Because This Life is My First

Because This Life is My First

6.5/10

Because This Life is My First

Genre:                                                Episodes: 16                                           Year: 2017

Romance

Comedy

Synopsis:

Nam Se Hee is a man who owns his own home but can barely afford the payments for his mortgage. Yoon Ji Ho is a woman who struggles to find a place to live after she is forced to leave home. Se Hee looks for a roommate to earn some extra money, and Ji Ho jumps at the chance to find a place to rent that doesn’t require a deposit.

Cast:

Jung So min (Yoon Ji Ho)

Lee Min Ki (Nam Se Hee)

Esom (Woo Soo Ji)

Park Byung Eun (Ma Sang Goo)

Kim Ga Eun (Yang Ho Rang)

Kim Min Suk (Shim Won Seok)

Kim Min Kyu (Yeon Bok Nam)

Yoon Bo Mi (Yoon Bo Mi)

General Thoughts:

Before I get into the bulk of this review, I kind of feel like I want to explain my rating a bit. I know a lot of people adored this drama and would rate it highly, but for me the end sort of ruined a lot. That being said, I also couldn’t ignore that a large part of this drama was really, really good.

Mostly fun

The majority of the show sat around 7.5-8 so I felt it was only fair to knock that down about a point for the way the show concluded. Anyway- moving on. This drama is part of the genre that’s really taking off recently- slice-of-life. I myself am a huge fan of this genre (Weightlifting Fairy, Age of Youth, Fool’s Love), so I was pretty excited to hear of this new and popular drama. And boy did the show deliver.

Slice-of-life is the new black

It’s pretty much everything you want in a slice-of-life. The characters are slightly odd but are relatable in a sympathetic way, the situations (despite certain craziness) have a familiar, realistic vibe, and the whole show is coloured by a thoughtful and insightful commentary about life. The emotions of the drama were spot on and were what made it really memorable. While the plot was engaging and fun, it was the characters and their touching stories that made the show memorable. Of course when you think of the most memorable character you have to think of our leading man, Nam Se Hee. He was totally weird. He was whacky in a way that should have made him un-relatable, and yet time and time again I found myself sympathising and agreeing with him. Who hasn’t wished for an ordinary, quiet life with no surprises at one time or another? It was fun to watch Se Hee slowly start to come out of his shell around Ji Ho and gradually start to express himself more. Ji Ho was a perfect match for his weirdness (for the most part), and it was nice how the show explored their compatibility. It’s not that they were the perfect man and perfect woman, but their personalities made them a good fit.

Oddly compatible

It didn’t feel like some other person could be more suitable for our main leads. Rather than fire and sparks, our couple had a comfortable and relaxed chemistry. They felt safe and secure around each other, and didn’t feel as though their idiosyncrasies would be judged. It was a nice way to move through the relationship, having the leads start as housemates.

I don't often get to use 'K-Drama' and 'good communication' in the same sentence

Unlike usual rom-com set-ups there was no real ridiculous event that forced them together, nor did they have a hate-love relationship- they were just two people who happened to meet and suit each other really well. The housemate set-up also allowed the lead characters to be quite open with each other. While there were some things they kept from each other (such as their growing fondness for each other), they were very clear on their preferences and their comforts, which allowed the two to gather a pretty clear understanding of each other early on. For the most part, the communication between Se Hee and Ji Ho was really excellent. Se Hee always expressed when he felt that Ji Ho had crossed a line and Ji Ho mostly let Se Hee know when he had confused her or hurt her feelings. It was this honesty that made their relationship feel real and sincere and made them a couple to root for. Lee Min Ki was a standout in this drama- able to completely adapt to Se Hee’s strange quirks and mannerisms while also making him a unique and likeable character. Despite Se Hee’s rather contained nature and lack of outward dialogue, Lee Min Ki could perfectly express the inner goings on of his character, making Se Hee likeable and relatable.

He doesn't look it- but this character's a lot of fun

Jung So Min also did an excellent job with our heroine. Ji Ho isn’t exactly a new type of character in K-Dramaland (she had some pretty distinct Candy characteristics), and yet Jung So Min gave life to Ji Ho in a way that made her feel fresh and interesting, and set her apart from all those other heroines with similar characteristics. She gave Ji Ho a more thoughtful and introspective nature which worked well for the story this drama was telling.

