Vinte e Cinco, Vinte e Um (2022)

The ending ruined what could've been a masterpiece...

It's such a shame because every single episode of this drama was amazing and I loved it so much but the ending was so rushed, badly written and left so many plot holes and unanswered questions. I'm not upset because it was a bittersweet ending, Youth of May has a sad ending but that's one of my favourite dramas of all time. I'm sad because their break up at the end was so out of character. I get that the writers wanted it to be realistic but the whole drama they're portrayed to have this amazing connection but in the last episode they give up on it all and loose touch, we're not even told if they still remain friends. Its disappointing because the burning questions we have throughout the whole drama are never answered... T_T I don't think I could ever rewatch this drama which is such a shame! But aside from that awful ending the soundtrack in this drama, the friendship and the amazing fencing sences are top notch. My advice is to only watch to episode 15.

Leia Mais

A refreshing coming-of-age drama

I'm only on episode 9/16 as I'm writing this review. Originally, I was going to wait until all the episodes were released until I started watching this drama. But I kept seeing so many clips that I just had to start. The beginning started off a little slow and now I've just spent the whole day binging the show. This is such a good, refreshing, and touching drama. I love the way its shot and I love how we, as an audience, is reflected as Min-Chae. For example, when Hee-do said she had a boyfriend, I was like WHAT and it immediately cut to Min-Chae with a similar reaction. There has been so many moments of this drama already where I felt so touched and moved to tears. I love watching the characters embark on their journeys, learning painful lessons and growing from them. It's exactly as Yijin said, they're going through their growing pains. I can't wait to see how the rest of this drama unfolds and I really hope there's a very happy, very cute ending waiting for us at the end of this journey.

EDIT: Coming back after finishing the rest of the drama
I knew it was coming, and I knew it wasn't going to be a happy ending but I really had high hopes for a happy ending anyways. Honestly, I'm not too mad about this ending but I definitely don't think this ending was done as well as the rest of the drama was. I understand that the writer wanted to portray a realistic ending, but I didn't think the reason for the breakup for that justified. I definitely think that it was a bit out of character for Na Hee Do and Back Yi Jin to basically give up on their relationship. The break up itself was beautifully done and really captured the pain of a break up, but I just wish the reasoning behind the break up made more sense. In addition, i didn't even know Na Hee Do's husband is someone working overseas, so it seems even more ridiculous that Na Hee Do would break up with Back Yi Jin because she didn't want to always be waiting for someone and be in misery.
I didn't think too much about the present-day Na Hee Do and Kim Min Chae, but after reading other reviews, I agree. The present-day characters basically served no purpose to the show and only teased the viewers. I was also annoyed because they included that scene where present-day Na Hee Do forgot about the their first beach trip, but the scene made it seem like something happened to her to make her forget, instead of her just forgetting because it's been so long. I feel like it makes more sense that once it was brought up, she would fondly but faintly remember her friends and the memories that they once shared.
But overall, the drama was still emotional, impactful, and really captured the exciting but turbulent time of youth. I don't regret watching this drama but I really wasn't expecting the emotional damage this drama has given me.

Leia Mais

This story is Atypical

I love unique stories and this one embodied that. Yes, everyone hated the ending, but to me I was satisfied. Probably because I was so impressed with the intelligent story telling, directing, cinematography and of course strong acting leading up to episode 16. The journey that this screenwriter takes you with their careers and their awkward yet beautiful relationship was truly beautiful. I don't think I've seen writing like that and the way the director and the actors carried out that story is what keep me so engaged with this drama. It was so unique and lovely. Relationships are about the journey and yes about the end game too, but think if it were a happy ending, you'd probably say that was good and move on to your next drama. But nope, you're still here, you're still thinking about it and maybe yes you're upset- but the writer made you think and that's what they want. That's their happy end game. This one will be in my 10 ten of all time.

Leia Mais

TOP 5 K-DRAMAS OF ALL TIME !!

