Vinte e Cinco, Vinte e Um (2022)

Twenty Five Twenty One Alternate Ending

5 years later:
Back in New York, Yi Jin is sitting at his desk with a view of Manhattan. He stares at a beautiful rainbow and smiles thinking of Hee Do. The rainbow is a good sign. Every time a rainbow appears, he knows that Hee Do is wishing him well and erasing whatever gloom that is hanging over him. Due to his detailed reporting of the aftermath of 9/11, he was able to help locate and reunite many Korean citizens with their family. He is now a critically acclaimed news reporter. He’s excited about returning to Korea because he just accepted an offer as the anchor of a Korean news station.

Hee Do’s mom is planning to retire and asked the news station to give her position to Yi Jin. She nonchalantly delivers this news to Hee Do while stating that Yi Jin is arriving today at the airport…probably about - now. Hee Do in shock drops everything, fumbles around for her keys and rushes to the airport. She frantically scours the airport for a glimpse of Yi Jin. She spots him in a distance and raises her hand to wave and yell his name…but she sees…

Being the hot shot reporter that he is, Yi Jin brings back Samantha, his assistant. He hands her some paperwork and tells her to wait for him at the hotel. He has someone very important to see. Knowing exactly who Yi Jin meant, Samantha leans up to fix his collar to make sure he is the most presentable he can be when he reunites with the love of his life.

Hee Do sees an attractive blond woman lean up and kiss Yi Jin! Shocked, disappointed, and upset with herself for being so excited to see him after all these years, she slowly lowers her hand and leaves the airport fighting tears.

Yi Jin hails a cab and tells the cab driver to rush to an address. He sees Hee Do’s house from a distance and he sees Hee Do! He smiles and is about to run to her when a child yells, “Oma.” Hee Do wipes the tears from her own face and puts on a brave face, “Kim MinChae, how was your day?”

Sadness seeps into every part of his body. Hee Do is married and has a child! He stumbles backwards and walks away aimlessly.

It is nighttime and Hee Do puts MinChae down to sleep. MinChae asks Hee Do to tell her more stories about her dad. Hee Do tells a love story of a heroic fencer and a beautiful ballerina.

With MinChae asleep HeeDo reflects on MinChae’s parents. MinChae’s parents both passed in a tragic accident. When Yi Jin and Hee Do broke up, Hee Do almost couldn’t move on. It was Kim Eunsu and his girlfriend at the time that helped Hee Do refocus on fencing. Because they were a huge support for Hee Do, when they perished in a tragic train accident, Hee Do stepped up and adopted MinChae.

Months pass and Yi Jin has thrown himself into his work. In these months, he’s discovered that the father of MinChae is also a fencer.

“Of course. Of course she would go ahead and marry another fencer,” he thinks to himself. Jealousy made him to dig deeper into his work. He’s digging up missing files of the tragic train crash. In it he see’s the name Kim Eunsu. Yi Jin reads that Eunsu was survived by a 3 year old daughter. The timeline didn’t make sense. This puts MinChae’s birthdate to be before Yi Jin even left for New York. Everything falls into to place and Yi Jin takes off. He runs out of his office, not noticing the rain. Half way through he notices a rainbow beyond the tunnel and runs into the tunnel for shelter from the rain.

Hee Do receives a package in the mail. She carefully opens it and it’s her diary. Outside, rain pours down and hits the window panes. Not wanting to remember Yi Jin anymore, she sets her diary aside but it drops and she realizes that it’s not her handwriting. In it Yi Jin wrote about how he thought of her everyday when he was in New York and that no matter how far he falls in life, she’s always able to bring him back to a better and higher place. Hee Do tears up and grabs her umbrella to go for a walk. Halfway through her walk, the rain stops.

Yi Jin enters the tunnel soaking wet. He looks up to see Hee Do at the other end of the tunnel. They stare at each other motionless and Yi Jin makes the first move. He slowly walks to her, stopping about 2 feet away. They look into each other’s eyes and he says, “You’ve always been my rainbow.” Hee Do smiles and they stand looking at each other with the rainbow in the background.

The End.

Hope you guys like this ending.

Leia Mais

JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T END UP TOGETHER AS YOU WISHED, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ENDING IS BAD.

