Age of youth season 2 review

This show is the perfect mix of light-hearted and dark, cheerful and depressing, hopeful and realistic. It’s a slice-of-life, comedy, and thriller all packed in one. Watching the show felt like I temporarily joined the girls as they stumbled about their messy day-to-day lives, but leaving the show I realized I came away with so many life lessons. To me, that’s the main draw of this show: its realistic depiction of life and all the lessons that perspective brings with it. This show feels like the less romance-centric and less family-focused little sister of Reply 1988. Paired with a bright spring colour palette and a super catchy opening/ending soundtrack, this show is a breezy but thought-provoking 14 episode ride.

PLOT

I’m always impressed when a show can make me both laugh and cry. I really appreciate the humour of this show – a lot of irony and breaking the 4th wall.

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I actually didn’t like episode 1 of Season 2 at first because it felt like filler, but my opinion was changed completely when I realized that the guest house they stayed at was Heimdallr’s family’s guest house. Full circle endings can be cliche, but this one was so unexpected it felt fresh.

I love the editing too, it really emphasizes the 4D of the show, as if we are in their world and living right alongside them. The ending scene with the interviews was really well-edited; the camera perspective worked really well in convincing us that we were another roommate they were sad to say goodbye to. It really does feel like we just joined in their lives for a little while.

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It’s been a while since I watched season 1, but the pacing was great throughout from what I remember. Season 2 drags a little towards the end in comparison since there are less overarching plot lines throughout.

Age of Youth focuses on a large cast, so throughout the show we get many separate story lines happening at the same time. I loved that as the pace lulls in one story line, the focus is shifted to another. The shifting perspectives kept the show interesting. It’s also nice not having to focus on one long drawn-out story for 16 episodes.

Also, props to this little show for exploring some HEAVY topics that most dramas wouldn’t dare to even touch. I love how, through it all, Show never loses its touch of lightness and hope. There are tragedies, but everything is taken in stride.

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I loved the decision to make the funeral scene a funny scene in Season 1. The story line involving Jinmyung’s mom was incredibly moving. From the first scene when we see her, we can see the ending. It was like watching a train wreck in motion. You knew what was coming, but the disbelief did not disappear until it actually happened. No one was blameless in this drama, but you could not hate anyone for it.

I also really liked the separation between the prior to near-death experience and following near-death experience portions of Season 2. I really appreciated how our main characters pondered over their lives and acted a little differently because of that experience. But it was also realistic to find that it often didn’t change anything in the end. Ye-eun finally spoke up in front of her family, but everybody ignored her because they didn’t actually want her to speak up when they asked her to. Eunjae deciding to chase after Jongyeol was what helped her finally get closure.

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MESSAGES

As I mentioned, the realism in the writing of this show is what I love most. And that realistic writing allows for some very impactful life lessons and messages. In general, each episode has a theme or message, with the multiple story lines all connecting to the overarching theme in some manner. By the end of the episode, you see it all come together. A stretch of narration summarizes the theme and raises thought-provoking questions for the viewers. I personally love those segments because encourage me to reflect on the episode. This show encourages you to be an active viewer, rather than a passive one.

Often, each story line presents a different perspective on the same message, and it’s always humbling to recognize that you cannot pass judgement on any of the characters. Each perspective makes sense, even if they contradict each other. Each character is the main character of his or her own life. There is no black and white in this world. It’s a world filled with many vibrant colours. Is red good? Is red the colour of love or the colour of blood? Or maybe it’s both. After all, human lives are filled with both love and blood.

Hard Work

It’s so heartbreakingly raw and real to see people give up on their dreams because life isn’t fair. One of the major themes throughout Season 2 was the reality that hard work isn’t always enough. However, Show never loses its undercurrent of hope. It showcases that failure isn’t something to be afraid of. Even if hard work does not bring success, it brings peace of mind.

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The idol arc hit especially hard for me because I got into kpop before I started watching kdramas. My first korean show was a survival show between two of my favourite groups. It was heartbreaking to see the one man protest, and it was realistic to see absolutely nothing happen because of it. You almost expect something to happen because of how desperately he’s trying. But in reality, a single man can’t defeat a big company just by protesting for a few days. It broke my heart to see the boy who was convinced he would become famous accept his fate and return to his family farm. It broke my heart to see the crowded stadium empty out as Asgard performed their final performance. But that’s life. Hard work and passion isn’t enough.

In love, too, hard work isn’t enough. We watched Eunjae try so hard to win back her ex only to get rejected. A relationship takes two; hard work from one side is not enough.

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Blame

The show examines many scenarios in which there is no clear case of blame. That’s, unfortunately, how the world works. “No one did the hurting, but a person was hurt.”

