Twenty Five Twenty One (2022)

A beautifully captured moment (okay years) in time

This drama is such a trip down memory lane, relatable lovable, sweet and deep. Not so much for the sports and romance this dramas strengths are rather the slice of life, nostalgia, real events, issues, mixed with beautiful stories of friendship, hardship and some other ship...

To be honest I was a little bit annoyed at the way they portrayed the female lead in the first few episodes making her seem a lot younger than she was supposed to be as well as making the male lead seem a lot older than he was supposed to. I understand that it was probably done to set the scene and mood but it was little bit over done and borders on annoying. However that faded out as the story progressed and rather turned in to character growth instead of annoyance.

I was also annoyed at people pushing blame, wishing others harm o and it did have just a little bit to much yelling for my taste... But hone it had all these really good one liners and scenes encouraging mistakes that I almost forgot about those annoying elements.

There are a lot of good and interesting messages in this drama, great cinematography, gorgeous use of umbrellas... cuteness, fluff and everything painful... The short visits in to present day are well placed and though they could be considered spoilers making this drama spoil itself... the spoiling still keeps us wondering why, how and in what way are they going to... dare I feel happy? In other words these so called spoilers keep the emotional level high thru out the drama.

The people and situations portrayed in this drama are often complex and are often shown from different angels taking a step away from the typical good guy/bad guy as well as showing the affect on the people behind them.. As well as showing the circumstances leading up to the situation or sometimes questionable decision.

The setting in the late 90´s was so much fun to watch, having been a teen at that time my self I just loved the way they used tapes, showed the fashion, the computers, the first phone... the fear of the 2k-bug and the events that helped form the people of my generation, even if I myself liven on the other side of Asia at the time,

I have, laughed, cried, been angry... Yep felt just about every single emotion out there making this drama just right for me and would have given it 10 stars if it wrest for some cringey annoying dialog here and there as well as a few (very few) twists that felt like they were trying to make us a bit to emotional. The emotions were there just fine without those scenes so they ended up annoying me. However I do love this story, the way it is told and the overall messages conveyed in this drama

In numbers
Bingeabilaty: 10
Lovable and interesting characters: 10
Annoying elements : -2
Frustration: 7
Sidestorys: 10
Main story: 10
Oneliners: 10
Relatable characters: 9
Visuals+ eye candy: 10

In conclusion I loved it!

Lire davantage

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.

Lire davantage

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.

Lire davantage

Overall, its just a very beautiful drama that touches you in so many ways. Despite the ending (i don't hate it, but i do feel a bit regretful. Its really hard to explain bec im still emotionally unstable), this is the best kdrama I've ever watched in 10years watching kdrama.

Nam Joohyuk and Kim Taeri are phenomenal! The way they carried this drama by adding their own touch to their characters. I've always been amazed with Nam Joohyuk because he did so well in (WLKBJ, The Light in your Eyes, Josee, Start-up) . The fact that he did different roles in each of his project kinda reflect the kind of actor he is. And the fact that he completely change Baek Yijin's original character to his own interpretation. Outstanding.

As for Kim Taeri, i actually never heard of her before. But she really left a deep impression. Who would've believe that she's actually 32 y/o? She brings Na Heedo to life. She's a perfect female lead I've ever seen. Strong, immature but also mature, determine... Na Heedo is such a loveable character and i love her so much

Lire davantage

Twenty-Five Twenty-One is REFRESHING your eyes so far!

Hello blushing sweeties!

Work from home, work from office, work all day and night; there’s almost little to no time for us to step out, refresh and go on a vacation. And this ‘need for some refreshment’ is exactly what some of the Korean drama cinematographers are targeting. Hence, drawing more target audience. Recent example of a beautiful cinematography that completely replenishes your mood, happiness and soothes your eyes is the drama ‘Our Beloved Summer’. And another example would be ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’. Most of their scenes are filled with greens, bright sunny mornings, clear skies, peaceful neighbourhoods (yeah! They look peaceful) and all charms of the actors (uff!).