2521 was an amazing, all-rounded 10/10 drama that i spent every weekend looking forward to. This drama was so good that at times, it was as if i could not bear to even watch the episodes because of what immense perfection they were!! Everything from the writing, to the acting to the cinematography just worked together so well that every episode was a masterpiece in itself... though I'm still reeling from the ending, i still had to try and write a review to do some justice to the drama. 2521 is a perfectly imperfect coming-of-age, slice of life, romcom and i HIGHLY RECOMMEND everyone to watch this drama!
[spoilers ahead]

Story/writing:
> This drama was such a masterpiece and each and every episode was so well done! In a single episode, i could go from laughing to crying then back to laughing again. Every single character, side plot all came together and even those small seemingly insignificant moments in the drama added much value. So many memorable scenes in the drama that it would be hard to list them all out but my favourites include:
- Restaurant scene with the ahjussis when they provided comfort and encouragement to Heedo
- Payphone scenes in the snow where both of them were so far apart yet connected by something so simple such as a voice message
- Beach scene where they were talking about their life stories
- Seungwan talking to her mum about her decision to quit school
++++ so many more!!
> From the beginning, the main story and message about the drama had always been about what a beautiful time Youth is... yet such a wonderful season of life is fleeting and bittersweet. It was a time of innocence; where we could be bold and brave in doing whatever we wanted, earnest and optimistic about the future, ignorant yet wishful that things would last forever. During such an age, we fall over and over, we worry about the most insignificant things and we experience first loves. First loves that are raw, earnest and clumsy, where you think you will stay together forever; together against the world...and where you end up breaking each other's hearts irrevocably.
> Baekdo were each other's first loves and they were soulmates. The fleshing out and development of their relationship was one of the strongest parts of this drama. In each other, they had found missing parts of themselves and thus were able to comfort and provide strength and support to one another. What they had in each other is something other people can only wish for; a once in a lifetime person... The dialogue, the actions and the progression of their relationship were so natural and realistic that it really hurt at times. When they were cute and happy together, they made you laugh and squeal in joy... but in the final episode where they exchanged hurtful words that both of them regretted immensely, it actually hurt me physically EURGHHH. While fans had been hoping until the very end that they would magically end up together, it would not have flowed well with the overall tone and message the drama has always had since the beginning. What happened to Baekdo finally, while it was really painful to watch, it was realistic and kept to the message the production team wanted to convey: that what is important is that it happened, not that it ended. The journey the couple took was more important and the memories they shared would never be lost. Their breakup was the fault of neither party but just that life was taking them both in separate directions. However even as adults living separate lives, they had still supported and loved each other and that was what made their relationship so beautiful.
> Adulthood is harsh and comes with responsibilities and commitments. The drama had slowly introduced this concept from the very beginning where Yijin had to suddenly grow up because of his family circumstances. In so many scenes, the distinction between his maturity and the innocence of OT4 was palpable. It was also shown through Seungwan where she had to break without bending in keeping up with her own values. She recognised that she was not yet mature enough to be flexible in her convictions and she had always been clever beyond her years. And in the later episodes where 9/11 happened and the cruel reality of the world finally burst the bubble that the characters had been in. It all culminated near the end where OT5 had all stepped out into the world and got too busy to meet up, only having the time when they were attending a funeral. And this is the sad truth of adulthood, being busy, rescheduling, cancelling and then always missing the right timing to catch up with old friends because of how life has lead everyone in different directions.
> Friendship:
- I really liked the cradle buddies relationship portrayed in this drama. Both seungwan and jiwoong provided each other with unconditional support and love... im really glad that the writer decided to keep their relationship a platonic one because it worked out really well when they could support each other in their endeavours.
- I also really liked the friendship and rivalry between Heedo and Yurim. They respected each other immensely as athletes and only between them could they understand the kind of struggles each other faced: dealing with the media, being under pressure to perform, missing out on important school events and outings...
> Family: There were many types of families depicted in the drama... broken families by divorce, by bankruptcy, absent parents, close knit families etc etc. The drama gave each family time to flesh out the feels and i really appreciated the focus other than just pure romance.