I don't understand the hate to the final episode. Look. First of all, if you hate this because you don't know Minchae's father, ask yourself, does it really matter? 2521 is never about Minchae's father. All you need to know is Heedo got married and not to Yijin. And did they give you that piece of information already? Yes they did. The moment you're told the name of Heedo's daughter is Kim Minchae, you should've known that they don't end up together in the end. That's it, period. If you're disappointed because Yijin is not revealed to be the father, then youre the one expecting more. Just like Seungwan's father who passed away without us knowing early on that she had a father, the same goes to Minchae's father. Whoever that is, it's not the main focus here as he does not have anything to do with Heedo and her group of friends. Second, the series clearly wants to depict how Heedo held on to the most beautiful memory she had in her life at the age of 21. Just because they don't end up together at the present time, it does not mean their relationship doesn't matter to her. This series exactly would like to demonstrate how in our lives, for many, even the most beautiful thing that happened to us can be temporary. And if you're disappointed that the end is rushed and so sudden, well, aren't things in life also like that? We love a phase of our lives so much that we often forget it could end in an instance when you don't put effort to cherish and protect it? Have you never lost a friend, a lover, or anybody that you love so dearly but then suddenly you just don't talk anymore? I bet you have. And that's what this series is trying to tell you. If anything, it is actually very realistic. We can grow apart from people that we love in an instant and we just can't help but regret what happened. The fact that people say the series portrayed their relationship so beautifully but the ending is disappointing actually proves that they really are successful in conveying the message of even something beautiful could end just like that. Third of all. Let the feeling sink in. You're sad because something so beautiful doesn't end well and leave you with so many questions? Well, that's exactly what Heedo is feeling. She's confused, just as you are. Do you think she would've even thought for once that her and Yijin would not end up together? This is just as surprising and shocking to her as it is to you. That's exactly what they want to show here. To me, this series successfully takes you to feel what Heedo feels. To be in that confussion. Left with so many questions unanswered. Only to find out about how Yijin really felt later on lin life when they couldn't be together anymore and it's too late. But you just have to move on. Like Heedo did. Which I really like, to be honest. This is a new way of storytelling. It lets you know how does it feel to experience something so beautiful ends in an instant without getting any closure because you're the one expecting more than what you should have.

Leia Mais

Twenty-Five, Twenty One’; A Bumpy Trip Down Memory Lane…

Anyone who is aware or familiar with the  modern-classic, the ‘Reply’ series, will appreciate that the concept of nostalgia, mysterious flashbacks and trying to piece together events between the past and future ( especially with regards to romantic relationships) are not ground-breaking writing setups.

Nevertheless while ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ does not play around with a new or an original  idea, the narrative did offer viewers with a heartfelt coming-of-age story. In addition to this, ‘ Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ presented an unravelling mystery. Although the drama could often be captivating, it is important to acknowledge that ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty One’ still suffered at times from inconsistent pacing and execution.

The main narrative and timeline of ‘Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is predominantly set in the late 1990s and focuses upon its two main leads; aspiring athletic fencer, 18 year-old Na Hee Do ( Kim Tae Ri- ‘ Mr .Sunshine’, ‘ The Handmaiden’ and ‘Space Sweepers’ ) and her hardworking ‘’sunbae’’ and potential love interest, college-student Baek Yi Jin ( Nam Joo Hyuk- ‘Who Are You: School 2015’, ‘ Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo’ and ‘ The Light in Your Eyes’).

The second timeline of the series is set in the near-present day. Instead of focusing solely on an adult Hee Do, the subplot instead focuses on Hee Do’s young daughter Kim Min Chae ( Choi Myung Bin- ‘ The King’s Affection’, ‘ Dramaworld2’). Within these future events of the main narrative, adult Hee-Do ( played by Kim So Hyun- ‘The King and I’) is revealed to have been shaped greatly by the unfolding  events of her past.  She is no longer an optimistic dreamer, and instead has turned into a prudent helicopter parent; attempting to mould Min Chae into becoming a prodigal ballerina through a regimented routine and regime, but without always acknowledging her daughter’s personal feelings and dreams.

Annoyed and fed up by her mother’s micromanaging, Min Chae is shocked when she stumbles upon her mother’s old diaries, photos and journals. Intrigued, she begins to digress through her mother’s personal coming-of-age accounts during the aftermath of the 1997 IMF crisis. Min Chae is astounded to follow her mother’s journey and slowly begins to understand more about her mother’s past  and circumstances, especially with regards to her complicated feelings for Baek Yi-Jin.

Screenwriter Kwon Do Eun is most likely known by viewers for her critically-successful screenplay ‘Search: WWW’. Similar to her previous work, Kwon Do Eun added a similar stylistic approach of heart-warming angst and multi-layered characters throughout the screenplay for ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’.
 
However despite several tonal similarities between Do Eun’s screenplays, it is important to note that ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ takes a different approach with its storytelling, particularly by using a non-linear narrative.  Non-linear narratives can allow for some brilliant opportunities in order for screenwriters to explore character-depth, intensify climatic build-ups through flashbacks and flashforwards, as well as helping to entice the audience.
 
This was particularly apparent in ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty-One’ via the main storyline by focusing  upon the potential romantic relationship between Hee Do and Yi Jin, as well as the complicated  mother-daughter bond between Hee Do and Min Chae during certain scenes in the subplot surrounding events in the present-day.
 
With regards to the latter mentioned plot point, the potential onscreen chemistry between Hee Do and Yi-Jin was quintessential towards impacting events in the narrative. Admittedly and refreshingly rather than allowing the storyline to be entirely focused upon the romantic elements of Hee Do and Yi-Jin’s relationship, the series offered opportunities also for viewers to divulge deeper into the aspirations and sentience of the characters at times.
 