I don't think I could ever lie in bed with Kim Min Suk and not look at him

The two other couples in this drama were interesting in their own right, and felt like they were telling their own stories rather than simply being there to pad out the main storyline. Ho Rang and Won Seok were a great contrast to the main couple. While Ji Ho and Se Hee were just discovering their feelings, Ho Rang and Won Seok were feeling the strain of their long-term relationship. It was a interesting idea to follow, as it’s a story that’s tinged with sadness. Neither Ho Rang nor Won Seok stopped loving the other, but they had just reached a point where their wants and desires diverged. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I liked ether of these characters, as I feel like so much of who they were was defined by their relationship- which was failing. It’s not to say they were unlikable characters, I just felt rather passively about them. I neither liked nor disliked the two, but the story they were telling was one that was engaging. It’s quite a modern tale where both the characters weren’t where they’d thought they’d be in life and were desperately looking for that something that would propel them into that happy future they sought. For Won Seok that was getting his app running and off the ground. For Ho Rang it was marriage.

Chasing happiness doesn't often result in happiness

Obviously these two wants didn’t exactly go hand in hand. Despite their love for each other and all the time they’d spent together, neither was willing to sacrifice what they thought was really important for the other. Ho Rang didn’t want to wait a long time for marriage, and Won Seok didn’t want to have to give up his dreams just so that he could provide for a family. As we headed into the drama’s final episodes I really liked where this relationship was headed. While it was sad that the two broke up,

Is it bad that I wanted them to break up?

I thought it was an important message that you shouldn’t sacrifice something important to you just to maintain a relationship. How many dramas have we watched that take place after this sacrifice where resentment and regret have kicked in? Of course, the drama quite happily ignores this message in its final episode when Ho Rang and Won Seok get back together. But more on that later. Acting-wise I thought Kim Ga Eun and Kim Min Suk did well. It was a feat for Kim Ga Eun to prevent Ho Rang from becoming dislikable. She’s a type of character that I really don’t like- stubborn, selfish and unwilling to admit to any fault. Not only that but she felt quite dated. Ho Rang was 100% set on being a housewife and not working, and yet she did basically nothing to try and work towards her dream. We didn’t see her help Won Seok in any way, and all she seemed to do was whine that they weren’t getting married without thinking about the realistic issues. They’re barely surviving on both their incomes, so how does she think she’ll be able to stop working after marriage? Her ideals felt very old-fashioned and rather inconsiderate to her partner. However, despite aaaaaaall these shortcomings, Kim Ga Eun managed to inject a sense of cuteness and innocence into her character. It didn’t go as far as to make Ho Rang likeable, but at the very least it made her bearable.

Their story was more interesting than fun

I always love Kim Min Suk, and this was no exception, though admittedly I might’ve just liked the character because it was Kim Min Suk. As always he was cute and endearing and loveable. Soo Ji and San Goo were my favourite couple in the show. They had a much more typical rom-com trajectory but hey, there’s a reason that formula works. Their initial bickering was a great source of comedy.

My favourite couple for sure

In fact, San Goo himself was a great source of comedy. He was dorky and eccentric in a sweet way, and similarly to the main couple, the writers did an excellent job at showing how it was Sang Goo’s exact brand of quirky that Soo Ji needed. Soo Ji herself was a character I liked. Despite her hardness and stark view of the world, she had a determination and a drive that I really admired. She had a realistic view of the world and knew what she had to put up with to get by. That being said, as Sang Goo became more involved in her life, Soo Ji also started to learn that what she wanted might be worth a bit of risk. It was only with Sang Goo’s support that Soo Ji was able to take that scary step out from her awful, yet well-paying, job into her own business venture that had a risk of failure. What I liked most about the relationship between Soo Ji and Sang Goo is that it felt like a very modern relationship (unlike Ho Rang and Won Seok). Both Soo Ji and Sang Goo knew it was important for Soo Ji to be a working woman, and offered each other love and emotional support rather than the promise of financial support.

That's how you get the girl

They felt like a very well balanced pair because they took the time to work on themselves and were able to define themselves outside of their relationship. Park Byung Eun was wonderful as the dorky CEO. He was just swoony enough to warrant being able to snag a catch like Soo Ji, but had a nice layer of dorkiness that made it clear why he wasn’t drowning in female affections.

