Twenty Five Twenty One (2022)

The essence of human bonds

Oh out of all Kdramas I had to come across twenty-five twenty-one when I was just starting out on the genre. As an avid anime fan who had delved slightly into Jdramas, I started out with twenty-five twenty-one, fresh out of a fallout with someone I deeply cared for over three years, looking for a change from anime. I had picked it up because I have always enjoyed sports dramas when it came to anime and saw an essence of work similar to the mangaka Mitsuru Adachi. The first episode had me hooked, particularly because my impression of kdrama before was that they generally develop female protagonists in a very narrow way. Kim Tae Ri nailed Na Hee Do, who genuinely gave out a shonen protagonist energy, with her deeply expressive acting, the story revolving and developing through her. Over the course of catching up week to week, I had the opportunity to watch dozens of other kdramas, which in hindsight make me appreciate how masterful this work was.

I think one of the most wonderful thing about this drama is that it is very human, The interactions and energy between the characters is very human and the idea of really really close individually growing completely distant is a very relatable and human facet of reality. In fact I loved the split they did with the episodes spending over 10 episodes developing the foundational facet of their bond, 3-4 episodes on the bloom, and 1-1.5 episodes on the fallout, particularly because in real life, the bitter fallout is only a small and temporary facet of a human relationship, even though it may be very impactful for the tiome being. The most important parts are the happy memories you make with an individual over the course of your relationship is what should be the point of focus which is what was wonderfully done. I was emotionally shaken at the end of the last episode because the themes hit too close to home. While in some ways it intensified the emotions I was going through, being in a similar place in life, I think it also helped me overcome the resentment which had built up for the other person, making me realize that I have had too many happy memories and have deeply cared for the other individual which is what i would want to remember them by.

And oh the music, don't even get me started. Jaurim's piece just feels like a jigsaw fit with the show (which makes sense since it probably inspired the show in the first place). And of course, Wonstein, Bibi, and all the other pieces fit perfectly with different stages of the story.

All and all I think this drama probably lies in the top cream of the things I have watched with one piece, sakamichi no appollon, and sangatsu no lion. I definitely think this show has definitely helped me get back to my original perspective on how to remember human relationships at a very hard time in my life and I am thankful for it!

Lire davantage

Loved it but hated it

I don't want to Lower my score because that would be too unfair for the magnificent acting of the cast, ESPECIALLY the main couple's, the amazing cinematography and story (for most episodes) BUT... but...

The point of the show is how we mature through our experiences and relationships (especially first love). The problem is that the main leads never overcame their relationship with each other. They still have feelings for each other and regrets till the end of the show (present), which nullifies the whole point of the story!!! I hate sad endings in general, but I hate them even more when they exist just to exist without actually contributing anything to the story. If they had at least moved on, it would have been a better ending, a sad but nonetheless well made ending, which unfortunately, for me, it was not.

Also mature doesn't equal miserable and filled with regrets. But that's exactly what I got from this ending. Some relationships are worth fighting for... they're not just stages that lead to our "miserable" adult life... People can be successful both in their professional lifes and in their relationships. We don't need to sacrifice either of them for the sake of the other...

All in all I loved the first 13 (more or less) episodes but I cannot find the ending ideal nor realistic, which ruins the story for me. People express love differently but I cannot fathom 2 people loving each other so much, in a resolvable situation, instead of trying to work things out, they just break up. Both relationships and work alike require effort to maintain.

Lire davantage

Unlike anything else

And just like that, K-dramas reach a whole new level.
Twenty Five Twenty One feels like a new step for the Korean drama industry in terms of quality and complexity within the romance genre. It is superbly written and acted, and those are the two pillars that the drama depends on.
It is also a very mature take on young romance and life in general, which makes for an ending that will leave a lot of people upset, but hopefully not mad. To me, it represents a new era of complexity in K-dramas that is fresh and exciting, though bittersweet for those of us who like to hope for the nice but predictable happy ending. Either way, Twenty Five Twenty One presents us with an ending that feels like a reflection about life and youth, and the fact that things don't often pan out perfectly. As a fan, I still need some time to make peace with that.
Overall, Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk are absolutely delightful, as well as the rest of the cast. Tae-ri's energy makes not only for a believable teenager but also for a real one. Her comedic timing is perfect and her chemistry with Joo-hyuk is top notch. The scene in which he's dressed in fencing gear with her while tension fills the air around them will always be among my favourite ones in K-dramas.
It's safe to say Tvn did it again.

