Record of Youth

청춘기록 ‧ Drama ‧ 2020
Completed
sannie48
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 27, 2025
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.5
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

Overall Solid

This show was interesting in how it portrayed a lot of different aspects of life in more of a nuanced way in comparison to most romance dramas I see. I really enjoyed how the drama wasn't overwhelming and felt like the end for the characters it felt more realistic to me. I think this show had great actors that really shined. I enjoyed myself watching this spilled a few tears because of the father son dynamic between the ML. I also loved how they portrayed jealousy in this drama it felt so well done and really realistic. Overall this was a really solid watch that I enjoyed!

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Completed
yibeu
1 people found this review helpful
Sep 27, 2023
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 3.5
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 9.5
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 3.5
This review may contain spoilers
started off so good like so interesting and the whole concept is just GOOD. like yes give me struggling artists!!!! give me people trying to grow in the entertainment industry!!!!! give me best friends!!! give me the girl meeting the guy she's crazy about but NOT making it weird!!!! it felt really out of character that hyejun's bestie would just go for the girl he likes out of nowhere ???? KNOWING HE LIKES HER ???? like bffr it just feels stupid that they added a silly love triangle tere lol btw also the way they started drifting apart felt kinda stupid too???? love hyejun tho that's my best friend

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Completed
aggie1
1 people found this review helpful
Dec 7, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 8.0
Story 6.0
Acting/Cast 6.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 3.0

I am confused, I liked it and disliked at the same time

This is going to be a short review. This drama got me confused. It started really well, but lost it momentum half way through. It'll probably be a feast to Park Bo Gum's fans. I am not one, but he was pleasant enough to watch in this drama. My overall rating is as high as 8, because I like those down to earth dramas about people trying to live in the Korean society. I do realize the society is very judgmental, but this fact never ceases to annoy me.
Finally, can someone please explain to me why dating is considered a SCANDAL in Korea? What is so scandalous in the fact that an actor in his twenties is dating a perfectly normal girl his age? What's the controversy?

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Completed
natijim
1 people found this review helpful
Aug 22, 2024
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 4.0
Story 5.0
Acting/Cast 5.0
Music 4.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

I didn't really like

I honestly did not really like the cast, and when i watched it like years ago, I didn't even know who woo seok was, and even if i do know i still do not really care for the ml and the fl. And most people don't really care much for the sl anyways, unless they are written that way. I personally just though it was kinda boring. The ending also wasn't amazing and i just wouldn't recommend someone watch so they won't waste their time, but do whatever floats your boat.
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Completed
crazyaymous
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 3, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 6.5
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers
If you the most helpful reviews you may notice that they have given it stars varying from 4.5 to 6.5 but i feel 4.5 is just too low .I am confused between 6.5 and 6 but i am giving it a 6.

so now let's talk about what this drama is about . if you are looking for a romance drama then this is not it . i personally feel that this dram is actually slice of life
this drama focuses on the characters trying to achieve their dreams and realizing when they need to give up but hye jin rose to fame just so quickly they should hv shown us some of his struggles and they also didn't really show much about the different make up styles what i mean is that they didn't actually tell us about the jobs but they told us about the hardships of that job .
as they only focused more on hardships it made the show a bit boring but i guess that is the reality of the entertainment industry . They showed us the loneliness ,struggle, love relationship problems and much more but all of them includes hardships . it was like the writer had to keep an episode limit and she wanted to show the difficulties as well so she decided not to show the happiness of the characters.
the thing that disappointed me the most was the ending. there was no conclusion . when hye jin cried in his room there was no solution to that . i mean in the end they kind of showed that after achieving his goal he actually became more lonely rather than happy. it was like some things were just left incomplete
ABOUT WHETHER YOU SHOULD WATCH IT OR NOT I WILL SAY IF YOU HV SOME FREE TIE WELL THEN YOU CAN SEE IT BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING WOW

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Completed
Dramaaddicts
1 people found this review helpful
Nov 26, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 6.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 10
Rewatch Value 6.5

A cliché Drama Experience overall...

To be frank in a way am not that satisfied with this drama. First of all i want to point out some of the interesting postive factor that i felt in the earlier Episodes, that there were not a big love traingle which i find every fresh in this particular kdrama, because usually in these kind of a plot in someway there will be a huge space for some unwanted love traingle. But here they manged to bring a good 2nd lead character without any big love fight in between the male leads. That was good. Secondly the chemistry between the couple looks so strong in the early stage Episodes which way pretty soon and was beautiful to see . So many lovely moments between them which were excellent.😍

Coming to weak points, there is nothing new apart from those factors. The drama moving like a complete cliché way from the 12 th Episode to finale which looks very boring and the last 4 or 5 Episode are not that interesting or exciting at all for me. Park Bo Gum Done a good performance from a struggling rookie to become an aspiring actor character. But for park So Dom i think she has nothing to do in particular, the character was good to see on the screen but i felt she just a side role character in this entire drama and not much to do as a female lead.

