The Story

Moment of Eighteen is a high school coming-of-age story about first love and the challenges of life at eighteen.  The story follows a group of students who are in the same homeroom class of a local high school.  This is not the cute rom-com variety of school dramas.  While there are some sweet moments, this show tackles some serious issues like bullying, gender identity, academic cheating, and abuse, both physical and emotional.  The stories revolve around the many kinds of relationship that are a part of life for teenagers; peers, teachers, parents, and romantic.

A couple personal notes from me.  Firstly, every time I watch a high school drama like this, I am so thankful that I am not a mom in Korea.  Seriously, the mean mom culture is like living the nightmare of middle school all over again!  Peer pressure is as hard on the moms as is it is on the students.  Scary stuff!  Secondly, this series showcases some very dysfunctional relationships.  About halfway through the episodes, I found myself wondering if any of them had any healthy relationships in their lives.  Of course, I know that a drama is not a drama without…well, drama, but I feel like this one went above and beyond.     It just made me a little sad.

The Characters

Yoo Soo-Bin, played by Kim Hyang-Gi (Revenge Note) is an average student whose mom has ambitious goals for her future.  While Soo-Bin excels in certain areas, she is not as ambitious or successful as her mom would hope.  When a shy, quiet boy shows up in her class, she is instantly drawn to him.  As the two of them begin to develop a relationship, they support each other through the difficult situations they each face. 

Soo-Bin is surprisingly independent for someone with an overprotective mother.  She sees her mom’s constant striving on her behalf, but she also has plans of her own.  Up until this point, she has always kept that spirit of rebellion to herself, but when her mom finds out about her new relationship, and forbids them from seeing each other, Soo-Bin finally begins to learn how to speak up for herself.  It’s fun to watch her grow through the process, and she handles it with compassion and grace, instead of being defiant and rude. 

Choi Joon-Woo, played by Ong Seong-Wu (Singer, debut actor), is a student who is forced to tranfer to a new school after getting into trouble at his old school.  He is an awkward loner who lives alone because his single mom has a job in another town. As he builds relationships with his classmates, Joon-Woo gains the confidence to explore who he really is and what his dreams are. 

Ong Seong-Wu won both the Best New Actor and Hallyu Star Award at the 2019 Korea Drama Awards.  I love the idea of giving new actors more reserved characters.  It gives them a chance to develop their acting skills and helps them avoid the pitfall of many new actors to overact.  Don’t get me wrong.  He did an excellent job playing this role and I was happy to see him get recognized.  I think this has given him a jumpstart to many more tv roles, and I look forward to seeing him again. 

Ma Hwi-Young, played by Shin Seung-Ho (Love Alarm, A-Teen) is technically the second lead, although I think it was pretty obvious from the very start that he didn’t really stand a chance.  He and Soo-Bin have been friends since they were children and everyone considers him her boyfriend.  Well, everyone except Soo-Bin.  He is the class president and the number one student in the school.  At first, he seems like a model student who is smart and helpful.  As the series continues, we find out that there are issues of control and insecurity that drive him to act that way.  As opposed to Soo-Bin who isn’t interested in the success her mom tries to push on her, Hwi- Young is determined to be at the top at any cost.  While we watch Joon-Woo grow and soar through self-discovery, Hwi-Young sinks deeper and deeper into the mistakes he makes.

Supporting Characters

Kang Ki-Young (What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, I’m Not a Robot) plays the interim homeroom teacher, Oh Han-Kyeol.  I love this actor and it’s always fun to see him, but this role was great for him.  He is believable and genuine as the new teacher who just wants to develop relationships and see his students grow.  He has a small side story involving a love interest, but they don’t get enough screen time together to see much real growth.  It’s in his interactions with the students that he really excels.  He takes Joon-Woo in from the very beginning and works hard to bring him out of his shell.  And even though Hwi-Young challenges his authority and belittles him, Mr. Oh is the only adult who is there for him when his mistakes finally come back to haunt him.

Shim Yi-Young (Thirty But Seventeen, Five Enough) wins the best parent award, although unfortunately the competition was not stiff.  I find this actress to be so cute and quirky, and she brought a great sweetness to this role.  She plays Joon-Woo’s single mom.  She is supportive and positive, even though their life has been far from easy.  For all of her easy-going nature, she is no door mat, and isn’t afraid to challenge the mean moms when pushed into a corner. 

The Ending

The ending was only alright for me.  I didn’t feel like any of the storylines got tied up well.  I guess if this is about a “Moment of Eighteen”, it does what it promised.  We get a good picture of a day in the life of a group of teenagers, but I would like to have known how at least some of the stories ended up.  Do Joon-Woo and Soo-Bin manage to stay together, even through the summer?  Does Soo-Bin’s mom ever accept their relationship?  Does Hwi-Young manage to get his life back on track?  Does Jung O-Je come to terms with his sexuality?  For me, there was too much unanswered.  It made the drama feel unfinished.  I enjoyed watching, but the ending left me wanting more. 

Should You Watch

If you like high school dramas, this one does a good job of breaking the usual mold.  The young cast captured the essence of teenage life.  If you are someone who doesn’t like incomplete storylines, you might not get the closure you would hope for.  But if you are a Ong Seong-Wu fan, this is a performance you shouldn’t miss.  He portrays all the awkward sweetness of first love with quiet honesty.  I give this one a 7 out of 10 ramen.

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For those who are as serious about kdrama and ramen as me, there is a ramen alert in episode 12!