Early Access: Record Of Youth E2 (Patreon)

E2. My second date with Show feels like a success. Huzzah!

I don't know if it's because stuff is actually working better overall, or if I've just gotten used to it. I find that I enjoyed episode 2 significantly more than episode 1. My guess is that it's a bit of both.

It bodes well for me that my favorite thing in this show is when Park Bo Gum and Park So Dam are sharing the screen. I really like the connection that forms between Hye Joon and Jung Ha. It feels quite natural and organic and unforced, yet sparky, and I LIKE IT.

I like the idea that Show toys with this episode, that we tend to be drawn to people who are similar to ourselves. It explains why Jung Ha is Hye Joon's fan and not Hae Hyo's, and it also explains why Hye Joon and Jung Ha get along so well. They seem to click at a pretty visceral level, from their shared wounds of being treated unfairly. Somehow, that kinship is quickly apparent, and I like that it's something so fundamentally human that draws them together.

I love how approachable and down-to-earth Hye Joon is, when he talks with Jung Ha, even though they've just met. I can feel her fangirl lenses adjusting, as she sees for herself, what he's like in person, and I can feel her appreciation for him growing, as she sees how empathetic and compassionate  - and uncompetitive, in his approval of her claim to be Hae Hyo's fan - he is. I can practically feel the hearts in her eyes growing larger, heh. Well, and the hearts in my eyes too, because Park Bo Gum is very handsome in a suit, and so down-to-earth yet swoony, in this scene.

I also appreciate how principled Hye Joon is, even in pursuing his dreams. Even though designer Charlie Jung shows him a lot of favor and offers to be his sponsor, to ensure his career success, and offers that to him more than once, Hye Joon consistently declines without hesitation. This, even though the second offer comes long enough after the first, for Hye Joon to have seen and experienced the hardship of not having a sponsor. And yet, when Charlie Jung makes the offer the second time, and insists that Hye Joon take some time to think about it, Hye Joon turns him down; once, immediately after the second offer is made, and the second, final, time, after taking some time to think about it, as requested. Hye Joon is so clear, that he would rather give up his dreams, if he can't achieve them without sponsorship, and I'm impressed.

On a side note, I just wanted to state for the record that I did not find the portrayal of Charlie Jung's affection for Hye Joon offensive, even though it's true that k-ent could afford to balance out gay representation in general. In fact, I thought it was handled reasonably sensitively, for a delicate topic like sponsorship. Unlike other dramas that have shown gay characters being attracted to our male leads, where most of it is played for comedy, this is not played for comedy.

Charlie Jung's feelings for Hye Joon seem to be deep and enduring, although it isn't clear what drew Charlie Jung to Hye Joon or how they'd become close in the beginning. Even though Hye Joon declines the offer of sponsorship the first time it's given, Charlie Jung isn't shown to react in a petty or vengeful way. He just keeps yearning from afar, and looking at Hye Joon with wistful gazes, which imply that despite the questionable nature of the sponsorship relationship he's offering, his feelings for Hye Joon are, to him at least, real and true. And when Hye Joon turns him down with finality, after the second offer, there is no dramatic screaming (which we've seen in other dramas); their goodbye is tense, but tamped down and controlled. That's not bad, I think?

Also, let me just say that I really appreciate the way Hye Joon responds to Charlie Jung's offer. In declining, he continues to be respectful, and says the most caring thing I could think of, in this situation: "I don't want to hurt you, sir." Wow. So perfect.

I like the banter between Hye Joon and Jung Ha. Somehow, between these two, it works, for me. I like how the banter is centered around their personalities, like how they feel about being unfairly treated, and whether they always win; it feels like even in these quick exchanges, they're getting to know each other in important, fundamental ways. And there's how Jung Ha instinctively reacts so strongly against Hye Joon's remark that he's a nobody. There's a sense of support and solidarity there that appeals to me.

