It took a little while to get used to last season, but I can’t imagine an Age of Youth without the somewhat eerie underlying tone in the Belle Epoque house. The dissonance between that vaguely sinister feeling and the overall slice-of-life atmosphere of the coming-of-age JTBC show was really interesting and unique, so much so that I ended up loving the tone of the show by the end. While the circumstances surrounding Eun-jae’s father’s death was resolved last year, we’ve got a new mystery this season involving a threatening letter.
The newest teaser starts with new character Jo Eun, played by Choi Ara, browsing in a bookstore and coming across a piece of paper that has Belle Epoque’s address written on it. The chyrons read, “It all started with that letter,” as a voice wonders how someone can be wounded if there was no one to inflict it. Jo Eun makes her way to the house, but she’s not exactly met with open arms, as the original housemates think her a bit suspect and are convinced she’s hiding something.
Ever-stoic Jin-myung (Han Ye-ri) is definitely in a better place a year on, having gotten a stable job, but that comes with its own hurdles, as she’s seen chugging drinks at a company dinner. Ye-eun (Han Seung-yeon) is still haunted by the events of last year, flinching, stopping in her tracks, and even falling to the ground at the sight of men. Hopefully, pure-hearted engineering student Kwon Ho-chang, played by Onew (Descended From the Sun), will help her heal and learn to trust again.
Eugh, if this next loveline doesn’t (re-)start, I’ll be so mad at you, Show! Eun-jae (Ji-woo) has an awkward encounter on the street with her sunbae ex-boyfriend Jong-yeol, (Shin Hyun-soo, Ruler—Master of the Mask), who haltingly asks whether she’s okay. Eun-jae narrates, “When feelings cool, that’s the saddest reason there is.” Uh-oh, looks like energizer bunny Ji-won (Park Eun-bin) is also dealing with something serious as she collapses in a club and mumbles something about pretty heels. At least she has her buddy Sung-min (Sohn Seung-won, Person Who Gives Happiness), to catch her when she falls.
The teaser ends with Jo Eun wondering who the letter was intended for: “So, who is it? Who wrecked someone else’s life and continues to laugh like that?” The content of the letter is superimposed by flashes of the housemates’ faces, and at the bottom of the page, the last sentence reads, “I’ll kill you.” Yikes, that’s ominous. The four original housemates sit around their dining table laughing, and Ye-eun calls out for Jo Eun to join them.
Hmm, so I wonder what Jo Eun came to Belle Epoque to do, exactly. Is it to find the person who wrote the letter? To enact revenge on the person it was addressed to? Or just simple curiosity? Whatever it is, I look forward to the dynamic playing out because, if last season is anything to go by, it’s that these girls come together in the best ways when a fellow housemate is in trouble.
One question mark hanging over the production, however, is what will happen to castmate Onew, who was accused yesterday of sexual assault after a drunken encounter at a club, and although the complainant has since dropped the charges, there’s been some backlash regarding his participation in the show. For now, there’s no indication that he will leave, and there are only about two weeks left until Age of Youth 2 airs its first episode, which isn’t much time to come up with an alternative. I can only hope this news doesn’t negatively impact the show too much.
Age of Youth 2 will follow Woman of Dignity in JTBC’s Friday-Saturday slot on August 25.
