Record of Youth
| Record of Youth | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 청춘기록 |
| Hanja | 青春紀錄 |
| RR | Cheongchungirok |
| MR | Ch'ŏngch'un'girok |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Studio Dragon |
| Written by | Ha Myung-hee |
| Directed by | Ahn Gil-ho |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Nam Hye-seung |
| Country of origin | South Korea |
| Original language | Korean |
| No. of episodes | 16 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Kim Seon-tae |
| Producers |
|
| Production company | Pan Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | TVN |
| Release | September 7 – October 27, 2020 |
Record of Youth (Korean: 청춘기록) is a South Korean television series starring Park Bo-gum, Park So-dam, and Byeon Woo-seok.It aired on TVN from September 7 to October 27, 2020, every Monday and Tuesday at 21:00 (KST), and is available for streaming worldwide on Netflix. It aired while Park Bo-gum was serving in the Republic of Korea Navy as part of his compulsory military service.
At the time of airing, the series recorded the highest premiere viewership rating for a TvN Monday-Tuesday drama of all time, and became popular outside Korea through Netflix. It received praise for its depiction of millennials and Generation Z, and was nominated for Best Screenplay for Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. Forbes named it as one of the best Korean dramas of 2020.
Synopsis
The series revolves around the lives of three young people in the entertainment industry as they strive to achieve their dreams and love without despair.
Cast
Main
- Park Bo-gum as Sa Hye-jun
- Im Jae-ha as young Sa Hye-jun
- A model from a working-class family who dreams of becoming a top actor. Despite failing several auditions, he postpones his military enlistment and eventually begins to make his dreams come true.
- Park So-dam as Ahn Jeong-ha
- A makeup artist, a fan-girl of Hye-jun as he models, she lives her life positively. After quitting her office job, she works at a beauty salon in Cheongdam-dong, where she is often criticized by her boss. Later, she opens her beauty salon.
- Byeon Woo-seok as Won Hae-hyo
- Noh Young-min as young Won Hae-hyo
- A model turned actor and one of Hye-jun's best friends. He comes from a rich family where his mother controls his professional life.
Supporting
Sa Hye-jun's family
- Ha Hee-ra as Han Ae-sook, Sa Hye-jun's mother
- Han Jin-hee as Sa Min-gi, Sa Hye-jun's grandfather
- Park Soo-young as Sa Young-nam, Sa Hye-jun's father
- Lee Jae-won as Sa Kyeong-jun, Sa Hye-jun's older brother
Won Hae-hyo's family
- Shin Ae-ra as Kim Yi-young,[1] Won Hae-hyo's mother
- Seo Sang-won as Won Tae-kyeong, Won Hae-hyo's father
- Cho Yu-jung as Won Hae-na, Won Hae-hyo's younger sister
Kim Jin-woo's family
- Jung Min-sung as Kim Jang-man, Kim Jin-woo's father
- Park Sung-yeon as Lee Kyung-mi, Kim Jin-woo's mother
- Jang Yi-jung as Kim Jin-ri, Kim Jin-woo's younger sister
Others
- Kwon Soo-hyun as Kim Jin-woo[2]
- Baek Soo-min as young Kim Jin-woo
- Shin Dong-mi as Lee Min-jae, Sa Hye-jun's manager
- Lee Chang-hoon as Lee Tae-soo, Hye-jun's former manager and the new director at Park Do-ha's entertainment company
- Kwon Eun-soo as Gateway casting interviewer
- Park Se-hyun as Choi Soo-bin, Ahn Jeong-ha's friend and co-worker at the salon.
- Yang So-min as hair salon director
- Jo Ji-seung as Park Jin-ju, Ahn Jeong-ha's senior co-worker at the salon.
