Youth of May (2021)

Grata Surpresa...

Youth of May foi uma grata surpresa entre os dramas que estrearam este ano. Com um bom ritmo e história interessante os episódios passavam voando que eu nem percebia. Cheguei a ter de novo uma pontinha daquele sentimento que Mr. Sunshine me deu, um mix de ansiedade e uma certa aflição por pensar o que esperava os protagonistas nos próximos episódios, não era fácil aguardar uma semana pelo próximo episódio.

Tenho um interesse particular pelos anos 80, este K-drama fez um belíssimo trabalho com o figurino e fotografia. O quarteto de protagonistas (dos quais três eu ainda não conhecia) fizeram um esplêndido trabalho, ótimas atuações.

A Coreia tem uma história bem conturbada e difícil, quanto ao período histórico em que a trama se passa eu gostaria de conhecer mais para ter uma visão ampla do ocorrido, se for minimamente parecido com o período do Regime Militar no Brasil existe muito mais coisas para serem analisadas.
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Quanto ao romance, foi muito muito bom e fácil torcer por eles. Hee Tae agora ocupa um lugar muito especial na minha lista de personagens memoráveis, um amorzinho.

Resumindo: Foi ótimo acompanhar Youth of May, me despeço com um aperto no coração. Apesar de esperar o final, acho que o desfecho poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvido. Mesmo assim continua sendo um drama super recomendável.
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If you've watch Scarlet Heart Ryeo, then this drama is for you

I looked forward to this drama because 1) It's Lee Do Hyun's drama and he became one of my favorite actors after watching his performances in 18 Again and Sweet Home 2) This is Lee Do Hyun's and Go Min Si's second drama together but this time as a couple. The synopsis itself is very intriguing since it is set during the Gwangju uprising.

Youth of May, more like the heartbreaking, tearjerking, and bittersweet Romance of May. Even though I bawled my eyes through the second part of the drama, the couple's story was beautifully laid out. It's a bittersweet old-school love story. It can make you laugh, cry, fluttery, pained, but also you'll be able to feel the innocence and sincerity of their tragic, romantic relationship.

Lee Do Hyun has proven once again that he's a humble and very promising actor of his generation. Go Min Si's role is definitely a breath of fresh air from what she has played in the past. She has been really great at playing the bitchy, mean female lead but she showed us a completely different character in this drama. She was a hardworking, strong-willed, and family-centered woman. Their chemistry was through the roofs, especially if you account for the fact that they played the role of siblings in 'Sweet Home.'

This drama has a special place in my heart and it belongs in my list of dramas that would make you cry e.g. 18 Again, Hi Bye Mama, Scarlet Heart Ryeo. It left me thinking about different "what-if scenarios," and it's the best example of "right person, but at the wrong place and at the wrong time." If you're looking for a drama that is similar to Scarlet Heart Ryeo, then this is the drama for you. In conclusion, don't be dissuaded by the possible sad ending, dive in bring some tissues, and hope you enjoy this drama as much as I did.

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I am not typically into heavy melodrama, unless I count those teenage years of watching British shows about royals, or those childhood days of watching Hong Kong drama series about corrupt cops and dishonorable politicians. But Youth of May was a surprising pick that brought up memories of Martial Law when I was living in my home country. While my experience with martial law pales in comparison to the martial law imposed during the Gwangju uprising, this drama certainly puts into perspective how people have suffered and sacrificed their lives in the fight for democracy.

The drama starts with the discovery of the remains of one of the victims of that fateful event in 1980, but we don’t know who had died. It could be any of the characters the drama will introduce later, except we know that a broken pocket watch was found along with the ruined corpse, and that watch could belong to anyone. So there will be death, we’re almost sure of that, and it would not be pretty.

Then the show takes us back to the days before the uprising, when innocence and love can still bloom despite the political oppression surrounding the area. The chance meeting of a nurse and a medical student turns out to be destined, as fate later brings Hee Tae and Myung Hee together when the latter’s bestie asks her to stand-in as proxy for her blind date with the son of the Head of the Anti-Communist Investigation. This arranged date was supposed to bring the two families together as political allies, with the Hwangs gaining a rich businessman as an in-law and their resources to facilitate the government, while the Lees try to take advantage of political clout to release Soo Ryun and her friends from being incarcerated.

But of course, the activism in Soo Ryun doesn’t allow her to collude with the opposition as she and her friends regard Hee Tae’s father as no more than a government lackey intent on suppressing the democratic freedom of its people. At first, it was funny how Soo Ryun coaches her best friend on how to be rejected by a suitor, but all the tricks and tips Myung Hee deployed did not prevent Hee Tae from wanting to see her again. Although Myung Hee does not seem to mind the affections bestowed upon her, she realizes that she cannot entertain these feelings as she plans to leave the country in a few weeks.

