I had just finished watching Good Boy (2025) and turned back to my watch-list starring Park Bo-gum. Record of Youth (2020), with its relatively low rating, had been sitting far back in the queue… But honestly, there are so many times when ratings just don’t do justice to a show. And more than that, I just wanted to distract myself from my fever and other health issues that had kept me in bed for most of the day at the time.
📺 Premise of “Record of Youth”
Set in the fast-paced world of entertainment and fashion, Record of Youth follows the journey of three people in their mid-20s — Sa Hye-jun (played by Park Bo-gum), a struggling model-turned-aspiring-actor; Ahn Jeong-ha (played by Park So-dam), an independent makeup artist trying to make a name for herself; and Won Hae-hyo (Byeon Woo-seok), Hye-jun’s well-off best friend walking a similar career path but with the help of privilege.
It’s a story about dreams, class divide, the burden of family expectations, and the bittersweet cost of success. But more than that, it’s a quiet portrait of how messy and fragile youth can be when the world expects perfection from you.
📺 Let’s Dig Deep… Shall We?
Hye-jun
Sa Hye-jun comes from a middle-class family with both parents still working hard to pay off debt, an academic genius older brother working in a bank, and a very handsome grandfather who shares a room with him.
From the start, we see that Hye-jun’s father is much closer to the elder son. He constantly discourages Hye-jun from chasing his dream of becoming an actor, urging him to choose a “safer” career. Hye-jun’s mother, however, is understanding and kind. She works as a house-help in an upper-class neighborhood (mainly in Hae-hyo’s house) and quietly supports his dream. His grandfather is his biggest hype-man, always cheering him on. Meanwhile, Hye-jun juggles multiple part-time jobs to avoid being a burden on his family.
Transitioning from modeling to acting proves tough. His modeling agent withholds his pay, and roles he auditions for often go to Hae-hyo thanks to his mother’s influence and resources. After quitting his agency, he teams up with Lee Min-jae — another person wronged by the same company — and with her as his manager, he steadily rises to become a fan favorite. Eventually, Hye-jun lands a role in the same movie as Hae-hyo and pours his heart into it. His hard work pays off, and offers start rolling in.
Hae-hyo
Hae-hyo is Hye-jun’s privileged childhood best friend, also trying to make it in the film industry. The difference? His mother micromanages every aspect of his career — from buying social media followers to lobbying directors for roles. She is determined to see him succeed, even if it means disregarding his personal values and opinions.
Hae-hyo is one true friend. He never stops rooting for Hye-jun even when things get rough for him. Hae-hyo tries his best to pull Hye-jun with him when he couldn’t get the gigs for lack of connections. He supports Jeong-ha as a friend, despite having feelings for her… Hae-hyo passes his phases of jealousy and insecurity without getting into a petty fight with his childhood best friend.
Jeong-ha
Jeong-ha is a talented makeup artist who left her corporate job to pursue her passion. A long-time fan of Hye-jun from his modeling days, she meets both him and Hae-hyo while doing makeup for a fashion show.
She becomes friends with both men as they’re in the same age group. She dreams of opening her own makeup studio and creates beauty content for YouTube on the side.
Jeong-ha’s quite perseverance and calm nature make her so lovable.
The budding romance and the endless hurdles…
Jeong-ha and Hye-jun click almost instantly. They support each other in their struggles, grow close, and eventually start dating. But as Hye-jun steps into the spotlight, scandals follow him like a shadow. Their relationship, though full of love, is tested by busy schedules and constant public attention.
To protect Jeong-ha’s privacy, they keep things under wraps. Despite his workload, Hye-jun tries to visit her whenever possible. Jeong-ha loves him deeply — so much so that she never complains about the trouble caused by his sudden fame, nor does she share her own struggles. She just puts on a smile to comfort her overworked partner.
Her childhood, shaped by divorced parents who constantly argued and struggled financially, made her hyper-independent. She avoids leaning on others, afraid they won’t stick around, and sidesteps conflict by keeping her feelings to herself.
Hye-jun, caught up in his career, doesn’t invest time in supporting her dreams. There’s no shortage of love between them, but the small misunderstandings pile up until their beautiful relationship falls apart.
📺 What I Liked and Didn’t Like in the Series… (My Fangirl Commentary)
- In the first episode, Hye-jun gets beaten up by a jerk — which instantly reminded me of Good Boy (2025) where poor Bo-gum (as Yoon Dong-ju) gets pummeled in every single episode. I was like, “Can we please leave him alone now? Thank you!”
- Sa Hye-jun’s perseverance and down-to-earth nature make you respect and love him — or maybe it’s just Park Bo-gum’s undeniable charm. I can’t tell which one it is.
His face card never declines. The series focuses heavily on his journey, leaving the other two leads without proper closure, which feels slightly unsatisfying. - I loved Hye-jun’s family dynamics. Initially, I disliked his father, but later realized he’s just a protective parent who doesn’t want his son to suffer if his dream fails. Their evolving relationship adds realism. The same goes for his older brother — seemingly mean at first, but secretly caring.
Hye-jun’s mother working in Hae-hyo’s home creates an interesting employer-employee tension between the two mothers — polite on the surface, but competitive underneath. - I adored the small, simple moments in Jeong-ha and Hye-jun’s relationship. No dramatic monologues, no over-the-top gestures — just gentle love. An overworked Hye-jun falling asleep on her couch, or cooking her a meal; Jeong-ha calling to cheer him up without pushing him to open up, simply saying, “I’m bored, can we hang out?” They gave each other space to dream and grow.
- I didn’t quite get Hae-hyo’s ending. His acting career stagnates, and he joins the military. But what happens after he cuts ties with his mother’s control? We never find out.
- The breakup between Jeong-ha and Hye-jun hurt. We saw it coming, but the open-ended resolution didn’t satisfy me. He completely cut ties with past girlfriends, but not with her. She kept the sneakers he gave her and wore them comfortably years later. After the time skip, how exactly did his career and love life turn out?
- I loved how Hye-jun’s various roles within the drama echoed his past works. Some scenes felt like nods to Hello Monster and Love in the Moonlight. I wish we had more of those nostalgic moments.
- Jeong-ha’s backstory was fascinating, especially her troubled relationship with her mother. We never got that heart-to-heart scene between them — not necessarily to fix everything, but to at least hear Jeong-ha voice her frustrations as an adult.
- Hae-hyo’s affection for Jeong-ha felt underdeveloped. But I appreciated that no one overstepped boundaries, keeping the relationships respectful.
Overall, I’d rate Record of Youth (2020) 7.5/10. As a story, it doesn’t have a neatly tied-up ending — instead, it’s like catching a glimpse of these young people’s ongoing journeys toward their dreams.
Hello, Monster/I Remember You (2015) : The Underrated Murder Mystery Series
Hello, Monster (2015) is a gripping psychological thriller wrapped in emotional trauma, lost memories, and an unlikely bond between a detective and a criminal profiler—slow-burn, smart, and deeply haunting. This show proves the versatility of Park Bo-gum’s acting…
Well, that’s all for today. Thanks for stopping by!
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