Lire davantage

You were a comfort to me by just your existence...

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You were comfort encourage support hearten me by just your existence... Your existence.. how beautiful and sad , this really expresses true love , when you love so much till your day is a person , it's completed by just him being there , just the existence would makes you happy ,,, that's sooo deep expression , they love each so much that they can't handle being separated or the idea of it , but although sadly , they were put through circumstances obligated that ... It's well understanded and so heartbreaking too , that's from the feelings part , but talking the drama, the episode were sooooo good I can't lie they made me cry through it all T^T and that's so important part for me ,that the drama has the ability to make me cry and it did , but they could have kept the sad atmosphere till the end instead of ruining the mood by the last half hour , the last ep was sooo good honestly but it was unnecessary to make happy parts unneeded at the end , keeping the sad mood which was the general feels of the last episodes would have been so much better and could have left much more stronger impertion in us , my own opinion that it should be ended at one hour instead of hour & a half or they could've made the last part completing the same mood , at least showing regret, when they brokeup yijin told her that 'is she sure she won't regret it? ' and the old heedo said it that SHE DID REGRET IT !!! SHE REGRETED IT !!! At least they should show that part with sadness instead of presenting that happily , or they could show some of there life apart after breaking up , show the longing the missing course they loved each so much and breaking up wasn't that easy , or at least they could show some through that 9 years gap instead of just ignoring it , that would too left stronger impertion on us , I really hated that tbh , the drama goes around them so at least they could've treated that part of the story fairly, but they didn't and ruined it with the last half hour with unnecessary added fluff things , but although , I still give a full well deserved 10 , the acting the osts the love the feelings , the youth , they showed us part of their lives from youth to adults and how they grewup, I loved that part alot , loved how the feelings between heedo and yijin so strong , I like how all misunderstandings were talked and not left untold , I like how he looks at her , how mature he is , how he loves her , how he thinks , I loved yijin so so much , well grown-up thoughtful man , how he went through hardships how desperately kept working even at fishing but not giving up , what a man image , so much respecet so much love , I loved how heedo is straight forward and how she insisted on expresing her love inspite of his hisitaion while he loves her , her persistence made them be and gave him courage to step forward her , I love the way they express thier love to each other , how they understand each , the movie part , and when he came to her late at night , the huggings , all , like real lovers I really loved that alot , I could feel all the feelings with them which makes the drama so precious to me , all the love and the longing with it that they felt despite not being able to be together, led all together sadly to breaking up , which is so sadly understandable T^T .....
much more to say I forget many I think T^T this is maybe the longest & the more honest review I ever wrote ,that how I love and appreciate this work , I'll add more later , thank u whoever reads this one point of view long review of me 😅 , again I wanna say so beautiful drama so well done so good acting the chemistry just great ! So worth watching, and honestly I really can't imagine now what I'll do after 2521 T^T I'll go through post drama shock for so long
TT--TT I talked about main leads only cause that's my consern usually and focused on the feeling parts cause I'm ,, I can say so romantic person so I care alot about feeling expression , that's why I'm saying if anyone wonders :)
Thank you again for reading ^^happy watching T~T

Lire davantage

" the summer belongs to us" and other sad stories that don't deserve a ten tbh

A beautiful, wonderfully scripted and impeccabaly casted show that impacts the viewer. Now that I've said that, lets drop the straight praise and get into the sentimental feels that is 25 21 and why I gave it a ten, despite feeling an entire range of negative ( and angry) emotions after finishing it. I'll also get into why it's a very biased, and maybe even undeserved ten.

The entire show is an essential summary of this quote that stuck with me since a long time ago, " Any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. You will never be lovelier than you are now. We will never be here again."

You get it, youth is fragile and what we have, all we do is just picking memories blah blah blah. Now that the gist and vibe of the show is provided, lets get into the meat of the matter that had the fandom divided and asking themselves " did I really like that or am I a sadist ?"

