"Lord, please don't let sorrow overwhelm the lives of those that left behind."

Youth of May depicts the Gwangju Uprising in 1980 through multiple perspectives. From lovers, friends, families, parents, and children to politicians, activists, polices, businessmen, healthcare workers, even people who just wanted to escape and save themselves, and ordinary lives who knew nothing but got killed.

Also soldiers, one that usually hasn’t been really looked into. Here, it's shown how miserable they actually feel, some were unknowingly deployed to their hometown, suddenly being forced to shoot even their friends. While others may have moved on albeitly, for soldiers, based on real reports too, they really had it harder than anyone else, experienced trauma, guilt and stayed in the same dark place throughout the years. People often forget they're victims as well.

"The worse pain in life, the life of those who were left behind."
Heetae's character indeed represents the survivors, those who are still searching, grieving for their lost loved ones, which some haven't been found even til now. I love how it emphasizes this. The survivors didn't 'survive' even though they live. Their souls had died during the uprising.

Youth of May really retells the history beautifully. "This wasn't only his story. This was history."

And last, the prayer in the ending narration is really its main message.
"Don't let the sorrow overwhelm the lives of those that left behind."
Youth of May is more than just a drama. It is a prayer.

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"Why didn't I know, how great it was?"

This wrecks me so much. Angst, pain, beautiful, dark, everything, it's crazy. All 3 characters really are equally evil and pitiful it's soo heartbreaking. With a beautifulll cinematography and 1990s setting that's always extra magnificent, makes it evenmoreee breathtaking.
Started hopeful, a story of love, friendship, dreams and then brutally turned out to be a story of lies, jealousy, wicked betrayal. Can't help but both sympathizing & morally questioning every single of their decisions. Well. Even tragic is an understatement. But Han Hyojoo's character is the most pitiful, that she wasted her life for something that's not hers, losing herself and at the end, identity too.
Can't justify enough how great this movie is with words. Such a shame that this is underrated, more people need to watch this masterpiece.

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