Begins Youth

First of all its unfortunate the drama is released on such an obscure platform.

The writing and plot are engaging and the characters are so lovable. The characters are well written and distinct.

I watched this being already familiar with the original webtoon and music videos. The drama is a prequel to the webtoon Save Me.

The drama's editing does a great job capturing your full attention by making you keep guessing what is going to happen to the characters. The plot does not fall heavily on cliches to carry the plot. Its a very original coming of age drama.

The pacing is very deliberately slow and heavy. It has a good balance of humour and tragedy and heartfelt moments.

At certain parts the dramas pace gets slower by shifting the focus away from the 7 main cast and that might disengage the viewers but with each episode it kept picking it up.

Episodes 4, 8, 9 and 12 are highlights for being the best paced and engaging.

Episodes 6 and 7 were a little too slow.

One of the best parts about the drama is the sound design. It's well done and at times it carries a certain horror element.

There are a few continuity mistakes with scenes that have all 7 of the main cast but it's not that noticible and it doesn't take away your attention.

Overall I am happy with this adaptation of the HYYH album story. I don't know if a viewer who is unfamiliar with the original story will have a hard time watching this drama. There are 7 main characters afterall. It may not be for everyone.

If you love coming of age stories with detailed character studies and elements of tragedy and some comedy you.

I am not always into K-Dramas, and having heard about the messy production behind this one (and 2 years of delays before its release) I had very little hope that this would be very good, and that hope went down the drain when I heard the way it was being released - surely, they must not have much faith in it if they're going to sell it as a glorified NFT in 2024? But it was shocking how well-executed this was all things considered.

The production issues are obvious - there are some glaring scene-level continuity errors and of course a whole host of loose ends left untied, but its all still presented in a way that worked as a really good season of TV. The script and much of the plotting is great, much better than I had thought it would be, and the direction and cinematography is excellent, but the show is absolutely CARRIED by the cast. They really got seven young powerhouse actors for this, each a perfect fit for their role. It blows my mind that almost half of them have hardly if ever had a main role in a drama before. Standouts for me are Kim Yoonwoo as Haru and Jung Woojin as Jooan, with honorable mentions to Noh Jonghyun as Cein and Jeon Jinseo as Jeha but there really isn't a weak link among the seven main actors. If you're a BTS fan, they do a really good job of being reminiscient of the members and the way they played their HYYH characters without ever feeling like they're just doing impressions. And you do 100% care about the characters for themselves, not just as extensions of the BTS members or something.

The show really focuses in on the characters and their relationships with one another and I think that saves it from its sometimes messy plot progression. Left me secretly wishing for a season 2, although a part of me almost feels like it's even better with its ambiguous, almost Christopher Nolan-esque ending.

I highly recommend everyone to watch this.

It's amazing how this drama is talking about real problems faced by real people with the inclusion of mind blowing twists. Not to mention it's filled with sweet bonding moments that pulls at the viewer's heartstrings.

The plot is absolutely incredible and I couldn't believe it that this story was initially created by the musical group, BTS, that this is their storyline for their music videos.

The story 10/10 The acting 10/10 The ending 11/10

I'm so glad I got to watch Begins Youth. Definitely going to rewatch this drama again. Hoping for a second season.

As an army Bts (a Bts fan) I've watched many times the mv's from the album "The best beautiful moment in life" , I've read the books "Notes" and the webtoon "Save me".

I've always thought that the story of Bts universe is captivating, thrilling, heartfelt and heartbreaking, and I've always wanted to watch it as a drama, I've waited for so long... This drama is excellent, a very good production, amazing acting, especially from the young protagonists, the casting was on point.

It was only the beginning though, I want desperately a second season, the continuation of the story is far more thrilling... It is about 7 young boys who become friends, the struggles of their lives, the pain, the traumas, the lost innocence, the joy of being together, the compassion... A drama about life, about human weakness, about friendship, about all of us... A story that has no end...

As a huge BTS fan, watching Begins Youth felt like stepping into a world that was both familiar and completely new. The way this drama tied into the BU (BTS Universe) storyline was incredible-it gave so much depth and meaning to the characters we've come to love through BTS's music. But what truly touched me was how raw and real it felt.

The drama doesn't just explore the struggles of its seven protagonists; it brings to life the themes BTS has been singing about for years-mental health, societal pressure, broken families, and the weight of expectations. Watching it, I couldn't help but think about lyrics like "It's my fault that I can't hold on, it's my fault that my heart is bruised" from The Truth Untold. It felt like the drama was an extension of those emotions, showing us the stories behind the pain.

One scene that hit me the hardest was when Hwan said, "We were just kids. But the world made us grow up too fast." It reminded me so much of the way BTS has always spoken about the struggles of youth, from No More Dream to Spring Day. I could feel the heartbreak, the longing, and the hope all at once.

The cast did such a phenomenal job. Every single actor brought so much emotion to their role that I could feel their struggles as if they were my own. Hwan, in particular, broke my heart-his quiet strength, his guilt, and ultimately his sacrifice to save his friends were so moving. It made me think of Jin's Epiphany and the idea of loving yourself even in the hardest moments.

Even the production felt like it was made with ARMY in mind. The cinematography was breathtaking, with visuals that reminded me of BTS's music videos-like the lonely train station from Spring Day or the eerie stillness of I Need U. The soundtrack was hauntingly beautiful, perfectly capturing the bittersweet tone of the story.

And the ending... oh my gosh, the ending. When Hwan decided to go back in time to save everyone, even knowing it meant he'd be stuck in a loop, I couldn't stop crying. It was like watching someone embody the message of Love Yourself: sacrificing for others but at the cost of losing himself. It left me aching for Season 2, hoping we'll see these boys find the happiness and healing they deserve.

Begins Youth isn't just a drama-it's a love letter to youth, to struggle, and to hope. As an ARMY, I felt like it perfectly captured everything BTS stands for: facing your pain, finding your voice, and believing in the possibility of a better tomorrow. If you're a fan of BTS, you need to watch this. It's not just a story-it's an experience that will stay with you forever.