In particular, this was shown through the difficult journey taken at times by the female lead and male lead through different complicated situations and interactions. For the female lead, this was apparent throughher prickly relationship with her mother and news anchor Shin Jae Kyung ( Seo Jae Hee- ‘Run On’, ‘ Artificial City; and ‘The Youngest Son Of A Conglomerate’) as well as her rivalry with with Go Yoo-rim ( Bona ‘ Hit The Top’, ‘ Girls’ Generation 1979’ and ‘ Your House Helper’).
 
For male lead Yi-Jin, his personal conflicts came early on in the series. After his father’s affluent business went bankrupt nearly overnight during the economic crisis, Yi-Jin was forced to take on several part-time jobs in order to make ends meet. However, Yi-Jin feels as though he has struck gold after landing a position at a broadcasting company. Yet similar to the female lead’s personal struggles in order to attain her dreams, Yi-Jin soon acknowledges that his journey into the television industry isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
 
Nevertheless although the narrative helped to offer moments for characters to feel dynamic, it is hard to ignore that  Hee Do and Yi-Jin were still shoehorned  at times into specific roles and scenarios in order to drag-out misunderstandings and angst. In particular this was often prominent through Yi-Jin’s age difference and dating experience in comparison to Hee Do, who was sometimes subjugated during some of these moments as a victim of her own inexperience.
 
This wasn’t entirely a bad writing decision per say. Although age difference relationships can often be the subject of debate in narratives, when approached tactfully, they can allow for some intriguing explorations into setups, character archetypes and sociological barriers between love interests. Nevertheless although some praise should be given to Do Eun’s overtness with the setup and subject matter tackled, it is still notable that, Yi-Jin and Hee Do’s dilemmas could often feel somewhat cliché and enforced. Perhaps this was also due to the fact that of these misunderstandings and climatic scenarios ( particularly incidents where Hee Do would jump to conclusions or misconceptions about Yi-Jin) did become more repetitive as episodes progressed.
 
Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk starred as main leads and potential lovers. Kim Tae Ri added a likeable charm to her onscreen persona, Hee Do. It is a difficult feat at times for an actor playing the role of a younger character to adopt specific mannerisms or characteristics in order to make their performance feel authentic. Nevertheless although there were some moments of overblown dialogue, Kim Tae Ri brilliantly helped to bring young Hee Do to life through her bubbly character and personality. In addition to Tae Ri, A-lister actor Nam Joo Hyuk co-starred alongside the actress as main male lead Baek Yi-Jin. Although there were moments initially where Joo Hyuk’s performance could feel somewhat stilted by his limited screen time and interactions with the female lead, Joo Hyuk was gradually allowed more opportunities in order to add an emotive edge to his onscreen character.
 
It is important to point out that the main leads’ onscreen chemistry was decent enough. Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk’s initial chemistry felt somewhat stagnant in parts, but certainly did improve as episodes progressed.

In addition to the romantic relationship explored between the main leads in the series, there is also another important bond covered in the subplot; the relationship between Hee Do and her daughter. Kim So Hyun takes on the role as the adult-version of Hee Do. It seemed surprising considering the respectful age of Kim Tae Ri, that another actress was cast to play an older version of her character. Nevertheless, So Hyun helped to embody a certain believability with her onscreen performance. Alongside actress Kim So Hyun, co-star and child actress Choi Myung Bin delivered a brilliant performance as Hee Do’s daughter Kim Min Chae.
 
The maternal bond explored in ‘Twenty-Five, Twenty One’ between the main female lead’s adult-self and her daughter is arguably one of the most intriguing as well as shoehorned subplots in the drama’s narrative. Of course, screenwriter Kwon Do Eun added a certain level of depth to the onscreen relationship. Hee Do’s reasons for becoming a “controlling figure” within her daughter’s life are more complex than merely out of spite or jealousy. ( Her relationship with her own mother playing a big part with wanting to give opportunities to Min Chae.) Similarly while it would be easy to portray Min Chae as the “ fractious” daughter, Min Chae’s frustration seemed to reflect a lot of convoluted feelings.

Nevertheless despite Do Eun’s presentation of the relationship, it is hard to ignore that while this was still only a subplot, the storyline revolving around Min Chae and Hee Do was often shoehorned into a limited time frame, with inconsistent time-skips and flittering in between rarely helping to smooth out this counterplot by the ending of the series.

Sadly this was a slight problem with ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’. Although the narrative was heavily focused upon the events of the main leads and their complex potential onscreen chemistry, subplots and side characters could often be left out of the equation. This was mainly due to the fact that in a time space of sixteen episodes, the narrative had to be compact and focusing upon the main narrative rather than homing in on side plots did become necessary as episodes progressed.