I'll never say no to K-Drama gal pals

Similarly, Esom gave Soo Ji a great classiness and shaped her into an excellent career woman. It was always clear to see Soo Ji’s discomfort around her male colleges and her simmering anger, despite these scenes not having a lot of dialogue on her part. Esom was also brilliant at expressing Soo Ji’s defence mechanisms. When you have a gorgeous character like Sang Goo, rebuffs on the fame character’s part can came across a bit harsh and uncalled for. However, Esom always took care to give Soo Ji such vulnerability that her harsh words to Sang Goo always seemed like a shield rather than an attack. Considering how much people seemed to love the female friendship in this drama, I personally thought that there weren’t a lot of scenes with the three girls interacting. When they came around I did enjoy them, particularly the way that polar opposites Ho Rang and Soo Ji clashed. But at the end of the day, this drama really was all about the leads and their developing relationship.

What Was Great:

87.5%:

As I mentioned above, most of this drama was excellent. 14 of its episodes were thoughtful, introspective and just plain delightful. Despite the whacky premise (girl enters contract marriage with landlord for cheap rent), the realism of the characters grounded the show.

Strangely, this situation isn't as weird as it sounds on paper

Se Hee and Ji Ho may have been weird, but they were weird in an utterly believable way. The writer played out the logic as to why these two would think a contract marriage was in their best interests, and the pure logic of the situation (despite its complete ridiculousness)

For 14 episodes I really loved this couple

made me as a viewer believe that this marriage was in their best interests too. The episodes had a heavy amount of internal dialogue and monologuing, and yet the drama never (or at least in these 14 good episodes) felt like an excuse for an overly indulgent, artsy writer to spew their poetic rumination on life- which is usually how it feels when a drama has so many thoughtful voiceovers. Because both our leads were already deep introverts and analytical thinkers, it felt natural rather than obnoxious to have running dialogue over scenes. Rather than simply being a show for pure entertainment (which is still good, don’t get me wrong), this drama offered thoughtful commentaries on life, dreams, love, and expectations. The relationships felt real and the characters felt lived in, giving the drama a beautifully contemplative, yet still entertaining and engaging vibe.

What Wasn’t:

12.5%:

Unlike the first 14 episodes, the final episodes tanked. Not actually because the final episode was actually one of the highest for ratings, but logically. Thematically. Emotionally. This drama’s final episodes failed for me.

Did the main writer die and someone else had to write the end of this show?

It’s not just that the episodes were bad either. I can live with bad, bad is bearable. When an ending is bad you can still kind of shrug it off and appreciate what the show did well and wonder what might have been (Cheese in the Trap, Come Back, Ajusshi). What made this ending particularly bad was that it actually effected how I viewed the rest of the drama.

How could you ruin this beautifully poetic break up?

Rather than just taking an unsavoury direction in its final moments, the last two episodes had me questioning the meanings I’d got out of previous episodes. Ho Rang and Won Seok rekindling their relationship was all kinds of wrong for me. They’d had their sad breakup and then their beautiful goodbye over the phone where they'd wished each other the best and said they were thankful for the great times they’d had together. Great. Perfect. What a beautiful way to end a long-term relationship where the two wanted completely different things. Ho Rang and Won Seok needed to be content with themselves and their own lives before committing to a serious relationship. However, after getting back together at the end I felt as though the writer was ripping away the thoughtful message she’d delivered previously. Because screw these guys finding their own motivations and goals- love cures all. And the now for the rant I’ve been waiting all week to write, but also kind of dreading for the memories it would bring up. Ji Ho leaves. Yeah, the actual f*ck writer-nim.

Was it really that hard to say 'Please tell me if you don't want me to leave'? Apparently so.

After 14 episodes of these two people communicating effectively suddenly Ji Ho fails to see Se Hee’s intentions (which she’d been good at noticing before) and fails to express herself bluntly so that she could hear his response (again, which she’d been so good at before). Instead she tries to emotionally blackmail Se Hee into admitting his feelings by telling him she was leaving (wtf man, I still can’t get over the stupidity of it all).

