Sometimes, I back away from a show because I’m not in the mood for it; sometimes, I back away from a show because I feel like it’s objectively not very good; sometimes, I back away from a show because I am convinced that the show just isn’t for me.

This is a case of Show just not being for me, my friends.

I’ve now watched 4 episodes out of Show’s total of 12, and I’ve decided to tap out of this one.

I know that there are folks who sincerely love this one (heck, I’d been convinced by the trailers, that I would be one of those people 😅), so just because this one’s not working for me, doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t work for you.

MY TRAJECTORY WITH THIS ONE

I loved Show’s dreamy, pretty trailers so much, that I was convinced that I would love it, once it aired, and I even committed to covering it on Patreon, after watching the first 2 episodes – even though I didn’t truly love those first 2 episodes.

It’s just, I thought that there was enough promise there, to stay with Show for a bit, and give it time to get into a groove that I could truly engage with.

Sadly, that was not to be.

After watching episodes 3 & 4, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is a show that I will not be able to love, no matter how hard I try.

I’ll explain what I mean, in a bit.

STUFF I LIKED

Show is very pretty to look at

I must acknowledge that Show is very, very prettily shot; every frame feels so lovingly composed, to bring out the maximum amount of Spring Pretty.

On this point, this feels like a suitable time to say that, with this show at least, I feel like I’m able to clearly divide the work of the cinematographer from that of the director.

Not that the directing is bad, to be clear; I just think that the cinematography sparkles a great deal, with every frame beautifully lit and composed. 🤩

It’s literally one of my favorite things about this show, as far as I’ve watched.

The high school timeline

The other thing that really grabbed me, is the high school backstory, which Show serves up, mostly in episode 2, in between the present day scenes.

Once the high school story really gets going in episode 2, I could feel myself growing more and more invested.

It’s partly the story, it’s true, but I have to admit that a lot of the credit goes to Nam Da Reum, who plays the younger version of our male lead, Sunwoo Hae.

I feel like I literally blinked, and Nam Da Reum’s suddenly all grown up now. Gone is the boyish innocence and the traces of baby fat on his face.

Instead, he looks lean and hungry, with cheekbones that look sharp enough to cut through glass, just about, and there’s a sad heaviness in his eyes, that is pitch perfect for everything that Sunwoo Hae has to go through.

[SPOILER ALERT]

Because, instead of being able to focus on his studies like most other high school kids, he has to fend for himself, and gets by, by taking on several part-time jobs, including ones that has him working through the night.

To make things even harder for him, his Deadbeat Dad (Jo Han Chul in another hapless role) leaves him with a little stepsister, Nu Ri, who’s not even related to him by blood – because the kid’s mom has upped and left, and can’t be reached.

With the additional responsibility of raising 4 year old Nu Ri, of course Hae would be even more burdened and worn out than ever – and I think that Nam Da Reum plays this perfectly. 🥲

I also really enjoyed watching the burgeoning connection between him and class president Je Yeon.

Ahhh. Young first love. 🥲🥲

It’s really lovely and sweet to see them get to know each other better, and for Je Yeon to draw Hae out of his shell, to try new things.

I also really like how Je Yeon just instinctively trusts Hae.

Even when all those rumors start swirling about how he’s been seen exiting a motel with a girl, Je Yeon trusts him implicitly, and goes to the motel street, not to see the truth for herself, but to bring him an energy drink, to encourage him.

I thought that was very sweet.

And then, as summer break arrives, it feels like such a precious pocket of happiness, that they’re able to take the day off, and even go to the beach, which Je Yeon astutely guesses Hae’s never done before, which is why she suggests it in the first place.

It all goes so well – until that record scratching moment, when Hae is confronted with the fact that there’s no future for them, because they’re on such different paths.

How mortifying and disappointing for Je Yeon, though, who’s just confessed her feelings for him and leaned in for a kiss. 🙈

And then, not much later, we have Hae basically pushing Je Yeon away for her own future, because she says that she can’t even study, because of him.

Sighh. What a sad way for things to have been left hanging between them.

No wonder we need to follow them in the present day, to see how they reconnect, yes?

[END SPOILER]

STUFF THAT WAS OK

The hints at a secondary loveline

Right from episode 1, Show hints that we will have a secondary OTP, played by Lee Joo Myung and Seo Ji Hoon.

As far as I’ve watched, we still don’t have their backstory spelled out for us, but I’m in-principle not opposed to this loveline, and would have liked it if Show had given this would-be couple a bit more screen time than what they get in episodes 1 through 4.

The hints at a bit of bromance [SPOILERS]

I was immediately intrigued by the casual reveal that we get, in episode 1, that Seok Ju and Hae are technically stepbrothers, because Seok Ju’s mom is married to Hae’s dad.

