Twenty Five Twenty One (2022)

A break from the cliche of romance kdrama!!

Hands down, one of the best kdramas of the year!!
This show had a lot of elements that i really enjoyed like the realism ,tension and most importantly its approach towards the theme of dreams and youth.
The way the story explored Na Heedo and her dream for fencing in the start drama was really inspiring to me. The freshness and innocence of Heedo is contrasted by Yi-jin's not so great life where he has seemingly lost all hope. This contrast makes the interaction with each other really unique and memorable. They both grow from each other and learn to be happy. This makes the audience also be happy with them and grow with them as well.
One of the main ideas portrayed is that of youth and memories. It's a concept often difficult to accept by most people. I believe the drama expressed the concept in a beautiful way through the diaries. The friendship group of jiwoong, yurim and seungwan was so pretty and innocent (ep10 especially). Seungwan in particular was the most memorable as she represented a lost soul who did not want to be restricted by the pressures of society.
NOSTALGIA is something that makes this drama truly special.
The ending absolutely wrecked me but it also is realistic and something that would happen in real life. I do believe Heedo could've been more patient and Yijin was not vulnerable enough to be in the relationship. The lack of communication is what led to their breakup. They were both young so it makes sense. This remained a beautiful memory for both. The final scene where she finally got her diary back and got the closure made me breakdown . It really made me think if she had gotten the diary before hand would things have been different?
Overall, this show had a beautiful insight towards youth and dreams. 100 % recommend if you are looking for a healing and comforting drama that would also make you cry with an amazing ost track. It has something for everyone from broken families to strong friendships.

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Worthy drama with bad end

I felt so happy when i started this drama. I went to my old days when i watched reply series. I dont want prefer ongoing dramas generally because i cant wait what next but this drama is worthy wait, i loved it and i felt so happy when i see the drama.
Honestly i dont like the female lead first bt soon i liked her acting really Nd im in love with fencing basically i like and love fantasy,thrillers very much. This drama makes me happy tears always. But i dont like tht ending and im so sad for this. I understood when they apart in twenty one twenty five age i.e their last happy new yr celebration at tht time i told to myself this is nt happy ending. Even though some twist i expected.

I like upto 15 episodes and they made me laugh and cry.
But i dont like episode 16 really not bcz of sad end but bcz writer end things fastly.

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A story of youth and great love that gave you the best memories but it's not endless

So we have come to the very end of this drama.

It was a beautiful journey with a lot of lessons that we can bring into our everyday lives.

First of all, I want to say that this drama really found me in the right time. The crisis that these characters went through somehow parallels what we are going through right now which is the pandemic. I relate a lot with Heedo's first situation being the "prodigy" but not living the expectations that the others have for you and Yijin's having the time take away a lot of things from you. It was really a timely drama.

The drama portrays the struggle people go through in their lives and I loved it for that. It was so precious and I really really learned a lot from it.

With regards to the cast, hands down, they are the perfect cast for each of the characters. They really portrayed each character well. All of the actors did really well and because of that the drama was able to resonate with us more. Nam Joo Hyuk really did well in this drama, I am not his fan and haven't watched a lot of his works so I based my expectations on hearsay but because of this drama I think I will watch more of his works.

For the OSTs, this is one of the few dramas that I have watched where I love every single song that they used. Literally, every track is worth listening to. Also, I love how they involve the main characters' actors in the production of soundtrack. Kudos to all of the singers, songwriters, and all those involved in making it.

Now, for the ending. At first I wasn't really impressed or something as I've always rooted for the main couple to go through every struggle and end up together building a family, being each other's happiness. However, looking it without this lenses of someone rooting for them and seeing as a whole, it was a beautiful bittersweet ending. It was bittersweet because it is somehow sad that moments that makes you feel happy, the ones that made you who you are, is not meant to last. It will always be a memory. The love that you thought will last forever ended up being a heartbreaking moment. However, this also is a beautiful thing without these things you might not have come this far. Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do's break up is justifiable. Their love was a great and deep love and because of that, it hurts more. However, if ever they continued being together they might have hurt each other more and make the memories they once considered the sweetest being the most hurtful and a thing they want to forget. It was the right decision all along.