Cast/acting:
> Baek Yi Jin: I have watched many of NJH's previous dramas and his acting has improved by leaps and bounds. His portrayal of BYJ was all the right amounts of swoon, cute and restrained angst. From him promising to never being happy again to being clingy while drunk to crying because he felt like he betrayed the ones he loved... it was all acted out very believably and you could see what he was feeling from his subtle clenching of his jaw or from his expressive eyes. He's just like an overgrown puppy that was forced to grow up
> Na Hee Do: I have also watched many of KTR's previous works and she is one of my favourite actresses. Her acting as a high school student was done so well that no one else could have portrayed NHD in a better way. From her labile emotions as a growing teenager to her increasing maturity as she grew... it was all acted out to perfection. When she laughed and got excited about simple things like romantic characters in Full House or bread stickers, you smiled along with her. When she got upset and felt wronged, you cried along with her. EVERY SINGLE TIME when she cried, it just made me cry too because of how well her hurt carried across the screen.

Cinematography:
NO WORDS FOR THIS... JUST PERFECTION!! So many times during the drama i had to pause and take a moment because of how gorgeous the scene was... You could just pause the drama and it would be a postcard or painting
> My favourites would be the snowfall scene as Heedo was on the payphone as well as the beach ASMR scene with the seagulls, waves and their laughter layered over in the background... I CRIED because of how beautiful it all was omg

Music:
OSTs and background instrumentals in this drama were used tastefully in scenes to highlight the emotions at that time. All the songs are amazing and have made it to my Spotify repeat playlist HEHHE

Overall:
While this drama might not have ended in a way that most people wanted it to, I think overall it was still coherent in its message and tone. This drama provided me with much comfort, laughter, tears and has been immensely memorable. Never have i ever been so enraptured by a drama before and i have watched like >150 dramas lol... This drama was a masterpiece in ALL aspects and really is a gem... but i have -0.5 for the ending hahaha because while it was realistic, we watch kdramas for the heart-fluttering moments and escape from life it offers :'))

WILL BE REWATCHING FOR SURE

Leia Mais

A great drama

I enjoyed this drama for what is was refreshing break from everyday. The intensity and passion they all had for life was so beautiful to watch and I hope I take some of it with me each day. That I would push for whatever it is I want out of life just like Hee do and the others did in this drama

The ending wasn’t exactly my favorite but I truly believe it wa realistic and suited the flow of events thus far. I would definitely recommend anyone to watch and enjoy the greatness that is Twenty-Five Twenty-One. I probably wouldn’t rewatch because I don’t rewatch dramas and I personally love happy endings. Especially since life doesn’t always work out the way we want it to.

Butt do enjoy watching it! You will not regret it!

Leia Mais

Tender, sensitive, beautiful. Thoroughly excellent.

This is a story about an age gap. It’s in the title, but it’s also at the heart of the writing and the unfolding of a relationship in which one is already an adult and the other coming of age. The mesmerising beauty of this drama is the acute observation and treatment of this journey.

It is in the excellence in the writing (Kwon Do Eun) that has perfectly captured the age difference in the dialogue, and displayed a depth of understanding that reveals, in sequence, each tiny step forwards. It is in the directing (Jung Ji Hyun) that forces nothing and under rather than overplays each scene, giving it space for a natural unfolding. It is in the cinematography and editing that keeps it very clean and pure, capturing facial expressions in the moment, in a simple and direct way and not holding them until they lose their essence. It is in the soundtrack which is sparingly used and refrains from emotive strings. And finally, it is in the excellence of the acting by all of the cast, but especially the two leads (Kim Tae Ri and Nam Ju Hyuk) who reveal the emotions with a visual ease that belies the skill involved, so that they emerge with total credibility. Wah! Superb!

