Title: 청춘기록 | Cheongchun-girok | Record of Youth
Genre: Drama | Romance | Youth
Episodes: 16
Broadcast Network: tvN
Broadcast Period: September 7, 2020 to October 27, 2020

Synopsis:

Sa Hye-Jun came from a not well to do family, but, he had big dreams of becoming a successful and respectable actor. He’s been under the shadow of his best friend, Won Hae-Hyo, a rich and becoming a popular actor, however, even with certain jealousy, he didn’t let this mar their friendship. He wants to do it on his own beyond all odds including not having the full support of his family except his grandfather. He pushed forward towards his dreams and worked hard with principles and dignity to who he is. Along the way, he met and fell in love with an independent woman, An Jeong-Ha, a make-up artist, who’s been a fan of his, even during his model days. Together they lean on each other as they struggle to achieve their goals until he finally made it big. He thought everything will be better, but, in the end, it even made his life complicated and harder to achieve the happiness he longs for.

Characters:

• Park Bo Gum as Sa Hye Joon
• Im Jae Ha as Teen Hye Joon on Episode 3
• Park So Dam as Ahn Jung Ha
• Byun Woo Suk as Won Hae Hyo
• Noh Young Min as Teen Hae Hyo on Episode 3
• Kwon Soo Hyun as Kim Jin Woo
• Ha Hee Ra as Han Ae Sook
• Han Jin Hee as Sa Min Ki
• Park Soo Young as Sa Young Nam
• Lee Jae Won as Sa Kyung Joon
• Shin Dong Mi as Lee Min Jae
• Lee Chang Hoon as Lee Tae Soo
• Park Se Hyun as Choi Soo Bin
• Jo Ji Seung as Jin Joo
• Yang So Min as Hair Salon Director
• Park Mi Hyun as Jung Ha’s Mother
• Shin Ae Ra as Kim Yi Young
• Seo Sang Won as Won Tae Kyung
• Jo Yoo Jung as Won Hae Na
• Jung Min Sung as Kim Jang Man
• Park Sung Yun as Lee Kyung Mi
• Jang Yi Jung as Kim Jin Ri
• Im Ki Hong as Yang Moo Jin
• Lee Hae Woon as PD Kim on Episode 1, 3
• Lee Seung Joon as Charlie Jung
• Sul In Ah as Jung Ji Ah
• Son Chang Min as Ahn Jung Ha’s Father
• Park Mi Hyun Ahn Jung Ha’s Mother
• Bae Yoon Kyung as Reporter
• Kim Hye Yoon as Lee Bo Ra on Episode 1
• Kim Gun Woo as Park Do Ha on Episode 1, 4-5
• Seo Hyun Jin as Lee Hyun Soo on Episode 7
• Park Seo Joon as Song Min Soo on Episode 9
• Kang Han Na as herself on Episode 9
• Lee Sung Kyung as Jin Seo Woo on Episode 12-13
• Hye Ri as Lee Hae Ji on Episode 13

My Review:

Initially, I didn’t want to watch this Korean drama because I thought it will be banal and superficial about the lives of young adults, but, alas, it was different altogether. Although, the story and the plot is nothing spectacular, it was delivered similar to “Itaewon Class” wherein you get to relate to the characters and feel their struggles in life just like anyone of us has gone through or still going through. This is one of the melodrama that I can indeed enjoy watching.

So, What do I Like About this K-Drama?

(1) Finally, Park Bo-Gum took a role that suits him. His last one with Song Hye-Kyo, “The Encounter” simply isn’t for him. He has shine as an actor on this K-Drama and I believe, he can probably fully relate and identify himself to majority of the challenges that Sa Hye-Jun, his character, is going through.

(2) Park So-Dam is an actress whom I can’t call typically beautiful, however, as An Jeong-Ha, she blooms with her character and became beautiful in my eyes. The strength of her character’s spirit and the way she survived in the midst of her parent’s divorce, the dependency of her mother to her to prop her up and in a way use her, the bullying of her superior and the way others’ judge her were all admirable and inspirational. She was able to bring all these goodness out of her character on the screen and understand why Sa Hye-Jun fell in love with her. She has successfully complimented her character on this K-Drama and made it believable.

(3) I like this K-Drama because it brought a lot of real issues in life in regards to family, friends, work, achieving happiness and ambition. It was presented in such a manner that it became relatable and provide tons of lessons one can learn from. The world is indeed cruel and many are judgemental but one has to be steadfast of ones beliefs and be true to oneself no matter how difficult it maybe because in the end, one must still live with oneself, which is the most important of all.

(4) The supporting casts were great especially Park Soo Young as Sa Hye-Jun’s father, Han Jin-Hee as Sa Hye-Jun’s grandfather and Byeon Woo-Seok as Won Hae-Hyo as Sa Hye-Jun’s best friend. The scene between Park Soo Young and Han Jin-Hee as father and son in settling their resentments and misunderstanding was so memorable and superbly done while Won Hae-Hyo has excellently shown the struggles of someone who seems to have everything yet have nothing of what’s truly important to him.

(5) I don’t go much with the technicalities but this K-Drama was perfectly directed to deliver stories that’s nothing new yet one can totally appreciate and enjoy. The director was able to balance the heaviness of the issues without strangling the audience of its seriousness. With its realism, it also brought entertainment and joy to the audience to watch and savour the stories of each characters.

What I do Not Like About this K-Drama?

As I’ve mentioned, this K-Drama may not have something new to offer in the midst of all melodramas and stories about families, friends and struggles in life yet the entire production gave it the uniqueness of making it interesting and entertaining to watch even if it’s about challenges in life one rather forgets in real life. It was all in all well done.

Would I recommend this K-Drama? Yes

My Rating to this Drama
( See My Rating System: ) 5/5 Stars

OST:

01. Go – Seungkwan of SEVENTEEN
02. You’re In My Soul – Kim Chung Ha
03. Every Second – Byun Baek Hyun
04. Shine On You – Whee In
05. What If – Kim Jae Hwan
06. Spotlight – Bobby
07. Brave Enough – Lee Hi
08. Just You – J Rabbit
09. What My Heart Says – Kim Se Jung
10. It’s OK, Because It’s Y – Xani
11. Open Door – Janet Suhh
12. Still Dreaming – Janet Suhh