- Lim Ki-hong as Yang Moo-jin
- Kim Gun-woo as Park Do-ha, a top actor
- Kim Min-chul as Chi-yeong, Hye-Jun's chauffeur
Special appearances
- Kim Hye-yoon as Lee Bo-ra, a makeup artist (Ep. 1)
- Lee Seung-joon as Charlie Jung, a fashion designer (Ep. 1–2, 10)
- Lee Hae-woon as a producer/director (Ep. 1, 3)
- Kim Min-sang as director Choi Se-hun (Ep. 1, 4–5, 9)
- Kang So-young as a runaway model (Ep. 2)
- Seol In-ah as Jung Ji-ah, Hye-jun's ex-girlfriend (Ep.4, 7–15)
- Seo Hyun-jin as Lee Hyun-soo, an actress (Ep. 8–9)
- Bae Yoon-kyung as Kim Su-man (Ep. 8–16)
- Kang Han-na as Jessica, host of OVN Drama Awards (Ep. 9)
- Park Seul-gi as host at a press conference (Ep. 9)
- Park Seo-joon as Song Min-soo, an actor (Ep. 9–10)
- Lee Sung-kyung as Jin Seo-woo (Ep. 12)
- Lee Hye-ri as Lee Hae-ji (Ep. 13)
- Choi Soo-jong as a mall visitor (Ep. 14)
Production
Casting
In April 2020, Park Bo-gum confirmed his appearance in the drama directed by Ahn Gil-ho and produced by Pan Entertainment.[3] Park So-dam and Byeon Woo-seok were also confirmed to star.[4] The first script reading of the series took place in July 2020.[5]
Filming
Despite restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Park Bo-gum's on-going application to fulfill his mandatory military service, principal photography proceeded without delays.[6] A departure from Korean drama convention, filming of the series was finished prior to its premiere.[7] BMW Korea sponsored the vehicles in the drama.[8] Filming locations of the series became popular among viewers including the Starfield Library inside Starfield COEX Mall and Baegot Hanul Park.[9][10][11]
Release
A scheduled online press conference attended by the cast on August 27, 2020 was cancelled due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.[12]
Record of Youth aired on TvN from September 7 to October 27, 2020, every Monday and Tuesday at 21:00 (KST).[13] It was made available for streaming in 190 countries around the world through Netflix.[14] While the series was airing, lead actor Park Bo-gum was serving the Republic of Korea Navy as part of his compulsory military service.[15]
Episodes
| No. in series | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 7, 2020 |
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 8, 2020 |
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 14, 2020 |
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 15, 2020 |
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 21, 2020 |
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 22, 2020 |
| 7 | "Episode 7" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 28, 2020 |
| 8 | "Episode 8" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | September 29, 2020 |
| 9 | "Episode 9" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 5, 2020 |
| 10 | "Episode 10" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 6, 2020 |
| 11 | "Episode 11" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 11, 2020 |
| 12 | "Episode 12" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 12, 2020 |
| 13 | "Episode 13" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 19, 2020 |
| 14 | "Episode 14" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 20, 2020 |
| 15 | "Episode 15" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 26, 2020 |
| 16 | "Episode 16" | Ahn Gil-ho | Ha Myung-hee | October 27, 2020 |
Original soundtrack
| Record of Youth Original Television Soundtrack | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | October 26, 2020[16] |
| Genre | Soundtrack |
| Language | |
| Label | |
Part 1
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Go" |
|
| Seung-kwan (Seventeen) | 3:34 |