I really like Min Jae, as a character. Not only has she consistently stood up to Hye Joon's shady ex-boss in his defense, she literally sets up an entertainment company on the spur of the moment, so that Hye Joon can walk the runway in Milan. And then, she gets all giddy at the entire process, and how it feels to help someone. I love that she gets thrilled by helping others. I think I'm going to love her.

I feel a little more sympathetic towards Hye Joon's father this episode, in that, even though I still don't like how he treats Hye Joon, I find him more understandable. He's suffered a lot in life, in working to provide for his family, and he's seen first hand, the disappointment of failed actor dreams, in his own father, and he's unwilling that his son would go through the same thing. Given that he's suffering from chronic shoulder pain, I can understand why he'd be more short-tempered in general.

I still think it's awful, the things that he says to Hye Joon, and I can understand Hye Joon's feelings of hurt, betrayal and rejection, at his father's harsh words.

Grandpa's desire to work, so that he can give his son some money to help with things like medical bills, is so poignant. They may argue a lot, and there's clearly a lot of emotional baggage between them, but it genuinely worries Grandpa to see Dad suffer and fret, and that's heart-tugging stuff.

Hye Joon's deep hurt at his father's and brother's words is so palpable; Park Bo Gum is so, so good at portraying nuanced emotional pain. I can feel the many layers of emotional wounds that lie underneath his pained gaze and the quiver in his voice. He's unleashing in the moment, but there's so much baggage there, that even this unleashing can't fully express how rejected and spurned he feels, with his own family. There is a great deal of pent-up heartache here, and the way Park Bo Gum delivers it, gives me a sense that Hye Joon's wounds that lie beneath the surface, are deep, open and throbbing. Oof.

That scene after the confrontation, where Grandpa and Hye Joon both cry, and hug, while they both try not to cry, brings tears to my eyes. This is not a scene of cathartic tears; this is a scene where the pain is so great that the tears are leaking out, but even that leakage isn't enough to provide relief for the building pressure caused by the growing wounds.

Hae Hyo and Jin Woo are such blockheads to think that the best time to tell Hye Joon about his movie dreams being dashed, is when he's most happy. It's no wonder Hye Joon looks so crushed, as tears rise in his eyes. Although Hae Hyo and Jin Woo go with Hye Joon to drown his sorrows at the noraebang, it does feel to me like this long-time friendship might be on the cusp of breaking up, or at least, going through some significant change. Hye Joon hinted at it in episode 1, and with this incident, it feels more certain than ever, that change might be coming because the people themselves are changing.

Hae Hyo seems to be living in a bubble of his own. He doesn't seem to realize that his mom is involved in any way, in fast-tracking his career and success; he seems to just like to bask in the belief that he's accomplished everything on his own merit. The clues are there, but he seems completely oblivious, so far.

So far, I feel ambivalent towards him. On the one hand, I don't like how oblivious he is, to the unfairness that he's benefiting from. It almost seems like a willful ignorance, sometimes. On the other hand, he does seem to genuinely care about Hye Joon, on some level. He's troubled and worried when he learns that he got the movie role, and Hye Joon didn't, because he knows that Hye Joon would be disappointed and hurt. And, he does try to get Hye Joon in on a gig that he's doing, so that they can work together.

Despite Hae Hyo's indications of care for Hye Joon, however, I can't shake the feeling that he's only good for that, while he has the upper hand. Somehow, I feel like he wouldn't take it so well, if the roles were reversed, and Hye Joon was the one doing better than he.

As for Hae Hyo's mother, sometimes I find her rather amusing in how excited she gets over her son's career milestones, but at other times, I find her distasteful because of how snooty she is. The way she disdains Hae Hyo's friendship with Hye Joon does not endear her to me. Not only does she complain about it to Hae Hyo's father, grumbling that he shouldn't have insisted that Hae Hyo go to public school, but she doesn't hesitate to show it in front of Hae Hyo either. It's like it's not enough that Hae Hyo succeeds; she seems to want to see Hye Joon fail, too. Otherwise, why would she refuse so vehemently, when Hae Hyo asked if she knew anyone at the movie studio, in hopes that they could get Hye Joon a part too?