‘Youth of May’ is a Romantic K-drama with a Nod to History

“Youth of May” starring Lee Do-hyun and Go Min-si might just be the K-drama for you if you’re craving for the first love type of dramas of the past. But what sets this drama apart is its reference to a tragic period in Korea. Here are three reasons why you should include this on your watch list:

1. ‘Youth of May’ Puts Romance Back in K-drama

What could be more romantic than a handsome, rich, smart guy falling in love with a feisty, poor, hard working girl? “Youth of May” tells the story of Hwang Hee-tae (Lee Do-hyun) who falls for the nurse Kim Myung-hee (Go Min-si). Hee-tae is charmed by Myung-hee when he sees her for the first time in the hospital. He is even more captivated when he sees her attending to an accident. However, Hee-tae’s father forces him to go on a blind date with Lee So-ryeon (Keum Sae-rok), an activist student who also comes from a wealthy family. So-ryeon gets her friend Myung-hee to go on the blind date in her stead. The two leads finally meet on a blind date as Myung-hee pretends to be So-ryeon.

If you’re an avid K-drama fan like us, then you would notice that more projects are geared towards a different set of audience. However, If your inner romantic is craving for a full-on love story, then we can highly recommend “Youth of May.” 

2. Lee Do-hyun is a Charmer

Fresh from his success in “18 Again” and “Sweet Home,” Lee Do-hyun is back, this time in a romantic role as Hwang Hee-tae. His youthful looks and manly charisma makes him a perfect romantic K-drama male lead.

Lee Do-hyun has proven his acting range and versatility with a string of interesting roles under his belt. No wonder he won Best New Actor in the recently concluded 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. 

3. A Trip Back in Time

There aren’t a lot of period K-dramas set in the 1980s that tackle South Korea’s path towards democracy. Only one K-drama comes to mind – the ever popular “Reply 1988” where one of the characters Sung Bo-ra was a student activist in Seoul. 

“Youth of May” is set in 1980 in the city of Gwangju. The title “Youth of May” was taken from the time of the Gwangju Uprising since it happened between May 18 to May 27, 1980. During the Gwangju Uprising, hundreds of citizens including student activists were killed, raped, and beaten while protesting against martial law. I personally find this period in Korean history interesting as there are a lot of parallelisms in Philippine history.

If you’re a sucker for romance and history then “Youth of May” is definitely the K-drama for you.

“Youth of May” episodes are up on Viu.