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100 Best Quotes From Netflix’s Flavors of Youth

CoMix Wave Film’s new project with Netflix, Flavors of Youth is another masterpiece similar to Your Name. The anime/Donghua anthology drama film follows three young adults in different Chinese cities. Due to the colorful Japanese animation, heartfelt stories, and meaningful quotes, Flavors of Youth is a beautiful experience worth diving into.

The film has three sections based on different characters’ childhood experiences. Because of intimate expressions, meaningful lighting, and all characters waiting for their flight at the beginning of the film, the stories connect. Each story reveals the change from childhood to adulthood. Filled with love, comfort, and sadness, this drama gives viewers a perfect film to cozy up to!

Here is the scoop on the best Flavors of Youth quotes!

1. “My memories from childhood begin at this noodle shop with no sign”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming talks about how he loved San Xian noodles and describes how the noodles meant so much to him. flavors of youth
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Xiao Ming is the first character in the film. Due to the film being spilt into three, Xiao’s story is called “The Rice Noodles.” As he reflects on his childhood, Xiao Ming explains how the noodles that he had with his grandmother gave him comfort. Because Xiao Ming is an adult in the city, he misses the warmth he had when he ate San Xian noodles.

2. “If you like eating, you’ll be blessed with delicious food”- Grandma

3. “If I was wearing my favorite clothes, I’d be happy all day.”- Yi Lin

Just as Xiao found joy in San Xian noodles, Yi is happiest with clothes. Because she has loved clothes since she was a child, Yi feels comfort through them.

4. “I liked choosing clothes for my little sister. We played princess with my hand-me-downs.”- Yi Lin

Lu Lu looks at her designs. flavors of youth
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Yi Lin is the second character of the story. Her story is called “A Little Fashion Show.” Yi is a tall and beautiful girl who loves fashion. However, her life is not all glamorous because of her parents’ passing. Due to the loss of her parents, Yi is close with her little sister LuLu.

5. “I always realize the value of things after I lose them. Everything that’s precious”- Yi Lin

Despite Yi Lin being cheery and having a fun life, she still has sadness. She has lost her parents and has grown up looking after her sister. Nevertheless, Yi seems to remain positive as she lives out her adulthood.

6. “Those little things are distracting. I need to focus on work.”- Li Mo

Li Mo is the third character in the film. Li’s story is “Love in Shanghai.” It is the fall of 2008 after Li has been fired. Because his boss rejected his project, Li feels lost. While at his parent’s home, he feels defeated and stressed.

7. “If you’re not here, my heart will still ache tomorrow.”- Li Mo

Shot of the city of Shanghai in 1999.
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8. “As if slurping a cold soup, the subway systematically gulps the people down.”- Xiao Ming

9. “Wherever they go, there will be many people who like to eat.”- Xiao Ming

Due to jealousy, the owners of the noodle soup shop had to leave. Others say that the owners left the shop because an old client of theirs wanted them to come back to Beijing. Xiao Ming is saddened that he has lost a large part of his childhood.

10. “If my clothes make someone happy. I’ll be happy, too.”- Lu Lu

Lu Lu sews her clothes as she creates her fashion line. flavors of youth
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12. “Lu Lu’s homemade cake is so delicious!”- Yi Lin

After missing celebrating her birthday with her sister, Yi drinks to forget her unhappiness. Her boyfriend and manager Billy say that she will not be on top forever. While Yi sees that her career cannot provide her happiness, she loses her positivity and passion.

13. “The love I shut out, the dream I chased…Back then, you and me, we had it all.”- Li Mo

Li remembers Pan and Xiao playing as children in the summer of 1999.
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14. “Say something funny, too. I’ll listen to it over and over.”- Xiao Yu

After falling over the broken part of the road, Xiao, one of Li’s best friends, hurts her leg. Li carries her to her home through the city. Due to her leg still hurting, Xiao tells Li to record the school lesson and his jokes on the tape. Xiao and Li’s feelings are not said but shown.

15. “Numbed, we lose the taste of home.”- Xiao Ming 

16. “We’ll listen to songs together, even when we’re adults.”- Li Mo

After exchanging cassette tapes, Li and Xiao continue to have conservations through them. Xiao asks what Li thinks about the future. As a response, Li says that he will make a house for his friends Pan, Xiao, and himself. Li cares deeply for his friends, especially Xiao.

