Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

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.

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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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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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Couldn't stop my tears...

I usually like dramas with bad endings but how should I say... I wish it was a good ending. I mean in some ways Baek Yi Jin was the reason of their ending. Even though I loved him so much, how could someone decide to move to another country without asking his partner? If there is love, there must be a communication. That was their problem for me. But even from the start we already knew they've been broken up ages ago.

Overall, it was a great drama except the ending. I cried, laughed and felt the friendship I've never had. I just wished to see all of their adulthood. How was their relationship-friendship in the future, did other couples got married etc.

All the actors were awesome. They all carried acting in to a different level.

Hope to see this kind of dramas (but with better ending) in the future.

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I liked the ending...

I know that a lot of people have to say about the ending, a lot of people say that the ending was either rush or it just wasn't the result they wanted. But looking back at my comments and my prediction from the beginning of the series, I wanted this type of ending or at least really similar. My prediction was that they weren't going to be endgame and they were going to standing on their own and different side of the screen in present time. In this case they kinda were but not in reality and not in the present. Let's go down to the pros and cons.

PROS: I really like the story, how it was played out. The idea of the reporter and a fencer, and etc. I also liked how each character got its own background, we get to see each character grow and how their upbringing got them to where they are now. A lot of people are sorta iffy about the whole present and past thing, but I think with that it allowed speculation between the watchers. I think the quality was really good, a long with the ost. It was a pretty standard netflix kdrama. I really enjoyed the fencing scenes and the friendship. The fencing was well done that made me want to watch it, and even though Hee Do did not get to go through the same pain that BYJ went, though we saw it I was kinda glad about that.

CONS: Like I had said in the beginning I liked the ending, however I do understand people frustration of it feeling a little rush. I like the open ending but it did feel rush and felt like it could've been done a lot better. Thinking about this now, I know that people wanted to see BYJ in the present time, but I think it was an okay idea to keep him out of it so that it followed the story of like its in the past, nothing lasts forever. However seeing him the present if they were to do it I think a talk with BYJ and the daughter explaining their love story and why it ended would've been good, instead of having the book store owner give the book, have some interaction or something. I think also the ending of the House manwha was kinda just let go, i wish they continued it and I also believe that for some reason during the romantic scenes after they were together felt a little weird ish.

I really did like this drama and would recommend for those who don't want a full on romance drama but a lot of friendship and family.

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Beautiful plot, cast, and OSTs - but a very questionable and painful ending...

If you don't count the ending, this is one of my favorite dramas of all time. It's such a well-rounded show that covers topics from all different aspects of life - personal growth, friendship, rivalry love, youth, family, and more. I found myself relating to a lot of the characters in many ways and felt motivated and inspired about my own dreams and life after finishing this drama. Every episode left me with a tear-stained face, whether it was from happiness, sadness, or anything in between.

OVERALL PLOT:
The plot was set up for every character to shine, fail, and grow. There were so many challenges that each character - even side or supporting roles - struggled with and overcame that only made them an even better character by the end of the drama (minus the last 2 episodes lol). Not every character gets their chance to go through that kind of progression all within 16 episodes, but the fact that 2521 made it possible is one of the reasons why I loved the show so much.

I enjoyed how romantic love was not an overly consuming theme in this drama. The main leads had a healthy, reciprocating relationship and aspirations in life that were equally as important. This made the plot more admirable and realistic in comparison to other dramas where couples would do literally anything for love. I found myself feeling inspired and motivated watching Hee Do and Yi Jin lift each other up during hard moments and wholly enjoy each other's presence during happy times; their love was so pure, selfless, and wholesome. Up until the last couple of episodes, I really believed that their relationship was what every couple should strive for. I also appreciated how the writers planted the couple's first kiss towards the end of the drama; it just further reinforced how pure their love was, and made the wait for watchers like me SO worth it. Man, that kiss had me shaking in my boots - the buildup to it was just *chef's kiss*.

The strong emphasis on friendship and fencing rivalry also presented more opportunities for character complexity and development. I loved watching Hee Do and Yu Rim go from enemies to the most supportive besties. Their Madrid fencing competition was one of my favorite scenes of the show.

Hee Do's relationship with her mom is one of the most realistic portrayals of what Asian families can be like. She wasn't just a naggy mom who would only lightly scold her child. She was straight up unsupportive, abusive, and unforgiving to her only child because she was struggling with her own trauma - and we saw how deeply it affected Hee Do. It's ugly, painful, but real.


ACTING:
I loved the cast's acting, but I especially want to express my love for Kim Tae Ri. This is my first time watching her acting and I was truly blown away. She embodied Hee Do's strong spirit, quirky and cute humor, and emotional outbursts so well. Because of her talent, Hee Do's character/personality was a shining point in this show. Young and naive, but full of life, strength, and grit to handle any challenges that come her way. This persona heavily contrasts the endless female leads in other shows who often start off strong and end up weak or dependent on a man again. This alone makes the drama quite rewatchable; I found myself rewinding to certain parts of the show during Hee Do's victories or happy moments because her smile and energy were really contagious! I can't think of any other actress who could've played this role as well as Kim Tae Ri.

OST:
I LOVED every single OST from this drama. Every song really embodied what the characters were feeling. I added all of them to my Spotify playlist. :')

ENDING:
I know a majority of watchers were accepting of the ending because it's "realistic." Not all couples make it, whether it be due to internal or external problems - I get that. But the entirety of the drama built up the characters to have fighting spirits, to never waver in support for one another, and to love each other through life's challenges.

I know the writers' wanted no one to be at fault for the breakup - but it still felt like it was Yi Jin's fault to me. He was stuck in a job that made him depressed and traumatized, and as a result, he started neglecting his relationship with Hee Do. Meanwhile, Hee Do was always so eager to see and talk to him and was always all ears to offer him support. Hee Do also kept pushing him to be honest with his feelings, but he chose not to be. So where's the character development here? Did he just stop growing after he became a reporter? Considering how caring and loving Yi Jin was throughout the entire drama, I felt like this was really out of character for him.

Their last argument really upset me. I felt like they gave up way too easily after yelling at each other, neither one of them wanting to have an open and honest discussion about their feelings. You'd expect that after 600+ days of being in a relationship with someone you claim to love so deeply, you'd have a good understanding of how to bring up problems and be candid with each other.

The ending really broke the characters' continuity and who they're supposed to be to the core. If the writers wanted to take a more "realistic" approach, perhaps just have Hee Do/Yi Jin go overseas like how Yu Rim did - but have them reconcile at the very last second for an open-ended ending. I'd much rather prefer that kind of wrap-up than whatever they decided on.

I don't think the ending completely ruined the drama for me because there were just too many good moments throughout the show that still made it worth watching - but I definitely feel like the writers could've made it the perfect drama had they taken a different approach.

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