Introductory Context Box

• Show Title: My Youth (Viu, 2025)

• Characters Discussed: Sunwoo Hae (played by Song Joong-Ki), Seong Je-yeon (played by Chun Woo-Hee)

• Episode Context: This analysis covers key moments from episode 4, which delve deep into Sun-woo’s tragic past and his evolving connection with Je-yeon.

• Why This Matters: This episode wasn’t just about romance; it was a masterclass in character development, showing how trauma shapes a person and how healing can begin.

In My Youth Episode 4, chaos hit the set. In the flashback, child actor Wol-Baek caught chicken pox and couldn’t shoot. The director panicked. The producer looked shaken, unsure what to do.

Right then, he noticed a young boy standing by the street. That boy was Sunwoo. The producer cast him on the spot. No one expected much, but Sunwoo stunned everyone with his performance.

His mother saw a chance to change their lives. She moved to Seoul with him, taking charge as his manager. Success came fast. He won Best Child Actor. He became the youngest hit actor, jumping from ads to sitcoms.

But fame faded as he grew older. Roles stopped coming. His mother grew frustrated.

She wanted him to stay small so he could keep working. Then came disaster. The director of his first show scammed everyone. He took their money and vanished.

Sunwoo’s mother lost everything. She even borrowed money to cover the debts. Gossip sites tore her apart. Under all that shame, she ended her life. The news covered it with cruel headlines.

Sunwoo, too young to understand death, thought it was just another performance. To him, the whole world felt like one long role he had to play.

Two Lives Slowly Crossing

In the present, Pil-do quietly erased all old articles about Sunwoo and his mother. She also removed bad press about the show.

Meanwhile, Je Yeon visited Sunwoo’s shop and met his dad. They greeted each other warmly. Je Yeon felt awkward after their hug the previous day. Sunwoo seemed totally fine about it, which confused her even more.

Nu-ri met Je Yeon too. She suddenly remembered how Je Yeon used to read her books when she was a toddler. That small detail tied their pasts together.

Tae-rin faced constant questions from strangers, looking confused. Seok-ju stepped in to shield her. She was shocked at first. They teased each other a bit.

Seok-ju later called her, saying he had taken her “hostage” and she had to come to Sunwoo’s shop. It was just a joke. When she arrived, Seok-ju gave Sunwoo some study notes for Nu-ri’s exams.

Sunwoo refused him, saying Seok-Ju wasn’t his brother. Seok-ju disagreed and said he considered Sunwoo like a brother.

This is a crucial moment of character rejection and acceptance. Sun-woo, haunted by loss, pushes away the family he has.

Seok-ju, by insisting “I consider you like a brother,” represents the unconditional found family that Sun-woo is slowly learning to trust again.

The next shoot took place near the ocean in Seoul. Sunwoo and Tae-rin filmed a few light scenes as friends. They also filmed in a field, plowing and digging.

Later, Sunwoo and Je Yeon went to the van together to get equipment. They talked on the way. It felt peaceful.

Tae-rin was on a diet for her drama. Je Yeon joined to support her. Sunwoo slipped Je Yeon a piece of meat, which made her guilty but satisfied. It was a small moment but showed he cared.

This isn’t just a cute romantic gesture. For Sun-woo, who shows love through actions rather than words, this small act of rebellion (sneaking food) is his way of saying, “I see you, and I don’t want you to be hungry.” It’s a quiet but significant step in intimacy.

That night, Sunwoo walked alone on the beach. He found Je Yeon sitting there. They talked quietly. She noticed one of his bracelets had broken. It meant, as per his own wish, he might soon get rich.

He asked if things still felt awkward between them. She said she felt guilty, as if being near him brought back his painful past. He told her the past was useless and he had let it go.

The shoot ended early because the landowner only allowed tree planting, not filming. Everyone left. Sunwoo stayed back to help plant trees and planned to sleep outside.

Je Yeon missed her ferry because of work & bad weather. She found Sunwoo and helped him. Rain started falling.

They found an inn, but only one room was available. Every other inn was full. They shared it.

While drinking, they talked about his book. She said it was full of hope, like how she once hoped for her life. He said it was the first time anyone had asked how he was doing. Then he softly asked if they should sleep. They lay next to each other.

In the morning, Je Yeon woke up hugging him. She panicked, kicked him, thinking it was a dream. Sunwoo just stood up calmly and said he was really there.

They finished their field work and tried to leave, but the car broke down halfway.

While walking to the gas station, she asked why he agreed to join the show. He said a line that stayed with her — “a heart yearns for a friend, parted.”

They laughed. He leaned closer, told her she could pull away if she didn’t want this. Then he kissed her.

This time, she didn’t pull away. They kissed deeply, under the bright sky, like they had both been holding it in for too long.

Key Themes Explored in This Episode:

• The Weight of the Past: How trauma informs but does not have to define our future.

• Found Family: The idea that bonds forged by choice can be as strong, or stronger, than blood.

• Performance vs. Reality: The blurred lines between acting for a camera and acting in life to protect one’s heart.

Let’s Discuss:
What did you think of the portrayal of Sun-woo’s childhood trauma? Do you think he has truly begun to heal, or is he still performing? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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