17. “What gave me strength was the one with seasonal ingredients, the San Xian noodles.”- Xiao Ming 

Xiao's grandmother gets the San Xian noodles and soup from the local noodle shop. flavors of youth
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18. “I felt invincible.”- Yi Lin

19. “I make clothes and she wears them. Just by ourselves, we have our own little fashion show.”- Lu Lu

Lu Lu waits to cross the street. She is a designer while Yi is a model.
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20. “No words could describe how much I loved these moments.”- Xiao Ming

21. My secret to beauty? Nothing special. Yeah, right. I wish.”- Yi Lin

Yi poses for a modeling audition. flavors of youth
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The demands of being a model have made Yi unhappy. Due to the constant need to be admired, Yi does not eat and works out constantly. Because of her low view of herself, she has pushed her needs and Lu Lu away.

22. “Has too much time passed? Is it too late to ask for something other than goodbye?”- Li Mo

Li remembers the cassette player he had at his grandparents house so he could listen to Xiao's tape.
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After Li finds Xiao’s cassette tape, he goes to retrieve a player. Pan explains to him how Xiao wanted him to give it to Li. Instead, Pan gave it to Xiao’s mother and he never got to hear it. Because of Li’s feelings for Xiao, he desperately tries to find a way to hear the past.

23. “Take care of yourself.”- Lu Lu

Because Lu Lu observes Yi, she sees that she is not eating. She doesn’t want Yi to be hurt. Despite Lu Lu being the younger sister, she takes on the responsibility of caring for Yi.

24. “I thought we were friends.”- Pan

Li looks up at the plane flying as he waits in traffic. Because of traffic, he and Pan are too late to say goodbye to Xiao as she goes to America. flavors of youth
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Stuck in traffic, Pan and Li miss saying goodbye to Xiao. Instead of telling Pan and Li, Xiao has decided to study in America. The connection between the friends is lost.

25. “This career is not going to last forever. But I still want to shine”- Yi Lin

The way that things change, Yi knows that she cannot have a constant. Just like her career, everything in her life is changing because of her adulthood. Due to her need to be happy, Yi tries not to let change affect her. And, she continues on for her little sister.

26. “Life in a new town will soon begin”- Li Mo

27. “But here, they spent time and effort, just a husband and wife making the rice noodles with care.” – Xiao Ming

28. “It’s not like that. I just want to prove what I can do.”- Li Mo

Li draws Xiao as she fixes Pan's cassette.  flavors of youth
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After hearing that Xiao is doing her high school test for Yangpu, he wants to also test for it. Despite people thinking that he cannot get into the school, Li dedicates himself to getting good grades and passing the exam. Li is determined to show his abilities and he is motivated by his anger at Xiao and her possible move. Although Pan thinks that Li just wants to match Xiao, Li says that he wants to prove himself instead. 

29. “Her hair glistened hazel in the sun. I wanted to gaze at it forever.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming looks longingly at the girl who is one year older than him. The girl would ride past the noodle soup shop and Xiao would go to see her. He felt that it was the joy of his life.

30. “But now, I’m grateful to my parents. Lacking any other talents, I got my career thanks to the height my parents gave me.”- Yi Lin

31. “My sister could see me even though we lived apart.”- Yi Lin

Although Yi Lin is separated from her sister for work, she feels connected to her. If her sister sees her on a cover of a magazine, she could still feel that they are together. Yi focuses on her emotions during her career but still thinks of her sister.

32. There’s no ‘ladies first’ among friends.”- Pan

Li and Pan argue over who should play their tape first.
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33. “There’s nothing to record anymore.”- Li Mo

34. “The only thing I’ve got going for myself is this body. Beauty will slip away if you let it.”- Yi Lin

35. “Have you ever thought about the future?”- Xiao Yu

Xiao Yu fixes Pan's cassette tape as Li draws her. flavors of youth
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36. “From today, we will always be together.”- Yi Lin

Yi promises that they will not be separated. She suggests they get dinner together as a start to their time together. Although Yi says she will be with Lu Lu, Yi continues to live her life separately.

36. “The flavor has a playful bounce, giving the day’s start a leisurely feel.”- Xiao Ming 

37. “As the season turns, I recall the taste of rice noodles from my hometown.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming's Hunan hometown.
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38. “We walked this road so many times, I won’t get lost.”- Xiao Yu

39. “Moving day came without seeing her.”- Li Mo

Knowing Xiao did not pass the test, her father got violent with her and put her in the hospital. Li is crushed as he learns the news. Since the city is tearing down his neighborhood, Li and his family leave. He does not see Xiao before he leaves, thus not allowing him to say goodbye.