On the other hand this is admittedly where ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ could sometimes hit a slight rut; the side characters and subplots were often somewhat inconsistent and rushed. Even in a non-linear narrative, the series would often leave certain side characters’ intriguing backstories and character-arcs on the sideline, briefly explored in order to fill in screen time though rarely given a concise conclusion by the series finale. ( This was apparent for side characters such as Go Yoo-rim, Hee Do’s rival, played by idol-actress Bona [ Hit The Top’, ‘ Girls’ Generation 1979’ and ‘ Your House Helper’], Choi Hyun-Wook’s [ Real:Time:Love ’, ‘ Racket Boys] role as Hee Do’s popular classmate Moon Ji-woong, Lee-Joo Myung’s [ My Fellow Citizens!’, ‘Missing: The Other Side’ and ‘ Kairos’ ] role as Ji-woong’s childhood friend, Ji Seung-wan and of course Hee Do’s daughter played by Choi Myung Bin, Min Chae.)

Nevertheless it is hard to ignore that while there were some evident inconsistencies with pacing, ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ was able to encapsulate a certain nostalgic and retro tone through the visionary eye of director Jung Ji Hyun ( ‘ You Are My Spring’, ‘ Search: WWW’). The opening of the series brings forth a stylistic approach of fuzzy gradients and vivid title sequences, akin to the opening credits of a TV show from a VHS tape.

There is also a subtle difference placed between the present day scenes and the past ; drab and mundane shots are suddenly animated to life in flashbacks through an explosion of vivid palettes and warm tones, helping to capture the buzzing warmth and joie de vivre of Hee Do’s youth. ( One of the most memorable and striking parallel scenes drawn between the past and present day being through the bubblegum blue diner that Min Chae is shown to visit with her mother in the present day. The bright blues are strikingly odd against the mundane attire of the characters. In the same episode, a parallel scene is shown through Yi-Jin’s visit to a similar diner; instead strikingly bright and warm through the bubbly and rose-tinted perspective of the past.)

As for the comprised soundtrack of the series, ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is admittedly less ambitious than it should’ve been. For a series set against the backdrop of the late 90s where music (especially in South-Korea ) was being explored and pushed beyond conventional tastes, it felt odd that ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ was somewhat limited to an array of somewhat generic upbeat love ballads and schmaltzy pop singles. Nevertheless it is important to acknowledge that there are some catchy songs within the OST , in particular TAEIL’s “Starlight (스타라이트)" remaining one of the most memorable tracks throughout the series .

Overall ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’ is a coming of age tale which offered a nostalgic and poignant reflection for viewers upon youth and childhood. The issues of chasing dreams, the difficulties of being at the passing boundaries between childhood and adulthood as well as struggling with friendships and young love, were central and universal messages within the drama’s narrative. However despite the bubbling sweetness of ‘ Twenty Five, Twenty One’, the series wasn’t without its more apparent faults of inconsistent pacing either. Nevertheless viewers will likely be captivated by the narrative’s refreshing and lighthearted nostalgia ride, niche in parts, but surprisingly offering several shocking twists and turns by the finale. Overall a very good watch.

Leia Mais

Strong First Strike, but Loses Its Footing in the Last Quarter

Watching this show was an emotional roller coaster ride: in the first three-quarters of the show, the cart climbed higher and higher until it could go no further, limited by the tracks that the writer had laid out for the machine. But then it started its descent, and for me, the train derailed before it reached the station.

It's clear to me that the writer knew exactly where she wanted to go and tried to careful craft a scenario to deliver her message about the elation and tribulations of first loves. For the first part of the show, I was totally engrossed with this plan. The story is told as a flashback of a little girl who read's her mother's diary, and like many other viewers, I was invested in the open question of who the identity of the girl's father - is he the main character of the mother's love story or he is not?! This was a question that kept everyone awake at night when this drama was airing. This was definitely an intentional effect as the series would intentionally omit clear references to the father, going so far as not to even show him on screen and to make dialog ambiguous so that you don't even know his name nor any hints towards his identity. Moreover, it seemed like every little detail of this Kdrama mattered -- it didn't matter if you forgot something, because boy, the writer sure remembered everything, and she often utilized these minutia to extreme emotional and dramatic effect. It was almost a masterpiece.

Almost. For me, the plot past episode 13 took a noticeable decrease in quality: characters started acting in ways that I thought were unearned - the fierce female lead that we had all come to know and love somehow became more passive and willing to give up -- this was a far cry from her "never give up attitude" that had led her to toil so hard to hone her fencing skill. The conscientious, sweet boy who put family and friends above all else suddenly became a workaholic -- he spent most of the first half of the story practicing the little, individual acts of loves for his friends, family, and love interests, and suddenly he's all about sacrificing for the greater good/his career. Yes, people can change, but for me, if we're talking about a television series, we should be shown the change and not have to infer it -- it's just jarring without a proper explanation. Even for side characters, things just started to arbitrarily work out for no discernible reasons - this is a little baffling to me in a story that prided itself on being so clear and clever with the details. The final nail in the coffin for me was dismissing things that we had become so invested in: that mystery we all cared about? Without spoilers, I feel I can safely say: it turns out it's irrelevant. Put simply, it felt like a slap in the face as if we were intentionally manipulated only to increase ratings and not for story purposes.

