Very much a homage to the highs and lows of growing up

The good:
The fencing storyline feels realistic in capturing the dedication and single-mindedness it takes to make it in elite sport. You get to see the injuries, rivalries and external pressures that Yu-rim and Hee-do face.
All the leads characters have their own distinctive personalities and back-stories. You feel invested in each of their journeys and it's an addictive watch.
The balance between humour and seriousness in each episode is for the most part, just right. There plenty of laugh out-loud moments.
The 90s setting is hard to resist complete with pagers, oxford shirts and curtain haircuts.
The romance between the two leads is tender and genuine. The story is about how it develops and grows. Unlike other reviewers I was not as affected by the age gap because I felt it was handled carefully and appropriately.
All the lead actors were great but stand out performance has to be Kim Tae-ri as Hee-do who goes from stroppy and adorable teenager to thoughtful and world-weary adult. Kim Hye-eun is also great as the gruff but caring fencing coach.
The ending, although sad, is reflective of real life. Friends and partners do sometimes drift away and it takes time to accept it.

The bad:
This quite a long critique only because until ep14, this one of the best series I have watched. The issue was not due to the ending but the fact that the final two episodes felt rushed and unfinished. All the comedic moments and romantic nuances suddenly vanished. Baek Yi-jin spent most of his screen time looking depressed but it wasn't articulated in the dialogue.
Present day Hee-do remained vacant and regretful. As the audience it's unclear exactly what the message is. Personally I think this could have been resolved by either:
A) Giving more screen time to present day Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin - show how they have moved on and grown as adults
B) Scrapping this story line entirely and ending with 2009 interview as a cliffhanger