Age of Youth 2 (2017)

People who watched the first season should know that Age of Youth (2) is a  slice-of-life drama about five flatmates living under one roof.  AoY to me was always about the realistic portrayal of friendships. We see how the flatmates stand by and support each other through their individual difficulties. It's really different from most K-dramas which tend to use same-gender relationships as a sort of fan-service. In AoY, all the interactions are natural, not over-exaggerated and not amplified. It's exactly like how I imagined friendships to be (I have no friends, jk). In short, it's an accurate depiction of how friends are like in real life, and as a viewer it's easy to relate to.

There are a couple of cast changes in the second season. In particular, Park  Hye-soo was swapped out for Ji  Woo. I think a lot of people disliked the character. I do agree that she's a lot less likable in this season. Rather than attributing this to the new actress, I feel that the writer has gone slightly wayward in her characterisation of Eun-jae. Or perhaps as viewers we are more partial to the meek Eun-jae than the transformed Eun-jae. I think the scriptwriter probably wanted to show character growth, but the execution was unfortunately not up to par.

Kang Unni is also out of the picture at Belle Epoque, with Choi Ara playing the  new-comer Jo Eun. I liked the introduction of Jo Eun. I thought her character was really interesting, especially her "friendship" with Ye-ji. They also briefly touched on homosexuality, although the topic was quickly brushed over.  After I watched the finale though, I was really confused as to what this "friendship" was to each party. I would really like them to elaborate on it. Anyway, I thought this was a nice touch and they probably could have explored the plotline a little more. I don't really care for her romance with Seo Jang-hoon though. I don't dislike it, but I didn't think it was a highlight. This is just personal and from the comments I've seen, most people quite like this couple.

Ye-eun's loveline is the one I liked most (other than the Song-sung couple that is). I don't know how Onew* would have been, but I feel that Kwon Ho-chang was perfectly cast. And nerds are always endearing. His relationship with Ye-eun is like a reversal of power compared to her previous relationship. In any case, I felt that they were really cute.

Yoon sunbae is the glue that holds the house together. She's seemingly aloof on the outside but she's really taking care of everyone else, and not getting appreciated for it. I don't like the job she was given in this season. I thought that with how they had emphasised so much on her struggle with jobs and internship they'll hand her a job of a higher perceived social status. I'm not saying that working at an entertainment company is bad, but it's certainly no where near the top of my "dream jobs" list. Also, I personally do not follow Kpop and all, so I'm really indifferent to the storyline with the idol group which was cast aside. It's alright, but I think this could be done better.

This season though, the spotlight is on Song Ji-won. I don't think I need to elaborate further on how fantastic her character is. Her story was the focal point this season, and provided some insight on how her personality came to be. I think a lot of people may feel that her storyline didn't get closure, but I thought it was the best way to handle the situation. Because if everything went perfectly, this wouldn't be called Age of Youth. I still like her interactions with Im Sung-min. *SPOILER ALERT* I really do hope for another season just so  we can see them get together. There are hints since the man holding the girl's hand in Ep13 is clearly Im Sung-min, but I would like their relationship to be more explicit and not just implied. *SPOILER ALERT*

In summary, I think AoY is an awesome drama. In the first season my attention waned towards the end but this season I sat through the whole drama, catching up on episodes as they air. I rate the sequel a little higher than its predecessor, though it may just be the freshness playing on my mind.

EDIT: Corrected name of original actor for Kwon Ho-chang.

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I will be making small comparisons between Age of Youth and Age of Youth 2 in this review.  We see two departures in season 2.  Ryu Hwa Young intermittently appears in the drama as a support character. The reason for this is because she was busy filming another drama. Secondly  Park Hye Soo left the show and was replaced by Ji Woo to play Yoo Eun Jae. We see the addition of the character Jo Eun as the new 5th roommate.  Overall I was not as impressed with season 2 as I was with season 1.  That's not to say that Age of Youth 2 was bad. I simply liked Age of Youth  (1) better.