| 2. | "Go" (Inst.) |
| 3:34 | ||
| Total length: | 7:08 | ||||
Part 2
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "You're In My Soul" |
|
| Chungha | 3:28 |
| 2. | "You're In My Soul" (Inst.) |
| 3:28 | ||
| Total length: | 6:56 | ||||
Part 3
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Every Second" (나의 시간은) |
|
| Baekhyun (EXO) | 3:33 |
| 2. | "Every Second" (Inst.) |
| 3:33 | ||
| Total length: | 7:06 | ||||
Part 4
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shine On You" (그렇게 넌 내게 빛나) |
|
| Wheein (Mamamoo) | 4:28 |
| 2. | "Shine On You" (Inst.) |
| 4:28 | ||
| Total length: | 8:56 | ||||
Part 5
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What If" |
|
| Kim Jae-hwan | 3:45 |
| 2. | "What If" (Inst.) |
| 3:45 | ||
| Total length: | 7:30 | ||||
Part 6
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Spotlight" |
|
| Bobby (iKON) | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Spotlight" (Inst.) |
| 3:36 | ||
| Total length: | 7:12 | ||||
Part 7
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Brave Enough" |
|
| Lee Hi | 4:05 |
| 2. | "Brave Enough" (Inst.) |
| 4:05 | ||
| Total length: | 8:10 | ||||
Part 8
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Just You" (너로 가득해) |
|
| J Rabbit | 3:51 |
| 2. | "Just You" (Inst.) |
| 3:51 | ||
| Total length: | 7:42 | ||||
Part 9
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "What My Heart Says" (내 마음이 그렇대) |
|
| Kim Se-jeong (Gugudan) | 3:51 |
| 2. | "What My Heart Says" (Inst.) |
| 3:51 | ||
| Total length: | 7:42 | ||||
Part 10
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "It's OK, Because It's You" (넌 그래도 돼) |
|
| Xani | 3:55 |
| 2. | "It's OK, Because It's You" (Inst.) |
| 3:55 | ||
| Total length: | 7:50 | ||||
Part 11
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Open Door" |
|
| Janet Suhh | 3:16 |
| 2. | "Still Dreaming" |
|
| Janet Suhh | 3:36 |
| 3. | "Open Door" (Inst.) |
| 3:16 | ||
| 4. | "Still Dreaming" (Inst.) |
| 3:36 | ||
| Total length: | 13:44 | ||||
Chart performance
| Title | Year | Peak positions |
Remarks | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | ||||
| "Every Second" (Baekhyun) | 2020 | 45 | Part 3 | [17] |
| "Shine On You" (Wheein) | 172 | Part 4 | [18] | |
| "What If" (Kim Jae-hwan) | 120 | Part 5 | ||
| "Brave Enough" (Lee Hi) | 186 | Part 7 | [19] |
Reception
Critical response
The series received praise for its depiction of millennials and Gen Z,[20][21] and was nominated for Best Screenplay for Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.[22] Forbes named it as one of the best Korean dramas of 2020.[23] Park Bo-gum's performance in the drama was lauded and cemented his reputation as a "National Treasure"-level actor.[24][25]
Impact
Despite being in the military and prohibited to promote at the time of the show's airing, lead actor Park Bo-gum ranked first in overall topicality making him the "Most Buzzworthy Performer" (TV and OTT; Drama and Entertainment) for eight consecutive weeks after the series premiered per big data analytics firm Good Data Corporation.[26] The show also topped topicality indices until the end of its run.[27] In addition, Park Bo-gum ranked 2nd in Gallup Korea's Television Actor of the Year survey in 2020.[28] The success of the series drove the production company Pan Entertainment's stock up to 42%.[29]
Viewership
On Netflix, it topped viewership rankings in several territories.[30]
A 6.362% viewership rating was recorded nationwide for the series's first episode, making it one of the highest premiere ratings of the network.[31][32] It achieved the number one viewer rating for TVN's first Monday-Tuesday drama. Since then, it has been quickly rising without a drop rating and maintained its first place in the same time slot, even after two competitors began airing.[33]