I don't believe that a story necessarily needs to have a happy end nor needs to have a sad end to be great. But I just feel this Kdrama did not execute its ending in a way that I felt was earned. It pains me to say: this Kdrama started as a 10/10 for me, but quickly destroyed my faith in it with just 3 measly episodes, to the point that I actually think it did the whole story a disservice. There were so many unanswered questions, that I think either the show needed a few more episodes to flesh things out or it needed less episodes to tell a complete tale without the feeling that something is missing. Either way, I can't help but feel there was a missed opportunity here. It's just such a shame.

Leia Mais

A light-hearted coming-of-age drama

Firstly, I really love the story. Who thought watching four teenagers and one adult navigate their life would be so interesting? I like how it is set in the past, leaving viewers many questions as to how the characters are doing in the present. This drama also incorporates realistic touches such as financial issues and different types of relationships with people.

Second, the characters all gained my sympathy. Na Hee Do is very passionate about her dream, and she would do almost anything to achieve it. I admire that about her.

Baek Yi Jin might have fallen flat on his face when his family separated and went bankrupt, but he managed to get back up on his knees and restart his life.

Ko Yu Rim didn’t easily gain my sympathy, but as the story progressed, the drama opened up about more of her struggles. It must be hard to live a life like that, always worrying about money. She’s a gifted girl who cares about her parents very much, I love that about her. Also, the scene where she confessed to Hee Do that she’s actually Injeolmi - That really touched my heart.

Moon Ji Woong, despite having his own struggles at home, still manages to keep a positive attitude. Honestly, I aspire to be like him :]]

Ji Seung Wan is the class president and a constant top achiever. She finds life boring, but hanging out with Ji Woong adds a little spice to her life. Ji Woong is the “troublemaker” of the class, so I understand why she insists to keep hanging out with him. In Seung Wan’s monotonous, top achiever life, she really can’t do anything risky or somewhat crazy because of her grades and her school status. I can’t seem to word it correctly but I think she’s easily one of the most relatable characters in this drama.

Second, the actors are doing a very good job bringing their characters to life, especially Kim Tae Ri. It's like Na Hee Do was made to be played by her and her only. I couldn't really see other actresses taking the role of Na Hee Do. The acting of the cast has to be one of the strongest points of this drama!

Third, the OSTs. “Very, Slowly” by BIBI, one of my favorite artists, “Starlight” by Taeil, and “With” by the five leads are my favorites. The other songs aren’t the most mind-blowing, add-to-playlist-after-first-listen type but they fit in the drama seamlessly.

Fourth, the cinematography. I know what to expect from Korean cinematography, it’s almost always immaculate. This drama is no exception, the scenes are so aesthetic and visually pleasing.

The ending was kind of messed up but it had potential. The last two episodes felt rushed and it should've been extended.

Oh, and I watched this because of Kim Tae Ri. I didn't expect myself to be this hooked.

Leia Mais

Bitter Sweet Journey

Production , cinematography, world/year events and scenery were all excellent. The music/OST also was very well done.

LIKES:
The acting of both ML and FL was very good. All the actresses and actors did phenomenal jobs in their roles; the supporting cast, the cast for sporting and news events, all the extras too. The Director did an amazing job for this drama. I felt that the ML and FL had amazing chemistry, but so did all the younger couples. The friendship, love and rivalry flowed nicely throughout the storyline and plot. All the sports competitions and training about Fencing, was the best from all similar dramas. It was as if you were at the competitions yourself as the viewer. The theme of growing up to handle hardship and happiness, while never giving up on hopes and dreams was mostly well delivered. I liked how most of the relationships were concluded. They showed plenty of growth for all the main leads. I enjoyed that the story was based on the diary being read by Na Hee Do's daughter. I didn't notice if there were any "FX". I liked how they concluded or tied in the book store from beginning to end.

DISLIKES:
Baek Yi-jin's mother was very annoying and I wanted her to just shut up. Maybe it was how the writers wanted that character.
Throughout the drama there were some moments that made me say WTF [See spoilers at the end of this review]. The ending felt a little rushed and should've been changed to 2 or 3 more episodes. I think time management became an issue in some of the episodes, especially noticeable in the last 2 episodes. The ending was a little too open, based on what the viewers were fed about the ML Yi Jin and FL Hee Do.

OVERALL: Everything up until the last two episodes was great, interesting and had me enraptured. I would recommend this drama and might re-watch it in the future.

