Early Access: Youth Of May E2 (Patreon)

E2. Augh. Well, it looks like Show is all poised to steal my heart - if it hasn't already stolen it already, with this episode.

Mainly, I think I'm smitten with Lee Do Hyun.. although, what else is new? He is as melty in this as in 18 Again, even though he's a completely different character here.

Not to say that I'm not enjoying Go Min Si in this; she's doing an excellent job, and I already think she and Lee Do Hyun make a great OTP. My sister had expressed a bit of concern, about whether it'd be weird seeing Lee Do Hyun and Go Min Si play a couple, when they'd recently played siblings on Sweet Home. I personally am having no problems with this whatsoever. It's only episode 2, and I am already on board this ship, heh.

I love how all of Myung Hee's efforts to turn off Hee Tae fall so flat; it's like there's nothing she can do, that will disgust him, or make him think less of her, or snuff out his interest in her. Instead, he remains genial, and matches each of her attempts with good humor. Augh. That is so melty to me, honestly. I love - just LOVE - how delighted he is, by her. I love this idea, that because he's seen her as herself, nothing she does now, can deter him from wanting to get to know her better. This appreciation for her, just as she is, is just the sort of thing to make my heart race. Squee!

I like how Show intersplices Soo Ryeon's careful coaching on how to get dumped by her blind date, with Myung Hee's valiant efforts to follow Soo Ryeon's advice - with unexpected results. It's cute and I find it all rather amusing.

I love how polite and considerate Hee Tae manages to be, even while he's overturning Myung Hee's efforts to ruin the blind date. When he asks to have a sip of her (supposedly shocking) beer, he's careful to pour the beer into his mouth without touching the lip of the bottle. Would this be called.. manner lips, after the famous Korean manner hands? 😆

Out of the various things that Hee Tae says to Myung Hee, the thing that lingers with me, is what he says about his childhood; that he'd grown up eating other people's leftovers. The way he says it is so matter-of-fact, and at the same time, there's a hint of.. hm.. not quite resignation per se, but more like an acceptance that's tinged with some resignation, in his voice.

I am really curious to know more about why he'd had a rough upbringing, since his father is rich and influential. If this were a sageuk, I'd imagine that his mother was a slave of the household, and that's why he'd grown up being treated as less than. Hmm.. Could it be something akin to this idea, even though this isn't a sageuk? Perhaps his mother was a servant of the house..?

I love that not only is Hee Tae unfazed by Myung Hee's apparent shopping habit, he notices that her shoes aren't comfortable for her, and buys her a better fitted pair. GUH. Can Hee Tae be any more thoughtful, kind and sweet? 😍

Also, I love how he is clearly thinking of this thing with Myung Hee, in the longer term. I'm sure this has to do with Myung Hee herself, and not because he'd promised his father to do well on the blind date; this isn't just a blind date he wants to get done and over with. He really does want to get to know Myung Hee better. And yet, he's patient and good-humored about it. When Myung Hee asks why he chose not to graduate, he merely muses with a smile that he'll tell her when they've gotten closer. Uff. In Myung Hee's shoes, I'd be a melting puddle of toast; he's just so warm and lovely.

Plus, he writes music, because he's just that inspired by the time he's spent with Myung Hee? Flail.

Of course, there is a cloud that hangs over this delightful meeting of our OTP. For one thing, I can't help wondering what will happen when Hee Tae becomes faced with the inevitable, that Myung Hee isn't the person Dad wants him to marry, and Dad is adamant that Hee Tae marry Soo Ryeon?

And for another, what about Myung Hee's plan to pursue her studies overseas? That is literally her life's dream; surely she wouldn't give it all up because of a boy she's just met? There is a distinct touch of wistfulness about Myung Hee, as she puts the shoes he's given her, back into their box, and pushes them under her vanity, out of sight.

I had to giggle at the slo-mo romantic scene of Hee Tae pulling Myung Hee out of harm's way on the street, because not only is that very tropey, it's exactly what Lee Do Hyun did in 18 Again too. Twice. And it'd been part of 18 Again's promotional trailers too. I guess Lee Do Hyun's just very good at rescuing ladies from oncoming vehicles..? 😆

Jokes aside, I really love how persistently good-natured Hee Tae is, in trying to make a connection with Myung Hee. She keeps trying to keep him at a distance, and he keeps on being persistent, but in the nicest, most decent sort of way. And how practical that he supplies her with bus tokens, when she's all out of 'em.

And how about the way he leans into the bus and invites her out on a date the next day, in front of everyone? Tee hee. It's all so amiable and warm, and he comes across as so harmless and cute, that I can see why the other passengers on the bus can't help chuckling at the goings-on.

It's cute how much Myung Soo loves his noona. The way he calls her on the phone, all excited about being in Gwangju, is really endearing, and the way he lights up when he sees her at the stadium is really heartwarming too. And what a little champ he is, managing to come in second place, even though he lost a shoe during the race. Clearly, though, there is going to be some friction between him and Jung Tae, going forward.