| Season | Episode number | Average | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | |||
| 1 | 1.406 | 1.569 | 1.708 | 1.919 | 1.677 | 1.694 | 1.681 | 1.863 | 1.722 | 1.843 | 1.794 | 1.762 | 1.800 | 1.795 | 1.764 | 1.999 | 1.750 | |
| Ep. | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (Nielsen Korea)[34] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nationwide | Seoul | ||
| 1 | September 7, 2020 | 6.362% (1st) | 7.791% (1st) |
| 2 | September 8, 2020 | 6.802% (1st) | 8.217% (1st) |
| 3 | September 14, 2020 | 7.200% (1st) | 9.102% (1st) |
| 4 | September 15, 2020 | 7.823% (1st) | 9.626% (1st) |
| 5 | September 21, 2020 | 7.801% (1st) | 9.037% (1st) |
| 6 | September 22, 2020 | 6.995% (1st) | 8.409% (1st) |
| 7 | September 28, 2020 | 7.730% (1st) | 9.368% (1st) |
| 8 | September 29, 2020 | 7.734% (1st) | 9.225% (1st) |
| 9 | October 5, 2020 | 7.404% (1st) | 8.974% (1st) |
| 10 | October 6, 2020 | 8.238% (1st) | 10.063% (1st) |
| 11 | October 12, 2020 | 8.262% (1st) | 9.618% (1st) |
| 12 | October 13, 2020 | 7.798% (1st) | 9.439% (1st) |
| 13 | October 19, 2020 | 7.760% (1st) | 9.313% (1st) |
| 14 | October 20, 2020 | 7.772% (1st) | 9.617% (1st) |
| 15 | October 26, 2020 | 7.625% (1st) | 9.134% (1st) |
| 16 | October 27, 2020 | 8.740% (1st) | 10.728% (1st) |
| Average | 7.628% | 9.229% | |
Accolades
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APAN Star Awards | 2021 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Park Bo-gum | Nominated | [35] |
| Popular Star Award, Actor | Nominated | [36] | |||
| Asia Artist Awards | 2020 | Popularity Award, Television Actor | Park Bo-gum | Nominated | |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2021 | Best Screenplay – Television | Ha Myung-hee | Nominated | [22] |
Listicles
| Publication | Year | List | Recipient | Placement | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forbes | 2020 | The 13 Best Korean Dramas of 2020 | Record of Youth | Included | [23] |
| Newsweek | A Beginner's Guide to the Best Korean Shows | Included | [37] |
References
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- ^ Kim, Sun-woo (June 11, 2020). 권수현, '청춘기록' 출연 확정... 박보검과 호흡 [공식] [Official: Kwon Soo-hyun stars in Record of Youth With Park Bo-gum]. Sports Seoul. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020.
- ^ "박보검, '청춘기록' 출연 확정…박소담X변우석 조합에 기대감↑". Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "'청춘기록' 박보검·박소담·변우석, 설레는 '꿈의 조합'". 국민일보 (in Korean). April 9, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "`청춘기록` 박보검X박소담X변우석, 대본리딩 현장…'청춘' 시너지 폭발". 매일경제 (in Korean). July 2, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "박보검 군악병지원→'청춘기록' 측 "박보검 입대, 촬영엔 영향 없을 것" [공식입장]". 스포츠동아 (in Korean). June 2, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ ""박보검X박소담 설렘 지수 완벽"…'청춘기록', 대본리딩만으로 흥행 예감". 한국일보 (in Korean). July 2, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "BMW 코리아, 넷플릭스 방영, tvN 드라마 '청춘기록'에 차량 협찬 : 한국이륜차신문". www.kmnews.net (in Korean). May 27, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "'청춘기록' 서점 별마당도서관 재등장, 박보검 군입대→제대 후 박소담과 재회". 아시아투데이 (in Korean). October 27, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
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- ^ "박보검 '청춘기록', 코로나 19 여파 온라인 제작발표회 취소 [전문]". Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Choi, Ji-won (September 7, 2020). "Park So-dam, Park Bo-gum's 'Record of Youth' kicks off". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2020.
