I never delved into the world of KPop and KDramas very deeply. I listened to a few songs and went to a KPop club to support a friend on occasion. However, during a slow period over the summer, I started a show on Netflix that looked interesting. It was titled on Netflix “Hello, My Twenties.” And I think every college girl should watch it.
“Hello, My Twenties”, also known as “Age of Youth”, follows five university girls in South Korea. They live in a shared house and are in various years of their schooling. The show follows each girls’ struggles, as well as their growing friendships, as they navigate early adulthood.
Yoon Jin-Myung is the eldest of the girls. She is 28 and has been in and out of school for years because of financial problems. She studies business and works 3 part-time jobs. Any time not spent working or in class, she’s studying. An abusive boss and possible romance at one job lead to a strain on Jin-Myung’s strength.
Jung Ye-Eun is a junior studying nutrition and is far more fascinated by her boyfriend and fashion, than by her studies. She often appears shallow, but is revealed to have a very complex thought-process for everything she does. Her growth as a person is the biggest aspect of her story and truly hit home at a few parts.
Kang Yi-Na is the mysterious resident who seems to have a troubled past leading to her current way of living. Described as an “exhibitionist”, she appears very confident and empowered. However, appearances can be deceiving.
Song Ji-Won just wants to find her soul mate. Having never been on a second-date in her life, Song is an artistic, creative, and outgoing woman who tries desperately to find love. She is a fairly aggressive go-getter who does her best to help her friends. Essentially the glue holding the girls together, Song herself struggles during the season to find her happiness.
Finally, Yoo Eun-Jae is the new girl. As a girl with a very complex past starting her freshman year, she tries her best to fit in at her new home. Shy, friendly, but imperfect, Eun-Jae is the nervous, scared freshman so many girls start out as going to university.
Age of Youth episodes are fairly long, a little over an hour for each one. It took me a few days of almost non-stop watching to get through. But the story lines are so good, and the mix between drama and comedy is perfect. Do not expect just a light-hearted young adult show. There are serious themes covered in the show, with each girl having some dark truth to face. The struggle of balancing school and work, of fitting in, of keeping people happy, and of finding yourself are so accurately represented in the show. The relationships develop smoothly; from romances to friendships, they all feel real. There are cheesy moments, as it is a KDrama with comedic aspects. However, they balance out how dark the show can get at times. The super fun theme song, “Dick and Jane” by Sydney York, plays at the end of each episode as well and sometimes it was a very jarring shift after some very emotional scenes. But, despite how real and heavy the show got, it always had moments that made me happy. Seeing these girls face challenges I have faced or will face soon, in such a flawed but truthful way, was refreshing and comforting.
There is a season two airing right now, but I’m not aware of the websites people normally use to stream dramas, so I must wait on Netflix. I’m looking forward to seeing the growth of the characters and follow their new adventures. For now, I’ll just binge watch season one again over the next break.