It would be a mistake to approach this piece as simply a romance. The underlying theme is how the times and circumstances that we are born into as well as the random events that happen impact our dreams and shape our lives. It also reveals the cost that must be paid for the realisation of aspirations and responsibilities. Set in the economic downturn of the IMF crisis in the late nineties we see lives and relationships transformed and dreams crushed, but also opportunities realised, responsibilities fulfilled and sacrifices made through an engagement with the reality of the present.

This is a story about how nothing is forever. Moments of love, friendship, success, failure, ambition and passion — all change irrevocably with time and events. It is important to realise that the present is the only time that you have. If you live for and fully engage in the present the memories that stay with you will become the colour of your life. They may not be the moments that you think are important at the time, but these are the moments that last forever.

Perhaps the illustration of this theme provided the only fault I can find—that of the pacing and slight fragmentation in the latter stages and the necessity to rush some character development but I think it came true at the end (which I thought was the right ending). I loved the nod to her previous drama "Search WWW" that was the postscript to the show.

Setting it in the late nineties allowed the writer to explore a love story in a time far enough distant for it to be credible that development was at a later stage and the innocence of adolescence was something to be preserved. The ML (Baek Yi Jin) respects and gives space to the unfolding of maturity in the FL (Na Hee Do), which he himself was denied and this is a major part of the charm and warmth of the story. The gradual awakening of her sensuality, particularly during the beach scene, is beautifully portrayed by Kim Tae Ri and sensitively directed and filmed in close ups of her face that capture the subtle moments of realisation. This is pure, heartwarming nostalgia at its very best.

I defy you not to fall completely in love with Na Hee Do. What a creation she is! Kwon Do Eun has created a peach of a role and who wouldn’t jump over 10 metre fences for the opportunity to play this part. Kim Tae Ri has convincingly dropped thirteen years to engage with her unfailing optimism and resilience to failure. She has perfectly captured the character’s naivety, disarming honesty and staunchness as she blunders forwards, regardless of risk, inspiring hope in those around her. This is a stunning performance by Kim Tae Ri that completely enthrals from the first moment to the last.

If the writer has a weakness it’s her male characters. They don’t really have enough wrong with them; no edge, no raw, roughness to play with. Here again, as in “Search WWW”, she shows no hesitation in writing a range of strong, complex female characters; from the unhappy, controlled and judgemental, Shin Jae Kyung (Hee Do’s mother) to the clever, hard-nosed fencing coach, Yang Chan Mi. But her leading males are soft centred, as though she is nervous of being able to make them attractive if they have flawed character traits or are dislikable in any way.

Having said that, Nam Ju Hyuk’s performance as Baek Yi Jin was a masterpiece of warmth and tenderness. His character represents the voice of the times. He embodies someone for whom love and compassion are the currency of life and shows us its simplest form as a desire to hold a space for another to live in safety and happiness. His relationship with Na Hee Do is a voyage through varying aspects of love and support that subtly change as they both grow in age and understanding to embrace equality. And it was easy to see the transitions in Nam Ju Hyuk’s face. There were some beautiful moments in their relationship that explore not just romance, but the foundations of love, protection, support, generosity and respect. I enjoyed his interpretation of the ML and the chemistry between him and Kim Tae Ri was magic.

Kwon Do Eun knows how to touch your heart without raising a fuss. No false emotions, onion tears of histrionics necessary. Just simple scenes, like listening to a pager message from a phone booth. She sympathetically captured the excruciating embarrassment of adolescence that reached an unforgettable climax in the aftermath of “I have to have you”! But she also knows how to ham it up, as in the brilliant scene between separated husband and wife in the internet café. There’s a thread of delightful, knowing humour that swims like a silvery fish through all the episodes. It frequently made me laugh out loud and kept an almost permanent smile on my face.

The colour palette utilises bright and vibrant summer colours, reinforcing the nostalgia of a youthful optimism and perseverance, rather than the drabness of the economic downturn. The cinematography has an elegance that frames each shot with care and keeps the viewers’ attention where it should be, on the actors, whilst also adding character, texture and visual beauty. Who can forget the scene on the bridge (enhanced by CGI) with its opalescent sheen and overarching rainbow.

