I began watching this drama with sky-rocket expectations. There wasn't one single person who said this drama wasn't so good. So I'm blaming those expectations as part of the reason why I didn't enjoy this as much as people promised me I would.
I'm sorry, but I didn't like this as much. I was not impressed, and I never found the thing people enjoyed so much about this.
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This story is probably one of the most creative and awesome Korean dramas I have seen. It kinda reminds me of "How I Met Your Mother". I love the suspense of wondering who who whoooo? There were so many hilarious moments in this drama that had me laughing even after watching it. The romance was pretty laid back but that was the way the lead characters had so much chemistry. This whole drama felt more like a story of friendship rather than a story of unrequited love.
Acting/Cast:
Pretty awesome. At times the supporting roles felt a bit awkward but that was probably what gave them their character. Everyone pulled off the Busan accent so well that I thought it was their actual accent. Everyone of the friends had great chemistry with each other and they felt like one big family.
Music:
I don't quiet remember the music... but that may be because I have only watched it once and only just recently finished it. Although, it still should've left some sort of impression on me for me to want to go and get the OST... but it didn't. It must've still been a good OST, because if it wasn't then the drama wouldn't have been good. All great dramas have a great OST.
Rewatch?
I'm not quiet sure yet because it hasn't been a long time since I finished it. However I do feel as though I will rewatch it one day in the future because it has a nice feeling to it. It makes you feel like you're part of their big family.
Overall:
It is indeed a great drama as can be seen from it's ratings. It is very popular. I admit that I held off watching it because it didn't really grab my attention. I also admit that once I started it... I only watched 3episodes then I dropped it for over 6months. It was so different to the other dramas I had watched beforehand that it felt stupid. Also I was not used to the Busan accent and found it weird. But after reading lots of reviews about it and wondering what everyone was raving about, I decided to give it another try. In the end I realised it is a great drama and it is now in my top 10 dramas of all time. I recommend you give it a try!
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Not only because it's cute or 'cause the actors act quite well...it reminds our generation of our 1st!!! idol!
Foreigners wouldn't be able to imagine how great their popularity was at that time.
There was really nobody who didn't know who "HOT" and "Jackskiss" were.
Watching the drama, it feels like going back to the old good times and especially the music and the songs in the drama sounds familiar.
In Korea this drama is now quite an issue and people are saying that if this drama was broaded on MBC/SBS/KBS and not tvN it would definitly have had more public interest than it already has.
I really recommend you to watch this drama, although I haven't watched the whole drama yet^^
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>>Eventhough the drama seems like its about Kpop groups and music,its really about friendship and coming off age...Difficulties of growing up and becoming an adult.It was also about family and family problems...
Thats why the plot has a lot to offer.And its very fluid and easy to watch.
>>Acting was very natural,and there was a very nice chemistry between
the actors.I loved it.
>>Overall this is a very nice drama and I highly recommend it to you :)
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The plot was really simplistic: A story about K-pop and first-love in the 90's. After watching some plot intense dramas, the light and almost simple description completely drew me in. But at some points I felt like instead of watching a drama where the story progresses through the episodes, I was watching a series of almost unrelated episodes with little or no forward movement.
The set-up of the drama was amazing; I looked forward to each episode in hopes that I would find another clue to fill in the missing pieces of the characters' futures. In addition to this, I didn't appreciate and enjoy the humor of the show until around episode 5. The spontaneous goat noises paired with the most awkward situations made this show more fun.
The main character, Sung Shi Won, was an annoyance to me. If not for the phenomenal set-up of the drama, I would've dropped the show because of Sung Shi Won. I felt neutral to the rest of the characters.
Although there was a large presence of notable music of the 90's, I didn't care much for it; I couldn't relate to it. There was nothing about the music that I could attach myself to because they continuously played different songs. Although some people dislike OSTs that repeat in dramas, I love those and I don't believe this drama had any.
I openly diverge from the view that most people absolutely love this drama. Reply 1997 was entertaining at times, but was only "okay" and never "excellent".
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The cast does an amazing job, especially believably playing their characters in the past and the present. The bond between the 6 main friends felt very realistic. I was really impressed when I learned how young some of the lead cast members were, and how new they were to dramas. There were no weak links in the cast, although I definitely had my favorites (Jung Eun Ji, Seo In Guk, and Ho Ya in particular).
Most of the story revolves around the relationship between Shi Won, and Yoon Jae, which sucked me in from the start. A little too much focus was put on the "will they end up together or not" part of the story, but I was completely drawn in by their chemistry, and loved watching how unbelievably close they were.
The effect Joon Hee had on me was the biggest surprise. His character was so subtle in a lot of ways, but he definitely got to me emotionally. I also thought his story line was tastefully done, and not over sensationalized.
I also really loved Shi Won's parents, and thought they had some of the strongest moments in the show. I never expected that they would make me laugh & cry so much.
