I watched Reply 1997 because of the great reviews it had and because of its popularity. I was hesitant at first because the entire show is basically composed of flashbacks, and I usually hate flashbacks, but the flashbacks are what give the show the nostalgic feeling. This show is slow-paced compared to something like Secret Garden that causes addiction and gives you a high, but that also contributes to the whole nostalgia/warm feeling. It's nice to have a show you can watch now and then without getting addicted that you can still sincerely enjoy. It was refreshing in comparison to other romantic comedies in that it was real - sometimes to the point of brutal honesty. There's no random prince that comes or unrealistic obstacles to overcome. The characters were relatable and you'll often find yourself saying things like, "Hey, I remember that!" or "I used to do that! Oh man, did I look that stupid? xD" The story doesn't seem interesting from the description, but as you watch, you'll find yourself going down through memory lane with them. You don't have to be a fan of H.O.T. or even know them to understand the story. The things they do seem universal, so anyone can relate. The actors are very convincing. You'll often find yourself laughing, worrying, crying, and sympathizing with them. The writers and actors, surprisingly had my heart clench from episode one where I didn't even know the characters. There's no fillers or slowing down to worry about since the story seems to have the same pace throughout the drama. Also, the side romance is very cute and not annoying. To be honest, seeing Eun Ji Won act actually is part of what I was looking forward to in this drama. 1.) He's entertaining on variety shows. 2.) He was part of Sechs Kies and the main girl was a fan of H.O.T.- who used to compete with Sechs Kies. 3.) He was on the show Secret, where they revealed his poor acting skills and he apologized because he said he really wanted to act but never got a chance to get acting lessons. High five, Eun Ji Won! I think his acting was believable in this. I have to admit though that it was weird that he was a closet pervert. I should add a little bit of a warning that some of the humor seems a little crude for my taste compared to the cutesy clean humor that most Korean romcoms have. Don't get me wrong, they don't show anything bad, it was just somewhat shocking compared to the other shows. The show manages to keep the warm nostalgic feeling however. Jung Eun Ji, is also a refreshing aspect of this drama. Sure there's strong females actresses out there like Yoon Eun Hye and Ha Ji Won who you love because they aren't annoyingly cutesy, but Jung Eun Ji seems to take it to a whole new level. I usually love actors based on their crying ability, but she didn't even cry in this drama and I liked her. Her character - down to her voice, was more cool than cutesy; it was very different from what I normally see. Lastly, I am a new fan of Seo In Guk. He is a very good actor. I hate when guys seem to not show interest in the main girl in what is supposed to be a romance, such as the main character in Goong. Though I still like Gong Yoo in Coffee Prince the best for his crying abilities (man that guy can cry), Seo In Guk, was the first male lead I've seen that really shows how much he's in love with the main character. Just the way he stares at her gives me goosebumps and makes me sympathize with him and want to cry at the same time. O___O (He don't stare at her in a creepy way, f.y.i.) Anyways, the music wasn't anything new to me since I've heard many of these songs over and over. Since they're popular songs I gave it a 6. Note, there is a weird country tune they play for awkward moments, which I though was weird since country seems more American to me. I don't really rewatch dramas so I'd give this a 5 for rewatch value. Overall I gave the drama an 7.5 because while I was moved by it, and did the whole traveling down memory lane with it, my personal preference is more of the funny/suspenseful/addicting dramas. I do admit, it had the touching moments I was looking for, however, it just never gave me that wow moment. I think that's more of the feel they were going for though, so it might just be a matter of taste. I'd recommend this drama to anyone who wants to watch a not-so-typical drama that's realistic and refreshing, and one that you can watch at your own pace.