The whole production cleverly walks the edge between the nostalgic and the sentimental. It rarely falls over it and that is something very difficult to achieve. It is helped enormously by the straightforward cinematography, the choice of simple music and the partnership between director and actors that kept the performances restrained and the emotion true. This could easily have been overplayed, sickly sweet and emotionally exaggerated, but it wasn’t and that’s why it has earned such a high rating from me. It was a complete joy to watch and I cannot recommend it more highly.

What my rating means: 9+   A drama I totally fell in love with and is endlessly re-watchable. It ticked all the boxes and had some serious wow factor. It would go on my personally recommended list.

Leia Mais

Bittersweet & Touching to the end

Wow…what a drama. It truly yanked on my heartstrings so many times, I am usually a “happy endings only” kdrama watcher but I couldn’t resist being drawn into this one, despite guessing it would not end well for the romantic relationship between Baek Yijin and Na Heedo.

The heartache and struggle they all go through to achieve their goals - be it love, success, helping family, supporting friends - it was all such a beautiful portrait of the transition between being a brand new young adult to the actual adult realities of responsibility, tragedy & incompatibility. Freedom and possibility are so exciting, so the crash down to earth when they had hard lessons and had to make sacrifices was just so hard to watch :’( I am only a bit younger than these characters, old enough to have watched 9/11 from a high school TV, all of us frozen in horror. The endless tragedy unfolding in the news for weeks and months after….I really felt Baek Yijin’s deep exhaustion and hopelessness. Nam Joo Hyuk did an amazing job.

I absolutely ADORED the relationship between Na Heedo and Ko Yurim, from beginning to end. It was the highlight of the show for me, even though I also loved Baek Yijin. Everyone’s growth as individuals was so real and satisfying, and I didn’t feel like the ending was out of place, despite it being very disappointing. Life is clearly as much full of nostalgia, regret, and moving through pain as it is about happiness and success.

The soundtrack was nice enough but not super memorable to me. The 90s aesthetic was perfect. I think the modern scenes were interesting since they actually showed COVID-era details with masks, but otherwise it was unnecessary and I found adult Heedo’s acting a little too subdued and depressing (and annoying, I guess she is that type of Mom). One of the most disappointing things about the ending was the daughter being SOOO invested in the story but decided not to read the last diary?? She just dropped it like that? I wanted her to be more disappointed, since she was like all the rest of us viewers, desperately rooting for Heedo and Yijin! At least admit that it was a crushing disappointment for us all! I’ll be moping about this drama for a while.

Leia Mais

"You will have no idea how much your love has brightened up my life." - Baek Yi Jin

STORY: More than the journey of love, 2521 was a coming-of-age story filled with friendship and family. Yijin and Heedo's story started with their respective struggles with their family and friends. Yijin in the middle of the wreckage the the IMF has left his family and Heedo trying to survive and fend for herself with the absence of her mother. I love how they narrated and showed their story from being strangers, friends, someone they can rely on to being lovers and eventually back to being strangers again.

