austen
hungry wok
At first I was extremely hesitant to start this drama, because I wasn't sure it would keep my attention for long - I was extremely mistaken. This drama and its characters will always hold a special place in my heart. Up until I watched this drama, I never really connected with any characters in a drama, but these 5 girls and their stories drew me in by the end of the first episode and kept me enthralled for all 12.
In terms of the acting, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of pretty much every performance. What originally piqued my interest in the drama was Park Hye Soo's portrayal of Eun Jae. Most times I find that actors playing socially awkward characters always fall short for me, as in I can just tell they're trying to act awkward. Hye Soo, however, had me convinced by the first 20 minutes that she was legitimately the shyest, awkwardest person on the planet and I fell in love with her character. The way she interacts with her fellow housemates and classmates is just so adorably bumbling and so believable. The performances by Han Ye Ri, Ryu Hwa Young, and Han Seung Yeon were equally as impressive. Who really impressed me though, was Park Eun Bin. This drama begun my love affair with Park Eun Bin and all of her work. Just the pure confidence that she brought to Ji Won made her my favorite character throughout the entire series.
In terms of the story, there were strong and weak points. I loved each and every one of the romance lines. I thought every couple had an unreal amount of chemistry, especially Jae Wan and Jin Myung. The crazy situations and quarrels that all the roommates find themselves involved in just creates the most fun, lovable atmosphere that anyone who has or had roommates can relate too, and there were often points where I found myself legitimately laughing out loud. I will say however, that parts of the plot did seem a little disorganized. I feel like the supernatural element, as well as Eun Jae's backstory were either not explained well enough or just didn't fit in to the story as well as other storylines. I also felt like it was wrapped up quite quickly in the last two episodes and a lot of loose ends were left open for interpretation. I'm assuming this might be due to the second season, so it doesn't bother me as much.
Whatever Age of Youth lacks in story, it makes up for in music. I don't usually cry watching kdramas, but there were quite a few scenes that made me shed a few tears because of the beautiful music choices. Every song was so beautifully matched to scenes and just elevated the storytelling. The soundtrack itself is beautiful and I highly recommend listening to the entire OST on its own, but it really did complement the tone and the feeling of the drama. Even now that i've watched however many more dramas, I still haven't found a show that quite matches the effect music has in this one.
I haven't re-watched the show yet, but as soon as I finish season 2 and have some time I am definitely planning to. I truly feel that this is a drama everyone should watch at least one. The heart warming friendship, laugh-out-loud comedy, and wonderful soundtrack just can't be missed. I would highly recommend this drama.
In terms of the acting, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of pretty much every performance. What originally piqued my interest in the drama was Park Hye Soo's portrayal of Eun Jae. Most times I find that actors playing socially awkward characters always fall short for me, as in I can just tell they're trying to act awkward. Hye Soo, however, had me convinced by the first 20 minutes that she was legitimately the shyest, awkwardest person on the planet and I fell in love with her character. The way she interacts with her fellow housemates and classmates is just so adorably bumbling and so believable. The performances by Han Ye Ri, Ryu Hwa Young, and Han Seung Yeon were equally as impressive. Who really impressed me though, was Park Eun Bin. This drama begun my love affair with Park Eun Bin and all of her work. Just the pure confidence that she brought to Ji Won made her my favorite character throughout the entire series.
In terms of the story, there were strong and weak points. I loved each and every one of the romance lines. I thought every couple had an unreal amount of chemistry, especially Jae Wan and Jin Myung. The crazy situations and quarrels that all the roommates find themselves involved in just creates the most fun, lovable atmosphere that anyone who has or had roommates can relate too, and there were often points where I found myself legitimately laughing out loud. I will say however, that parts of the plot did seem a little disorganized. I feel like the supernatural element, as well as Eun Jae's backstory were either not explained well enough or just didn't fit in to the story as well as other storylines. I also felt like it was wrapped up quite quickly in the last two episodes and a lot of loose ends were left open for interpretation. I'm assuming this might be due to the second season, so it doesn't bother me as much.
Whatever Age of Youth lacks in story, it makes up for in music. I don't usually cry watching kdramas, but there were quite a few scenes that made me shed a few tears because of the beautiful music choices. Every song was so beautifully matched to scenes and just elevated the storytelling. The soundtrack itself is beautiful and I highly recommend listening to the entire OST on its own, but it really did complement the tone and the feeling of the drama. Even now that i've watched however many more dramas, I still haven't found a show that quite matches the effect music has in this one.
I haven't re-watched the show yet, but as soon as I finish season 2 and have some time I am definitely planning to. I truly feel that this is a drama everyone should watch at least one. The heart warming friendship, laugh-out-loud comedy, and wonderful soundtrack just can't be missed. I would highly recommend this drama.
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