I'm not sure what we're supposed to feel

But of course we all know this isn’t going to work because we’ve just seen 14 hours of how Se Hee is an emotionally wounded man who would rather put up walls and isolate himself rather than exposing his feelings to be potentially trampled on. Not to mention we (and Ji Ho) know that he was actually planning a confession anyway, and Ji Ho was just trying to force it out of him faster. So then Ji Ho leaves because she loves him (omg it’s so unbearably stupid) and Se Hee is sad. He’s not just sad he’s devastated. He allowed himself to be open and vulnerable to this girl and she walked out because he was taking his time giving her his wounded heart. It seemed like the writer was trying to use the expectations of others and the pressure of marriage to justify Ji Ho leaving, but quite frankly there are so many ways those issues could have been addressed that didn’t involve Se Hee getting kicked to the curb. Ji Ho then comes back some time later and Se Hee’s a bit mad but not really because he just accepts her back, and Ji Ho apparently doesn’t regret leaving him and causing him an ocean of pain. The two then set up a new contract supposedly to help manage their families’ expectations and keep each other comfortable.

Girl, you so don't deserve him now

Which basically comes down to neither of them attending the other’s family functions. Which doesn’t speak of a healthy relationship to me. What about that episode saying a person brings their past and future as well as their present? I’d say a person’s family is a large part of their past and future and ignoring their family is ignoring a part of that person.

I did not watch you for 14 hours so you could get divorced

What happened to the episode saying that good-daughter-in-law-syndrome came from wanting to be loved by your partner’s family? Nope, comfort is more important apparently. I sort of get what the writer was going for- a new style of marriage that centres around the wants and desires of only the couple and ignores the meddling of outsiders, but I also kind of wished the show had stuck to its previous messages rather than trying to introduce new ideas in the final hour. The rapid conclusion after Ji Ho’s time gallivanting off by herself undermined any reason she might have had for leaving in the first place. Why are they magically able to communicate better now that’s she’s returned? Why have all their issues simply disappeared into nothing after a brief hiatus. Because love cures all. Again. And during this time Ji Ho is also ignoring a perfectly good opportunity to further her writing career because Se Hee’s ex is involved. I was sure that this show had given both our leads enough emotional maturity to work through that issue, and was unbelievably disappointed when Ji Ho chose comfort and ‘love’ over her passion.

This drama should have been so much deeper than 'love is magic'

To have the final commentary of the series boil down to ‘we’re going to trust in our love’ was just a huge letdown, and felt cheesy and unrealistic unlike the rest of the show. At least the show gave a satisfying conclusion to Soo Ji and Sang Woo, because by the end there I really thought the show was just looking to mess up every good thing it had created.

Recommend?

Yeah. For most of its run it’s a sweet and insightful story. Do be prepared that the ending isn’t exactly up to the same standards as the rest of the drama though.

It came so close to being amazing

Age of Youth 2

Age of Youth 2

7.5/10

Age of Youth 2

Genre:                                Episodes: 14                           Year: 2017

Romance

Comedy

Mystery

Synopsis:

Set one year after the conclusion of Season 1, Kang Yi Na is moving out of the Belle Epoque share-house. Jin Myung has found a job, but struggles after having to fire an employee she grew close to, Ye Eun is still recovering from her kidnap and abuse from the previous year, Ji Won searches for the truth behind a lost memory, and Eun Jae is struggling with her first breakup. A new housemate, Eun, arrives after finding a threatening letter addressed to Belle Epoque.

Cast:

Han Ye Ri (Yoon Jin Myung)

Han Seung Yeon (Jung Ye Eun)

Park Eun Bin (Song Ji Won)

Ji Woo (Yoo Eun Jae)

Choi Ah Ra (Jo Eun)

Kim Min Suk (Seo Jang Hoon)

Son Seung Won (Im Sung Min)

Lee Yoo Jin (Kwon Ho Chang)

Ahn Woo Yeon (Heimdal)

Shin Hyun Soo (Yoon Jong Yeol)

General Thoughts:

I love Age of Youth! As soon as I’d finished watching the first season I was wanting a season 2, and now that I’ve finished Season 2 I want a season 3. It was nice to come back to the house and the housemates that we loved so much in the first season, and it’s good to see that not much has changed (though there ARE some noticeable big changes).

I missed you guys!

The second season really does feel like an exact continuation of the stories in the first, and that’s a big achievement considering how successful the first season was. While the two shows are delightfully similar (same pastel colours, same hint of dark mystery, same painfully realistic problems), the actual stories in season two managed to be vastly different. So while the show is a continuation of all the things we love from Season 1, it’s not a repetition.

