Recently concluded KBS period romance and political drama Youth of May is only screenwriter Lee Kang‘s second full length drama, after Spy and also doing drama specials. I love love love male lead Lee Do Hyun but didn’t like the promos much and also feel rather bland towards female lead Go Min Si so I didn’t end up watching when the drama aired but now I may because I really like what the screenwriter said at the end of the series when interviewed. Spoilers after this. The story was always written that female lead Myung Hee was the dead body at the beginning of the drama, that she would die. The point was showing how even one death could have waves of impact on people around that person, and also show how in the progression of time and history people who survive and live must continue to walk forward. What is important is that the person lived, was not forgotten, and made an impact, but the point of the drama is to use a turbulent time to tell a story about love and loss and the strength to go on. The drama was loosely based on the novel Running in May and the screenwriter tried hard to be faithful to telling a story with consistency and integrity. With so many K-dramas going to pot on script this is really an admirable and meaningful thing to hear, that there are talented people in K-end not going for an easy sell.
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Although sad, I also thought this was the best ending and am glad the writer stuck to it despite many viewers who were watching for the romance wanting the happy ending. Of course, this drama is foremost a romance but their separation served a greater purpose in the narrative during this time period than a fairy tale ending ever would. FL’s unnecessary and lonely death made an impact on viewers and ML’s strength to move forward after years of suffering was encouraging in the epilogue, meanwhile the lasting guilt of the soldier was haunting.
I came in with the assurance that all actors casts on this drama can act, and I was proven right. And I gain greater appreciation for Goo Min Si as she REALLY can act. I especially like her confrontation with her dad in episode 5, she was really good in that scene.
Go Min Si really step up her games here. playing the most difficult character to play between the four leads because she is the most suffered and developed character. her range show around episode 6-7 i think. it’s might het most challenging roles yet. that’s might be a reason the ending has the most impact for each character who lived.
I also love the way the writers developed the love story. I’s been awhile I’m enjoying and feels romance in melodrama.
my only main grip is Oh Man Seok talent is so waste here. despite being the main villain, has little to show until the last 2 episode come.
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This post confirms to me that the predominantly female Kdrama fandom loves actors simply for existing (aka lust) and expects so much more of actresses. Go Min Si was phenomenal in this drama. What did you see her in before that you felt so lukewarm about her?
I always liked MinSi’s portrayal and her sassy performance in Love Alarm shined a lot. And in sweet home too. I dont see any reason to not feel good about her. Glad to know that there are still writers like one behind this youth of may. I noticed that some dramas always do fan service which leads to confusing story line and the plot going off the track. But I applaud this writer for the consistency… not many can do and maintain the flow of the story
I have no issue with the FL’s death but the sequence of events that caused her death was completely stupid. Her brother already lost his father in the same way but he didn’t learn anything after that? I really liked the actors but the writing and the directing weren’t so good for me.
I totally agree with you here. The storytelling how they all moved forward were nice but the cause didn’t make sense.
Go Min Si can act the sad scenes but I might be in the minority who didn’t feel her chemistry with Lee Do Hyun. Their kiss scenes was like kissing a wooden stick. She definitely had a difficult character to portray but she has a lot of room to grow and improve in the future.