Undeterred, Hee Tae launches an all-out charm offensive, despite his father’s warnings, and pleads with Myung Hee to take a chance on him, even if it’s momentary. The chemistry between Myung Hee and Hee Tae is palpable on screen. Lee Do Hyun’s playfulness balances out Go Min Si’s wistfulness, and they are certainly better matched than Lee Do Hyun with Song Hye Kyo (that romantic pairing as dry as a flatbread). Both leads brought their A-game to this drama and carried so much weight that their characters, despite their flaws, are humanized. The rest of the cast also bring life and color to their respective roles, even the actor portraying the hated Ki Nam who lords over the city, or the actors playing Soo Chan and Soo Ryun who were grappling with the dilemma that their protected status almost exempts them from further investigation, while the poor suffers injustice.

The cinematography and fashion are on point as it paints the 80s cultural vibe against a political backdrop, where they separate the haves and have-nots. The pacing of the plot also sets the urgency of living in the moment when they still can and while Hee Tae and Myung Hee navigate their feelings for each other, they are faced with the reality of the struggles happening around them. Their personal choices on continuing with their star-crossed romance hinge on the plight of their friends and the citizens of Gwangju. Whereas Hee Tae wants to hightail out of the city at the first real sign of political trouble, Myung Hee feels obligated to stay and help those who are victimized by the soldiers.

Although I should commend Myung Hee’s compassionate nature, I sometimes got irritated at her reluctance to leave that put herself and Hee Tae in dangerous situations. Following in her footsteps is her brother who also decides it was a good idea to bolt when he feels like it and causing his sister grief. If only he stayed in place where he should, Myung Hee wouldn’t have gone and tried to save him more than once. Their father is no better, with his attempts to cross military zones and roads that have been closed due to volatile circumstances. Everyone seems to be trying to be a hero and recklessly go into perilous situations that can be avoided.

I understand that cowering and hiding inside your own house is not the solution either, nor I am suggesting that the government at the time had the right to impose martial law or that the soldiers are justified in beating innocent people senseless just because they look like students who are about to protest, but when the situation calls for you staying inside your house for your own safety, I don’t see why you would go out of your way to incur danger.

So kudos to those who are brave enough to die for their beliefs; without them, there will be no calls for change. And Youth of May serves as a reminder that those who came before us paved the way for a better future.

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No other word than beautiful

Both leads complimented each other so perfectly that it made this story so incredibly real. Lee Do-Hyun and Go Min-si delivered nothing short of a remarkable performance. Do-Hyun captured the many layers of playful and intellectual Hee-tae's soul, while also showing his vulnerability. Min-si who played Kim Myung-hee was also portrayed with the perfect balance of finesse and grit. It allowed her to feel connected to the viewers who are watching Myung-hee's stuggles. Every cast member left an impression, delivering strong performances that only added to the experience. The music always matched and complimented what has happening on screen perfectly. Prior to this, I had not heard of the Gwangju Uprising. They did not shy away from showing different realities of during this time but also honored them. Overall, this is a drama that has resonated with me even 2 years after originally watching it. I believe it is a must-watch, an art that I think everyone should experience.

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Hermosa historia de amor en tiempos de caos.

Para mi ha sido un 10/10.
Me ha gustado todo: cuando se conocen y ella se hace pasar por la amiga ??... y aún así él se acaba enamorando de ella y deciden luchar para estar juntos.También amé el papel de la amiga y su minihistoria con el policía. ?‍♂️
La relación de ellas ?? y saber que nunca tendré una amistad como esta ? y la amistad de los hermanitos y que el hermano de ella encontrara ese "algo" más importante cuando se hizo adulto (se hizo sacerdote)
Me parece muy acertado que en el futuro los actores ya de adultos se transformaran en jóvenes, eso lo hace demasiado emotivo. ? Lo único que no me gustó es que me spoilee el final ? antes de empezarla.
Él la esperó durante 41 años ? demasiado impactante, lo único que no entiendo es porque pusieron a un actor tan joven para hacer de su version adulta (el personaje debería tener 67 y el actor tiene 45)

Y no, no me costó shippear a los protas aunque los haya visto como hermanos en Sweet Home jsjs ?