*I just want to add, I think their love was more than just first loves, they are each other's great love. They were meant to be but they were not meant stay.

I believe that BYJ and NHD have their own happy endings. HD having her own family(husband and kim min chae), achieving a lot of things(bringing honor to her country), and having a better relationship with her mother. YJ being on the top of the journalist's game as he became the anchor, he also brought back his family together again. It may not be the happy ending that almost all of us want(them being together at the end) however, we can say that they became happy in the end.

It was a story of youth. A beautiful youth that we all share. The youth that will lead us to the path we will take for the years to come. It was also a story of growth that we all need to undergone as we must always remember nothing lasts forever but at least you have it at one moment.

ps. there is stilll some lingering feelings that i want them to be together at the end

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Nostalgic Young Love Story

I noticed quite a few negative reviews on this drama after the final episodes aired, so I wanted to put forward an alternative perspective.

I think the reason why people are reacting so strongly to the ending is because they had expected a certain outcome, or had formed some theories in their minds surrounding Hee Do's daughter (MinChae). But for me, it was quite clear from the beginning that MinChae's role is merely a storytelling device - she is the means through which the audience discovers Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin's love story. Her mother's story is what also helps MinChae rekindle her passion for ballet.

The writers definitely wanted to portray Hee Do and Yi Jin's love story as an idyllic romance from a distant past, which so many of us have experienced and left behind. It was always clear that Kim MinChae is not Yi Jin's daughter, and that Hee Do and Yi Jin are not together in the present day.

There are many such beautiful love stories in the world that end before they even begin. Love stories between people who have been friends for years - whose lives repeatedly cross paths, collide and intertwine - but ultimately unravel and fall apart very quickly as soon as a difficulty arises. This is a story about two young people who only knew how to be happy around each other, enjoy each other's company and to unconditionally support and encourage one another towards their goals. But when it came to prioritising their relationship alone, it failed. It is much easier to be a supportive and loving friend, but not that easy to be fully present as a romantic partner.

I do not blame Yi Jin for anything. He came from a family who had it all but lost everything. As the elder son, he felt the responsibility to succeed so that his family can once again live together and be financially secure. This was the reality of his life. He loved Hee Do immensely. He was affected by her infectious positivity when he was with her, but when he went to New York, the deep unhappiness he was harbouring came to the surface. Words unspoken and life circumstances is what drove them apart - they were sadly victims of "the times".

Ofcourse - I do not think the drama is perfect and there could have been some things done differently. I do agree that the last few episodes were rushed and more time could have been spent on building up the conflict in their relationship. I also didn't like the way Go Yu Rim's character did a 180 degree flip midway through the series. The way she intentionally belittled and hurt Hee Do in the first half of the series did not match with the fiercely loyal and affectionate friend she ended up being. I did really enjoy her romance arc with Moon JiUng, they were super cute. The actor Choi Hyun Wook did a phenomenal job and was refreshing and loveable to watch. All of the main cast members were great, in my opinion.

Overall I think the drama was one of the better ones I've watched so far - it was charming and engaging, even without being heavily plot driven which is an achievement in itself. I just wanted to offer my alternate perspective on the Hee Do and Yi Jin's story, to make sense of it in my mind and hopefully help others rationalise it too!

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Mostly About The Ending.

Twenty Five Twenty One broke my heart into two. Not like the first K-drama I watched, My Girl (2005), which had me ugly crying for days. However, it left an incredible impression on me. This drama left me thinking so much about the ending and why the relationship ended the way it did. After I finished the drama, I started reading reviews online and it left me feeling that the ending needed to be that way.
Na Hee Do and Back Yi Jin found each other and became the most important people for each other. They each gave support to one another and pushed one another to become what they dreamed of being, for Na Her Do's case. It is truly a story of recollection of Na Her Do's most important period of her life. Through Bak Yi Jin, she was able to be the Gold Medalist worth making her late father proud. She became a carpenter because of the advice that Bak Yi Jin gave her. Back Yi Jin was able to move through a difficult part of his life and became a great reporter in the end.
Their support started platonic and as they grew together, eventually became more. However, because of their careers, they drifted apart. Towards the end, their needs differed and they were not meeting eye to eye. I have no doubt they truly loved each other, and many say that there was more that they could have done to be with each other. But in that case, that would have made everything that they worked for and supported each other for seem like it was for nothing. They supported each other from the start and still support one another, from afar, even though the relationship reached its ending.
Don't get me wrong, the drama is not without flaws, but I wanted to give my point on why the ending is great in my opinion. It was a great chapter of her life, but one that needed be closed for Na Hee Do to be the person she became in present time. At least that's how I view it.