It's kinda like being welcomed back home

Obviously Kang Unnie has departed the house so we have a whole new housemate to learn about, but the girls from last time are still growing and developing and having to face new challenges in their lives. The structure of the episodes was also a little different. Rather than having one girl take centre stage and narrate the episode, each of the stories were pretty evenly spread out in every episode, and each of the girls shared the narration. Despite this change in format, the individual stories actually felt much more individual than they did last year. At times I found myself missing the interactions we had between the girls previously as the stories this time around were much more event-based as apposed to character-based. I was actually happiest with how Yoon Sunbae’s arc went. It might have seemed a little strange to some, but I personally enjoyed it a lot. Yoon Sunbae was much more relaxed than she was last season, but still had her semi-prickly exterior, and was still the mother hen to the other girls.

With all her baby chicks

When the character descriptions were released for Season 2, I was sad that Chef wouldn’t be playing a major role, and thought that Yoon Sunbae was getting a new romance. It was a delight that Yoon Sunbae was still dating Chef, even if he was far away, and it made her Noona-Dongsaeng relationship with Heimdal really sweet to watch.

Dorky and kinda cringey- but still cute

I’m glad the show through in a few snippets that suggested that Yoon Sunbae might have been reminded of her younger brother when she looked at Heimdal, but regardless of if she did or didn’t she obviously felt some sort of responsibility towards him. Despite how much she wanted to not care, she just did. Heimdal didn’t have a lot in common with Yoon Sunbae- he was following his dreams and believed if he worked hard enough his effort would pay off. Perhaps Yoon Sunbae felt that way herself once, before she was saddled with debt and had to work any job she could just to survive. It was heartbreaking to watch Heimdal slowly realise that he would never achieve his dream of being a famous idol, but it was almost more heartbreaking for Yoon Sunbae to already know that and have to watch him discover that his dreams were just too out of reach and no amount of hard work or effort would get him there. Ji Won seemed to be making up for the lack of story she got last season, as her story this time around definitely got the most amount of screen time. Hers was the only story this season that had an air of mystery to it, and it was carried out quite well. The show dropped enough hints that by the end we were aware of what had happened without the show needing to blatantly spell it out for us.

The saddest of the 'Age of Youth' stories so far

My favourite part of the mystery was less about the actual events and more about the character responses to the event. Once it became clear what had happened between the two young girls and the art teacher, it became less important what the exact details were and much more important how Hyo Jin and Ji Won reacted.

Sherlock Song and her adorable Watson 

I appreciated that Hyo Jin didn’t hold too much resentment towards Ji Won for what had happened, and that in the end it was about gaining closure and revealing the art teacher’s crimes rather than about revenge. It’s a tricky topic to navigate smoothly, but the writers did an excellent job at keeping the yuck-factor to a minimum while dealing with the fallout of the situation, and I think a lot of that was due to revealing just the right amount of information and of that information just the right amount in flash-back form. I much preferred gathering an idea of what happened from hearing Ji Won discuss things with others rather than seeing an overload of flashbacks with a creepy teacher and a young girl. Ji Won’s reactions to her discoveries were always perfect and fit in well with how her character had been developed previously. She latched onto the mystery as soon as there was a mystery to latch on to, but she didn’t shy away from what she was uncovering. Ji Won was ready and willing to accept any responsibility and/or punishment for any wrong she might have caused Hyo Jin- as was evident in the hostage situation.

So much of Ji Won's personality got explored this time around

She was scared and shocked, but she never backed away from her involvement with the incident, which was so in line with everything we knew about her character. Despite the fact that most of what she was going through was something personal and individual, I adored the friendship and support that Sung Min offered her. Their interactions and hilarious banter quickly became a highlight of the show (after being offered so little of it in Season 1), and no time spent with the two was wasted time. Though I do wish that they’d actually got together on screen rather than just having it being heavily hinted at. Again.

Just kiss already!

Ye Eun’s story picked up pretty much exactly where we left off in Season 1. I appreciated that her story really revolved around her anxiety and other issues caused by her violent boyfriend the year before. I was glad that the show was very realistically addressing her mental health issues and gave her a nice, steady progression throughout the series.