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In Heimdallr’s case, how is a company supposed to take responsibility for you if you keep losing them money? In Eunjae’s case, how is somebody who doesn’t like you supposed to date you? In either case, it was nobody’s fault.

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CHARACTERS

For me, the quality of a slice-of-life show is determined by the quality of its characters. Each character is incredibly distinct, and it shows by the way they clash sometimes. But they’re all also incredibly relatable. The viewer will definitely be able to see themselves in every single one of the main characters in some way.

I especially love how contradictory, yet cohesive, our characters are. They come alive in a way that one-dimensional characters who are there to fill a specific role do not. And I especially love how it all ties together. A single person is often composed of so many contradictory personality traits. And yet all those contradictory personality traits come from one backstory. No matter how contradictory, it somehow all makes sense.

Yoo Eunjae

The main character out of our main characters for the first season. She is definitely someone we can relate to, especially when she was first adjusting to the Belle Epoque shared house. Shy and naive, she can be judgmental because she never speaks up and voices her concerns. It’s eye-opening for us to join her on her journey of learning that she must speak up for others to know how she feels.

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Yoo Eujae and her ability to out-drink her grown ass boyfriend in episode 12 of Season 1 was hilarious. And yet you never forget that her love for drinking resulted from her past trauma – she’s not a social drinker, but an alcoholic.

I really appreciated Show’s exploration of Eunjae’s family dynamic. I can see how she turned out the way she did, with a mother who acts so childish in front of her daughter.

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Jung Ye-eun

A pink hamster – Eun once described her as that, and that is honestly the most apt description I can think of. She’s pretty, popular with guys, and from a rich household, but she has her own set of problems: an overbearing tiger mom and her fair share of obstacles throughout the show. Cheerful and friendly, but prone to gossiping and insecurity, she is probably the most normal college student out of the bunch.

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There is no real reason for her insecurity in Season 1. And yet that’s just how it is sometimes.

The contradiction lies in the fact that the most normal one, with a normal backstory and a normal personality, was involved in a kidnapping. Show really demonstrates how these horrifying tales we hear about in the media really happen to normal people just like us.

As for Dooyoung, we never do learn of his backstory and whether there’s a reason for his shittiness. After all, it doesn’t matter. Even if he had a tragic backstory, nothing could have justified his actions.

I found Ye-eun’s arc with her friends in Season 2 pretty interesting. I also absolutely adored Hochang too. I don’t think it was necessary to have them date, but I don’t think having them date took too much away from their relationship. Hochang’s just so cute that I wish they got more screen time even though their screen time was sufficient considering the depth of their story line.

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Song Jiwon

She’s the comedic relief of Season 1 and the focus of Season 2. This compulsive liar stole my heart immediately, despite having the least screen time in Season 1. A compulsive liar, sex maniac, and overall mess of a human being, she’s incredibly easy to love. Confident, strong, but a train wreck – that’s how I would describe her. She loves giving advice, despite having zero experience. Did I also mention she’s one half of my OTP?

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I love the contradiction between Jiwon’s compulsive lying and her dream to be a journalist – whose job is to tell the truth. I love how she’s so tactless yet the most knowing about everyone. I love how she’s so trustworthy yet such a liar. I also love how she’s daddy’s girl. That’s so unexpectedly expected of her, ya know?

I loved that Jiwon’s final lie of Season 1 was for good, so that Eunjae wouldn’t feel guilty. I love even more how the writers treated the ending, by informing the viewers of Jiwon’s lie. After all, life isn’t tidy like that. Maybe Eunjae did kill her dad. But we will never know. And somehow, that’s just the life that we must accept.

I’m really happy that Season 2 focused on Jiwon; she was definitely the most interesting character at the end of Season 1. Her reaction when she found a witness was really moving; that she had doubts in herself despite all her bravado.

A lot of people complained that the Jiwon and Sungmin thread wasn’t tied up, but I think it was treated perfectly. It didn’t seem like the right time and situation. It feels like Jiwon has already found her soulmate, and will just take a long time to make it official. Nothing has changed between them, and they were always this close, so I don’t see a need for them to make their relationship official. I totally see them bickering into their 30’s and finally getting married last.

Also Sungmin totally stole the show this season. That scene when he was playing soccer with the kids while Jiwon checked out the school? Absolutely adorable; my heart melted. How could you not fall for him after he showed up at Eunjae’s farm with a dozen bags of chicken just because he couldn’t reach Jiwon? “Is being a boyfriend better than being a friend?” Even his ending scene was golden. He starts off wise but then you realize he’s just a scaredy cat when he gets defensive. I loved that little nugget of comedy at the end.

