But what to do, when meeting Hwang Hee Tae, our male protagonist, she finally decides to live.
That's the question I asked myself when I was introduced to the protagonists, especially Myung Hee who, for various reasons, is forced to give up her own future until finally the opportunity to leave for another place arises. Making you question what it means to live? Is a person who has given up on their dreams alive in some way or is they dying with each passing day? "Death" does not always refer to the body, but to dreams that are not lived, hopes that are dashed and reputations destroyed. For, against the background of the Gwangju massacre, Youth of May portrays the multiple deaths that can be experienced in traumatic events. I usually believe that art in general, including dramas, has a social function, which is to remember, even what we most want to forget, because even what causes us sadness is part of the stories we experience and it is of course, the stories that make up a country and its people.Īnd in Youth of May it is possible to identify this effort to revive the collective memory, mixing fictional aspects and others that go back to the often cruel reality. As a sociologist and someone from a country that went through two dictatorships, Youth of May, a drama that addresses one of the most tragic moments in South Korean history (which took place during a dictatorial period, it is important to emphasize) caught my attention. I would say, in conclusion, that even if you're wary of the possible sad ending, go for it because this drama is worth it. We had an evil father and an amazing father, both of the actors nailed it. The sml also held his own and had some awesome moments, The brothers were AWESOME! The kids stole the show. I have laughed and cried and ached and sympathized with all of their stories and I am going to carry them in my heart for a long time (I guess that's what happens with heavy dramas). It might be bold of me to say this but Lee Do Hyun outshined everyone on this show.īut that doesn't take away from the fact that this was one of the best cast ensembles we have had in a while. While 18 Again is the crowd-pleaser (and for good reason), I don't know why but none of his characters can steal your heart like Hee Tae. Lee Do Hyun has proved his versatility as an actor this year. It's old-fashioned and sincere and gives you a satisfying sense of nostalgia, even if you weren't alive during that time. It reminds you what it's like to be innocently in love. But even without it, Youth of May is a soothing love story. If you're aware of the political and social backdrop, you will probably enjoy it even more. It's a sweet old-school romance in the backdrop of harsh Gwangju Uprising. Poetry in motion Youth of May is definitely one of the biggest gems of 2021. ~ Based on real events of the Gwangju Uprising that happened in the city of Gwangju, South Korea, from May 18 to May 27, 1980. In May of 1980, amidst the heated passion and cries for democracy that reverberated throughout Gwangju, Hee Tae and Myung Hee find themselves in a twist of fate.
However, Myung Hee and Hee Tae end up falling in love. She only agrees to go to this meeting in place of her friend Soo Ryeon, because she needs to come up with the airfare to go study in Germany.
At this meeting, Hee Tae meets Myung Hee, a nurse persevering through the hardships of life. In exchange for the costs of discreetly transporting himself and the factory worker to his hometown, Hee Tae must go to a meeting with a potential marriage partner arranged by his father. One day, a factory worker is injured during a protest. His best friend Kyung Soo, an avid pro-democracy activist, insists that they open an illegal clinic for students on the run from the government. Hee Tae becomes the pride of Gwangju when he enters Seoul National University College of Medicine with top marks.