Story:  [8.0/10.0]
Age of Youth 2 starts out with the group going on a hilarious little trip to airport to pick up Han Ye Ri. They proceed to get lost and another hilarious encounter ensues. I laughed so much in the first few episodes. Soon Kang Yi Na moves out of the house and the group proceeds to find a new roommate. Soon we see Seo Jang Hoon enter the scene. She initially enters the house to investigate a strange letter. Ooooooo what's going on??? Anyways most of this drama focuses on Song Ji Won trying to investigate what had happened during her childhood. We also Yoon Jin Myung get aquainted with her job. A nice portion of this series revolves around her and her job as well. Of course we see some nice house antics between roommates in this season as well. However, I must admit that I feel like Season 2 took a more darker approach to the story. I really liked Season 1 for it's freshness and how it was very realistic. Season 2 seemed realistic in terms of their college life as well, but the ending was kind of anti-climatic. Maybe it's just me, but I don't really like dark slice-of-life shows. It just makes the show seem like a melodrama.

Acting/Cast: [8.0/10]
Overall I can't say that I really liked or really disliked the acting. It was okay in my opinion. I more so had a probablem with Ryu Hwa Young leaving. Personally I felt like Ryu Hwa Young  and her Kang Yi Na character really made this show a lot more funnier and light-hearted as apparently seen with the first few episodes. I felt like the show tried to replace that comedy bit by emphasizing Song Ji Won's sex life (or lack of sex) to make up for it. I wasn't sure if they were trying to make us laugh or not by including those bits, but they definitely weren't funny. Otherwise the acting and cast is pretty consistent compared to the first season.

Music: [8.0/10]
An 8.0 is generally the score I give to most show's music score. I don't usually give 9s or 10s unless the show is a music-based drama that had great music and OSTs.

Rewatch Value: [7.5/10]
Overall this show has middle of the pack rewatch value for me. It'd probably be a long time before I watch this again since I've completed 150+ dramas already (lol I have no social life). I will probably watch the first season again before I watch this one.

All in all, this was a decent follow-up to the first season of Age Youth.  I'm sure you all noticed this, but I do have a slight bias to the first season. I honestly always multi task when I'm watching Korean dramas or my anime shows. This often means that I pay less attention to shows if I find them boring. I generally don't watch slice-of-life dramas as well. This show gets a thumbs up because it kept my attention the whole time even though it was a slice-of-life drama. I hope they make a season 3 and that Ryu Hwa Young comes back.

Thanks for reading my review! Please hit the yes button if this review was helpful to you!

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I bet 70% of us stayed for Song Ji Won x Im Sung Min or Jo Eun x Jang Hoon. Actually, make that 80% of us...

I have very mixed feelings about this drama. I absolutely adored the first season because of the realistic characters and excellent plot development, but this second season just felt so… bland?

*evil laugh* Let’s start with the ‘negative’ stuff. Firstly, I didn’t like how Chef didn’t return as part of the main cast. He and Yoon sunbae were my fav couple from the first season, so I was really disappointed :’( Secondly, the actress for Eun Jae changed. I get how they were trying to make it work, but the new actress was trying too hard to act like the original actress. It would have been a lot more natural (and interesting) if they had just written a new character for the actress (also, I don’t get why writer-nim made Eun Jae chase after her ex-boyfriend for more than half of this drama). Thirdly, Heimdall. Need I say more? This character was a complete waste of my time. Every time he appeared on the screen, I would start skipping. I think his storyline was meant to be emotional, but I didn’t feel a thing. Because of him, I felt Yoon sunbae’s storyline was boring.

Now onto the better things. My OTP (Ji Won and Sung Min) had amazing chemistry. Their scenes made me laugh and cry, but I was expecting.… more from them. If there is a third season, it better focus on the relationship between Song sunbae and Sung Min (or else I’m gonna riot). I also liked the character development we saw in Ye Eun; at the start of this season, she was timid and weak, but she grew stronger and more confident.

Overall, this is a nice slice of life drama that focuses on realistic problems, but it has a couple unnecessary side storylines and plot holes. From my perspective, although this drama started strong, the second half was weak, so the positives and negatives are balanced, making this an average drama. Song Ji Won and Im Sung Min made me stick with it, but if you enjoyed the first season, don’t expect much development from this second season.

The final verdict: nice slice of life kdrama, but didn’t live up to the hype (in my opinion). Still worth a try!

For more slice of life, check out:
- Reply 1988
- Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo
- Sassy Go Go

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As per the first installment, the first episode is pretty boring and painful but by the second episode I was invested.

Jin Myung
I love that she’s this same, unflappable calm older sister. She’s so sensible. And she doesn’t smile unless necessary.