That instantly made me want a side of reluctant bromance between Hae and Seok Ju, because, as far as I’ve seen in Show’s first 4 episodes, Hae’s the one who keeps keeping Seok Ju at arm’s length.

Although, that doesn’t stop him from driving Seok Ju’s car without permission in episode 1, so I guess there are traces of real brotherhood in there? 😁

It’s little crumbs like this, that make me think that it would be great, if Show decided to lean into a bit of healing bromance between these two characters. 🥲

STUFF I WASN’T SO SURE ABOUT

The younger leads vs. the adult leads

One of my key reservations during my watch, was this: I was basically much more into the younger OTP than I was, with the present day OTP. 😅

To be honest, I didn’t feel like our adult OTP were the same people as our teenaged OTP.

Part of it could be just that exactly – in the years that have passed, they’ve grown into different people, and now is the time to get to know them, as they get to know each other, all over again.

Part of it, though, is also in the casting.

I did a bit of thinking about this, and if I could have my way, my fantasy casting, using our teenaged OTP as the standard, I’d cast Ji Chang Wook and Jin Ki Joo as our adult OTP.

I feel like there’s a bit of physical similarity between Nam Da Reum in this show, and Ji Chang Wook, and I also think that Ji Chang Wook can play lean and hungry nicely.

In contrast, Song Joong Ki has a soft, rounded-edged quality about him which is very different to the lean hungry quality that Nam Da Reum brings to the character of Hae.

And while it’s probably 100% true that the production had cast Song Joong Ki first, I just feel like Nam Da Reum’s lean and hungry portrayal aligns much better with Hae’s tough life, if you know what I mean.

As for Je Yeon, I find younger Je Yeon to have a soft warmth about her, which I find very charming and appealing.

On that point, I feel like Jin Ki Joo would be a better match, rather than Chun Woo Hee, who, to my eyes, has a colder, sharper-edged sort of screen presence.

Like I said, though, this is just my fantasy casting, and I’m fully aware that the production had cast Chun Woo Hee and Song Joong Ki first, and that they are doing their best with the roles they’ve been given.

The adult OTP connection

I have to admit that, based on the episodes I watched, I wasn’t entirely convinced of the chemistry between our adult OTP.

To be fair, chemistry is very subjective.

I might not see any chemistry, while someone else might see bucketloads of chemistry; it’s quite a mysterious and fascinating thing, that way.

I tried my best to see the chemistry between Song Joong Ki and Chun Woo Hee, and I’m sorry to say that I came up wanting. 😅

I was hopeful that as Hae and Je Yeon got reconnected, that we’d get to see their chemistry grow into something more sparky and tangible.

However, based on where we end episode 4, I’ve concluded that this OTP’s chemistry was just going to continue to elude me (more on that in a bit).

SAYING GOODBYE [SPOILERS]

Show spends a good chunk of episodes 3 & 4 nudging our OTP closer to each other, through various narrative beats, including Je Yeon comforting Hae with a hug, during a moment of anxiety.

The thing is, though, I realized that I was not able to attune myself to Show’s stride, in terms of developing our OTP connection.

When we end on an OTP kiss at the end of episode 4, I found myself feeling more surprised than anything else.

My instinctive reaction was more of, “Wait, how did we already get here?” rather than, “Swoooon.” 😅

Since this OTP kiss signals a legitimate shift in our OTP connection (ie, it’s not played as an accident, for example), I realized that I’m truly not in sync with Show, because, as far as I was concerned, based on what we’d been shown, I’d felt like we were still pretty far from actual OTP kisses. 🙈😅

It was after watching episode 4, which left me feeling rather bemused, that I decided to look up the writer for this show, and I belatedly realized that this show is written by the same writer who gave us “Run On.”

That is another show that you either click with, or you don’t – and I didn’t, even though I had watched the whole thing in earnest (review  is here!).

I therefore conclude that since I don’t seem to be able to get on this writer’s wavelength no matter how hard I try, that I would never love this show, much like I had never managed to love “Run On,” despite my efforts to “geddit” and despite it having many fans who adore it to bits.

And so, my standing theory is, if you loved “Run On,” there’s a good chance you’d like this one, but if you, like me, did not manage to enjoy “Run On,” then this one is probably not for you either.

PATREON UPDATE!

The next drama I’m covering on Patreon, in place of My Youth is Shin’s Project [Korea].

You can check out my episode 1-2 notes on Shin’s Project on Patreon here.

Here’s an overview of what I’m covering on Patreon right now (Tier benefits are cumulative)!

Foundation Tier (US$1): Entertainment Drop (Sundays) + the first set notes of all shows covered on Patreon (that’s 2 episodes for kdramas and 4 episodes for cdramas)

Early Access (US$5): +Shin’s Project [Korea]

Early Access Plus (US$10): +Legend of the Female General [China]

VIP (US$15): +Bon Appetit, Your Majesty [Korea]