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Live in the moment, cherish them and have no regrets!

Beautiful! Spectacular depiction of what real life is. Life struggles and achievements are beautifully shown in different personalities. Sorrow, pain, struggles are all parts of growing up. Parts of LIFE!
I adored every second of this drama. Especially the friendship. Love how the episodes gradually makes you feel all kind of feelings. It’s true you can learn and understand a lot from kdramas. I would suggest everyone to watch this well written masterpiece.
Last but not least this was HEARTBREAKING BUT BEAUTIFUL WHILE IT LASTED.

안녕, 스물다섯 스물하나
(Goodbye, Twenty Five Twenty One)

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A quality drama with a controversial ending, but ultimately worth the watch.

WARNING: this review is going to contain some spoilers.

At first, I agreed with the outraged reviews around the ending. But now that the initial emotion has worn off, I'm a little more at peace with this finale. I don't have an issue with the outcome of the pairing itself, but I do still think they should've executed it differently (there are countless other ways I can think of that would've given me more closure!!), and that might have alleviated a whole lot of anger and betrayal that everyone's been feeling.

But ultimately, this story is a tribute to youth. When we're 18 with the world in the palm of our hands. When we're 18 and we feel like time is ours for the taking. When we're 18 and we think our today will be our forever. It's a frozen snapshot in time; a first love that endures long after it's ended, immortalised in old worn photos and creased diary pages. That was what this drama sought to capture, and they did that to perfection. This was sophisticated storytelling - an elevation of the coming-of-age genre to a level that I haven't seen another youth show before 2521 achieve. I felt the highest of highs and the lowest of lows with this drama, and to that, I have to credit the quality of the storytelling - the writing, the directing, and the acting, all somehow coming together to create a magical synergy that made this drama glow and pulse with life.

Episodes 1-13 and 15 were more perfect than any drama has ever been for me, and I've been watching dramas for over 13 years now. Episodes 14 and 16 were the hardest to get through, and reviews might tell you that it's no longer worth watching because of the ending, but I do believe that if you go into this show knowing what to expect, this will still be a magical watch, and the heartbreak will still be worth it. It's been a privilege watching Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin grow together and love each other these past 16 episodes. My heart still hurts for them, but as Adult Na Hee-do once said: "Nothing lasts forever. Everything flows away. And that's not always a bad thing."

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The story with a more realistic ending

The time we spend being reckless with friends and passionate about life would end up being one of the best memories of your life and at the same time, it would also be the one to pass by most quickly - well, that is what this series is all about. I can't help but loving all the story buildings for both the main leads and their friends throughout the entire drama. To have such amazing support and motivation by your side just when you hit the bottomless pit of your life is simply a miracle and a huge blessing. I loved how beautifully NHD and BYJ grew alongside each other as their life progressed and at the same time, how delicately they expressed their love for each other just at the right time - it felt like all of it was meant to be.

But then, in the end, I just couldn't absorb their breakup really well. They have been good to each other, grew and motivated each other, GENUINELY LOVED EACH OTHER and then got separated just like that? It's just sad that they felt that letting go was easier than holding on after all these time. After all these time of endless laughter, happy moments and endless dreams, it was easier for them to let go of each other instead of working hard enough to stay in each other's life.

As I was watching the end of this drama, I was getting my heart broken little by little and just to think of that, for most people in the world, they do not end up being with the person whom they truly love was even more of a painful realization for me. I understand that they didn't want to feel sorry for each other after one point, but was letting go really worth it?