The writer of this show is a very talented individual who knows how to make characters click like clockwork. The consistency and quality affects the audience in a perfected and almost magical way. I'm sure the comments and reviews are absolutely raving. She's great, I admit. But she dooms herlself by taking herself too seriously and the overall picture thus becomes muddy and distorted, losing it's original feel and texture. I tried to watch her previous work ( by God I tried my darn hardest) but her writing there has the same problem ( just in huge dollops). Her writing is great is in all ways except that her ambition to create something serious and timeless always seeps through like a big fat insecurity. It's like she's begging her audience and herself to view it as something that's emotional and beautiful and it ruins the effect a bit, in my opinion. Art does not beg, it simply exists and makes the viewer FEEL. The show did make me feel a range of beautiful and not so beautiful emotions at the start but by the end of it, I sort of questioned If I even processed the entirety of it completly, let alone feel it.

She takes herself so seriously at some points that it becomes the singular flaw of this show. And for those of who are thinking that I'm saying it should have taken itself lightly by having everything tied up in bows, that's not what I'm saying at all. You can do "melo" without trying to overly shock the audience and being a try hard about it.

The only reason I gave it a ten is because of sentimental value cause I'm a young adult trying to find my way etc. etc. and so I became attached to the first fourteen episodes of the show ( also subtract all the scenes with the present Na Hee Do which leaves about three quarters of perfection in this show) . As a viewer however I have to say, that ending was poorly executed and in a way kind of cliche if that makes sense.

Can I just say that I, for one am a sucker for happy endings and gravitate towards them with record speed. I, also however, see the beauty in tragedy and the glory of simply letting things go as nature had intented ( I have a whole list of depression juice tittles on mdl cause I have a thing for pain). But, the way this drama was wrapped felt anything but natural. The spoilers of this show are not hard to guess. I knew which way this show would go the minute I listened to the theme song " twenty five, twenty one" by Jaurim which the show is clearly based on way back when the first episode aired. " I thought it would last forever, our 25 and 21" I mean come on, at this point Jaurim wrote this stuff over ten years ago?!!?

So I was expecting doom from the beginning but in a tasteful, natural way, patiently spoon fed to me with the writing and production I so admired. It's not what I got, but hey! I gave it a ten so give it a go if youre bored and wanna feel something again for (most!) of this show.

Lire davantage

A Masterpiece

Wow! This drama was beautiful! It brought back so many memories of the '90's to me! It really captured that time period perfectly, even down to the little things, like the sudden switch from pagers to cell phones. As someone who lived in that era, I found no flaws at all and at times, it reminded me a lot of the Reply series, though the stories are very different. It was the nostalgia. I could relate so much because I was the same age as the main character during that time. (Yes, I am now an ahjumma lol!)

The music was great, too. It was original, but it had the late '90's vibe to it. I really notice that sort of thing. I also noticed it in Hit the Top. My rating always goes up at least half a point if they have modern music that sounds just like it belongs back in the '90's when I watch a drama set in that time period.

Acting wise, omg! Kim Tae Ri blew me away! She was perfect as Na Hee Do! She could be hilarious and awkward, just like a teenage girl, yet also serious and detetmined. She better get an award for this perfornance! I saw her in Mr. Sunshine and wasn't impressed, but she proved me wrong here. She is freaking 32 irl yet you can not tell at all! She looked and acted the part of an 18-19 year old perfectly.

I have never been a big fan of Nam Joo Hyuk, either. I didn't dislike him, but I wasn't ever impressed with him, either. Again, I was proven wrong. This is the best performance of his career so far. He was such a good actor here. For the first time, though this is only my opinion, he was able to really show emotion. I think he struggled before, but you can tell that he has really grown as an actor.

The other actors and actresses were awesome as well. The one that really stood out to me was the coach, played by Kim Hye Eun. She was great and I look forward to seeing her pop up in more dramas after this.

Before I end this review, though, I have to add something. I don't usually use spoilers in my reviews, but I have to make an exception due to the issue. I have read a lot of negativity from others about how 9/11 was included in the final episodes. I was expecting something quite different because of the comments I saw. As someone who was there during that time, I have to say that it was portrayed very seriously and respectfully and had a purpose. It was not a mere plot device. It was something Baek Yi Jin went through that made him grow as a person. It was, actually, perfectly added, as before, he was still very much an innocent kid, then after, he was suddenly an adult seeing the world through a different scope. For those of us who lived during that time, it was a jolting reminder of the innocence before and suddenly being thrust into a new and more somber world. I think many who were not born yet may not have been able to see and feel that, but I was there and I totally got the meaning those last two episodes were trying to convey.

