18x2 Beyond Youthful Days: The Art of Letting Go

 

Have you ever waited a long time to meet someone? Perhaps a year, five years, or even a decade? But what if you waited 18 years to reunite with your first love? It might sound impossible, but it can happen. Have you ever waited a long time to meet someone? 

Most people easily move on their first love, but not Jimmy. Although he was in a relationship after his first love left him, she never truly left his mind and heart. After losing the company he worked so hard to build, Jimmy embarked on a meaningful journey to rediscover his purpose in life.

 

Jimmy (Greg Hsu), a Taiwanese man, travels alone to Japan. He goes to Tadami, Fukushima, to fulfill a promise he made to his first love 18 years ago. Back then, Jimmy first met Ami (Kaya Kiyohara) while working part-time at a karaoke bar in Tainan, Taiwan. Ami had lost her wallet and was looking for a job at the same karaoke bar where Jimmy worked.

At that time Jimmy was waiting for the university entrance exam results, so he used his free time to work part-time at Karaoke Kobe. The owner was Japanese from Kobe and the staff were from Tainan. They were very kind, and Ami felt welcomed at Karaoke Kobe. Jimmy was an active and intelligent boy who loved basketball and comic books. He had dreamed of becoming a basketball player, but an injury forced him to give up that dream. However, he didn’t lose hope and decided to pursue college instead.

 

Beyond Ami's beauty, Jimmy was immediately drawn to her. She was traveling alone from Japan, and they became close after spending time together and sharing stories. Jimmy, shy and a little stiff around Ami, was captivated by her friendly demeanor, and the chemistry between them grew stronger. Over time, he began wanting more than just friendship. Unfortunately, his feelings were not reciprocated. One day, he accidentally overheard Ami arguing with someone on the phone.

Lantern: Light of Hope

Suddenly, bad news came that Ami had decided to return to Japan. Jimmy speculated it was because of her boyfriend, and Ami confirmed his speculation. Heartbroken and angry, Jimmy sulked for days. His father, noticing his behavior, said, "You’ve been sulking all day lately. The last time you were like this was when you gave up your dream of playing basketball. You only get one chance at life; don’t waste it."

Taking his father's advice, Jimmy took the initiative to invite Ami to fly lanterns before returning to Japan. They write their wishes on the lantern and fly it, hope that it will come true. They eventually became close again after the awkwardness caused by Jimmy's anger. They kept in touch and promised to meet again when they had fulfilled their dreams. 

How to deal with his grief

The film alternates between past and present. In the present, we accompany Jimmy on his journey to meet Ami. At the same time, we revisit the warm memories of Jimmy and Ami with the Kobe karaoke staff during the summer of 2006.

I found out about this film from X, as many people mentioned it was incredibly sad. After reading a thread, I discovered that the director of this film also directed the Japanese film The Last Ten Years, which made me cry. So, I prepared myself emotionally for sadness and unexpected plot twists throughout the film. By the way, you can watch this film on Netflix by clicking here. I also received a spoiler from X that Ami had died, so while “accompanying” Jimmy's journey to meet her, I was curious about how Jimmy found out about her death.

Jimmy's reason for going to Tadami was to deal with his grief, not to see Ami. He had known for a long time that she had passed away. Sadly, Jimmy had been living with grief for the past 11 years. This grief has affected many aspects of his life, making him a workaholic and a bitter person. It even led him to lose the company he had built. Ami's mother gave him a diary, through which Jimmy discovered everything—from Ami's perspective, from the beginning of her solo journey to how miserable she was that she couldn't even express her feelings to Jimmy because of her condition.

After returning to Taiwan, he revisited the places he used to visit and spent time with Ami. Visiting the abandoned Kobe Karaoke. The place full of sweet memories has also been eaten away by time. This is where Jimmy's recovery begins. His visits to the places associated with Ami provide a turning point that reminds Jimmy of his purpose in life.

 

The Art of Letting Go 

Do you know the seven stages of the grief? People often go through several stages: shock, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, acceptance. The film 18x2 Beyond Youthful Days encapsulates these seven stages in one profound story, with Jimmy experiencing them all in the last 30 minutes. He finally finds acceptance on his journey from Tokyo to Tadami.

One detail that stood out to me was the film’s color grading. The past scenes are bathed in soft, warm summer hues, reflecting Jimmy’s youthful enthusiasm and the warmth of his time with Ami. In contrast, the present-day scenes are cold and muted, mirroring Jimmy’s empty heart. However, as he returns from Tadami, the colors begin to warm up again—symbolizing his renewed spirit and acceptance of the past.

After years of avoiding his grief, Jimmy finally faces his loss, his memories, and his sadness. And in doing so, he is able to move forward. Ami remains a cherished memory, tucked away in a special corner of his heart.

 

Some Things Are Meant to Be

Sometimes, when we lose something or someone, we instinctively blame ourselves. But no matter how hard we try, certain things are simply beyond our control. What is meant to happen will happen. It is what it is.

As humans, we can only plan and do our best—the rest is in God’s hands. And accepting His will is perhaps the greatest effort we can make.