Anyways, I would highly recommend the drama for its good feelings and (to some extend) a realistic ending for viewers who are looking for a good drama. You won't be disappointed but you'll definitely have an emotional roller coaster ride! :)

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My first 10/10 kdrama

That's right, after watching 21 dramas, this show is my highest rated one. There is everything to love about this show, with few to none critiques. This show has so many fun and emotional scenes, and it highlights the beauty and fleetingness of youth. Just to be clear, this show is a story, as in a chapter in the past. It is clear that is the case in the first few episodes. The characters are no longer in Hee-Do's life. That is why I was confused why everyone hated the ending, because it was a really great ending. But for my non spoiler part of this review, this show had it all. It was a sports, romance, coming of age drama all in one. It also was one of the best friendship dramas I have seen. Fantastic character chemistry with really fun moments that make you feel young and like you are the characters made this show so special. Also a phenomenal OST of both fun and emotional songs really made this such a well rounded show that absolutely everybody should watch. This show was never slow, and often times really exciting and emotional. I could not wait each Saturday and Sunday morning to watch the new episodes, so to anyone considering, please watch this Twenty-Five Twenty One.

SPOILER TIME: The ending was meant to read us the final lines in the Yi-Jin chapter of her life. We knew it would not be a happily ever after ending because the daughter did not appear to know a lot about Yi-Jin, meaning he was not the father. Also, we do not always need a happily ever after, they are fun but sometimes predictable. This was a nuanced ending, a bittersweet if you will. This show in its entirety was Hee-Do's reflection on a story of beautiful friendships, her first love, and the end of her youth. I know the ending did not tell us who her husband was, but it kind of did not matter. He was a random person, and we kind of already knew that. I would rather them not have spent time explaining who the random person was when at the end of the day, he was just a random person. I would much rather spend the last episode seeing Ji-Woong and Yu-Rim get engaged, and see how Yi-Jin and Hee-Do ended their story.

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I'll be honest with this, what i feel i write.

Okay, so...it's starts out so so so great like so so great!
I was absolutely in love. I couldn't wait (watching it ongoing was another level pain, desperation). It was a shinning gem...that could have shined more brighter. It has it's charm and still so far i would recommend it.

Story : For something that was set in 1998 i really wasn't expecting much. It surprised me with such a great plot, which did not had something cliché and was a great to watch. it was really amazing and well written, not laggy, things go smooth, and feels realistic at most extent. The characters were well written, they all had their own stories, well explained as the show runs. Friendship, youth and struggles faced and being able to withstand them, shouldering each other these five people stories are explained. Na hee-do a fencing athlete an aspiring one who doesn't give up. Baek yi-jin a college dropout who is affected by IMF crisis, and strives hard to bring back his family together and work hard to pay back the debt and make a living. they meet at the ages of 18 and 22 support, inspire and comfort eachother at their hard times. It unfolds so beautifully and the moments between them feel magical, the process feels natural and so appealing. Go yu-rim a olympic gold medalist fencer who has a financial problems. Moon ji woong a high schooler known for causing trouble. Ji Seung-wan a high school student whose life is no fun. Characters were really touching and relatable, i have to say that they were really well scripted.

Cast and Acting : OH MY GOD!!! I REALLY LOVE THE WHOLE CAST THEY ARE SO ADORABLE AND TALENTED. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE DRAMAS WHERE THE CAST IS JUST SO FILLING AND SOMTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. ALL DID A GREAT JOB. I'M SO PROUD OF THEM.
• Starting with yi-jin, PLAYED BY NAM JOO-HYUK no one could have pulled it better, than our joo-hyuk. His acting really was amazing and heart touching. I could feel all the emotions and he potrayed his character really well. His acting improved so much, I've been watching him from school 2015 and he really progressed.
• KIM TAE-RI TAE RI!! Never fails to surprise you. She is so freaking awesome and super cool. Her charcter came to life, i could feel her existence you know that how lively she potrayed na hee-do. I can watch her forever. Not to mention, the fencing, bona and tae ri really worked so hard. It really felt like they were fencing players. The amount of dedication and hard work that went into this. Mad respect to both of them.
• Go yu-rim, played by bona. My god this girl is so good, I have a crush on her. Like literally she is da best. I can't believe on how amazing the performance was. She killed it. Being able to potray such a complicated character, man she deserves a whole damn show herself. Watch for her i would say.
• Moon ji-woong, choi hyun-wook!! I know my man from the web series Real.Time.love, you gotta know i was surprised to see him here. I really couldn't guess it was him. He was the perfect fit for the 90's he would be the influencer of the age and he did a great job. I really love his character. Its his time to shine!
• Ji Seung-wan played by lee joo-myung. This my first drama where i saw her i guess. She played her character so well. Come on, i wish my grammar was good and all good adjective should be used to define her and her charchter. She was perfect for Seung-wan. Her character is free-spirited, positive, and so cool and she bought it to life. The supporting cast was really good, not to mention the cameo i absolutely give a 10/10 to the cast and acting they worked so hard.

