In May of 1980,  the Gwangju Uprising ripped apart a small town caught in the throes of a violent and bloody fight for democracy.  Against this real-life backdrop is the story of a young nurse whose life is changed forever when she is unwittingly thrown into the middle of it all.  Kim Myung Hee meets a handsome medical student when she agrees to go on a blind date in place of her best friend.  But against all of her best intentions, she feels an instant connection with him that leads both of them down an unexpected and troubled path.

Go Min Si as Kim Myung Hee

Kim Myung Hee is a young nurse who dreams of escaping the poverty of her family and going to study abroad.  When she makes an agreement with her best friend to go on her blind date in exchange for an airline ticket, Myung Hee plans to turn the guy away and never see him again.  Unfortunately, despite all her efforts, Hee Tae falls hopelessly in love with her.  And the longer he pursues her, the more difficult it is for her to turn him away.  But when the lives of everyone she cares about are threatened because of their relationship, she decides to marry Hee Tae and run away.  When their town erupts in violence, she finds her nursing skills are in high demand and she can’t turn her back on those in need.  But her choice to stay will result in heartbreaking consequences.  

Kim Myung Hee is reserved and determined.  Her troubled relationship with her father has caused her to keep people at a distance, with the exception of Soo Ryun.  She feels a lot of resentment toward life for how unfair it all feels.  But after meeting Hee Tae, we see her find more balance and joy.  Go Min Si has a quiet strength that resonates through the character of Myung Hee.  I found her to be relateable and sincere.  And she has a natural chemistry with all her co-stars that made her scenes fun to watch.  I especially loved her interactions with her younger brother.

Kim Myung Hee is reserved and determined.  Her troubled relationship with her father has caused her to keep people at a distance, with the exception of Soo Ryun.  She feels a lot of resentment toward life for how unfair it all feels.  But after meeting Hee Tae, we see her find more balance and joy.  Go Min Si has a quiet strength that resonates through the character of Myung Hee.  I found her to be relateable and sincere.  And she has a natural chemistry with all her co-stars that made her scenes fun to watch.  I especially loved her interactions with her younger brother.  

Lee Sang Yi as Lee Soo Chan

Lee Soo Chan is the older brother of Soo Ryun.  He has just returned from university and has a new job working as a pharmaseutical representative.  He has always had a crush on Myeong Hee but he missed the chance to confess to her before she met Hee Tae.  As the oldest son, he works hard to protect his father and sister, which becomes increasingly difficult amid the turbulent political climate.

♥ Raw Emotion

I can’t say enough about this amazing cast.  “Youth of May” is a bittersweet story full of aching emotion.  It could easily have lost it’s power of sincerity with a less skilled cast.   But instead, each role is portrayed with a depth of character that leaves us heartbroken in all the right ways.  The leads had a subtle chemistry that was poetic, the young boys reflected the beauty of freindship in a touching way, and the parent/child relationships showed some of the struggles we all encounter as family.  

♥ Fresh Historical Perspective

The Gwangju Uprising is not an easy topic.  Even now, people fail to agree on what really happened or how many were killed.  This event has left a scar on the hearts of many Korean citizens, and I felt like this drama did a nice job of speaking for the innocent people who suffered through it.  For me, it was a valuable lesson on an event I was totally unaware of.  And while the theme of violence was a difficult one, “Youth of May” also gave us some balance with a beautiful coming of age story that is memorable and sweet.  

Hwang Gi Nam Ending

I think it’s safe to surmise that Hwang Gi Nam didn’t get his happy ending, but I would like to have seen more closure to his story.  As the one responsible for all the other characters’ misery, it would have been nice to see him get what he deserved.  It’s probably better that they left this up to our own imaginations, and there is a subtle message here that life isn’t always fair and those who deserve it the most often go unpunished.  Our final glimpse of him, as he tries to comfort an injured Jung Tae and is shaken off, is actually the most fitting punishment he could receive.  

Kwon Young Chan

Quite the opposite of Gi Nam, we see Kwon Young Chan living a life of punishment he doesn’t seem to deserve.  I know that it’s important to remember the young soldiers like Young Chan who were forced to act against their own consciences by greedy politicians hungry for power.  But it broke my heart to see Young Chan at the end, still bearing the scars of a war he never wanted to fight.  

It’s hard to believe that the ending of “Youth of May” was even more heartbreaking than I anticipated, but they really went in for the kill with this one. We see a short reunion between Hee Tae and Myung Hee’s brother, who is now a priest, as well as Soo Ryun and Soo Chan, who seem to be doing well.  And Hee Tae exchanges a brief nod with Young Chan at the police department that acknowledges the suffering they both have been through.  Hee Tae also makes a brief phone call to his mom to check on Jung Tae, so we know they have managed to keep the family together at least a little bit.   I guess the only shadow of a happy ending is an adorable cameo from Choi Won Young as the adult Hee Tae.  Life hasn’t been easy for him, but he is still practicing medicine and offering support to those in need.  Seeing the physical scars he bears from the times he tried to escape that difficult life is tragic and heartwrenching.  But with the discovery of Myung Hee’s body, he seems to have found some closure and the will to answer Myung Hee’s final prayer that those left behind wouldn’t drown in their sorrow.