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minha alma saiu do corpo

confesso que comecei a assistir Youth of May só por causa dos trailers fofinhos dos protagonistas, sem ler direito a sinopse do dorama e sem saber que ele se passava numa época tão conturbada da história da Coreia, não sabia que era um melodrama também, caso contrário eu não teria tido tanto interesse pra assistir....
eu não lembro de ter chorado tanto num dorama como chorei em Youth of May, de 12 episódios os únicos que não chorei foram os 2 primeiros que eram introdutivos e não dava pra saber a desgraça que tava vindo.... minha gente pra assistir esse dorama tem que ter nervo viu... é uma montanha russas de emoções em uma hora você tá feliz com as cenas dos protagonistas e poucos minutos depois você tá chorando pq deu algo de errado. as emoções que os atores passam são extremamente sinceras e tocantes, impossível não se comover com a história desses dois, aliás com a história em geral do dorama que é retratando um acontecimento histórico que deixou tantas vitimas... a parte histórica do dorama é MUITO interessante eu só ficava receosa a todo momento com medo de algo acontecer com os protagonistas, os cenários são lindos, a fotografia, o dorama é simplesmente lindo e magnifico, o amor entre os personagens embora tenha sido curto foi muito verdadeiro e se fez presente durante o resto da vida que o Hee Tae teve, uma obra prima!!
infelizmente não é todo mundo que tem a sensibilidade e informação suficientes (ou ignoram essas informações) pra entender o quão triste foram as ditaduras e os processos de busca pelo direitos, na reta final do dorama o Hye Gun sofreu o pão que o diabo amassou, foi torturado, se negou a "dedurar" os companheiros que estavam juntos com ele e no final, se sacrificou p/ o comando de defesa não machucar a família dele, Hye Gun não existiu apenas em Youth Of May, muitos jovens se sacrificaram por um bem maior, para que hoje tivéssemos o mínimo de liberdade que temos.. o mesmo caso com a Myeong Hee que morreu tragicamente na mão desses cretinos p/ salvar o irmão e o corpo ficou desaparecido durante DÉCADAS pq o próprio exército ordenava que tudo que pudesse identificar o morto fosse descartado do corpo dele... ainda hoje aqui no Brasil há corpos que não foram encontrados do período da ditadura, "pessoas desaparecidas", várias pessoas como a Myeong Hee que tinham pais, irmãos e que eram o amor de alguém, o dorama me deixou revoltada na maioria dos episódios pq toda vez que passa a cena dos protestos pacíficos e dos estudantes sendo agredidos e mortos automaticamente eu lembrava que isso não era tudo ficção, foi a realidade da Coreia do Brasil e de muitos outros países durante ANOS, e pra mim é inadmissível um líder (presidente da republica) como o do Brasil tratar esse período da história com tanto desdém e ainda os seus apoiadores defenderem a volta de uma época tão terrível como essa, então a dorameira que tem esse tipo de pensamento espero que pelo menos através desse dorama que não é só sobre amor, tenha aprendido a ter o mínimo de consciência da história que um dia também foi a do seu país, e de brasileiros, que assim como os estudantes de Gwangju, também tiveram seus direitos pisoteados e suas vidas perdidas.
não lembro também de um protagonista que tenha sofrido mais do que a Myeong Hee, ela perdeu literalmente tudo que tinha de mais precioso: o sonho de estudar fora, o pai, por diversas vezes perdeu o amor da vida dela e no fim perdeu também própria vida, tudo que ela perdeu, perdeu injustamente porque foi mandado... não foi um acidente abrupto que tirou isso da vida dela, foram as próprias pessoas que em teoria deveriam proteger os cidadãos mas tiraram tudo deles.
sobre a Lee Soo Ryun eu me irritei muito com essa personagem, a priori o fato dela ser uma protestante me animou bastante, mas depois que eu vi que ela não assumia as consequências dos atos dela, deixando os outros sofrerem com algo que ela deveria se responsabilizar, me decepcionou muito... principalmente ela sendo egoísta com a Myeong Hee, que sempre tinha colocado ela em primeiro lugar e deixado de fazer as vontades dela pra fazer as da Soo Ryun, e a Soo Ryun não fazia o mínimo pela Myeong Hee... mas no final ela teve a redenção dela, embora ela fosse privilegiada e não precisasse estar em nenhum dos protestos ela mesmo assim ia de boa vontade, pq tinha os ideais dela e lutava pela conquista dos direitos que seriam usufruídos por todos, assim como o irmão dela que se uniu a ela nesses últimos episódios. ambos privilegiados, mas fizeram muito mais coisa do que outros jovens mimados por aí. a inteligência dela e o interesse por politica sempre me deixaram encantada, a personagem poderia ter sido desenvolvida de uma maneira diferente na metade do dorama, pq como eu disse ela só teve a redenção dela na reta final, então durante todo o dorama ela nada mais parecia ser do que uma pessoa hipócrita.
sério, a cena final desse dorama do Hee Tae escrevendo a carta acabou cmg... recomendo Youth of May pra qm tem emocional pra assistir pq eu tô saindo dele destrúida...