40. “Because of her, I could go to school.”- Lu Lu

Being that Yi’s modeling gave Lu Lu opportunities, she does not show her emotion. Furthermore, Lu Lu feels that she needs to be appreciative of Yi even if she is not around.

41. “Yes! I love this color the most.”- Yi Lin

Yi has a vision of her and Lu Lu when they were young. She sees her mother sewing a rose. flavors of youth
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Because Yi has starved herself, she faints on the runway. When Yi is unconscious she thinks of her mother and Lu Lu when they were young. During the vision, Yi sees herself in a red dress that her mother made her and is genuinely happy. Yi’s mother is sewing, which relates to Yi’s love for clothes. 

42. “Hunger is eating at my soul.”- Xiao Ming

43. “Blended into a thick soup, the flavors overlap, indulging my palate and melting my heart.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming's bowl of  San Xian noodles from his early childhood.
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44. “I’ve never liked being tall. It attracts unnecessary attention, and I bump my head a lot.”- Yi Lin 

45. “I’m not inspired to say anything witty right now.”- Yi Lin

Yi does not see the glamor of her model job anymore. She misses her sister and the time they spent together. Yi cannot even fake her joy for the new editor. Since Yi is unhappy, she no longer has a passion for her career.

46. “I don’t want to be without you.”- Xiao Yu

Xiao gets a cassette tape from Li after she stays home from her leg injury. The cassette has her name written on it.
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In the cassette tape, Xiao reveals that she will not go to Yangpu because of Li. Since she loves Li, Xiao chooses him over her father’s wishes.

47. “We were once inseparable. Now we can’t communicate”- Li Mo

After they go their separate ways, Li, Pan, and Xiao reunite. It is the spring of 2002 and things have changed. Due to the distance between the friends, they are no longer close.

48. “When I stopped working, it seemed like I had disappeared.”- Yi Lin

A shot of the city of Guangzhou. flavors of youth
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49. “Pan said it was because of me.”- Xiao Yu

Before they part ways, Xiao asks Li if he chose his school because of her. He does not want to reveal his feelings, so he denies that he chose the school because of Xiao. Furthermore, Li lies and tells Xiao that he got into the school to prove his intelligence to his parents.

50. “Reckless or not, I’m going to believe in myself.”- Li Mo

After finding the cassette tape from Xiao Yu, Li walks through the city to his grandparents house to find a cassette player.
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51. “I figured I could go home at any time, but the distance was further than I thought.”- Xiao Ming

52. No matter what it takes, I’m not letting it go.”- Yi Lin

Yi attends a modeling event. flavors of youth
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In order to hold onto her status as a model, Yi starves herself. She is unaware of how her actions hurt her and her sister.

53. “Home is the best. Lu Lu is here with me.”- Yi Lin

54. “I don’t know why…I just felt this would last forever.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming eats from a noodle shop by his middle school.
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55. “The bright lights below me make my heart churn even more.”- Xiao Ming

56. “Unlike before, we don’t know what to say.”-Li Mo

57. “Fired vegetables exuded flavor and flowed onto the soft noodles, blanketing the soup.”- Xiao Ming.

Xiao Ming adds toppings to his noodles at the shop near his middle school.
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Although Xiao Ming does not have the old noodle soup, he still finds a soup that brings him joy. Near school, there is a noodle soup shop that does not have authentic noodles but has great flavors. Due to the taste of the soup, Xiao Ming is still comforted and feels at home.

58. “My shadow, dragged out by the night, melts away in the morning sun.”- Xiao Ming

59. “I was so happy when my picture appeared in a magazine for the first time.”-Yi Lin

60. “I’m more of an action-over-words type.”- Yi Lin

Yi wakes up to realize she is late for her modeling job.
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61. “Days that fled will never come back.”-Xiao Ming

62. “I used to love San Xian noodles, but it just doesn’t taste the same.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming gets San Xian noodles and soup in the city. flavors of youth
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63. “I don’t care what other people say, is that bad?”- Li Mo

64.  “I can’t believe something like this bothers me so much.”- Yi Lin

Young model Shui Jing asks Yi for advice at her birthday. Yi cannot give Shui advice and Billy is only concerned about Shui being the newest shining star in modeling.
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Although Yi is a model, people say that younger is better. Yi feels insecure because of her age. Due to the younger model Shui Jing, Yi feels that her purpose and ability to help her sister has gotten away from her.

