Some dramas arrive quietly and still manage to rearrange you. Youth of May is one of those. It opens as a modest love tale: two people meet at the wrong time and fall. The scope grows to youth, courage, and tough choices that grant no second chances. Romance stays, yet the voice cuts with sharp, political, and personal truths.
Viewers met the season in 2021. It has 12 episodes, compact and clear. What’s new for viewers here is its streaming premiere date: it started streaming on ZEE5 on 23 December 2025.
Youth Of May Release Timing And Why It’s A Great Holiday Binge
If you want a “one weekend, fully immersed” watch, start with Youth of May. It’s tagged as Romance and Drama, and that mix is exactly why it works.
After that, you can keep exploring the wider TV shows library—perfect for long weekends when one episode becomes two without asking permission.
What Youth Of May Is About
Youth of May takes place in May 1980 and follows streets and homes prior to and during the Gwangju Uprising. Two leads stand at the centre as adults holding jobs and family duties; the tale avoids the ‘destined lovers’ fantasy and shows grit. They carry scars and hope.
The story follows Hwang Hee-tae, an idealistic medical student, and Kim Myung-hee, a nurse with grit, who rejects false comfort and stops pretending life is fair. The show sets their romance inside political turmoil as the revolt reaches its peak, where sirens wail, friends scatter, and duty tears at the heart. Courage.
What you’ll feel, episode by episode, is the tension between “small happiness” and “big reality.” A date can be adorable and frightening in the same hour. A family dinner can taste normal until one sentence changes everything. That’s the tone: tender scenes, then a door creaking open to something darker.
Youth Of May Cast And Director
The leads do heavy lifting, and the casting pays off. The cast centres on Lee Do-hyun as Hwang Hee-tae and Go Min-si as Kim Myung-hee, plus Lee Sang-yi and Keum Sae-rok in strong roles. This TV show list Oh Man-seok and Song Min-yeob lead direction. The tone stays close and human, not loud or stiff.
Lee Do-hyun gives Hee-tae a calm core that cracks at times, while Go Min-si gives Myung-hee firm strength that stays open. Supporting characters act like real people with clear motives, not tools that drag the plot. Small truths sit in silence.
Episodes, Runtime, Audio, And Subtitles
Youth of May has 12 episodes, and the runtime sits in a binge-friendly range. The episode list shows lengths from about 58 minutes to around 1 hour and 6 minutes.
For viewing options, the show page lists English subtitles and shows Hindi as an audio language. The “Details About Youth of May Show” section also lists audio languages as Hindi and Korean, so you can go dubbed or original-performance mode.
The TV series displays a U/A 16+ rating. It’s a good match for teens and adults who enjoy romance with heavier themes and historical tension.
A Simple Binge Plan For Youth Of May
Short on time? Finish Youth of May in three sittings: Episodes 1–4, then 5–8, then 9–12. With most episodes close to an hour, it’s roughly a 12-hour total run—small enough for a holiday stretch. No filler, just steady forward motion.
How To Watch Youth Of May Online
Search the title, hit Episode 1, and settle in. If you like reading the nuance, keep English subtitles on. If you want a smoother holiday watch—snacks in hand, interruptions everywhere—Hindi audio makes it easy.
If you’re building a similar watchlist next, browse drama TV shows for more character-driven stories that don’t treat feelings like filler.
Who Should Watch Youth Of May
Watch Youth of May if you like romance that grows through conversations, not gimmicks. If you enjoy stories where characters make messy choices for believable reasons, you’ll be hooked. It’s also a strong pick if you prefer K-dramas with historical context—where the setting isn’t decoration, it’s pressure.
Maybe skip it for now if you only want pure comfort viewing. This drama can be gentle, but it’s not “light.” It asks you to sit with uncertainty, with fear, with the cost of being young in a time that doesn’t allow softness.
Why Youth Of May Is Worth It For K-Drama Fans
Many romances use misunderstandings as fuel. Youth of May uses time, class pressure, family expectations, and the way history barges into private lives. It’s hopeful, then it tests that hope. It makes you root for the couple, then asks what “happy” even looks like when the outside world turns hostile.
And if you’re specifically here for Korean storytelling, explore Korean dramas after this. You’ll find more shows that mix romance with real stakes.
The Bottom Line
If you want glossy romance, Youth of May may feel too honest. But if you want a love story with weight—one that starts intimate and slowly opens into a wider portrait of 1980—this is an easy recommendation. Watch it when you have quiet hours, because the story likes to linger.
Quick FAQs About Youth Of May
Q1: How many episodes are in Youth of May?
Ans: There are 12 episodes.
Q2: Where can I watch Youth of May online?
Ans: You can watch Youth of May on ZEE5; it arrived on the platform on December 23, 2025.
Q4: Is Youth of May available in Hindi?
Ans: Yes—Hindi audio is available with English subtitles on ZEE5.
Q5: What genre is Youth of May?
Ans: It’s Romance and Drama.
Q6: Is it available on subscription or free to watch?
Ans: Its free to watch on ZEE5.
Bio of Author: Gayatri Tiwari is an experienced digital strategist and entertainment writer, bringing 20+ years of content expertise to one of India’s largest OTT platforms. She blends industry insight with a passion for cinema to deliver engaging, trustworthy perspectives on movies, TV shows and web series.
