One complaint viewers had about the premiere episodes of “Spring of Youth”;; was the confusing pacing. Episode 3 comes through and improves the flow, delivering a well-balanced mix of thrilling plot developments and cute character moments. From exposing the CEO’s (Jo Han Chul) dark secret and Sa Gye’s (Ha Yoo Joon) bold love confession to Kim Bom (Park Ji Hu), the episode hits all the right emotional beats. Here are two revealing and two cute moments that made “Spring of Youth”;; episode 3 stand out.
Spoilers for episode 3 below.
Trigger warning: mentions of suicide.
Revealing: the secret of The Crown’s CEO and Tae Yang’s father
Since the premiere week, viewers have suspected that Sa Gye’s CEO, Jo Sang Heon (Jo Han Chul), was involved in something shady. This suspicion arose not only from the cryptic conversations he had with his staff behind Sa Gye’s back and his panicked reaction when Sa Gye drunkenly said, “I was there, I saw it all,”;; but also because of the flashbacks he kept having. Episode 3 finally reveals his dark secret and surprises viewers with Tae Yang’s (Lee Seung Hyub) father Seo Min Cheol’s (Kim Jong Tae) involvement.
In a flashback sequence, the show reveals that sometime in the past, probably six years ago, Sang Heon and Min Cheol were in a car together when they hit Kim Bom’s mother. While vehicle accidents happen all the time, especially at night, they didn’t take the victim instantly to the hospital, despite Min Cheol being a doctor, because they were both drunk and did not want to be persecuted for driving under influence. It’s unclear whether they fled the scene completely or called staff for help without alerting the authorities, but their anxious behavior makes one thing clear: this accident was the one that took the life of Kim Bom’s mother.
While the accident and the involvement of the CEO and Tae Yang’s father are now confirmed, it’s still unclear how Sa Gye discovered the truth, since, as the CEO said, Sa Gye wasn’t there that night.
Revealing: Tae Yang’s painful past
Asian parents are often known for pushing their children into careers that promise status and money, which is exactly why no one batted an eye when Tae Yang’s father wanted him to become a doctor like himself.
While viewers could see the second male lead’s love for music and rooted for him to pursue it, his overbearing father initially came across as a typical bad parent: strict but not evil. However, that perception changes completely after episode 3.
As in the premiere episodes, Tae Yang’s father demands he shadow him during surgery to gain early experience. But during the procedure, Tae Yang becomes nauseous at the sight of blood, runs out of the operating room, and begins hyperventilating. The reason behind his reaction is revealed: Tae Yang was the one who discovered his mother’s dead body after she died by suicide. The image of blood dripping from her wrist and pooling on the floor flashes in his mind every time he sees blood. His father, knowing all of this, still pushes him to become a surgeon and even calls him weak for having a normal trauma response. This makes him seem even more cruel than the CEO who tried to ruin Sa Gye’s career and dreams.
Cute: Sa Gye and Tae Yang’s blooming friendship
Sa Gye and Tae Yang don’t start off on the right foot. While Sa Gye dislikes Tae Yang because of his standoffish nature, Tae Yang doesn’t like the pompous idol who seems to be stealing away his childhood crush and best friend. Even throughout the episode, the two are constantly fighting whenever they get the chance. Kim Bom tries to mediate several times and break up their arguments, but when nothing works, she fakes drowning to make them realize their constant fighting is not only annoying but can also be dangerous for those around them. However, once they discover that Kim Bom is a licensed lifeguard and had tricked them, the spell wears off, and they go back to bickering.
What really softens their dynamic, however, is when Sa Gye sees Tae Yang hyperventilating outside the operating room and tries to protect him from his father’s harsh words. That moment marks the beginning of their unexpected bond. By the end of the episode, their dynamic noticeably softens. In the final scene, they are seen practicing for their upcoming performance, smiling, strumming their guitars, and sharing glances filled with mutual respect. What began as rivalry is slowly turning into a genuine friendship, and it’s one of the show’s most heartwarming developments so far.
Cute: Sa Gye’s love confession
Sa Gye spends the entire episode trying to keep Kim Bom safe, knowing she is being followed by his former CEO’s staff. He even shows up to her music theory class, leading to some adorably awkward moments between them. But the scene that truly gave everyone butterflies comes when he boldly kisses her to seal the deal on her becoming his idol manager. He confesses that he didn’t hug her in the last episode because he was drunk but because he likes her. And he knows she likes him too—because she didn’t push him away. Cute, cute, cute!
With this episode leaning more toward the darker side, hopefully episode 4 will be a breather. With our TWO SAGYE band’s upcoming performance, the next episode is sure to offer a lighter tone, not just for the characters but for the viewers as well.
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Javeriais a binge-watching specialist who loves devouring entire K-dramas in one sitting. Good screenwriting, beautiful cinematography, and a lack of cliches are the way to her heart. As a music fanatic, she listens to multiple artists across different genres and stans the self-producing idol group SEVENTEEN. You can talk to her on Instagram@javeriayousufs.
Currently watching:“Spring of Youth”;; and “Second Shot at Love”;;
Looking forward to:“Squid Game Season 3”;; and “Good Boy”;;