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Yoon Jinmyung

Jinmyung is the character you pity. Working 6-7 hours a day in addition to school just so she can pay her rent. Respectable, but also a little uncaring because of that. She doesn’t have the time, after all, to pay attention to those around her. She only has enough space in her mind to worry about herself.

She’s a little too blunt, a little too insensitive, but that’s expected given the long hours she works everyday. Her hard work is commendable, but it requires sacrifices in other areas (like the social area) of her life. I like how she isn’t perfect; she’s only human. She, along with Kang-unni, grows the most throughout the show.

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I found the love line between Jinmyung and Park Jaewan a little disturbing, personally. I’m sure it was intended for us to believe that they had a lot more interactions off screen, but I just could not bring myself to accept that he could know her so well when he only saw her for a few hours each week. Especially when she was always too busy rushing around to say anything beyond hello to him. It felt like he was in love with the idea of her before he even knew her. It felt awkward how deeply in love with her he was.

However, I liked that Jaewan eventually stood up for his emotions and decided to leave if she kept distancing herself. She needed to let out her emotions, and he helped her do just that.

In Season 2, it was great to watch Jinmyung care for those around her now that her life has settled down. I loved her arc with Heimdallr. Their characters served as perfect foils for each other. I’m so glad it didn’t turn romantic; it truly felt perfect the way it was portrayed.

I also enjoyed the character of her coworker. There’s lessons to be learned, even through peripheral side characters. Her coworker was the epitome of a bystander. She would talk about fairness and justice in the privacy of the bathroom, but would never sacrifice her own skin or speak up in front of a crowd. A very thought-provoking character.

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Kang Yina

Kang-unni is a force to be reckoned with. She has the strongest personality out of the bunch, and was truly a joy to watch when she was on screen. Her story was one of the most captivating ones in Season 1, and I truly missed her in Season 2. She’s just so unique; no one can fill her spot.

Jo Eun

A Season 2 only character, I never quite grew to like her as much as most reviews do. Her story line definitely tackled an important issue that fit in very well with the vibe of the show, but I just never got invested in her character. She did have a pretty cute love line, though. And her unexpected love for idols was pretty funny. Many people come to like her, and I can definitely see why.

INTERACTIONS

Each character is relatable and somewhat interesting in their own respect, but it’s their interactions with each other that are the highlight of the show. Show takes a very unique approach to their interactions. They don’t portray same-gender friendships as perfect relationships. Instead, their clashing personalities raise conflicts. Each of the characters are flawed, and that makes their interactions all the more interesting. Because each character is human, sometimes they’re judgmental. The viewers, being privy to their inner thoughts, watch the characters overcome their preconceptions and grow.

I love that they explore the housemate dynamic. I’m sure I’m not alone in my experiences that living together often leads to conflict – even when it comes to your closest friends. Ultimately, our main characters are brought together by circumstance. I’m sure the initial awkwardness when Eunjae first moves in is incredibly relatable for many of us.

Like in real friendships, the characters are sometimes annoyed by each other. But through it all, they are always there for each other in times of need. It’s that support network that demonstrates how close they truly are, even when they’re outwardly arguing or inwardly fuming. Of course, Show doesn’t fail to show that adult friendships often come secondary. They are always supportive, but they each have their own lives and own worries.

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The rapport of Belle Epoque shines at the end of Season 1; when Eunjae told Jiwon she just wanted to be understood by one person, but her whole house showed her that she was understood by everyone.

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Props to the show for also demonstrating many imperfect and toxic relationships as well. I’m glad that Show decided to explore how it’s often so hard to walk away from toxic relationships. We witness multiple characters overcome the unhealthy relationships in their lives.

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Ye-eun is truly the victim when it comes to unhealthy relationships. I loved watching her overcome the trauma Dooyoung inflicted on her, stand up to her mother’s abuse, and cut off her closest friend who betrayed her.

A really interesting dynamic was also explored through the 12 year friendship between Eun and An Yeji. It was an inevitable ending, I think, considering the toxic inter-dependency their relationship induced.

Although I wouldn’t call Eunjae’s first love toxic, it definitely was not a healthy relationship. He won over her heart when he was head-over-heels in love with her, but left it out to dry as soon as his feelings changed. It wasn’t his fault, but it was definitely a common and heart-breaking scenario that I’m sure many girls are familiar with.

“I thought we wouldn’t change. I thought as long as we had each other, it would be enough. Who was the bad one? Is it the one who changed? Or is it the one who couldn’t?” With this thought-provoking monologue, Show reminded us that, often, no one is to blame when a relationship ends. We saw from the perspective of the one who changed through Eun, and we saw from the perspective of the one who couldn’t through Eunjae in their respective relationships.

