'Record of Youth' Episode 2 promo hints at big clash in Hye-jun's family, Jeong-ah might help him not give up
'Record of Youth' premiered on September 7 and with just the first episode, the show has given us a great insight into how the youth of Korea struggles to support themselves and give wings to their dreams. In the first episode, we saw how An Jeong-ah (Park So-dam) gave up on a stable corporate job to do what she had loved the most and that was to be a make-up artist. Then we also met Hye-jun (Park Bo-gum), a young man who hasn't completed his compulsory army enlistment as he is trying to find a footing as an actor. He has already achieved top credit as a model but is now interested in becoming an actor. However, his family believes that he is chasing a pipe dream, not one that can be achieved in reality.
In the first episode, we saw how his father's opinion about his choice of the profession had affected Hye-jun, but from the promo, we are sure that there is more to this family than a disagreement over the son's profession. There is a deep-seated hatred for acting that we feel from Hye-jun's father and if we had to take a guess, this is likely because Hye-jun's grandfather had failed in making a name for himself despite dreaming the same dream and so, Hye-jun's father believes that his son's dream will remain just that.
However, Hye-jun argues that as his family they are supposed to support him in his endeavors and cheer for him. However, all they have been doing is to try and stop him at every turn and even tell him to his face that he was turning into a burden to their family. This hurts him deeply and it is this sentiment that all his family members share, which ends up being the reason that Hye-jun wonders if he should quit chasing after his dreams after all.
Then in the promo, we also see Hye-jun tell his family to back off. He doesn't tell them that lightly. He first tells them that as his family, they are supposed to help him out and solve his problems. Probably something that his best friend Hae-hyo's family would do for him. However, when Hye-jun's brother tells him that his family cannot solve all his problems and that the advice that they are peddling him is only for his own good, Hye-jun takes a stand and tells them that if they are not capable of helping him in making his dreams come true, they shouldn't have a say in how he does it. Considering he is working his way up without any support, the only one who is eligible to question him or judge him is none other than himself.
Another thing that the teaser hints at is the possibility of how the new relationship between Hye-jun and Jeong-ah might help Hye-jun in accepting the turn that his life has taken. We did see how she had suggested that it is time that the country's youth began living for themselves instead of their family and Hye-jun seems to be in need of pep talk just like this. Will Jeong-ah be able to help Hye-jun make a decision about signing up for the enlistment over giving his dream another shot?
'Record of Youth' originally airs on tvN on Mondays and Tuesdays in South Korea and can be streamed on Netflix in the US.