Anyway, I HIGHLY reccommend this drama to everyone, especially if you are an ahjumma like me and were a teen in the '90's. You will fall in love with it!

Lire davantage

Masterpiece

okay so ... there's no way that she could marry someone else. NO WAY. Like okay I get it you need to overcome your first love if it doesn't work out. But they went trough so much! And they loved each other so much, they had so much potential!
That's not even what makes me bad, but the fact that I still don't know the father.
The only "KIM" I can think of is the one that delivered the package (with the diary) to BYJ.
But what? This can't be true. They wasted so much potential.
Still it is 10 stars for me, because the drama was written so well and the aesthetic and all of that it is really beautiful. And I'm very happy that Ko Yurim and Moon Ji Woong did end up together. But the fact that they didn't even show the husband of Na Heedo doesn't even make sense to me.
Anyways this drama has a huge place in my heart and it's very hard to let go. Because I just was in the phase of my life where I was stuck like Kim Minchae. I wanted to give up on Tennis but now I really have the motivation to play again and don't give up that easily as I did. Because it brings me so much joy. I think the message of this drama came out really clear. It is to not give up your passion but also at the same time that nothing lasts forever, which doesn't mean immediately that it will get "bad".
Thank you for this Drama it made my life so much better, maybe that sounds a little too much but it really did.

Lire davantage

Nothing lasts forever

Kim Tae Ri needs to pay for her crimes. This is my second show from her, and she made me cry AGAIN. I understand why it ended the way it did. Also, the realization that nothing lasts forever, despite thinking the opposite. A moment could feel endless, but chances are… we won’t remember it. Hee Do is such a comfort character, and I LOVED KTR playing her. She was such a bean, so expressive and straightforward. Always so loud, always had such big feelings, and I loved her so much. This show… the cast, acting, cinematography, OST!!! Simply so good, and so worth the hype. Ahhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’M SAD NOW THOUGH! (Also, lowkey... the definition of "How do you know everything at 18, and nothing at 22", or whatever Taylor Swift said - so true)

Lire davantage

GREAT JOURNEY, BEAUTIFUL PROCESS

I start this without any expectation. I was killing time before sleep on scrolling what is new on netflix. This catch my eyes because of Kim Taeri whom i know from Mr. Sunshine is a charismatic woman, and she is playing as a teenager here. Then, i start and amazingly i did not skip even single one. They are too interesting.

My opinion after finishing this drama :

The story are well written. This about their journey and it was too beautiful, and entertaining, i was drowned to their world. The details also beautiful. You can laugh so hard till death, then in A SECOND you will flip to sobbing mode, then laughing hard again, then fluttering, then sobbing again even when you are laughing. It really is that rollercoaster emotion. You can feel it all.

The cast are all amazing, you can believe that character is the actual cast, with their feeeling, expression, and everything.

The ost are all fitted too well to every scene, so it made you feel what they are feeling.

FOR ME, it is too beautiful but i MIGHT BE NOT rewatching it. I just keep the feeling and its beautifulness in my heart. Maybe i will just open their clips on youtube only when i miss them


Overall, I WILL RECOMMEND this drama if you are the type of realistic audience when it comes to a drama. It is a beautiful journey though.

BUT i will not recommend this drama if you are the type of a drama audience that craving for A TYPICAL DRAMA that we 'know'.


Ok, that's it my review on 2521. This is my first review after years being a silent reader on MDL. It is because 2521 made me want to share the excitement i felt so much on watching it while It is on going. That's how good it is.

Lire davantage

An effort to capture the fleeting burning passion of youth, a drama true to its title.

Minor(major) spoilers so click off if you want to be
(not so) pleasantly surprised during your first watch.