65. “When I decided to take in Lu Lu, everyone said it was a bad idea, but I didn’t care. I’m greedy.”- Yi Lin

66. “But I feel certain something is pushing my timid self.”- Xiao Ming

67. “If I ever have a chance to see you again…the dream we had…I still want it for us.”- Li Mo

Xiao wakes up Li as she sleeps at his desk. Li asks about Xiao’s hurt leg. Since Li gave Xiao a tape, she made one for him in return.
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68.“But now, I want to see what’s beyond this.”- Shui Jing

As Yi feels sick, Shui taunts her. Shui knows that she is getting more attention because she is younger. Because she sees Yi as a threat, Shui tries to discourage Yi.

69.  “The happy mornings disappeared abruptly, and with them, the rice noodles and the glimpse of her hair.”-Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming rides over to school after eating at the noodle shop. flavors of youth
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Xiao Ming feels sad as the noodle shop has changed. Due to the owner’s husband changing jobs, the shop had turned into a fish shop. Xiao is no longer able to see his crush or experience the warm comfort of the noodles and soup.

70. “Lu Lu made it just for me.”- Yi Lin

As Yi goes to the modeling job Steve gave her, she finds Lu Lu. Lu Lu has made her a red dress, Yi’s favorite color. Since Lu Lu loves Yi, she doesn’t want her to give up. 

71. I don’t think I can eat San Xian noodles with you anymore.”- Grandma

Xiao Ming and his grandmother enjoy San Xian noodles through any weather.
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As an adult, Xian Ming is away from his family. Thus, the noodles of his childhood are gone and now replaced with the city noodles of adulthood. Due to his grandmother’s sickness, Xian goes back home. Just as his grandpa is about to pass away, Xiao’s childhood is leaving him.

72. “When I’m sewing, I remember Mom, too.”- Lu Lu

73. “Sunflowers, ‘cause they grow towards the sun.”- Xiao Yu

Li imagines Xiao Yu in a field of sunflowers. flavors of youth
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As they ask each other questions through the mixtapes, Li asks Xiao different questions. Li asks what is Xiao’s favorite color and flower. Due to their closeness, Xiao and Li’s friendship starts to develop into something more.

74. “After our parents died, we were sent to separate relatives. I’m sure it was rough on her. It was rough on me.”- Yi Lin

75. “A modeling career and being Lu Lu’s amazing sister…I want both.”- Yi Lin

Lu Lu shows Yi her fashion in a magazine. Yi expresses how she wants both of her dreams of being a model and having her sister to succeed.
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76. “I want to face the sun and grow, too.”- Li Mo

While listening to the cassette tape, Li remembers the conversations he had with Xiao. In their conversation, Li tells Xiao that he will play in a basketball game no matter what. Despite Xiao telling Li not to, Li compares himself to a sunflower and says he wants to shine.

77. “The warmth still lingers today from the comfort that left me yesterday.”- Xiao Ming

78. “In my third year of middle school, the noodle shop came back.”- Xiao Ming

After school, Xiao Ming sees that the noodle shop is being turned into a fish store. flavors of youth
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The shop reopened and the husband and son helped the mother. Although Xiao was happy to have the shop back, he still was unhappy that he did not see his crush. Things were not as perfect as they used to be.

79. “In my third year of middle school, the noodle shop came back.”- Xiao Ming

The shop reopened and the husband and son helped the mother. Despite Xiao being happy to have the shop back, he still was unhappy that he did not see his crush. Because of change, things were not as perfect as they used to be.

80. “My Lu Lu’s so handy, she can do anything.”- Yi Lin

81. “Li Mo, give your best and don’t regret it.”- Li Mo’s Father

After Li Mo’s outburst, his father encourages him to study for Yangpu. Also because their neighborhood may be demolished, his father says it’s a good opportunity for the family. Due to Li’s father’s seriousness about moving, he tells Li he cannot be distracted.

82. “I can’t help…thinking about you. Looking at the sky, after the rain.”- Li Mo

Li gives a cassette tape to Xiao Yu with her name on it.
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83. “She told me when she was sewing, she could see the skies of her hometown.”- Lu Lu

Yi has a dream about her mother, so she talks to Lu Lu about it. In the dream, Yi describes that her mother was sewing. Then, Lu Lu reminds Yi of how sewing was important to her mother and how that inspired her.