I'm starting to get the sense that at least part of the reason Myung Hee's so cold to her father, is because the money she sends home apparently doesn't quite reach the family. I wonder if Dad has some kind of gambling problem, and that's where the money's gone? If so, I can see why Myung Hee would be upset, especially since she's working so hard and living so frugally, to send that money home.

Dad does care about his kids, though, as we see this episode. Dad takes Myung Soo to buy proper running shoes, even though he doesn't quite approve of Myung Soo taking time off from school to train in Gwangju. And, he does look longingly at a pair of ladies shoes, like he wishes he could buy them for Myung Hee, so that she'd be able to stop wearing sneakers.

There's this idea that's coming to the fore, about children being sources of income. First, there's Myung Hee, of course. But there's also Hee Tae's friend Seok Chul. This episode, it's really quite startling how Seok Chul's mother reacts, when she hears that her daughter is in the hospital. Instead of being concerned for her daughter's health, she's more interested in what this means for their family income. Dang. That's cold.

..Speaking of cold, Soo Ryeon's shocked by the cold reception she gets from her activist comrades, after their release from jail. The questions that her friends ask her, indicate a suspicion that stems from us-versus-them sort of thinking. Even though she's the one who got them released, they can't help asking why she'd gotten released before everyone else, and how she'd managed to get them out.

From what I can tell, this all boils down to her father and his connections, and I think, because they see this as her secondary connections as well, they now feel like they can't trust her like they used to, when this hadn't been on the table.

There's the other side of the coin as well, of the idea that Show's been serving up, that kids are resources. Soo Ryeon and Hee Tae aren't their families' breadwinners, but they are still depended on, when it comes to the family's finances. Their marriage is something that their parents are counting on, for gains that include power and money.

That scene where Hee Tae's father entertains his important guests, the entire family is expected to put on a good show, such that they appear to be a picture-perfect happy family.

It's so poignant to hear Myung Soo say to Myung Hee, that he wishes she and Dad would get back on good terms, like in the old days, and that back then, Myung Hee had smiled a lot at home. Even though Myung Hee doesn't say more about it, there's a sadness - a wistfulness, perhaps? - about her, as she listens to Myung Soo.

Hrm.. it seems that Soo Chan is nursing some interest in Myung Hee, given the way he gazes at her in the hospital, and tries to ask her out to dinner. Too bad for him, that Myung Hee already has dinner plans with Hee Tae.

Gosh, I love how considerate Hee Tae is, of Myung Hee. When he notices her uncertainty around the cutlery at the fancy restaurant they're at, he asks the waitress which fork they're supposed to use, as if he doesn't know the answer himself. Seriously, how sweet is that?

It's a bit much that he pours water on the head of the obnoxious doctor at the next table for talking trash about Myung Hee, but well, I guess Obnoxious Doc had it coming, from the rude things he was saying.

I do like how Hee Tae scoops up Myung Hee in a princess-carry, after she falls and sprains her ankle. It's all very gallant, and how cool, that he has the skills to treat her ankle himself, when she insists that she absolutely cannot go to the hospital.

Their little accidental date at the park is so pretty and atmospheric; it feels almost magical, with those pink blossoms floating in the air. What I like even more, though, is how the conversation between Hee Tae and Myung Hee finally becomes more serious and honest.

When Myung Hee asks if Hee Tae's being forced by his father to keep meeting her, I love Hee Tae's answer, "To be honest, it wasn't my first time seeing you at the hotel. I witnessed the car accident in front of the hotel. The whole time I was waiting for Ms. Lee Soo Ryeon in the coffee shop, I was thinking, 'Gosh. Who cares about this date?'... 'I should've talked to that girl from earlier.' But then you walked in as my date. You didn't have to be Lee Soo Ryeon, the daughter of Changhwa Industrial. Even if you were Ms. Song Mal Ja... or Ms. Kim Bok Soon, it would've made no difference to me." Melt. ❤️

And then, when Myung Hee asks Hee Tae why he'd chosen not to graduate, I do like Hee Tae's gently teasing reminder, that if he tells her the answer, it would mean that they've gotten closer. And Myung Hee nods! Eee!! She's letting him in, and no longer holding him at a distance!

When Myung Hee touches base with Soo Ryeon later, I feel like we're starting to see hints that Soo Ryeon may not be as pleasant and nice as she first appears. She's definitely more preoccupied with her own feelings, to the extent that she doesn't even hear what Myung Hee is saying to her. Maybe I'm reading too much into things; we'll see.

Just when Soo Ryeon's told Myung Hee that she can stop going on the dates because her friends have already been released, who should show up to Soo Ryeon's house bearing gifts, but Hee Tae? Oohhh. 😳

And, Hee Tae walks right up to Soo Ryeon, addresses her by name while looking at her right in the eye, and apologizes for dropping by unannounced - before turning to look at Myung Hee, with a slight smile. Ahhh! What does this mean? As in, did he know that Myung Hee would be at the house, when he made his way there? If so, how did he know? More importantly, how is Hee Tae going to manage his growing feelings for Myung Hee, when he's supposed to be in marriage talks with Soo Ryeon? 😱