Objective Resilience and impulsivity have opposite effects on depression in stressful situations. This study aimed to investigate the association among resilience, impulsivity, and depression in young males. Methods The participants consisted of 429 conscripts who underwent military training over 5 weeks. The surveys included the Connors- Davidson Resilience Scale-Korean version, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11-Revised, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies- Depression Scale. The surveys were administered both before and after training. Results When simultaneously considering impulsivity and resilience, resilience was not associated with depression. Impulsivity had a complete negative mediating effect on resilience and depressive symptoms. Impulsivity is a significant negative mediating factor for the protective effect of resilience on depression. Conclusion This study recommends considering impulsivity when evaluating the protective role of resilience against depression.