The family issues which we seen so many times before was still there and it presented beautifully without too annoying and that father, grandfather characters were superb👌 some emotional scenes were really touching especially in the finale Episode. But again if you are a beginner to kdrama you may feel in the other way, but if you are regular drama watcher you definitely may not feel complete satisfaction with this drama. By the way i expected little more in the climax also but it was an ok ending for me..

Overall its just an average drama experience for me

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Completed
loserlemon
1 people found this review helpful
May 19, 2026
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

The Quiet Realism

Sa Hye Joon and Ahn Jung Ha grow a friendship through their perseverance and love for their craft, both being in the infancy of their careers. Sa Hye Joon is doing random modeling and acting gigs, something small, nothing really warranting the public's attention. Ahn Jung Ha is just one of many makeup artists at a makeup company. The drama spends a lot of time showing how hard both of them work to chase careers that don't guarantee success. Their struggles feel realistic, especially when they constantly have to deal with rejection, financial pressure, and people looking down on their dreams.

The beginning of the drama focuses on their friendship soon turning romantic. Prior to Sa Hye Joon's career taking off, the two had great communication, but once his career starts taking off, their communication slowly falls apart because of his busy schedule. Then the two learn to navigate their relationship while dealing with fame, busy schedules, and growing emotional distance. I actually liked how grounded their relationship felt. Ahn Jung Ha was extremely understanding, and despite the hurt she felt, she remained a positive light in Sa Hye Joon's world.

In the beginning, Ahn Jung Ha lets us know that the things she dislikes most are people who don't keep their promises or make her anxious, and we eventually see her experience exactly that with Sa Hye Joon, qualities he didn't really have until his career took off. It made their relationship feel more realistic because neither of them were necessarily wrong. They were just slowly growing apart because of the changes happening in their lives.

The drama doesn't try to make everything overly dramatic all the time. Instead, it focuses more on how success can slowly change people and the relationships around them, even when both people still care for each other. Despite the two genuinely loving each other, Sa Hye Joon eventually accepted Ahn Jung Ha's decision to break up. It felt mature and realistic for both characters. Honestly, it was one of the most beautiful breakups I've seen in dramas. The ending was also quite open ended, and I really liked that. It leaves room for interpretation while still feeling emotionally satisfying.

I found Won Hae Hyo's character rather interesting. In the beginning, he basically had everything, but then we learn he only reached his level of success because of his mother's influence, and he begins questioning himself as an actor and his craft. I thought his insecurity and jealousy were handled pretty well because it never felt completely malicious. Won Hae Hyo finally understood how Sa Hye Joon felt when he was at the height of his career while his best friend watched from the sidelines. In some ways, his storyline ended up being one of the more emotionally interesting parts of the drama because a lot of his growth came from mending the relationship with his mother and learning to separate his own worth from the success she tried to create for him.

Overall, I think the drama shines most when it focuses on youth, ambition, and the pressure of trying to build a life for yourself while everyone around you has different expectations. It has a calm and realistic tone compared to a lot of other dramas, which might not work for everyone, but I appreciated that about it. Even when the pacing slows down, the characters and their personal struggles kept me invested.

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Completed
mjsblastinglaugh
1 people found this review helpful
Apr 19, 2022
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 8.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 7.0
This review may contain spoilers

Chill and Realistic

I can understand why some people disliked this drama. But still, I don't think this drama deserves the hate it gets. I will admit that I tried starting this drama when it was airing. But I dropped it when everyone hated it, and honestly, I regret dropping it before.

This drama is not for everyone. If you're the type of person, who likes cliche, happy endings... not for you. I personally love sad or bittersweet dramas, so this was right in my alley. It's also kind of a mature drama. I guess you could say...? In the emotional aspect. It's like a slice of life drama.

I honestly don't know where to start... The acting and cast were a 10/10. Especially PGBs. This was my first time watching any of his dramas, and might I say, he might just be one of my favorite actors now! His crying scenes were..... AMAZING?! felt the rawness and emotion that was needed.

The character development was bad.... but honestly perfect for the storyline. And that says a lot because I am a sucker for some good character development. Their characters almost go downhill.... but not in a bad way? They've grown and learned, but at the same time, they didn't. Towards the end, they lack communication skills, which is kinda weird since they used to have good communication skills but I can understand how they lost it because hey. He got famous and didn't have time for anything (which was actually so realistic, and I don't know why people thought that was annoying??). Overall, their relationship was super healthy.

True, the storyline was all over the place. It was mainly about PGBs and his family. There was that irrelevant side couple (which I admit I skipped their scenes). The best friend and his family were kinda just there. We didn't learn much about the FL. But I don't know. It kinda just fits together for no reason to me? Everything that everyone hates on in this drama I liked. I can't really explain it.