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[SPOILER ALERT ]
I liked that Baek Yi-jin's brother and Seung Wan reunited at the end, to give more depth to their characters.
I disliked that Hee Do didn't show as much growth as Yu Rim. Same with Baek Yi-jin, as a reporter he grew, but as an adult there wasn't much character growth. I was thoroughly annoyed that we don't find out who Hee Do married and had a daughter with. Having focused in the beginning on the fencing and going to the olympics for Hee Do, then at the end nothing of the stress and excitement of going to the olympics and winning gold was shown. In the end I hated that they didn't show Baek Yi-jin and Na Hee Do reuniting (even as friends) at the end and final episode. It made the adult Hee Do seem pointless. Also some of the flashbacks in the final episode, ran too long and they could've used the time better.

Leia Mais

Exeeding Expectations... except the ending

Is this drama overhyped? Not at all.

The thing about this drama is the feeling it gives while watching. It's a one of a kind feeling, and one of the reasons I watch dramas in the first place. I honestly enjoy watching this drama so much, it does everything right and has so many different storylines all pulled together through Na Hee Do.

The main character played by Kim Tae Ri is Na Hee Do, and she is the most enjoyable lead I have ever seen in a drama. An girl with so many hopes, she's entertaining because she's honestly hilarious. This girl goes about life in her own way without being overly relatable, she's just Na Hee Do. Kim Tae Ri pulls off this youthful character so well, and for an actress over 30 she not it's not just about looking like a 19 year old. Kim Tae Ri portrays this character so well that the drama feels completely real, there's no doubt to her character. The other leads are not what I expected, seeing Yu Rim at first I never expected her to be either really mean or really nice. Again with this character she's someone you can root for or be against. There's not a villain in this drama, instead I'd call it a coming of age over calling it a romantic comedy.

This drama has sports, it has amazing comedic timing that even Jungkook had to put a moment on his story because it was just too perfect. The pacing isn't boring, but it's not too quick paced. This drama is one I've looked forward to every week and one I know I would binge watch if I could.

Now a controversies (if any) could come from the age gap between Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do. I don't see anything wrong with any of their story so far. Yi Jin looks after Hee Do but he isn't overbearing, he's protective but trusts her. The trust and communication they have in each other is touching, and again there's many moment with comedic timing between the two that is all too enjoyable to watch. The dynamic between the two is not only adorable, it's a word I can't find a name for so I'll call it scissors (if you watched you know :))

To sum this up, Twenty Five Twenty One is so good. I swear I see dramas and I can feel something change, I want to find other dramas like it but I know there won't ever be, and then more amazing dramas come out. Twenty Five Twenty One is an experience that I won't take for granted.

Now coming back after watching the whole show I am dissapointed with the ending. As it was open ended, ultimately they didn't need Present Day Na Hee Do to exist in the story at all, the show would've served much better taking place in the flashbacks the whole time without any present day story at all. That's because there was no closure at all, and there wasn't a resolution between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin. In the end they loved each other a lot, and to me I don't understand why it was needed for them to stay apart forever. Sadness doesn't equal to a good ending, that's where the drama severely disappoints me. Nonetheless it was a fun watch.

Leia Mais

A promising start learning to no where

A drama that got me hooked from the very start. I literally went to what I was 2 years ago, impatiently waiting for the new episodes. But it came out quite a surprise how, the creators can ruin their own creations. I literally have no problem with baekedo not ending together, but they way the drama was messed in the second part, and it began hitting the rock bottom.

Nam jio hyuk has improved a lot as an actor,and Kim tae ri was phenomenal as usual, osts and BG scores were top notch.

This drama destroyed all of my brain cells. But I do not deny the first half was awesome, the youth phase was incredibly relatable.

WATCH THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!

Leia Mais

refreshing slice of life- with some drawbacks

i didnt have any expectations for this drama at all, but it ended up being fantastic (for the most part). it was so authentic and organic, from the friendships to life situations. i found all of the characters to be very human and interesting to follow. this is one of the few kdramas ive seen that depicts humanity so realistically, with their flaws and growing pains.

i will mostly be discussing the negatives of this drama, because everything was good besides a few things that i felt prevented this drama from being perfect. ill still mention all of the good things briefly, and in short i recommend you watch this drama (i recommend only watching ep 1- the first ten min of ep 15 and calling it finished)

a slice of life romcom would be a good way to describe the plot. teenagers and adults alike are struggling amidst the imf crisis, and two young athletes struggle at friendship while competing. kim tae ri is endearing as 18 year old heedo, a fencing prodigy that is strong willed, stubborn, kind, and energetic. yurim, a gold medalist fencer, was difficult to like at first but she became a great friend and worthy of praise. nam joohyuk feels grounding as yijin, forced to grow up too quickly but learning to find happiness again with heedo. jiwoong and seung wan started getting more screentime later in the drama which i greatly appreciated as i thought they added a lot to the overall show. i loved discovering the hidden sides of themselves, how their opinions on the world as teens wanting to rebel in their own ways was slowly shown to us. overall i really enjoyed watching them all grow and form bonds with each other, it was truly the definition of youth.