The drama is set in the 90’s but I do not get the 90’s vibes; neither from the locations and cinematography nor from the characters.
This is the first time I am seeing Kim Tae Ri’s (FL-Na Hee Do) acting and I am already a fan. The way she has transformed herself for the character: tone of speaking, her walking style, and even when she stands (mostly she stands like a man) is appreciable. The immaturity and recklessness of an 18-year-old kid has been very well portrayed through her character. Also, she is very ambitious, optimistic, a hard worker and has a very bright smile (aww!).
Nam Ju Hyuk (ML-Baek Yi Jin) as always and as usual is radiant, though his character is someone whose family has gone bankrupt because of IMF establishment and has lost everything. The maturity and the gentleman behaviour of a 22-year-old has been very well portrayed through his character. Though he looks bright on the outside, he is pessimistic on the inside. And that pessimism is something that our FL is going to change.

I need to watch more episodes in order to pass my comments on the rest of the characters.
Besides the main plot, the show is also trying to show the differences in the way an 18-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man think, speak, act and react.

The OST’s of the drama (my, my.) are so damn upbeat, cheerful and motivational that they straight away go to my morning songs playlists because, “such songs plus coffee- what else do I need to wake me up?”.
Only two episodes are down for me. The story seems to be simple so far but you know the 'booms and baams' in the story comes only when the story reaches halfway. So, there is a long way to go to finalize comments about this drama. But I loved it (so far) and will be watching the rest of the episodes shortly.

Thank you for reading my review.
Have a good day/night!

Lire davantage

Kim Tae Ri does it yet again..

Hm, i fell for the ole adrenaline rush after completing this drama for the first time. I’ve given this a rewatch recently and.. i was reminded of the many small aspects that didn’t sit well at all with me. This section alone will be an update of my thoughts with a clear head this time as to those bumps in the road i forgotten about. The first episode is,again, without a doubt the worse of this series, may i even say god awful when looked at separately instead of comparatively. Embarrassingly forced interactions(the club),amateur scenes and screenplay that were unbearable to sit through again(after school “brawl”),and underwhelming moments of acting where it could’ve hit the hardest. Pair these disaster moments along with the unfortunate nosedive the last two episodes took and it became very clear that i was too fixated on the highs of this drama and rated it beyond how i regularly would. Welp, that’s about it and some small revisions in my original review. Back to it.

The main cast all served their roles decently enough so don’t get me wrong when i say this, but Kim Tae Ri OWNED this drama, easily her best performance out of all her works for me, and that says alot due to all of her previous works being damn good as well.

The first episode showcases the worst part of the drama , i think most of us can agree on that, because what a HELL OF A 360 the quality took from there. Don’t believe me? Give the very first two episodes a shot and tell me if you can even believe both were even from the same writer.

I’m not somebody that says a show is a must watch, but in my perspective I’ll definitely say that this drama is most certainly a must try, we all have different tastes and preferences, so this series obviously won’t be worth everyone’s time to sit through. The first 2 episodes are enough for a viewer to know rather the show is worth their time or not, anything further than that don’t bother, the quality skyrockets from the second episode and keeps that consistency the rest of the way.

Now there are obviously some hiccups in how they pushed towards the ending, and NO it didn’t showcase realism...In reality people don’t suddenly go blank in their decision making, the problem isn’t the end game despite many thinking so, the problem resided in the lack of effort in resolving and communicating. It didn’t make enough sense for me to believe Yi Jin would’ve taken that offer down New York knowing how hard it was to see Hee Do already, he became inspired in that field in the matter of months, not a childhood dream he longed striving for where he’d immediately put it before anything else. Maybe he thought Yu Rim did it why can’t he? Lol. Hee Do giving up that easily didn’t quite add up with her character consistency either, yes there’s the past conflicts with her mother because of similar issues but that doesn’t mean cut everything without trying to at least accommodate either of their paths to work out for one another. Putting that aside, “ both characters’ reasoning for their actions were clear and understandable, just paced poorly. I agree that it was extremely rushed at that point,still, the Pros far outweighs the cons , and i mean FAR. Undeniably a masterpiece that’ll be that staple slice of life, coming of age drama for alot of us.


It’s been quite the journey.. here’s to my 8 week long adrenaline rush,here’s to first love, here’s to the unforgettable experience. Until next time

Lire davantage

A masterpiece indeed ...

You probably looking for another tvn-Netflix masterpiece after a small gap and here is the answer - 25 21 . Actually for me it was it's okay to not be okay before this, But now it must be 25 21 is my first choice if i need to decide from both. Twenty Five Twenty is the reality, pure slice of life drama with a stunning cast.