The only character I didn't care for was Tae Woong. I don't blame the actor, I blame his storyline. By the end I hated him less, but his character's actions just didn't sit well with me. I honestly thought he was a little creepy.
I think the writers did an excellent job of juggling the past vs the present, writing strong characters, and balancing humorous and emotional scenes. The main love triangle was a little heavy handed, but it was kinda fun having them constantly add a little doubt, making it at least feel a little less predictable.
I know many of the pop culture references were lost on me since I am not Korean (like completely missing the fact that Eun Ji Won was a member of Sechs kies - now THATS funny), but I could still relate, especially to technology (or lackthereof) in the 90's.
I know the music was also meant to give a nostalgic feel to viewers, but I thought too much time was spent on the whole k-pop obsession/rivalry. Maybe if I knew the bands I would have been more into it. The show does a good job of recreating the hype, so It was still entertaining.
I really felt like I got to know all of the characters so well, and I know I will miss them. I could see myself rewatching my favorite episodes more than rewatching it again from start to finish because of it's sitcom style. I really do hope talks about a sequel are true. I'm not sure where else the story could go, but with characters this strong, anything is possible.
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The writing is wonderful. I like that the show was bold enough to change some of the feeling, locations and situations as the characters grew and their lives transitioned. And yet, the core of their personalities, friendships and relationships remained steadfast. This show touched my heart. I didn't need to be immersed and well versed with the cultural norms, and especially the pop culture of the day in Korea. Their teenage angst, first love woes, parental conflicts were totally universal. To me, that is good writing. The editing and execution of the plot was so fresh; a completely enjoyable mix of drama and hilarious comedy that often felt so natural to every circumstance. There were truly hilarious laugh out loud moments but it was relatable comedy. The kind where you watch and you laugh because you understand...this has happened to you! Slapstick comedy is so fun and has it's place but Reply 1997's comedy was often hysterical because it seemed real. I never had a bored moment watching this show.
So in Guk and Jung Eun Ji do a great job! I am really looking forward to seeing more from both of them. Sung Dong Il , who played Shi Won’s father, stole the show with every scene he was in.
One of the magical things about this show was the chemistry of the actors. The caliber of a great drama is sometimes that intangible element that cannot be predicted. There was great chemistry across all the different relationship combinations: the father and mother, Shi won and her Dad, the two leads, the bromance, the true friendship between the two girls, the love and loyalty between the brothers.
The music was great. This is one of those dramas where you quickly start looking up the songs and ultimately want the OST. Every song was fitting, relatable and enjoyable. I want this OST so bad!
Re-watch value is a total 10. I would re-watch this drama in a heartbeat. No question.
If you want to watch a truly well done, touching, hilarious, special drama. If you are looking for something that is a cut above the crowd. If you want something that stands out in the stew pot of other pretty good dramas out there… Give this show a try. You will NOT regret watching this 'close to perfect' little show.
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All the characters are very likeable and this is a big plus; the more the likeable characters there are, the more you will like the drama and it doesn't let you down in that deparmtent at all. The parents were also a joy to watch.
The dialogues are witty and funny, there are a few messages that really tie up nicely with the storylines unfolding, the OST is amazing and very well picked for every occasion, the acting was great..yep, it was a truly great series, no complain that I can think of.
The title is very fitting- as time goes on, it's even more difficult to sit down and remember certain moments and feelings from the past but from time to time, your own heart replies to you even if you don't ask it and the memories come rushing in! I definitely recommend it and I'm off to watch its counterpart right now.
Watch it and find your own answer(s)!
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I feel like this drama is overrated, but this could just be me?
I didn't like this drama at all. The pacing was way too slow imo & it dragged for me. I guess I'm just not into these type of dramas since there wasn't anything to really grab my attention in this drama. Watched it because I'm a fan of Apink Eunji but I was unable to finish it without sleeping...Story: There isn't really anything special about the plot.. It is so plain and simple and just boring to me.
Acting/Cast: I've seen much better actors/actresses but they are pretty good at acting. Though not experts, they are good.
Music: Nothing that attracted me.
Rewatch Value: I could barely finish this so.. at ep 13 I just skipped and fast forwarded through everything.
Overall: I can't give it a higher rating than this, sorry. However, if you're into youth dramas then maybe...? For me it's a hardcore pass.
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I love Sung Shi-won to death. She was a gem and my favorite korean drama heroine ever. Her relationships with her father, Yoon-jae, and with her friends always hit me at the right spot. So jjang.
Yoon-jae was so heartwarming. His unrequited first love for Shi-won still pricks me no matter how many time I watch Reply 1997. Same for Joon-hee's suffering. The story tugs my heart in a good way.
I recommend this drama because its plot and characters plus the music is perfectly synchronized and it gets through me. Every. Single. Time.
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