Ye Eun
The best moment for me was when Jang Hoon talked to her so kindly not knowing she was the one with the past. And it was so good for her to see that there are some guys who are decent human beings and want to do the right thing. Her mother is really hard on her and I found it intriguing that someone so cheery and open would have such an oppressive mother.

Eun Jae
This character continues to be super boring and annoying. She’s petty and shallow.

Ji Won
I love Ji Won even though her character in this seems even more painful than before. She says whatever comes into her brain without any filter. She totally stole the show towards the end of the drama. I really enjoyed her time on the screen. She seems to have got more pretty and more showy. And the actress portrays her vulnerability so well.
No matter how she plagues her friend, Sung Min, their friendship is beyond resilient. And we see the cracks in Sung Min’s feelings towards her. You can see when he opens his expression to her, looking hopeful that she might be about to say something romantic to him. So incredibly sad.

“If anything happens to you...[wait for it]... I’ll have to go home by bus.”

Jo Eun
It was subtle how the drama showed us that Jo Eun was warming up to her house mates. At first she really looked like she had no interest in them whatsoever beyond her mission, but then the drama shows her talking about them so much to her friend. And she starts to smile as she talks about them/to them, which is the first time we see her smiling at all.

“It’s better to be alone than laughed at.”

“Troublesome midget.”
“Still better than excessively tall.”

Jo Eun’s height is almost an awkward thing. But it’s so cute to see how small everyone is compared to her, especially Yoon Sunbae who is such a boss but still has to physically look up to Jo Eun.

Jung Hoon
I loved how much on screen time Jung Hoon got. He’s a great, mature character and a perfect fit for a house full of girls. He reminded me of a friendly ahjussi always fixing something out on the lawn as the girls would walk by.

Heimdall
Jin Kwang was pretty boring but he did say this great line. “We’ll wash the dishes. That’s for us men to do.”

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This show was immensely relatable on many levels for me, since I live in a similiar roommate system. I was very impressed with how the show handled serious issues like mental health & abuse. Starting on the first episode of the second season, I thought the show would turn out to be pure comedy, and it made a total 180 in the following episodes. The 5 roommates and their friends have distinct personalities and relationships with each other, and that's what makes it worth watching. The romance in this show is definitely boring to me compared to the friendships that are depicted so well. There are big mystery elements that surprised me as well, some of it was really well done and some of it seemed just dumb, but it kept you on the edge of your seat nonetheless. Most of the actresses did a fantastic job and I'm definitely keeping an eye on what they will move on to do next in their careers. You really get a good sense of the atmosphere of the Belle Epoque house and at least for me, finishing the season left a huge empty space in my daily life (which I'll try to fill up with other friendship dramas) and I keep thinking about the characters and sort of missing them and their adventures and wit. They really do have so much depth and remind me of my friends and family.

So the strengths are definitely the characterizations of the main cast and how much life there is to the group and the truthfulness of their life together.
Weaknesses are the execution of some of the mystery plot-lines & romance plot-lines.

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Slowing down and getting deep

I recommend you watch season 1 before season 2 of this show. I read that season 2 included a new production team as well as a change of two of the lead cast members, which would have made for significant challenges. I feel the writers and producers handled these changes well with just a few tiny missteps in the process. After the overly silly first episode meant to explain the changes, the show found its footing again and it was fantastic from then on.

Like season 1, writer Park Yeon Sun continued to explore what is below the surface of our assumptions about others. This time, she showed us so much more of the acting talents and back story of our feisty journalist Ji Won, played brilliantly by Park Eun Bin. The writer made amazing strategic decisions starting in season 1 that carry over to influence season 2 in some genius ways and Park Eun Bin nailed every nuanced hint written into her character. She has an expert ability to relate her character to the other characters in complex ways. This is especially fun to watch when she shared scenes with her pseudo-boyfriend Sung Min, played with understated but overflowing concern by Son Seung Won. The way they played off each other and cared so much without being direct about it is masterful and beautiful.