For your knowledge, if you are looking for a rom com with a cliche type of plot then it's not for you. Because the romance is only a small part of the drama, there is not much role for rom. This is actually the life which so many people can relate, drama mainly narrating the story between five people and their life journey. thier friendship, Hardship and struggles, happiness, Sadness, dicision making, Choice, Some regrets. etc. The drama has so many things to discuss with you.

Every episode is worth and for the last 3 episodes I don't know what i can say. Just amazing, life is all about dicision making and right choices which you not regret later here is no room for some forced scenes, just follow the orginal script and make a masterpiece out of it and they did it. Especially the finale episode was particularly i liked a lot. The way they finished just wow. I expected this but the experience which i got was something really special..

The come back of Kim Taeri into drama land was gifted a special drama which i can remember for a long time. All the others actor's were also good. Twenty Five Twenty One is must must watch drama if you love slice of life plots.

Really happy 🥰

#N45Views

Lire davantage

A healing drama that didn't feel quite that healing

Twenty-five Twenty-one is a wonderful and unique coming-of-age drama that encapsulates the bittersweet nostalgia of youth and friendships, with strong performances from Nam Joohyuk and especially Kim Taeri. While the drama excelled in its character writing, I found its overall message to be lost towards the end, because the ending felt...reductive. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of the drama greatly, but I still wanted an opportunity to talk about it.

Although I appreciated how the writers tried for a realistic approach, I found it to feel a bit nihilistic in the way that none of the other characters besides Heedo felt important to add in the present time, and that Heedo herself didn't seem to deem them as important to her life anymore as well. The drama spent 15 hours building these deep friendships, and it just didn't make sense to disregard them as simply being "in the past". It made feel as though the time invested in the drama--and, likewise, the time invested in one's youth--did not give as much as an impact as it should've.

I had never expected a happy ending for Yijin and Heedo, but their break-up, while beautifully written, felt inconsistent with their characters. I found it hard to believe that these strong-willed characters couldn't make it work. The reason they broke up contradicted what the audience saw in their relationship beforehand, where they gave each other emotional support through hard times quite easily. Heedo's current husband, while never shown, is away for work overseas which is exactly what she didn't want from Yijin, which made the break-up feel even more reductive. If the drama wanted to convince me that Heedo and Yijin's development was realistic, I think it would've benefited from one more episode.

Despite this, I could see what the drama was aiming for, and I appreciate the themes they tried to tackle. I don't regret watching this drama and I'd still recommend it for the strong characters and solid plot. It's just unfortunate that the ending did not quite fit what the rest of the drama was building up to.

Lire davantage

Comfort Drama with a box of tissues!!!

I love love love this drama so much and will forever be in my top 10 favorite dramas, top 5 dramas to recommend and top 5 drama to re-watch!!!

With tears in my eyes I can genuinely say Twenty-five Twenty One, became my forever comfort drama! Every episode left me happy and always wanting more even though I will also occasionally shed tears. I found solace in each and every character and the storyline. And don't get me started on the ost... I just can't get enough of it! Especially Your Existence by Wonstein. I've had that song on replay and every time I cry as if I've not listened to it a hundred times already. The friendships, romantic relationships and familial relationships just struck a chord with me. Especially Hee Do and Yu Rim's friendship. It really captured how we sometimes go from enemies to friends and being able to laugh at your past selves seeing how childish you were in the moment. I love all the characters but there was something about Ji Seung Wan that really made me fall in love with her.

But on a serious note why did it end like that? I get that it' realistic and things like that happen in life but still my heart was shattered to pieces. Plus I have so many unanswered questions....like who is MinChae's father? Are they still in contact with each other? etc... And the ending credit...ugh...when the security code question said, 'who is your first love? And YiJin type Na Hee Do, I jut started crying all over again. Because when she get her lost diary, the monologue she gives when revisiting the tunnel, just shows that they both have some regret on how they handled things in their relationships. And YiJin's answer for the security code jut shows that Hee Do was and will forever be his first love and him hers.