Many don't seem to aware that the title and the story itself is completely inspired from the song 'twenty five twenty one' by Jaurim which was released a few years ago and one listen is enough to tell how this drama will end. Of course there were still people holding out hope despite knowing this (read:me) and it didn't end well for them (read:me).
Nevertheless, I've been on this site for an year but was too lazy to actually make an account until now because I felt like I really had to let others know what this drama is and how strongly I feel bout it.

the start:
It was a teen dream, dare I say a perfect start from the perspective of this very positive person, heedo and this really gave the show a hopeful and summer vibe. The fencing concept was the best, if y'all are into competing you would understand it and love it through and through. It could be boring or not engaging enough for a minority few if you don't relate with the passion of competing, being a fan, being a teen w huge dreams in general. I personally am a thriller, fast paced drama kinda person; slice of life series like reply1998, which is so compared to this drama, is not my cup of tea. But I'm a sucker for a good romance so I thought why not and then before I knew I was hooked. I thought this was it, the perfect summer kdrama.

the mid:
It was keeping up to the hype if not more actually, there was probably one or two eps during the mid end which could be considered uneventful but everything until they were all together it was magically happy. The trip was definitely one of the highlights of the whole drama, I feel like I'll comeback just to watch that.

the end:
Major spoilers ofc.
They purposefully keep min chae's dad away from us till the end and was it a cheap trick to string the viewers along? that's based on your perspective. That brings us to the message, the message that they're trying to put across by never disclosing who she married and had kids with is that:- who min chae's dad is, is not the point of this show. It was a clever move because otherwise it would've drawn a huge traction, taking away from the whole point of the series, an effort to capture the fleeting burning passion of youth.
But does that mean I'm happy by the ending? nah. Ofc I'm very happy for the characters, it was right for them because they wanted different things, had very different opinions on how they should work together, which was clearly not something that could've been negotiated. But me being the 'end matters equally if not more than the journey' person, I was definitely crushed. Hence to the rewatch value being very low. Ofc I will revisit the first few eps and reminisce the feelings I felt but it will constantly remind me of the bitter end- bittersweet but with a lot more bitter just because of who I am and how I feel about such an end.

the acting:
The acting i must say nam joo hyuk improved a lot, like this role was really really good for him and I was pretty impressed. Tae Ri was the best ofc, she was incredible in portraying this very hopefully and bubbly person without it looking awkward or forced. The others were pretty good too- kudos for the fencing champions to actually learn and train to fence, it must've been very hard and also love the mom's acting especially.

the music:
brings us to why this drama caught my eye amd why I started this drama right away in the first place, I'm a huge nct fan- taeil's ost was truly awesome and that led to all this. That also led to me listening to the whole ost playlist countless times till I can sing along to every song so trust me when I say top tier.

overall:
Even though I am that kind of a person, for this drama, I will not put the whole drama down just because the ending was less than ideal. I'd definitely definitely recommend anyone to watch this (after warning them about the ending) and watching this was definitely not something I'd ever regret. signing off on one of the best kdrama of 2022.

Lire davantage

Not everything lasts forever! “I’ll make sure my supports reaches you wherever you are”

The drama starts off so well that it just makes you want to keep going until the very end. The Cast and the writer made every effort to make it seem realistic. It started off so well that I just fell in love with it. This drama talks about friendship, love, family, and heartbreaks that may last forever. The Plot was so well written and the journey was overall a healing one. It shows how the main lead couple and also the 2nd lead couple loved and shared a bond so special that made a place in our hearts.
The friendship of Na Hee Do and Ko Yu Rim is so precious that you want to save them at all cost. Makes you want a friendship like that. The love of Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin is portrayed as beautifully as one could. They shared a bond so special which makes the viewer's fall in love with them.

But you could say they just ruined it after 15th episode. So the only problem I have with this drama is it’s ending. There are so many questions unanswered and so many plot holes. It seemed as if the writer wanted to write a “realistic” drama but to me the ending didn’t make sense. At least Make it make sense. The writer wrote these two characters in a way where you think they end up together and there’s isn’t much of a reason as to why they wouldn’t. It just looks like a bad writing to me . It feels like stupidity to me as they could have just worked it out and the ending would have been better. The Plot which starts off really well will make you dissatisfied and disappointed at the end. If you’d ask me if I’d rewatch it now that I’ve completed the drama my answer would be NO!

Overall for me it was a A beautiful and healing journey but just ruined it at the end!

I hope this review helps. This is the first time I’ve written a review and these are just my thoughts so I’m sorry if I hurt anyone.

Lire davantage