84. “The world will move on just fine without me.”- Yi Lin

Yi poses for a photoshoot. flavors of youth
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Yi Lin realizes that her job is not everything. Due to the competitive nature, Yi sees that there are many replacements for her. Instead of being angered, she sees that she can not heal in the modeling environment.

85. “It’s a punishment from above.”- Li Mo

After Pan tries to put his cassette first, his cassette gets broken. Because of Li’s feelings for Xiao he wanted her to put her tape first. Then, Pan jokes about Li liking Xiao. Even though Li does like Xiao, he tries to deny Pan’s teasing.

86. “But I don’t want Lu Lu to see me this way. I can’t. I won’t.”- Yi Lin

87. “And now she is a sea lion.”- Steve

Steve takes Yi home after her birthday party. Yi is intoxicated and Lu Lu was waiting for her.
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Steve is Yi’s friend and manager. Because he has been Yi’s friend, he sees that she is no longer a shining star. The world of modeling has made Yi lose herself.

88. “It’s rough.”- Yi Lin

89. “The times I spent with Grandma, and in middle school, during those sweet moments looking at her. Now I’m by myself.”- Xiao Ming

90. “It was kind of awkward, so I gave it to your mother.”- Pan

As Li unpacks, he finds Xiao Yu’s cassette. Then, Pan sees the tape and tells Li that Xiao gave it to him to give to Li. Although time has passed, Li still has feelings for Xiao Yu.

91. “The harsh city makes the faces expressionless. I’m probably one of them.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming travels through Beijing to go visit his grandmother. flavors of youth
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92. “Using the sewing machine and stuff. I want to learn a trade.”- Yi Lin

After deciding that she will no longer be a model, Yi wants to be close to Lu Lu. She knows Lu Lu loves to design clothes, so she wants to learn from her. Yi wants to bond with Lu Lu because her sister is more important than modeling.

93. “I want to grow like a sunflower, too.”- Xiao Yu

Li imagines Xiao in a sunflower field as he listens to her speak on the cassette tape.
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93. “Honestly, I’m scared of failing.”- Yi Lin

After Lu Lu is angry at Yi for wanting to quit, Yi tries to find a way for them to be close. Steve tells Yi that because she is giving up her passion she is losing Lu Lu. Because of everything she went through, Yi is scared. However, she knows that she needs to pursue her dreams.

94. “The machine-made noodles were almost too perfect.”- Xiao Ming

95.  “Some things will never change, and some things will change.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming walks in Beijing. flavors of youth
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After his grandmother’s death, Xiao feels an overwhelming sadness. The happiness that he had in his childhood is gone. Despite the noodle shop being open, it is not the same as when he was little because his grandmother is no longer there.

96. “Yeah, it would be embarrassing if I failed.”- Li Mo

97. “It stays in the back of my mind as the seasons pass. It was like a lonely, pale morning, but also a morning blushed with hope.”-Xiao Ming

Although Xiao has become an adult, memories of his childhood make him strive for the same comfort. He thinks of the past things that brought him happiness. From his memories, Xiao sees that he can be happy just as when he was a child.

98. “You can’t fight without energy.”- Steve

Steve encourages Yi to still pursue her dreams as a model.
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99. “What I see from here…I don’t want to lose it. It’s so dear to me.”- Yi Lin

Because Lu Lu and Steve set up a show for Yi to walk, Yi feels loved. She knows that she has the support to pursue her career. Instead of letting her sadness take over, Yi is filled with joy as she sees Lu Lu and Steve.

100. “The torment I feel in my chest will someday heal with time.”- Xiao Ming

Xiao Ming sadly looks at his San Xian noodles from the city. flavors of youth
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Because of Flavors of Youth’s memorable dialogue and pure emotions, the anime has become many viewers’ favorite film. The film effectively captures the Chinese idiom 衣食住行 (yī shí zhù xíng, lit. “clothing, food, housing, and transport”). Due to the emotional focus of the film, Flavors of Youth shows how basic things like food or clothes create a lasting effect.

With the film’s amazing stories and short run time, it is no surprise that viewers continue to watch this film. Because of the beautifully written stories and emotional ideas, there are a plethora of meaningful quotes. Did you know 13 Reasons Why actor Ross Butler voices Li Mo for the English dubbed version?

Hope you love these quotes from Flavors of Youth.

Make sure to watch this movie on Netflix!

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