SOME QUESTIONS WORTH PONDERING:
1. Was it an open ending? - For me it wasn't. If anything, it stayed true to its roots--Na Hee Do's journey. Saying her proper goodbye to Yijin at the final scene was heartbreaking but it was fitting since that moment haunted her a lot in the years that followed. I understand the outrage since this is something new to kdrama. But also, it is beautiful in its own way. Heedo and Yijin will remain beautiful.
2. The break-up did not make sense. How can they break up just like that? - If you paid attention to all the things happening before the break up, you would understand that it was inevitable. Heedo practically raised herself when her Dad died. That is because of the path her mother chose to cope with her grief in losing a husband. In contrast, Yijin is impliedly asking her to go through all that waiting, being sorry, being disappointed AGAIN. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. There was a scene in the original break up when Yijin said that everything fell apart when he went to NY. But if distance was the only problem, Heedo would not have felt so exhausted. It was the fact that Yijin was making decisions where Heedo was no longer included and Heedo just doesn't have the strength to go through another round of trauma with an absent lover. Her mother was enough in her lifetime. So yes, the build up to the break up was being true to the story.
3. Why didn't they reveal the father? - This one is the easiest to let go. They did not reveal him since the important point is that it wasn't going to be Yijin anyway.
4. Why? - Honestly, I haven't felt this beautiful pain about a kdrama in a long while. The last time was with Scarlet Heart and that had been so hard to let go. With Heedo and Yijin being as wonderful as they have been, giving me this bittersweet ache was welcomed. They both looked happy in their respective lives. I regret not seeing enough of present day Yijin but we can't always have what we want. What I know is that regardless of the outcome, Heedo and Yijin brought me so much comfort just by sharing their story.

ACTING/CAST: Hands down one of the best performances from Kim Taeri and Nam Joohyuk. There was that confrontation scene in the tunnel where they were both shouting at each other. When Heedo said, "Did you ever really love me?" and Yijin replied, "Watch what you say" that was the culmination of their relationship. Their range really did shine all throughout the drama but that one moment was so memorable because of all the emotions they had to portray. I don't think another couple can play Heedo and Yijin as well as they did. Their supporting cast has been outstanding as well. Can't wait for everyone's next drama project.

MUSIC: The music was great but not as memorable as I would have thought. Fave song, Very, Slowly by BIBI.

REWATCH VALUE: Would definitely rewatch it. Even though I know it will only bring me pain in the end, it does not discount the fact that their journey was so comforting and beautiful to witness.

Leia Mais

“It’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all”

I watched this show with no expectations as I’m not into high school dramas, but episode by episode, I’ve grown to love it.

The acting is superb! Very convincing as emotions were delivered perfectly! This is a show about life experiences rather than anything else. It’s about the memories we created wither the happy or the sad ones, the memories that shapes who we are.

As for the ending, I think I loved it because it’s very relatable to me, I’ve been through a similar experience emotionally and I can tell you that I felt what they both did exactly. People who are in the 30’s will understand how those experiences make us grow so much and when we look back, we can’t help but smile because as they say “it’s better to have loved and lost than the never have loved at all”

The only downside about this show was the time transitions as they weren’t gradually convincing.

P.S: the single thing that was missing for me would be, them meeting in the current time even if it’s only for a glimpse and with only an eye contact.

Leia Mais

One of the best coming of age stories in a K-drama.

I am already rather reminiscent of this drama and I am going to miss waiting every week for it. To state it briefly, this is a very well rounded coming of age story and I love how they have wrapped it into this quaint bundle.

Kim Min chae picks up her mother's coming of age story when she herself is dejected and unmotivated. Twenty Five, Twenty One is solely told from the perspective of Na Hee do. It is not a story about the love between Yi jin and Hee do, it is only the story of how Hee do grew up to be the person she is.

I love how they captured the IMF crisis and how it effected different people from different walks of life.

If I break down characters, Hee do is such a refreshing Female Lead. Kim Tae ri is brilliant actress who has played Na Hee do to utmost perfection. I love how they've represented Hee do's temperament throughout the show. When they show her as a child and as she grows as person as well. The writers have taken careful account of how Hee do is as a person and created a rather inspirational character.

Baek Yi jin is another character that is rather well rounded. Nam Joo hyuk is one of the actors in the K-industry that is rather expressive with their eyes (kind of like Jung Hae in). He displays emotions like Yi jin's from innocence, joy and happiness to his depression, fear and sorrow through his eyes. Yi jin as a character is a person who had to grow up too soon because of unforeseen circumstances. Yi jin is an individual who hasn't had the opportunity to grow consistently and has had his growth happen very haphazardly. When it comes to upholding responsibilities , Yi jin is matured and put together. Yet, when it comes to emotionality, Yi jin is very similar to a teenager. I think that is why Yi jin starts being friends with Hee do and the rest of the gang. It allows him to embrace the childish part of himself that he has to lock away when it comes to his daily circumstances.

