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The 2023 thriller and teen Korean Drama Boyhood premiered on November 24 and concluded on December 22, 2023. It featured a star-studded cast, including Im Si-wan, Lee Sun-bin, Lee Si-woo, and Kang Hye-won. It was helmed by the director Lee Myung-woo and penned by the screenwriter Kim Jae-hwan, respectively.
The official synopsis for the series has been provided below:
"Set in the backdrop of the mid-to-late 1980s, the drama tells the story of students at an agricultural high school in Chungcheong Province. Jang Byung Tae is a small and weak boy living in Onyang in South Chungcheong Province."
The plot further reads:
"He is at the bottom of the school’s social ladder, so he transfers to the neighboring Buyeo Agricultural High School. There, he faces an unexpected incident that becomes a turning point in his life."
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The show was one of the most-watched Korean dramas on Coupang Play, incorporating themes of school violence, bullying, teen romance, transformation, and 80s culture and tradition. If you haven't yet watched Boyhood, here are four top reasons to binge-watch one of the most underrated K-dramas.
Disclaimer: Spoilers ahead, reader's discretion advised.
4 reasons to watch Boyhood: Comical Elements, Mental Health, and more
1) Im Si-wan's acting as a feeble yet strong individual
One of the foremost reasons to watch Boyhood was Im Si-wan's acting skills. The actor is known in the Korean entertainment industry for portraying a range of emotions, including anger, angst, anxiousness, nervousness, happiness, and sorrow, with versatility.
Im Si-wan played the character of a feeble and loner boy, Jang Byeong-tae, in Boyhood. After transferring to a new school, he was mistaken for one of the powerful individuals known as Buyeo Illjang. Making the best of the situation, he soon climbed the social ladder with his aptitude and skills.
2) Comical elements that make it a light watch
The teen K-drama Boyhood featured many comical elements that brought tears of joy to viewers' faces. Im Si-wan, Lee Sun-bin, Kang Hye-won, and Lee Si-woo brought freshness and some great comic timing with their versatile acting skills. The show consisted of multiple laugh-out-loud moments.
3) Storyline, OSTs, and Cinematography
Boyhood has been packed with multiple cinematic elements, includes an engaging plot, original soundtracks, and cinematography. The plot deals with a feeble boy trying to fight the bullies and with the right support from his female best friend, he succeeded in defeating them. The story of the series was inspiring, meaningful, and positive
Moreover, the series featured many melodious and soulful original soundtracks, namely, Double of Nothing, When I Was Young, A Midsummer Night, and Take Me Home. Additionally, the cinematography was rich, breathtaking, and had all the elements to keep the aesthetics in alignment with the plot.
4) Mental health through the lens of the negative impact of bullying
Through Im Siwan and Lee Sun-bin's characters, the drama tries to convey the impact of bullying, violence, and other kinds of suppression that exist in life. They showcased the negative effect and consequences of any abuse that occurred in an individual's life. The series successfully captures how an individual would be able to discover themselves if guided by the right people.
Boyhood is available to watch on the streaming platform Coupang Play.