Never before has a taser been so sweet and sincere a gift

It was satisfying and rewarding to see Ye Eun start to come out of her shell again, but it had an air of realism in the few steps back along the way. While her progression was steady, it wasn’t smooth at all. There were moments when Ye Eun became more fearful and there were situations that would set her into overdrive. The show defiantly didn’t suggest that there was a quick-fix to her trauma, and was actually hinting more that this was something that would always stay with Ye Eun and something that she would have to learn to deal with rather than ‘fix’. I also appreciated that the show didn’t just throw another man at her to fix the problem. It would have been easy to give her a strong, confident, capable man and say ‘there, now she feels safe’. Instead it was satisfying to have Ye Eun make those steps towards feeling confident and safe on her own. Ho Chang was a great partner to help Ye Eun help herself. As a victim of bullying himself he could sympathise with her and offer slight assistance, but he never forced Ye Eun out of her comfort zone, nor did he suggest that he would be able to keep her safe. It was a cute and sweet romance that never once suggested that Ye Eun needed to rely on Ho Chan for safety or anything else.

She relied on him because she wanted to, not because she needed to

Unfortunately, this time around I found Eun Jae’s story a little exasperating. I really loved her Sunbae romance last year, so I was pretty disappointed when I read in the character descriptions that they’d broken up. At the start, Eun Jae’s obsession with her ex was mildly annoying, and she herself became a smidge irritating. It was all just a little unclear where the show was trying to take her story.

Sorry Eun Jae...you just...weren't as fun as you were last season

For a long time there I thought she was going to get her ex back in the end. Once it became clear that the story was actually more about Eun Jae realising her mistakes and having to let go and move on, I was much more interested and much more sympathetic towards her character. Because getting over a heartbreaking first breakup is much more interesting than watching a girl try and win back a guy she dumped herself. Finally, we arrive at Eun. Last season we came into the house with Eun Jae and learned all about the housemates through her, so it was a nice parallel to have us learning about the new girl through our old housemates. On paper Eun’s story is pretty simple, but it still managed to have its interesting aspects. Thankfully, her story left behind the mystery of the revenge letter pretty early on in order to focus on her own issues. When I think about it, not a lot actually happened, but it was interesting enough to watch Eun, who had become so protective of herself over the course of parents’ separation, slowly start to open up towards Jang Hoon. As enjoyable as her relationship development was with Jang Hoon, I do wish that her female friend had been phased out a bit earlier.

Get rid of her. Like now.

Overall I liked the commentary on their relationship and how having to let go of that toxic friendship was still hard for Eun (as they’d been so close for so long), but I just found the friend so freaking annoying. She was just the worst. I didn’t find her cute and I didn’t find her fun, and she actually sucked a lot of enjoyment of of Eun’s story arc for me personally. Acting-wise everyone was pretty good.

And Min Sukie is even wearing his high shoes

The three girls from last season were all splendid and slid perfectly back into their roles. They felt exactly like they did last yer, but were still able to show how their characters had changed and how they were continuing to develop. Choi Ah Ra was pretty good most of the time, but sometimes I did feel like she got outshone a bit by the other actresses. She was very good at acting the awkward, soft-on-the-inside-hard-on-the-outside sort of character, but I think she struggled a little when it came to portraying Eun’s increasing comfort around the other characters. Ji Woo really had the hardest job of all as she was coming into a character that had already been so loved and so well received when played by a different actress. Overall, she did an excellent job. If given a choice I defiantly would have loved to have Park Hye Soo resume her role as Eun Jae (as she was one of my favourites from Season 1), but Ji Woo did wonderfully at making the actress change as unnoticeable as possible. Her take on Eun Jae was enjoyable and sweet, and she really could have played Eun Jae in Season 1 to the same success that Park Hye Soo had. It’s just so difficult when a show has to recast a character- for both the actress and the viewers.

An excellent job at a difficult task

The boys were all excellent, no questions asked. Kim Min Suk has been a favourite of mine since his ‘Shut Up Flower Boy Band’ days and I adore him in everything he’s been in. Cute, funny roles suit him well (though he can bring the heavy emotion too when called for), and he was undeniably sweet in this series.