One big thing everyone hates is that the main couple didn't end up together. I was also disappointed, but I don't think it gave me a reason to hate the drama? I still loved it. And honestly, it made sense. He was a big hit; she wanted to become more than what she was, and they both didn't really have time for each other. No one was really in the wrong, although my heart did hurt more for PBGs character. I really liked that the "love triangle" wasn't really one because the best friend never told anyone about his feelings towards the main girl, and he never tried to get with her, which I also love. I hate when they make lifelong friends break up over a girl they just met... there is just no need for that.

I mean, I can see there were lots of plot holes, but it didn't bother me. As for the main couple, though, obviously, they weren't going to stay together forever, get married, have kids, and live happily ever after. That would be too unrealistic. It's just like the title. Record of Youth. A time of their youth that they will remember forever. A time of their youth that has helped them grow as an individual. Definitely a right person wrong time thing.

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Completed
PinkSpiderX
1 people found this review helpful
Mar 8, 2026
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 7.5
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0

I liked it, but I think once was enough

Park So Dam is my favorite actress, but I still felt like this show was missing something. It has great drama, good acting, and character development. I like watching how the tv shows and movies the character was working on came to life. How his life radically transformed, and the drama was good. I felt like the show was missing something through most of it. It lacked humor or that special something that makes you want to rewatch it. I do recommend this show, and I do applaud the performances and the tear inducing moments, but that being said it was about a 7 out of 10 for me.

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Completed
bluee
2 people found this review helpful
Oct 28, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 1.0
Story 1.0
Acting/Cast 2.5
Music 5.5
Rewatch Value 1.0
This review may contain spoilers

MY HOPE WAS COMPLETELY CRUSHED

MY HOPE WAS COMPLETELY CRUSHED . Iam really dissappointed by the ending episode.it was fun and interesting to watch upto ep 14.but the 2 ep after that is very disappointing.
the story turned to a bad vibe
it laged.
they could make it a good drama .but they completely distroyed and dissapointed the audience
it was so bad
i dont like the ending episodes.it was having bad story at the end.
ALL MY HOPES ON THIS DRAMA JUST FLEW AWAY
VERY DISSAPOINTING
IF THE ENDING EPISODES ARE CHANGED TO A GOOD AND HAPPY CONTENT,THIS WILL BE ONE OF THE GOOD DRAMA ON AIR.

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Completed
alfyhappy
1 people found this review helpful
Oct 29, 2020
16 of 16 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 8.0
Story 10
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 5.0

What Happens When You Become a Famous Actor?

It is interesting to see all the various views and perspective on Records of Youth. Looking at the scores, it does appear one either truly enjoyed it or not at all. No grey areas here. For me, I found it profoundly enjoyable. A really good drama with a well written script.

I liked the way the director really took us into the story and characters, not rushed but was able to make me feel invested in each of their experience and journey. I was looking forward to every episode as Hye-Jun (Park Bo Gum) struggles to make it as an actor. The way he was treated before and after he became famous is like DAY and NIGHT, a complete change. The way he himself is unable to control his schedules and surrounding as his popularity gains momentum. The jealousy, the gossips, the competition, the family and friend dynamics, the paparazzi, the choices and even his young love. And when he does put his foot down with decisions, sacrifices have to be made. I liked that his character, though young, had a sense of confidence and maturity about him. These are truly what an actor/actress have to go through and live with. Wow, no wonder they get paid well and most marry late in their lives. Couldn’t help but envisioned what stars like Lee Minho, Kim Soo Hyun, Hyun Bin, Song Kye Ho, Song Joong Ki etc. etc go through. No wonder they try to keep their lives as private as possible.

I also enjoyed the acting of the entire cast. The script was so well written and it was especially good to see that each of them had a good story to tell.

The only difficulty I had was watching the relationship between Hye-Jun and Jeong-Ah (Park So Dam). It was just too polite and somewhat formal?? Almost like two best friends who do really look cute together. Being that it is about the time of youth, I wanted their love to be a little bit more exciting and demonstrative. More memorable?

In conclusion, the overall experience was very enjoyable for me. Loved this drama.

Cheers! K-drama Forever!

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Dropped 8/16
greekmike
5 people found this review helpful
Jan 8, 2021
8 of 16 episodes seen
Dropped 0
Overall 2.5
Story 5.5
Acting/Cast 5.5
Music 5.0
Rewatch Value 1.0

What was this about?

I am surprised I mad it through episode 8. This show has very little going for it. I keep watching and it just goes nowhere, then the next episode starts and I am wondering, "What was the last episode about?" Rinse lather repeat. There Are so many other great South Korean shows that I'm give up on this one.
The people that have the reviews with spoilers are good enough for me to read in a few minutes rather than sit through an hour each episode. Good luck everyone that stayed with.
Actors we're good, but the chemistry wasn't there.
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Record of Youth poster

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