As well as giving more screen time to the most talented actress on the cast, there were a few other big changes this season. One positive change was the pace slowed down and we got to see more dialogue and interaction between the five women which was a treat. It fit well with the progression of their growing friendship. I also enjoyed the introduction of the new housemate, Choi A Ra as Jo Eun, an "alternative" representation of femininity. Although I believe her history could have been written with more detail, I understand it was hard because she was a new cast member so we had to get to know her from the very beginning. Although it was fantastic that she ended up in a positive relationship, I was originally rooting for a lesbian couple when we were first introduced to her and her best friend. I guess my progressive hopes are ahead of current mainstream kdrama culture. Another shining change was the further development of eldest Sunbae character Jin Myung played by Han Ye Ri. After her harrowing experiences in the first season, she used her thoughtful empathetic leadership to support each of the women and help them through their tough times. Finally, I liked the progression of girly Ye Eun played by Han Seung Yeon. I applaud including the lasting effects of trauma in her storyline and the fact that it showed in a realistic way that it changed her permanently. I also enjoyed the addition of her growing relationship with neurodiverse engineer Ho Chang played by Lee Yoo Jin, although for me a friendship rather than a coupleship would have fit better.

One change that didn't work so well for me was the re-casting of Ji Woo as shy, young Eun Jae. Although the character grew a lot more confident over the course of season 1, the new actress portrayed what seemed like a completely different character, quirky and curt instead of deliberate and quietly deep. It just didn't click with me. However, her storyline is a common consideration for women and an important one to feature.

Overall, both season 1 and 2 showed us great depth of character and relationships in a way that doesn't tie everything up with a perfect bow. The show asks us to focus on what's beneath the surface in our assumptions about people. And it's a treat to watch Park Eun Bin's acting talent pull the whole cast together.

Finally, just a reminder to watch all the epilogues that run after the end credits during this season. They add a lot to the story, *hint* *hint*.

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First off, I just wanted to give this drama a huge round of applause because we all know that it is damn near impossible to get a second season for any k-drama. If you're currently attending college (like me), you will find this drama very relatable. That may or may not be a good thing, but nonetheless, still relatable. For me, I found comfort in it. This drama taught me a lot of life lessons and made me realize all of the little things that I've taken for granted.

The storyline will definitely give you a fresh black eye. I was not prepared for all the feels, even though I should've been because I also watched the first season... and I know what you're all thinking: shame on me. *inserting a cutout of my face plastered on top of Cersei's nude self as she does the walk of shame here* But I also loved how they each had their own trials to face, yet were brought together by this sense of comradery.  

The writers did a fantastic job of creating each individual character and the actresses did an even more spectacular job at bringing them to life. As I watched each of the girls go through their own trials, I really felt like I was with them every step of the way. It was nice to see how each character faced their own obstacles but did so together. One thing that I was truly disappointed about was that I didn't get to see some of the original cast. That isn't to say the new members didn't do well, because they did. I just missed those familiar faces.

The original soundtrack for this drama was a pleasant surprise. Maybe because it's not as upbeat as most of the other soundtracks but this one definitely gave me chill indie vibes (with the occasional heart-wrenching ones).

Overall, this drama is a must-watch. Even if you're no longer in college, you'll find yourself reminiscing about those days. But if you're not in college yet, it'll still give you a good idea of what to expect. Would I rewatch this? Yeah, I think so. There might come a day where I would, I just don't know if my heart will ever be prepared for it.

And with that said,
Llama out.

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Misaeng is my favorite drama of all time. I think it's one of the most important Korean dramas to have ever been made. So it's saying something when I say that Age of Youth 1 and 2 rival my love for Misaeng. I love these dramas.

Season 2 manages to do what most sequels can't do, and that's be just as good as the first season. Even three cast changes can't stop this drama from hitting it out of the park. There's no one in this drama you hate, no one you can't relate to in some way. The story tackles a number of heavy topics with deft hands and a gentle gaze. And just like season 1, you find yourself wishing you could be part of this group of girls, because you'll never find better friends than them.

This is a ten-star drama, and you need to watch it.

FUTURE EDIT: I need to add a caveat here that I didn't in my initial review for reasons I don't know anymore, but there is one thing about this drama that disappoints, and that is the lack of conclusion to what was the most anticipated romance in both seasons to date. But I temper that disappointment with the reckless faith that that simply means we will be getting a season 3 where the romance will come to fruition and all will be well and happy and beautiful with the world. (FUTURE FUTURE EDIT: Ah, sweet, naïve, innocent me, thinking there could ever possibly be a season 3.)

Also, I rebuke that episode 7 urn epilogue in the name of Jesus Christ. Get behind me Satan.