the friendship between heedo and yijin was one of my favorite on screen relationships to date. i thought they would do well whether it was romantic or platonic and the show did a good job at showing why they would work together, but also why they wouldnt have. they started to rely on and support each other, becoming a source of happiness for the other person. but they were also in two different stages of life: yijin had to grow up too quickly and became more mature and grounded while heedo still had a sort of childlike optimism and persistence. these were traits that drew them to each other: what the other was lacking. they needed each other, but they were still growing on their own. regardless of the romance arc this friendship was just so believable, healthy and organic.

the friendship group formed between heedo, yurim, seungwan, and jiwoong was lighthearted and refreshing. what really brought them together was their willfulness and stubbornness, each in their own ways. heedo in fencing, yurims in her love for her family, jiwoong in his interests, seungwan in her morals. the drama touched on a lot of important subjects, especially with the jiwoong/seungwan school punishment arc. yijin also ended up as a part of this group, and i loved the mentor role he took on. he knew what it was like to grow up too fast, so giving heedo and yurim a school trip and reminding them to enjoy their youth was so heartfelt. when he stepped in to save seungwan from the reporter as well, hes using his knowledge to save them from going through troubles. there were a lot of parallels between the characters and the relationships depicted were all complex and realistic.


and of course the cinematography was unique to the show, the soundtrack was nice, and the acting- obviously- top notch. production wise i have no complains. the 90s vibe and aesthetic alone is enough to watch this drama. i compliment the writers for creating such realistic and smooth conversations and such believable characters.

some of my favorite moments:
-heedo telling yijin they should be happy with each other while running around at night.
-the mini school trip where they all sat on the beach watching sunset.
-the friend group watching the fireworks on the rooftop
-them watching heedo and yurims interviews on tv
-when heedo and yurim cheered seungwan on for quitting school
-jiwoong not being able to park the car and them all jumping around in happiness when they lifted it

some things i disliked about the drama that affected my rating:

1. false advertising

it doesnt actually take place when they are 25 and 21. its mostly when heedo is 18 (korean age) and yijin is 22. considering the description says “ Two people first meet when they are 22 and 18 years old and fall in love years later when they turn 25 and 21. “ i was a little confused. so why did they called it 2521 and give a misleading description & title ? probably because they knew the age gap might cause a problem, leading into my next point.


2. the age gap.

ive seen some people defending it, 18 and 22 is not that far off after all. id love to say “this is just a work of fiction, lets just enjoy this wholesomeness!” but i just cant. especially because it IS a work of fiction and the writers couldve done this differently.
a four year age gap isnt a big deal between two adults at the very least in the same stage of life. if this romance actually happened when they were 21 and 25 i wouldnt be writing all of this right now. thats what the description states after all, and yet the romance happened prior. but heedo was a highschooler, an immature one at that- remember how she dated and broke up with a guy just to see what its like? she thought you have to wash lettuce with soap. when yijin and heedo were out together, it was so uncomfortable seeing her in a school uniform and him in a suit. yijin, despite being a good man, was an adult. not even a college student, but an adult living alone with a job out in the real world. luckily, they started dating when she was old enough to drink alcohol, so i suppose thats adult enough.
but i think the problem lies within his confession to her. we know they like each other, it wouldve been better build up and more comfortable for the general audience had the writers waited for them to both be full grown adults (or at least for heedo to graduate highschool) to have them confess. this is made worse by the fact that ALL of his friends highschoolers. i do understand that this is a small neighborhood in the 90s and it was all by circumstance- yurim due to family, heedo by accident, seungwan as the neighbor etc etc. but he rarely hung out with adults his age outside of work, that’s what makes this whole situation weird to me. and its not just yijin: in ep 10 seungwan tells yijins 15 yr old brother “ 4 more years? ill wait for you”. gross. what is with this show and its love for inappropriate 4 yr age gaps? overall im blaming the writers for not being a little more nuanced about a potentially inappropriate relationship. i dont think this is enough to write off the drama, but this is important to note:

this is the most avoidable problem in the whole drama, especially when since the beginning yijin has said “adults should only date other adults” and “highschool drama is for highschoolers, im an adult” and has brought up how young they all were and how different their lives were. the writers know this isnt okay and made a point to comment on it- but did it anyway.
i dont care if this age gap doesnt matter to you, i dont care if you think this specific situation is okay or if “the 90s were a different time!” or if “theyre both technically adults!” this drama has a responsibility to portray this relationship with a certain sensitivity. a few simple changes couldve been made to make it a little more acceptable to the general public, but like i said i dont think this is enough to swear off watching it.