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THOUGHTS ON SEASON 2 EUNJAE

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How can I review Age of Youth 2 without discussing the new Eunjae? In terms of both actress and writing. I personally could not get used to the actress change, even by the end. The voice was okay, but she just smiled too big all the time for me. Eunjae was always pretty introverted, so her actions were subdued, but the new Eunjae expressed everything too easily and too often. Of course, I’m just glad to have a Season 2, so I can’t complain too much.

A lot of people disagreed with the writing here, and I can understand where they’re coming from. Eunjae’s personality completely changed, but by the end of the show it was back to normal and I can attribute it to the breakup. After all, your first breakup does drive you a little crazy. I actually really liked when she was super forward with her advances. I think she needed that character development. She was always hesitant to take the initiative, but if you truly want something you need to go out there and try your best to get it. And I like that she was able to come to terms with her breakup after she tried her best and still failed. The only part that really bothered me about her arc was how she acted during her final breakup; it’s true, she was pathetic and she even made Jongyeol pathetic. It was quite hard to watch.

Seeing from Eunjae’s perspective was very enlightening. How can we care so much and pay so much attention to someone who isn’t paying any attention to us at all? And how we can read so much into his every careless action? He never actually shows anything, but we can read so much if we try. And all those flashbacks hit very close to home. Someone can be so smitten with you, and yet it can fade so fast. Things can change so much. And the past is useless. If he likes you he would send you home. If he likes you, you would know. You would not be reading every single sign. I liked that it showed how he can get confused and text her while drunk – and it can mean absolutely nothing. The early part of the breakup scene was perfect; her crying, and him being a nice guy and thinking to offer her tissues before realizing that he shouldn’t. He was just a nice guy. But those always hurt the most.

I think a breakup was a very fitting ending for these two. However, including the actual story of him drifting and her breaking up as the beginning of her arc would have made more sense for the viewers. I appreciated the realistic portrayal of a guy who, at first seems perfect, but later turns 180. I felt the confusion and shock Eunjae must have felt, when he changed from the one who chased after her first to someone who didn’t care at all. I think it was good to see this side of Jongyeol, rather than the almost unrealistic side we saw in Season 1.

I think it’s a really relatable story for most girls; I have definitely met guys like him – nice guys who follow their emotions blindly and hurt others unintentionally. Watching their cute moments and seeing it all come down to nothing reminded me of the experiences that I’ve had. We have to remember in our own real relationships that the memories, no matter how good, all mean nothing. Ye-eun’s relationship didn’t reflect that because Dooyoung was always a jerk. But Eunjae’s really did because Jongyeol was truly a nice guy that loved her at first. And ultimately, he just changed his mind. That’s life.

The ending of Eunjae’s arc was very heartwarming. It was uplifting to watch Eunjae stop obsessing over beating Jongyeol in getting someone new. She recognized that she wasn’t over him and she didn’t want someone new at the moment – healthy self-reflective behaviour. And I love the little teaser they give us of the new guy who’s patiently waiting for her to heal.

Overall, I think more time should have been invested in pre-breakup and less time in post-breakup, but the plot itself was well thought-out. I’m being understanding of the writers here too; they didn’t have much content to work with in Season 2 with regards to Eunjae. Her entire story was fleshed out in Season 1.

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CONCLUSION

A realistic yet hopeful perspective of the world, with experiences and emotions that are familiar to many of us from our own twenties. A lighthearted little gem that surprises us with its depth, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fluffy or thought-provoking watch.

Why did Yoo Eun Jae change in Season 2?

Park Hye-soo was also supposed to be part of the main cast, but due to a scheduling conflict, she stepped down from the role. Unlike Ryu Hwa-young, this happened late into pre-production and it was decided that another actress would play her character Yoo Eun-jae; Ji Woo was cast.

Is Age of Youth worth watching?

"Age of Youth" or the Netflix title of "Hello, My Twenties" is a charming, funny, fresh, and often addictive show to get into. I was disappointed to see that Netflix only had Season 1 available. Yes, that is how much I enjoyed it! I wanted to keep watching!

Is Hello My Twenties Season 2 worth watching?

For people who watched season 1, season 2 is a piece of cake. We have seen five university girls' lives in season 1 who live together at Belle Epoque, but this season is a little different from season 1 as a new girl comes to live with them and new stories begin in their lives.

Where can I watch Hello My Twenties Season 1?

Streaming, rent, or buy Hello, My Twenties! – Season 1: Currently you are able to watch "Hello, My Twenties! - Season 1" streaming on Netflix, Rakuten Viki, Netflix basic with Ads or for free with ads on Rakuten Viki.