It' sad to see this amazing show end and I keep on crying just thinking about HeeJin endgame. Thank you for being my comfort/happy place these pat weeks.

saranghae <3

Lire davantage

Unexpectedly beautiful with a bittersweet ending

I wasn't expecting much going into this show. I honestly felt like I would watch about half an episode and give it up. But, as she did in Mr. Sunshine, Kim Tae Ri sucked me in with her beautiful acting. Na Hee Do was such a dynamic character, and KTR played her so perfectly. The nostalgia will hit hard in this one if you are a certain age, and the memories of youth, best friends, and first loves may stir within you. That feeling of freedom as you are about to embark upon adulthood and all the promise it holds. If you are a fan of the Reply series, you may well enjoy this as it invokes those same nostalgic feelings. The growing friendship between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin that bloomed from friendship to love caused us to all root for them desperately, even knowing that it seems that something disrupts the trajectory of their pure love for one another.

The acting and depth of character was what kept me going. Kim Tae Ri is simply a captivating actress. She was completely believable as a high school student despite the actress actually being 30. Nam Ji Hyuk's performance was quite improved since I saw him last, as was Bona. This was probably the best performance I've seen from Bona thus far. She usually comes off as whiny and immature, but her acting is much improved. Choi Hyun Wook was a new face for me. I saw somewhere that he was compared as a young Park Seo Jun and I can see it, so I hope to see more of him in the future. Lee Joo Myung was also new for me, but I enjoyed her character as well. Although she was more of a fifth wheel in the group, I would have liked to have seen more development for her character and more of a connection within the group.

I'm rating this drama as a 9 because I looked forward to every episode, got a lot of enjoyment from it, and it was such a surprise bit of beauty. I adored the friendship/ rivalry between Hee Do and Yu Rim - almost the same amount as I loved the romance between Hee Do and Yi Jin. I loved the group dynamic of all the friends together, and was invested in how they grew and changed as they moved from high school into adulthood. The challenges they overcame, the sacrifices they made, and the passion they had in their youth. I was not expecting this drama to move me so much with it's simple beauty.

I was fully expecting to give this show a 10, and only failed to do so because I was hoping, rather foolishly, for a different ending. But in the absence of that, I felt that the ending was a bit rushed with the closure. I also felt that in the end, it wasn't necessary to have even had the two timelines (past and present) as it added nothing to the story. And although she did a fine job, I didn't think that it was necessary to change the actress playing Na Hee Do in the present day. She lacked the same depth that Kim Tae Ri brought to the character, and caused me to feel disconnected from her during those parts. The past was not connected to the present in any meaningful way at all.
I still think it is a very worthwhile watch, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that is interested in a drama about friendship and first love that was handled with a lot of maturity.

Lire davantage

Almost the greatest most comforting show of all time

Honestly, this show had everything going for it. The cast was phenomenal and their chemistry was unmatched. The soundtrack is one for the record books. The story was simple but heartfelt and engaging- young people fighting for each other’s dreams despite ‘the times’ and the world seemingly all against them. There was a time jump involved in the storytelling with the daughter not having the same last name as the love interest from the main timeline, so there was also mystery involved, which was exciting. Despite the last name confusion, the style of storytelling was very hopeful, leaving you thinking that perhaps there was a clever trick played by the storyteller. The kind of trick that would make you go ‘aha!’ At the end and breathe a sigh of relief and joy because of course- of course! Na Hee Do and Back Ye Jin are still together, why wouldn’t they still be together when they fight for each other and support each other and love each other again and again and again, despite all odds. So so so despite the confusion, we watched this show with hope and excitement for the end but whoops we were fooled- the ending was not happy. Well, technically it was “happy.” Supposedly the characters are healthy and happy, but the viewers experienced the breakup just 20 minutes ago and so a ‘happy ending’ just isn’t sitting well when we haven’t had years of grieving and learning and growing and falling in love again with someone new like the characters have. We weren’t given any of that so the “happy ending” feels false and cruel. I’m left wondering why why why were they not able to work through the final problem like they have all the others? Why?? Yes, I understand that people break up and some people are in your life just for a season, but I don’t want to watch a show about relationships that are like ships passing in the night, there’s enough of that in real life. I want to watch a show about people who make it work and fight for each other and keep fighting for each other so I can see that it can happen and I can have hope.
Anyways, enough of my ranting and sobbing. I’m just really disappointed at the over-romanticization of youth that happened in this show and I wanted more of a romanticization of all of life. But i didn’t find it in this show and I’m disappointed.
Besides how it ended, this show is absolutely gorgeous. But now I don’t want to recommend it to anyone because that ending was a whole lot of . . . Bleh.

Lire davantage