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Such a beautiful drama. (No direct spoilers but some things are implied)

Probably one of the most emotional dramas that I've watched, binge watched the entire thing... Such a beautifully sad story, it was so well written. My heart quite literally hurt watching this drama, cried a thousand rivers frfr. The acting was one of the best in the K-drama scene, which I expected from Dohyun cause he's such a great actor, didn't get to watch anything from Go Minsi but she was also a great actress. They had great chemistry, and their good acting made me feel everything they felt cause they just expressed it so well. All the characters played so well. Okay not gonna lie though, I did kinda drop the drama when I reached about 4 episodes, so it was a tiny bit boring for me at the beginning (Maybe just for me though), but I decided to complete and DAMNNNN.
I remember when I was secretly watching this in class my friend tried to warn me, she told me it was going to be SAAAD but I brushed it off and said it couldn't be that bad. But BRO T-T . Oh how wrong I was.

I would definitely recommend this but you will cry, I don't care how tough you think, you are you will cry. Even if you're not an emotional person this drama will turn you into one.

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Objectively good, subjectively devastating

If I were to rate this drama purely based on how good I think it is, it would easily get a 10/10. It is masterly crafted, a powerful story about an actual event told with incredible cinematography, acting and with lots and lots of heart. However, I rate based on enjoyment, not on how objectively good I think a drama is. And I did not enjoy this drama at all.

It starts out light enough, but it gets rough pretty quickly. I normally don't mind tragedy if at the end of it all I feel like I've gotten something out of it. That's not the case with this drama. I'm not usually a skipper, but I had to skip many scenes because I mentally could not handle watching it. It was suffering, upon suffering, upon suffering.

If you're interested in history, and don't mind watching a devastating drama, then I can definitely recommend this one to you. But what you'll get out of it is anxiety and worsened mental health. If that's a price you're willing to pay, then it's definitely worth it. I for one am probably going to watch some comedies now to purge this sorrow from my mind.

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Youth Of May does a fantastic job of bringing its story to life via our characters, their experiences, and their relationships.

A rollercoaster of emotions that’s not easy by any means, but that’s completely worthwhile. The leads were amazing and so were the supporting characters. I loved how they showcased different points of view; from the soldiers, police, college students as the protestors, nurses and doctors, and the commoners.

Youth Of May is both sweet and bright, and at times reminds of the traumatizing past in a subtle way. It probably might be the best underrated drama of 2021.


My Rating : 8/10

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Aquel mayo que quedó enjaulado

Sería difícil encasillar este drama en un solo género porque todas las capas que lo componen logran formar una historia que encuentra su valor en esa variedad de temas. La historia política y la lucha contra el abuso de poder se desarrolla a niveles que logra interesar al espectador sin llegar a abrumarlo, un balance que se intensifica con el correr de los episodios y que vuelve al drama una historia creíble y emocionante. Bajo esas condiciones se desenvuelve una historia de amor que brilla intensamente a pesar de su brevedad y que sufre las consecuencias de un contexto político donde prima el horror, donde la democracia peligra y que lo único que no pudo detener fue la elección de seguir adelante de los dos amantes.

El guion puede ser flojo en algunos momentos, aunque, desde un punto de vista general, construye una historia que se sostiene y se acompleja gradualmente. Lo que en un principio pareciera una historia repleta de clichés (falsa cita a ciegas, matrimonio arreglado, viaje próximo) pronto sorprende al sumar elementos políticos y familiares que vuelven el drama uno mucho más cautivador. Personalmente, tenía muchas ganas de ver el drama por confiar en otras reseñas, pero esa complejidad gradual podría ser un motivo por el que pudiera haber dejado de verlo al segundo episodio, es un arma de doble filo.

Me hubiera gustado conocer más sobre el gran villano ya que creo que se pierde un poco el motivo de su accionar, especialmente para aquellos que no sepan cómo funcionaban aquellos centros de inteligencia ilegales y tal vez no hayan logrado entender del todo la seriedad del asunto. También la historia de Heetae, como hijo extramatrimonial, podría haber sido explicada mejor desde su pasado porque, aunque el trato que se le da dentro de la casa alcanza para entender que no es querido en la familia, no me fue suficiente para comprender qué tan importante fue para él crecer allí. En general, hay algunos cabos sueltos en lo que respecta a la historia previa a la década del 1980 y eso es lo que me impide ponerle 10 estrellas.

Es una historia bonita, que no considero que sea para todo el mundo pero que, aun con el nivel de dramatismo que carga, es muy disfrutable y sin dudas voy a recordar por mucho tiempo.

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