I discovered a world that was deep, rich, full of sincerity, full of life, real and grounded people and stories. When the last episode played, I sat there in awe of the show I had just watched, that I had lived. I watched the credits roll and felt my heart swell and sighed in a mixture of contentment and sadness that it was over. This show was so different than any drama I've watched, it existed in a completely different galaxy. It was a true slice of life show. If you like that sort of genre in Western TV then you absolutely need to watch Age of Youth. The story revolves around five young women and the people in their lives. Each girl is so vibrantly different from the other, and yet, extremely relatable. They are faced with real life problems of women in their twenties. Things that any one of us could be forced to deal with in our real lives. Perhaps that is what I loved the most, I found something in each of their stories that I could identify with.
If I wasn't still emotionally caught up in the lives of my five girls, I'd start watching this again right away. But my heart and soul need time to handle how I feel for this show before I can watch it again. I'm not usually one for re-watching a drama. In fact, in all the years I've been watching dramas I have only re-watched one. However, I think I'll probably watch this one a few times more. As I sit here after finishing the last episode, I am just filled with so many feelings and emotions. Such a beautiful ride and yet I feel lonely now that I'm done with it. I don't think I will be able to bring myself to watch anything else today.
If my fangirling hasn’t convinced you, please let me give you my top five reasons to watch Age of Youth!
1 The Sisterhoods and Friendships
Perhaps my most favorite part about this drama was the relationships between the girls. When we enter the show, four of them are already friendly; Ji Myung, Yi Na, Ji Won, and Ye Eun. However, none of them seem particularly close. Well, Ji Won and Ye Eun seem to have a tentative friendship going, probably because Ji Won forced it to happen. When Eun Jae enters the house, things start to happen in all of the lives of the girls. These events start to force them to interact as friends and not just housemates. As these relationships build and evolve and change we can see them open their hearts to one another. As their bonds grow and their feelings for one another change and deepen, it adds a whole level of realness to the show that a lot of dramas miss the mark on. Their friendship and sisterly love for one another made me so happy. I loved being on that journey with them. Seeing them form this friendship was so wonderful and beautiful!
2 The Main Characters
It wasn't just the girls that were written extremely well. Everyone was given at least a small backstory, enough that you could start to invest your feelings into them. I could totally see some part of myself in the girls too, which added to my love for the show. Most of the characters were complex and interesting, which made me curious about the rest of their lives.
3 The Supporting Cast
All of the characters in this show were given enough story outside of what was happening on screen that it made them enhance the show wonderfully well. Each love interest for our crew were different and brought out different emotions in me. However, it was more than just the love interests. The landlady was a glorious woman who I would want to just have coffee with and let her shower me with wisdom. The families and coworkers were all solidly built and added something to the story that made the whole of the show better.
4 The Feelings
From the moment that this show started to the moment that it ended, it made me feel. I was happy with the girls, I was sad with them, I was angry at the unfairness of things, and I prayed with them in their moments of need. It is one of the very few shows that I was completely invested in the story. My heart very often both hurt and felt full. Oh, how I wish there were more shows that created such passionate feels for me.
5 The OST
I have to talk about the OST. I mean, wow! Each song magnified and amplified the moments of the show. Each song pulled me deeper into the experience by enhancing the feels I was feeling. The song choices were perfect. Sometimes chillingly sad, sometimes funny, and at others times purely happy. There have been a few shows in which the music has been a favorite part of mine. But with Age of Youth, the music was like a supporting character all on its own. Whoever chose the songs deserves an award!
Well there you have it my dear friends, I truly believe that this show is very worth your precious drama watching hours. If you have watched it, I’d love to know your feelings too! If not, I hope that my heartfelt love for Age of Youth has convinced you to give it a try!