- ^ "'청춘기록', 넷플릭스 통해 190개국에 공개(공식)". MK스포츠 (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Lim, Jang-won (April 21, 2021). "With clever planning, celebrities shorten mandatory career break for military service". The Korea Herald. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ 머니S (October 26, 2020). "청춘기록, OST 앨범 온오프라인으로 발매 '총 33트랙'". 머니S (in Korean). Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ "2020 Week 39 Digital Chart". Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Week 40 Digital Chart". Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Week 41 Digital Chart". Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ^ Hwang, So-young (September 16, 2020). [초점IS] '청춘기록' Y·Z세대 공감 자극하는 박보검-박소담 [Park Bo-gum and Park So-dam stimulate sympathy among Millennials and Gen Z in 'Record of Youth']. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ '청춘기록' 타임지·포브스도 집중 조명, 해외 네티즌들 반응 보니... ['Record of Youth' also gets spotlight from Time Magazine and Forbes]. Naver. October 17, 2020. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ a b Kim, Ji-hye. 제57회 백상예술대상, TV·영화·연극 부문 최종 후보 발표... 13일 생방송 [공식] [Official: The finalists of 57th Baeksang Arts Awards in the TV, Film, and Drama category announced live broadcast on April 13]. Herald Pop (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved April 12, 2021 – via Naver.
- ^ a b MacDonald, Joan (December 11, 2020). "The 13 Best Korean Dramas Of 2020". Forbes. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ [퍼스널리티] 박보검의 빛나지만 시린 청춘에 웃고 울다. Naver (in Korean). Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ 박보검, '토란소년'에서 '국보급 배우' 되기까지...꾸준했던 연기史 [Park Bo-gum, from 'Toran Boy' to 'National Treasure Actor'... A Steady History of Acting]. 엑스포츠뉴스 (in Korean). October 29, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2025. [Park Bo-gum's charm has captivated fans not only in Korea but also overseas, solidifying his position as the true 'Prince of Asia'.]
- ^ 박보검, 8주 연속 화제성 1위 '군백기 무색한 존재감' [Park Bo-gum, 8 weeks in a row, No. 1 in topicality, 'a presence that pales in comparison to the military uniform']. 박보검, 8주 연속 화제성 1위 '군백기 무색한 존재감' (in Korean). November 4, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ "軍백기 없다..박보검-'청춘기록' 종영까지 화제성 1위" [No military white flag.. Park Bo-gum - 'Record of Youth' ranked 1st in topic until the end]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). November 5, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ Hong, Se-young (December 16, 2020). 김희애 '올해를 빛낸 탤런트' 1위, 박보검·현빈 2·3위 [공식] [Kim Hee-ae ranked 1st in 'Talent who shined this year', Park Bo-gum and Hyun Bin ranked 2nd and 3rd [Official]]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 5, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
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- ^ '청춘기록' 이게 박보검 힘? 해외서도 "뜨겁다" ['Record of Youth' Is This Park Bo-gum's Power? "It's Hot" Even Overseas]. 텐아시아 (in Korean). October 17, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ Yoon, Sung-yeol (September 16, 2020). "좋아해" '브람스' 박은빈, 김민재에 눈물 고백... 최고 7.2% [종합]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ Lee, Min-ji (September 16, 2020). '청춘기록' 거침없는 질주, 7.823% 또 자체 최고 시청률. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ '청춘기록' 최고 시청률 10.3%, 첫 방송부터 터졌다. The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). September 8, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ a b "Nielsen Korea". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
- This links to the current day. You can select the date you are looking for from the drop-down menu.
- ^ Kim, Yang-soo (October 26, 2020). APAN어워즈', 방탄X임영웅X현빈X주원...인기상 후보 공개 '뜨거운 경합. joynews24 (in Korean). Daum. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Myung-mi (November 13, 2020). APAN STAR AWARDS' 우수상 후보 공개, 박보검부터 지창욱까지. Naver (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on November 16, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ Kim, Soo (April 30, 2021). "K-Dramas on Netflix: A Beginner's Guide to the Best Korean Shows". NewsWeek. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
External links
- Official website (in Korean)
- Record of Youth at IMDb
- Record of Youth at HanCinema
- Record of Youth on Netflix