The rest of the characters- Ko Yu rim, Ji Seung wan and Moon Ji woong were all perfect aspects of the story. Each of the characters were special and all of them had their own nuance. I loved Yu rim's determination and her passion. Seung wan was one of the most interesting characters I have seen to date. She represents the ideal qualities of a leader. I loved her relationship with Yi jin and how similar they were in certain aspects. Ji woong and his creativity and charm was a pleasure to watch. I loved the friendship between all of them and the interconnectedness each of their relationships had with one another.

Coming back to my initial statement. Twenty Five, Twenty One is a story purely from the perspective of Na Hee do. All of the characters are in some way connected to her. Yi jin plays large role in the entire story because he is the one that has influenced Hee do the most in her youth. From emotionally growing up to maturing and understanding the world. Baek Yi jin features as an integral part of Hee do's youth. Similarly, for Hee do's fencing career, Yu rim is a key factor that built Hee do up as a fencer. Therefore, Yurim features alot during Heedo's youth

As I read some of the comments, I did notice that a lot of people were not very happy about how the last two episodes turned out. I understand the frustration about getting a rather bittersweet ending for the couple and not really knowing more about Yi jin and Hee do in the present. Yet, I believe the ending was well done too. Like I said the focus was Hee do and her story. Yi jin does not really play a part in her story after her youth and that's where their story ends. Especially since this story is read by Min chae who wanted to know her mother better, this is just the story of how her mother became the person she is. Therefore, making the ending justifiable.

Likewise, I do have a few issues with the story. Such as they gave a lot of emphasis on the "Twenty Five, Twenty One". Yet, there was barely an episodes worth of the characters in that time period. As much as I love Hee do and Yu rim's relationship, I did not understand why Yu rim was so mean to Hee do in the beginning. Even though it was explained in later episodes, I felt that the contempt Yu rim had for Hee do was a little too strong in that sense.

Factoring the other elements of the drama, the acting was pretty good and all the characters like said was done well enough. The music was beautiful and I bloody loved songs like Very, Slowly by Bibi and 스물다섯, 스물하나 by Jaurim.

The drama encapsulated the retro 90s aspect in Korea and the mise en scene catered wonderfully to all of the very 90s elements of the drama.

Would I rewatch this drama, definitely. I hope all of you who watched this drama had a pleasurable experience.

Leia Mais

Felt Like A Self Help Book To Me

There’s a debate regarding how the show was ended. I think that the ending was a risk for a Korean Romantic Drama, however, I do think that it was a risk worth taking. A lot of romantic dramas have happy endings. Twenty Five Twenty One took a route I’ve never seen done before. The ending was meant for the characters, not for the viewers. I think Hee Do held a huge regret regarding how she ended the relationship. There were words she said to Baek Yi Jin that she wished she said and wished she hadn’t said. On the other hand, Baek Yi Jin was able to find closure because Hee Do’s journal where she wrote how she truly felt ended up on his door, while Hee Do never got closure til the end of the show. I honestly liked how the reasoning behind why they had to break up, Baek Yi Jin chose his career and did not want to share the pain he was going through as a reporter which shows the trauma he went through at the beginning of the show. Hee Do decides to initiate the breakup because she wanted someone who could share both their happiness and sadness which Yi Jin was unable to do. In the end, Yi Jin and Hee Do broke up because they wanted different things for each other. One thing I got from watching Hee Do’s closure as she reads and imagines an alternative breakup with Yi Jin is that when you choose to end a relationship build from love and support it is best to end it the same way. I truly enjoyed watching this drama. I do not by means think it is the best Kdrama I have seen but it is definitely the drama that made me think about my relationship with myself and my relationship with others and how I treat them.

Leia Mais