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I totally love this s2 the episode 1 hahaha mixing the coffee is really the best and seeing Yi Na at last and unfortunately it makes me sad that she need to leave : ( and the replacing of Eun Je (Park Hye Soo) she is the best I like her atmosphere the way she act but the new one ughhh I don't dislike her but her facial expression doesn't suit to her the way she get mad unlike hye soo when shes mad she still funny like how naive she is when you tease her but now I don't find that the new one is great at acting yes she did well on acting as eun jae but I still missing the old one and Yi Na is my favorite among them all why ? because in a bunch of group friends you always need a girl who can seduce guys hahahaha Ji won cant find a bf eun jae is kinda naive Ye eun is like a spoil child she always need Yi Na to start a fight Hahahahaha so I hope there will be S3 and bring Yi Na back i miss her and the old eun jae !

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This goes for both seasons 1 and 2, I would rate it higher if it wasn't for the actress change but I mean it's cool, it was a nice funny show that was literally a slice of life. It made me laugh, feel emotions, I liked the whole feeling if they're a family and bonding just like sisters but also fight like it. I like that everyone has their own stories and there's some suspense between everything. It doesn't even fly by like oh this is rushed, it was the perfect amount of time and character and space. I guess I'm just thrown off by the change which sucks but overall, worth watching. Good laughs and all that jazz.

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I think this is an unpopular opinion but i enjoyed this season more than the first one. I was actually debating if i should give it a perfect 10 or not but this season had one big flaw that i just couldn't.
This is the first time i've seen such a bad actress replacement. I don't have anything against Ji Woo,but damn,this wasn't a role fit for her. Eun Jae's character is supposed to be shy and awkward but she looked like a psycho most of the time. Trying to copy Park Hye Soo movements and stares from season 1 didn't really work. It felt really forced and unnatural to the point it was frustrating to watch her act.
But nevertheless i loved everyone else,the main cast was amazing as always with wonderful additions like Choi Ah Ra(Jo Eun) and Kim Min Suk(Seo Jang Hoon) that made this drama shine even more. And thank you writers for giving Park Eun Bin (Song Ji Won) more scenes. SHE ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT.

Overall,this season was full of nice surprises that made me excited for a third season. The ending left me(and everyone else) with a lot of unanswered questions so I'M GONNA BE PISSED IF THEY DON'T MAKE A THIRD ONE.

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As good as 1st season despite cast changes

Story: Similar to 1st season, this is a very character-arc driven story. Despite the cast change for Eunjae, I do think her story changes well with the change in actress. This series concentrate more on Jiwon's backstory and how it affects her present and how it changes her outlook and future. (*cue tears* *spoiler*) I think the romance might be better in this series, imo, probably because 1) Jiwon & Sungmin - we have seen them both previously as friends and their genuine friendship makes their relationship even more admirable 2) Eun & Janghoon - epic meet-cute scene along with taller girl and shorter guy, somehow the director/screenwriter really captured the awkward loveliness between both characters well enough I swooned for them. My only critique on the story may be similar to other reviewers, which is that Yeeun's romantic relationship could have written a bit better? In the sense of portraying mutually healthy relationships? (I don't think her romantic relationship will last in real life? maybe I'm just being pessimistic and I have never experienced romance in my real life lol what authority do I have)

Acting: Tbh, even though I said that the change in casting for Eunjae fits the changes in her storyline, I have to admit, there is a little stiffness/awkwardness in her acting. Besides that, I really have became a fan of Park Eunbin's acting through her portrayal of Jiwon especially in this season. Oh and Han Yeri's too since the 1st season! Best character has to be Jiwon, with her character arc being the most memorable. All round, stellar characters to journey with and yes, that includes the supporting cast.

Music: Same as previous season, good and fits the mood/scene well. I especially like 'day like to day' - drain.

Rewatch value: I generally do think slice-of-life/comedy series like these are rewatchable for hilarious moments when life seems dull or life lessons to remind oneself when life throws a curveball.

Conclusion/TLDR: This series is best watched if you have finished the prequel as it provides context for most of the main characters. Similar to the 1st season, it is all about navigating adulthood, like breakups and career woes (to a little extent), and confronting past trauma and recovering from them. (that should be the end of my review)

*I wish there was a 3rd season to portray final-year Eunjae (cuz I am in my final year of uni and I think Eunjae would be a good character to explore final year woes) or to see Jiwon's romance blossom in full bloom or her fights against injustice. I do think the series ended well and err...there was a semi-conclusive conclusion for all the characters' lives. (similar to six feet under's conclusion *spoiler* *questions writer-nim*)*

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