2. yurims arc

the writers really pushed yurim as a bully from the beginning. she was cruel to heedo, belittled her, affected her personal and school life. she often played the victim despite constantly being supported by everyone around her. being poor and scared of losing was the excuse they gave her, it caused an inferiority complex. i didnt think this was strong enough to combat heedos problems, although i suppose theyre meant to be equal. yurim is poor and loved, while heedo is rich with a dead father and an absent mother. i understood what the writers were trying to do here. but the actual switch, the injeolmi reveal, was a weak turning point. if you watch the episodes one after the other, it makes it obvious how jarring and simple yurims personality shift was. pre ep 8, she caused the whole nation to hate heedo on her behalf and constantly belittles her. none of this matters until yurim sees that she was her internet friend. only this sparks her apology, which means if they hadnt been internet friends she would be forever cruel and unapologetic. this makes yurim seem continuously self centered and flimsy as a character. after ep 8 heedo and yurim are awkwardly kind to each other and start building a friendship. yurim kind of explains herself in the later half but i just thought they built the mean yurim up too well, or at least didnt put enough care into her arc. i am glad yurim retains some of those feelings (ep 11 she says she is still scared of heedo) so it isnt like she woke up a different person.
i guess your opinion on this depends on which you empathize more with, but i always felt more on heedos side. we saw her walk home alone after matches, advocate for herself, practice until she couldnt stand, be bullied by someone she admired, win a gold medal with no support from her coach or mother. im sure yurim went through difficulties, but it was heedos that were shown on screen, so i resonated more with her. all i wanted was the best for her, especially in terms of her and yurims relationship. and when heedo forgave yurim, their scenes were very cute and heartwarming and i did grow to love her and i enjoyed all of their scenes together. but i cant just pretend she wasnt a horrible person for half of the drama. heedo is clearly more forgiving than i am.

i did end up having to just let my feelings on this go in order to enjoy the drama, but i wanted to mention this.

3. the present time

this drama wouldve done well just focusing on the past. it felt unbalanced, we start off in the present and heedos daughter is sort of a narrator, but then we exist in the past uninterrupted for periods of time. i guess 2521 was going for a reply series kind of thing, but i would’ve preferred it to just take place in the past. the story of the friend group, the romance, the sports, the imf crisis, it was all enough to keep us going for the entire duration of the show. the present time brought down the whole mood of the drama and made it dip more into melodrama territory. i didnt want to worry about if someone was going to die or get amnesia. i didnt want angst, i wanted to watch what seemed like a lighthearted slice of life character based romcom as promised. like id be watching the characters laughing and having fun and bam- heedos daughter is on screen killing my vibe. or we are having a cute moment and we have a flash forward sequence that makes us question who breaks up with who. i dont think this drama needed extra mystery or suspense, it already had a sort of darker tone with the imf crisis (which was all but forgotten in favor of other side plots). yijins family troubles were as much sadness as i needed and like i mentioned before, there was plenty of side plots to keep this drama going. i guess some people didnt mind, but i definitely noticed much of the audience speculating on the ending constantly instead of just enjoying the show, which is major buzzkill for anyone wanting to watch and hoping to just enjoy it. perhaps this is just a personal preference but i strongly think this couldve been more powerful as just a slice of life. those are hard to pull off, and they were so close. i ended up not watching the future scenes as they ruined the vibe for me.

4. the ending
just trust me on this, dont bother with the last two episodes. the characters were completely different people, too much angst and a lot of decisions made by the end were so distasteful. the writers just stopped caring by the end. it just goes to show the drama was written to be anticipated for weekly ratings and not just to be enjoyed.

and thats the end of my review. i know it was mainly negative, but again- everything besides these points was top notch. id still recommend this drama to anyone.

Leia Mais

The Villain: Time

Was expecting a happy ending but this is just the reality of life. You don't always end up with your first love, you change, you grow up, you forget and move on. But the people you met will always be part of who you are now. I know we watch dramas to get away from reality, but I think after time I will recover from their sad ending and realize it’s not really sad. They loved each other, and that’s all that matters. They gave each other strength, and she showed her daughter that strength as well. While I admit that I’m broken they didn’t end up together, I would be lying to say that this ending didn’t touch me. This drama was special and will always be special to me. It shows me that in the future if I love something dearly, it was worthwhile and not pointless even if it ends.

This drama taught us how precious youth is. it's precious because it'll only be a phase, it'll be the only time where passion and friendship are the only things that matter. that's why you have to treasure it. This type of finale is kind of new. it was heart breaking but beautiful. Thank you for everything, 2521.

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at first i wasn’t really interested in starting this drama but once i watched the first ep i started binge watching them all. the story, acting, ost is amazing. sometimes i felt like i was floating, leaving my daily problems behind. every episode left me speechless and i cried a lot but also smiled a laughed. the chemistry between the cast is incredible. and one important thing, OST!!! this drama has some amazing ost, probably my favorite of all dramas i’ve watched so far, the ost was perfect for the scenes and cannot describe how it made me feel, my life was complete for a minute! i definitely recommend watching and i feel like i’m gonna rewatch it soon, the ending was a bit disappointing but overall i love this drama so much

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