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On May 6, 2025, Spring of Youth premiered on SBS TV and Viki. The show focuses on a K-pop star named Sa-gye, who is forced to attend Hanju University after an accident. There, he meets Kim Bom. She is a talented musician who gave up Ivy League dreams after her mother’s death.
As their bond grows, Sa-gye rediscovers his love for music and starts a new band. Tensions rise when Seo Tae-yang, a gifted guitarist and med student, enters the picture, sparking rivalry and romance.
Spring of Youth's first episode began with K-pop sensation Sa-gye (Ha Yoo-joon), leader of global chart-topping boy band The Crown, returning to the stage after undergoing emergency corneal transplant surgery.
The incident took place during an audition rehearsal when a choreographed routine involving a rod went awry. His co-dancer unintentionally struck him in the eye, resulting in him being hospitalized.
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Doctors confirmed Sa-gye’s vision was severely damaged, requiring immediate surgery. The transplant was successful, and weeks later, Sa-gye stepped out of a sleek car amid flashing cameras and fans at a packed concert venue. He made his way inside, ready to perform.
The group’s high-energy concert took place in a massive dome filled with thousands of screaming fans. As the spotlight hit, Sa-gye led The Crown through a powerful set that had the crowd roaring.
Halfway through the show, he paused to deliver major news: the group had officially hit number one on the world music chart. Following the concert, the band threw a celebration to mark the milestone.
Surrounded by members and champagne, Sa-gye, slightly drunk, drifted into a moment of silence. A sweet melody played in his head. The party noise faded into the background as he stared into space, lost in thought.
Later that night, alone in bed, the melody lingered. The girl’s face returned in his dreams. Sa-gye woke up early, checked his reflection, and noted his weight gain. He began a workout, followed by a quick bath.
On the other side, a young woman named Kim Bom (Park Ji-hu) reached into her drawer and retrieved an old pendant. Inside, it played a tune, the same one Sa-gye had been hearing. She clasped it around her neck, hopped onto her scooter, and rode off to her university.
Spring of Youth episode 1: Sa-gye faces controversy after the CEO incident
Episode 1 of Spring of Youth kicks off with a major scandal. K-pop idol Sa-gye is at the center of it. Reports say he pushed Cho & Cho's CEO, Cho Sang-heon, down the stairs. The CEO ends up in the hospital.
The incident, now viral on SNS, has caused massive attention and financial loss for the company, with its stock plummeting by 10 billion in just two hours. Outside the company, fans wait eagerly, and Bom is caught in the chaos.
After being shoved in the crowd, her pendant, holding a mysterious melody, falls off. The tune plays, catching Sa-gye’s attention, but he is unable to find its source amidst the crowd.
Inside the company, Bom is offered a contract by the CEO's daughter and the company's producer, Cho Ji-na, promising higher pay in exchange for giving up ownership of her songs.
Meanwhile, Sa-gye’s brother informs him of the financial impact of the scandal, and Sa-gye is suspended to reflect on his actions. Ji-na suggests he take time off by going to Hanju University.
In Ji-na’s office, she receives the signed contract from Bom despite concerns over the low payout for exclusive rights. At home, Bom confronts her aunt about secretly using their house as collateral.
During this, Bom's cousin, Bae-Gyu-ri, who is a big fan of Sa-gye, notices his apology on Instagram. Later, Sa-gye reads his apology post and recalls the CEO’s past support during his trainee days.
Sa-gye meets Kim Bom in the Spring of Youth episode 1
The next day, Sa-gye heads to college, but rain suddenly pours down in Spring of Youth. Across campus, Kim Bom also arrives and tries to shield herself from getting drenched. She calls Seo Tae-yang (Lee Seung-hyub), who tells her to wait until he gets there.
Just then, her pendant slips from her neck and falls to the ground, playing the same familiar melody. Hearing the tune, Sa-gye follows the sound and finds Bom. He asks her how she has that melody.
Bom casually replies that it’s her song. Before the conversation can go further, Tae-yang arrives and takes her away. That night, Sa-gye can’t stop thinking about the melody and why Bom has it.
The following morning, Tae-yang shows up at Bom’s house to pick her up for classes. His growing interest in her is subtly visible. At the same time, Sa-gye arrives in his car, quickly swarmed by fans asking for autographs and songs.
Among them is Bom's cousin Gyu-ri, who excitedly guides him to the college’s Film Department. However, to his surprise, the students there barely acknowledge him. To gain attention, Sa-gye starts offering free meals, swiping his credit card, and even handing out cash to help students financially.
His efforts seem like a desperate attempt to stay relevant. Meanwhile, Bom is seen repainting her room. When her aunt questions it, Bom explains they’re putting the room up for rent because they need money for a house deposit.
She places a banner outside the house, listing her aunt’s phone number for potential tenants. That night, the CEO is shown drinking alone. His daughter visits, expressing concern. After she leaves, the CEO calls someone, instructing them to dig into a person, someone he clearly wants information on.
Spring of Youth episode 1: Sa-gye and Tae-yang's guitar face off
Spring of Youth's episode 1 then sees Sa-gye, who tracks down Kim Bom’s part-time job with the help of a college student. He follows her to her college, hoping to ask her about the mysterious melody from her pendant.
However, Tae-yang appears and puts him in his place, blocking Sa-gye’s attempt to speak to Bom. Undeterred, Sa-gye follows her to the university’s band club, where Tae-yang challenges him to a spontaneous guitar duel.
Upon learning that Tae-yang is nicknamed “Hanju’s Sa-gye,” Sa-gye confidently accepts the challenge, setting the stage for an intense face-off.
However, Sa-gye declares Tae-yang as the winner. Meanwhile, someone secretly takes pictures of Bom and Sa-gye together and sends them to the CEO, who is not happy with their apparent closeness.
Sa-gye’s shocking fall from his band, The Crown, in Spring of Youth episode 1
The next day in Spring of Youth, the CEO summons Sa-gye and gives him an ultimatum: either join the military or study abroad, but Sa-gye refuses. When the CEO asks if he remembers anything about the incident that led to the scandal, Sa-gye only recalls telling the CEO something from six years ago, but nothing beyond that.
The CEO, upset by Sa-gye’s defiance, refuses to take on the case involving the CEO’s fall, and, as a result, Sa-gye is forced to leave The Crown. He holds a press conference, where he apologizes and officially announces his departure from the group. This pushes him to give up his ads, his house, and everything else.
Later, Sa-gye, now without a group, tries to form a band of his own in college. He notices Bom playing the piano and is drawn to her talent. He approaches her to join his band, revealing his growing interest in her.
Soon, while out searching for a place to stay, he spots Bom's house, unaware it’s her home. However, to him, it feels oddly familiar.
He talks to her aunt about the arrangement. However, soon Bom arrives, and the two have their first direct encounter. In a flashback, the scene reveals Bom’s past with Sa-gye.
Spring of Youth's episode 1 ends with Bom recalling seeing him at his concert, where he threw a teddy bear into the crowd and promised to go on a date with whoever caught it. She recalls how, at the time, she never imagined their paths would cross again in such a complicated way.
Spring of Youth is available for international viewers to stream on Viki. In Korea, the K-drama airs on SBS and Wavve every night at 10:40 pm KST.
