Summary
Episode 11 is a surprisingly strong chapter, mostly because of its story on the media and the limelight shining too brightly with Hye-jun who has to deal with intense rumours.
This recap of Netflix K-drama series Record of Youth season 1, episode 11 contains significant spoilers.
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The opening
After Hye-jun’s recent success and rise to stardom, episode 10 left him in a precarious position.
It begins where it was left, with Hye-jun getting a call from the station regarding Charlie Jung. Hye-jun looks shocked and shaken by the call — a ghost haunting him from the past. Meanwhile, while out. Ae-suk’s friend tells her that now Hye-jun is a big earner, she should ask her son for help. Even the father looks pleased when speaking to his colleagues.
Face reality
And the narrative continues with the overbearing mother trying to cause frictions in Hye-jun’s career to benefit her son.
Kim I-yeong tells Hae-hyo to face reality and they have a debate about his career. Everything is magnified because his friend Hye-jun is doing well. It’s a dynamic that is surely not going to work in their favour.
Respect your new status
Record of Youth episode 11 shows how Hye-jun has no understanding of how much of a big deal he is at present.
Hye-jun heads to the station and tells Min-jae that he went on his own. Min-jae is clearly worried but Hye-jun seems calm. As Hye-jun heads into a car with Min-jae, a journalist sees him leave the police station. Min-jae is angry at Hye-jun’s naivety that he feels he can just go to the police station — he has a status now where he’s famous enough that people will try and take him down. Hye-jun reminds her that someone has died — he asks if he can pay his respects. Meanwhile, the journalist who saw Hye-jun at the station meets with agent Lee Tae-su and asks if the actor was in a relationship with Charlie Jung. She wants an exciting story.
I need to drop you
Episode 11 shows how An Jeong-ha has gone deep into her new business but that means making sacrifices.
An Jeong-ha meets Hae-hyo and she talks about her new salon and that she needs new clients — and because of that she’s dropping Hae-hyo as a client. Hae-hyo seems happy that he was first to know, at least before Hye-jun. Meanwhile, at work, Hye-jun’s father Yeong-nam has hurt himself so has to go to the hospital.
Taking questions
Min-jae gets a phone call from a journalist asking if Hye-jun had a relationship with Charlie Jung. Min-jae denies everything and wonders if Lee Tae-su is behind all this. Meanwhile, Tae-su is with Do-ha, an actor apparently wounded that he didn’t win best actor — he’s more bothered that Hye-jun beat him to it.
Evening tea
With Hye-jun a busy actor now, he hasn’t got much time for a relationship — episode 11 shows the new couple trying to make the most of their moments.
While Hye-jun is asleep, An Jeong-ha tries to put cleansing foam on him but he was awake and grabs her arm. They’ve missed each other. Her phone rings and it is Hae-hyo — he wants to drop off a book for her (of course he does).
An Jeong-ha confirms that she is giving up her clients for the salon — Hye-jun is slightly jealous that Hae-hyo knew first but he says he supports all her decisions. He apologises for being too busy but she lightly states that she’s busy too, running her own salon. The couple then checks out a place for the salon.
A family meeting and prospective interview
And then episode 11 turns on its head as the rumours around Hye-jun’s personal life takes an unusual turn.
Hye-jun has a meeting with the family about how his fame is putting stress on them. Hye-jun sets out his plans; pay off the family debt, buy the house and create his own room. His mother is emotional at their son’s generosity.
Hye-jun then has a successful meeting with a famous director but afterwards, rumours circulate in the media about Charlie Jung; they claim that he had a close secret relationship with top models and actors — the journalist hints that his last romantic relationship was with the most popular actor right now. When Ae-suk meets Kim I-yeong it gets awkward — Kim I-yeong implies that Hye-jun likes men.
At work, Hye-jun’s brother is also getting rumours that Hye-jun is gay.
Many missed calls
But the rumours intensify and strangely, reach Min-jae and Hye-jun last.
Min-jae and Hye-jun have many missed calls from reporters. When they ring them back, they know there’s a rumour circulating — a YouTube video blames Hye-jun for Charlie Jung’s suicide. Min-jae is fuming about the rumour. At home, the family talk about the rumours — Sa Gyeong-jun insists that Hye-jun needs a new agency. Hye-jun returns home and he’s surprised that his family know about it. He’s upset and he wants to rest.
The last few scenes are so indicative of the media.
A truth bomb
Hae-hyo sees Jin-u call his sister Won Ha-nae so he answers it and puts it on speaker. Jin-u immediately goes into how Ha-nae was curious about marriage. Jin-u walks in and she’s petrified. Kim I-yeong doesn’t want to immediately talk about it because she doesn’t want to hit her. Hae-hyo says he’s going to kill Jin-u.
Well, that added some comedy to the episode — I wonder how this will play out.
Tell everyone about the make up artist
Lee Tae-su rings Min-jae and offers to help her get out of this mess. They meet and he tells her that Hye-jun is too big of a star for her. The agent denies spinning it with Reporter Kim and asks if Hye-jun can join his company. As Min-jae walks away, Lee Tae-su suggests that she should tell the world about An Jeong-ha, so that the public know he’s not gay.
The ending
Min-jae meets An Jeong-ha — his girlfriend also doesn’t know what to do and say. An Jeong-ha says she will do anything to help Hye-jun, even if it means making their relationship public. Hye-jun is insistent that they shouldn’t do that. He wants another way and to protect An Jeong-ha’s privacy.
As the chapter closes, Ji-a meets Reporter Kim while Hae-hyo meets Hye-jun. Meanwhile, An Jeong-ha is recording a live broadcast on YouTube about her relationship. Ji-a rings Hye-jun and tells him that she’s sorted it.
Record of Youth episode 11 is a surprisingly strong chapter, mostly because of its story on the media and the limelight shining too brightly with Hye-jun who has to deal with intense rumours.
Additional points
- Agent Lee Tae-su wants to get on Kim I-yeong’s good side.and be friends. But she was played.
- Sa Gyeong-jun is asked at work if his brother can be a VIP member at the bank. They also want him to bring his brother to a meal. His brother’s popularity is raising his popularity at work.
- Jin-u and Won Ha-nae continue their secret relationship
