Summary
Record of Youth season 1, episode 4 is a frankly dull storyline that does not provide encouragement as the series has only just started.
This recap of Netflix K-drama series Record of Youth season 1, episode 4 contains significant spoilers.
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The opening
We are back to the latest scene. Han Ae-suk lets her husband go so he can attack Hye-jun. He’s shocked that he’s been let go by her. She tells him that Hye-jun wants to prove himself and he should choose his own path — “Let’s give our children some space to breathe”. Later on, Hye-jun thanks his mother for supporting him. Hye-jun has his mother on his side now — his doorway to what he wants to achieve.
Making progress
Hye-jun rings An Jeong-ha and asks if they can meet up. It’s a rather casual conversation and she ends it asking if his grandfather has modeling work. Hye-jun speaks to his grandfather in the next scene; he gives his grandfather a way into modeling. Hye-jun then meets Min-jae and he confirms he will be taking the lines for the movie. She’s ecstatic at his decision. Hye-jun is a character making positive decisions and it feels heartwarming to watch.
Once in love
A flashback reveals Hye-jun was once in love and she planned meticulously to break up with him. This was clearly a heartbreaking moment for him as she felt like he had changed.
Getting to know each other
An Jeong-ha and Hye-jun head to a restaurant to eat. The pair continue to enjoy each other’s company. The pair end up drinking and they talk about books and common interests. An Jeong-ha gets a little tipsy and tells him that he hides his true feelings to people when he’s feeling down. She tells him about the fantasy she created about meeting him but now she will stop fangirling him. They then talk about his looks and Hye-jun discusses a time he didn’t feel handsome.
A drunken walk home
The halfway point of Record of Youth episode 4 sees Hye-jun and Jeong-ha bonding even closer.
On the way home, An Jeong-ha struggles to walk straight. She suddenly gets a call from her colleague Jin-ju and she ignores it. Hye-jun gets worried about her as she suddenly gets upset about Jin-ju’s hostility towards her — she hates how she is bullied for fun. An Jeong-ha sobs and Hye-jun looks impacted by her sadness.
Look after your health
When Hye-jun’s grandfather returns home, the family are worried that he’s starting new things. His daughter Han Ae-suk seems less concerned but she does raise the stress of starting something new.
In the rain
Hye-jun and An Jeong-ha end up walking home in the rain together, full of laughter and joy. Hye-jun reveals to her that he enrolled his grandfather at the modeling academy. The conversation moves to love and An Jeong-ha expresses that the person he loves will be very lucky. She doesn’t want him to get the wrong idea because she’s never loved anyone in her life. This is a typical slow-burning romance in the K-drama series.
Vaccine
The next day, Hae-hyo tells Hye-jun that Jin-u has gone missing after an argument with Mr Yang. They find him at a clinic. His partner has told him to get a vaccine against cervical cancer. Jin-u claims this vaccine is not just for women. Hae-hyo tells him to break up with her as she’s clearly manipulating him. We then learn that Jin-u has used Hye-jun’s name for the vaccine.
The workplace tensions continue
The next day An Jeong-ha and Jin-ju do not meet eye to eye again. Suddenly, it’s announced Professor Kim wants her makeup done by Jeong-ha. Jin-ju looks quite hurt that she keeps losing clients to her work enemy. An Jeong-ha speaks to Kim about the hierarchy at work and that she will do her make up next time if she surpasses the skill or Jin-ju. This scene shows Jeong-ha being the bigger person and trying to make amends with her colleague.
The most wanted make up artist
At the salon, An Jeong-ha tells Hye-jun that she was in the wrong with Jin-ju. She does his make up. Hye-jun tells her not to drink with anyone else but him because she’s too cute. Hae-hyo walks in and he wants to hire Jeong-ha to do his make up for his movie. No matter what Jeong-ha does, she is wanted for her services.
The ending
An Jeong-ha tells Jin-ju that things keep getting tangled. Jin-ju throws loads of stock on the floor that Jeong-ha will have to tidy up. At this point, Jeong-ha needs to not care about Jin-ju — this is beyond reparation unless Jin-ju gets her head together.
On the way to his read-through for the movie, Hye-jun’s ex-agent is there with the lead actor. Min-jae and the ex-agent clash as they talk about Hye-jun’s prospects. In Hye-jun’s scene, he has to threaten someone — the lead actor. He changes his lines and the director likes it. He’s making progress already in the industry. Record of Youth season 1, episode 4 is a frankly dull storyline that does not provide encouragement as the series has only just started.
Additional points
- The tension between Jin-ju and An Jeong-ha continues — she rings her saying there’s a training day on her day off and insists she comes in. Jeong-ha refused and says she has plans that evening.
- At a fashion studio, Jin-u walks out because he’s not paid a full wage.
- Hye-jun’s grandfather attends the catwalk modeling class but learns he is a week early for the beginner’s lesson.
- Hye-jun tells Min-jae that he wants to keep his values and remain modest. Min-jae agrees but as long as she’s allowed to have an opinion on business.