Delightfully dorky

It was hilarious to have his height be incorporated into the show’s humour, especially when paired with Choi Ah Ra’s height. It was an unconventional, but still delightful pairing. Ahn Woo Yeon was excellent as the unpopular idol, and I really felt for him when his story arc came to the more emotional moments. He could play the optimistic dreamer well, but it was his moments of grief for his lost dream where he really got me. I was a little disappointed when Onew lost his chance to star in this show due to a rather unfortunate and over-exaggerated scandal, but I completely forgot about him (sorry, Onew) once Lee Yoo Jin made his appearance. He was hilariously endearing as the quirky nerd, and he absolutely nailed all of Ho Chan’s odd, nervous habits and made them look completely natural. And of course Son Seung Won was perfect- when is he not? Thankfully he got much more screen time than he got last season, so he was really given space to sparkle. Not to mention his chemistry with Park Eun Bin is just ridiculously addictive.  

If we're all being real- this is what we came for

What Was Great:

The Girls:

The stories are all fun and are all enjoyable to watch. Season 2 returns with a familiar every-day vibe even when the events aren’t all that every-day. Each of the girls have their own problems to face and each of them deal with their issues in very unique ways. Much of the success of the series comes from how different these girls are and how well developed and structured their characters are.

I love our girl gang

When you consider how often leading heroines feel the same as each other, it really is a marvellous achievement to populate a K-Drama with unique, distinct female characters that have their own identities. Yoon Sunbae would never react to a situation the same way that Ji Won would, and that is clearly showcased in the series. Each character is entirely her own, and there’s no overlap in the house. 

The Guys:

One of my longstanding favourite aspects of ‘Age of Youth’ is how secondary the men are to the girls. It’s not saying that they’re unimportant (because they’re not),

I also love the lads

but the story really focuses on the girls themselves rather than the romance, which is kind of refreshing. In saying that, the boys are are still excellent characters. One of the show’s strengths is having these completely capable, wonderful girls open up and share experiences with these completely capable, wonderful men. Rather than focusing on the romance in the situations, the show really focuses on the relationships- there may be romance involved or there may not be. Similarly to the girls, each of the boys is a fully developed and nicely constructed character. Each of them have their own past and histories, and their own hopes and goals for the future. Jang Hoon’s feelings about his approaching enlistment were particularly interesting as a foreigner watching, as I have really had no experience with that issue before, and I’ve not watched a lot of K-Dramas that present army enlistment as an issue. I also enjoyed how, as the landlord, Jang Hoon was a little bit involved with each of the girls. Previously each of the boys were only really around the girl whose story they were a part of, but Season 2 did a pretty good job at bringing the boys and the girls together. It wasn’t only Jang Hoon, but the other boys also came along for some more group moments- such as apple picking. It was enjoyable to see our boys interacting with each other as well as with the girls, and really made the individual stories feel as though they were part of a greater whole.

Even Chef made an appearance!

What Wasn’t:

No Closure:

I understood the lack of closure in Season 1 as it was clear the writers were angling for a Season 2, but the lack of closure this time around was a little unsatisfying- second seasons are rare, and third ever rarer. I still feel like we never made it to the bottom of Ji Won’s story.

So...so close...

Yes, we discovered what had happened with her and Hyo Jin and had a pretty good understanding that Ji Won would be successful in her trial after another victim stepped forward, but I would have liked to see that play out a little more. And then the biggest disappointment is that she never actually starts dating Sung Min. This is a relationship that has been hinted at since Season 1, and while their interactions as friends is cute and fun in its own way, I really was waiting for them to express their feelings. Ji Won admitted that she thought of Sung Min as more than a friend and Sung Min even went as far as saying he was interested in Ji Won- but then nothing happened! We’ve been waiting two seasons to see these two finally admit that they liked each other, only to have it NOT HAPPEN. I need Season 3 just to see who cracks and confesses first. I also felt there was a little more to explore with Eun and her parents. Seeing her hatred towards her father and his new family start to fade was a good start, but I really wanted to see Eun stand up to her mother.

There's still more Eun to unveil

Her mother has been a hurtful presence in Eun’s life, telling her that she was abandoned by her father and constantly bringing her down (Eun’s short hair being a constant reminder of that), and I thought the show really needed a moment where Eun stood up for herself. Acknowledging that her friendship with Ye Ji had become unhealthy and hurtful was a good place to start, but being the new addition to the house I kind of wanted a little more development for Eun.

Recommend?

Of course! It’s a very similar style as the first instalment of ‘Age of Youth’ and I got just about as much enjoyment out of it. If you liked the first season, you’ll like the second.

Here's to Season 3!