Ost is the loml. It is so good another reason to watch the drama. It is sooo....good. again^-^.

Why you should watch it :
♡Set in 1998, an inspirational and a must watch youth drama.
♡Slow burn romance, good chemistry between the main couple and the second couple too. More like fluff though, but I assure you will like it.
♡OST OST IS CHEF'S KISS. SO GOOD. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
♡Cast is another reason to watch. Good cast...you probably know most of them.
♡FENCING, i really got to know so much about it, it is such a fun sport and hard and expensive. Protagonist love for fencing is a sign you need to watch this. passion towards the sport, the hurdles and harships of a player are shown really well.
♡LIFE LESSONS, COMFORT, HAPPINESS are what i got regardless of the ending. I hope you experience it too.
♡Characters of the story. Watch it for them and the plot too. They are really well crafted and written. They are so lovely and at the point of learning, experiencing and growing into their better selves
ENJOY WATCHING
Anyways, it is a good drama. Must watch. It's heart touching and lovely. A good plot leave the ending. Nice chemistry. Friendship. Comfy and cute. I hope you decide whether to watch or not. I will miss it. 9/10 for me! Have a good day. Done with review bye.

(SPOILERS) STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS.

The story this beautiful ends on a sad note, which did not give me content. I was a lil disappointed. The ending for me was not fully explained , not acceptable at all, it ruined it's potential, the flower could have bloomed but it was plucked out while it still was a bud. The ending was a complete disaster. I might sound like someone who is desperate and only wants a happy ending, well yeah it should be the case for Twenty-five Twenty-one, you see. I know it, it was completely clueless, rushed, confusing in the last 2 eps and the question you have like from the very start does not even get answered. LIKE WHO IS HER HUSBAND?
I know that they had trouble with their relationship. Their profession was hard, they were far. But, is that what love is. If yurim and ji woong can be together why not them. Okay, let's say i accept the ending. It still doesn't adds up. We don't see yi-jin in present. Is he really happy? Why is heedo still looking back? Who is ger husband? Whatttt nvm. It was good all but ending was not pleasing.

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yeuuuuuu

dari awal emang udah ketakar banget sih kalau kisah mereka ini ngga akan berakhir indah. pertama, marga anaknya na heedo (minchae) itu bukan baek, so--ya itu udah fakta pait paling jelas. kedua, karakter na heedo sama baek yijin ini emang jomplang banget sih, apalagi ngeliat perbedaan usia dan terulangnya pola 'luka' na heedo waktu kecil. dari segi development juga na heedo >>> baek yijin. di sini karakter baek yijin cemen banget sumpah kesel gue hadeh. kagak jelas, klemar-klemer.

endingnya bagus sih. meski ada sangkut paut dengan child issues yang dipunya na heedo, keputusan na heedo udah tepat dan tegas banget. tinggalin baek yijin, u deserve someone better than him. tapi setelah sampai di detik terakhir episode JUJUR GUE KESEL BANGET. kek hah apaanda jadi dari keseluruhan 16 episode ini cuma nyeritain kisah cinta monyet cinta pertama yang kandas??? realistis sih, tapi ya sayang aja kek gimana gitu. kek--hah, udah gitu doang? yaelah bro.

apresiasi tertinggi untuk my dearest kim taeri yang EFFORTLESS BANGET LUCU DAN GEMESNYA. hebat banget loh dia bisa mainin peran anak sma tapi bukan yang flashback gitu, melainkan dari awal sampai akhir (ya sampai anak awal-awal kuliah la yah). gila sih. kasian yang muda-muda minderrrrrrrrrrrrr pasti adhadajhdfa

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