Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

Never thought another show would affect me so deeply

I've watched many dramas over my five years of getting into the K-drama, but only two have greatly affected me: Goblin and twenty-five twenty-one. From the beginning, I was hooked. The wide array of emotions I experienced was like no other. I felt like I was a part of the journey they were on as characters. I celebrated with them when they achieved their goal, I cried when they cried, I got angry when they were wronged, and I felt the love yi jin and hee do had for each other. This is why this show was just excellent because I was fully invested in every moment of the episodes. Additionally, I cannot forget to rave about the soundtrack because my god, was the music phenomenal. After the last episode aired, I felt empty and lost because I no longer had 2521 to look forward to. Nam joo hyuk really outdid himself in this role. He fully embodied the character, Baek yi jin. Kim tae ri is one of the best female actresses ever. In each performance she tackles, she does exemplary. The rest of the cast did excellent jobs as well and I don't think any other actor or actress would have been able to make the characters as successful as they were. My 2521, you have left an impressionable scar on my heart that can never be replaced by any other show. I'm always proud to say that I got to experience phenomenal dramas such as Goblin and 2521. I recommend everyone to watch 2521!!!!
P.S. I don't claim episodes 15 and 16 because of what happened. Like really writer-nim!!???

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Inspirational! Exciting! Great cast! But...dragged on after ep13

"This show was a visual feast with its vibrant cinematography and skilled direction. The ensemble cast delivered outstanding performances, evoking a powerful sense of nostalgia for the 80s. Despite not being born in that era, the series sparked in me a desire to travel back in time and take up fencing myself.

Initially, I intended to have it play in the background, but Na-Hee Do's character captivated me with her persistence, fighting spirit, and personal growth. Moon Ji-woong injected humor into the narrative, while Ko Yu Rim and the remaining cast members offered average performances. However, there were several storylines that felt completely unnecessary. The series could have reached a satisfying conclusion by the 12th episode; the extension only diluted its impact.

Two specific narratives left me questioning their significance. Ji Seung-wan dropping out of school to raise awareness about corporal punishment seemed weakly executed. By the series' end, it became evident that this arc had minimal influence on the overall storyline. It felt like a two-episode tangent that lacked substantial relevance.

Similarly, Ko Yu-Rim's family struggles initially provided depth to her character, emphasizing how backgrounds can both motivate and burden individuals. However, the exaggerated portrayal of her father's car accident and the subsequent financial strain felt unnecessary. The lack of development for the injured character and the exaggerated circumstances made this arc feel drawn-out and tiresome.

Moreover, the sudden shift in Baek Yi-jin's behavior towards Na Hee-Do after her confession of love seemed jarring and poorly executed. The ensuing two episodes seemed misplaced and could have been omitted without affecting the storyline. His decision to change departments later on raised questions about why he didn't make that choice earlier.

Overall, I'd rate this series a 7/10. It had the potential for an 8, but the inclusion of unnecessary subplots that extended the show to 16 episodes detracted from its quality."

Hopefully, this captures your thoughts and organizes them in a clearer and more polished manner!

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An enthralling emotional roller coaster.

This is the first time I have felt compelled to write a review for a drama. It was that good.
[This review contains SPOILERS]

I had no interest in fencing initially, but I loved how the series depicted Na Hee Do's endeavors in the sport and its impact on her development as a person over the years. It takes more of a backseat in the second half, which is a little unfortunate. I loved the focus on fencing in the first 8 or so episodes. I especially loved Hee Do and Yu Rim's encounters, and how each fight differed from the last both in stakes, and atmosphere and signified the evolution of the characters and their relationship throughout the series.

The character development in this series is exquisite. One of my favorite aspects of the show is Yu Rim and Hee Do's friendship. Their festering mutual resentment made the show genuinely uncomfortable to watch at some times. But the evolution of their relationship over the course of the series was a delight to observe. From admiration to resentment and hatred, to love and understanding. It was a long and painful journey. But the destination was worth it.

Na Hee Do's character started out as annoying for me. But her energy, ambition, and stubbornness are infectious. This drama is her coming-of-age journey, and it is quite a ride. From her journey in the fencing world to her personal relationships, hopes, dreams, ambitions, disappointments, and heartbreaks; this series takes us through it all. It was a pleasure to watch her face life's curveballs with unwavering determination and sheer indefatigability and transform as a human being throughout. Her character was well crafted, and Kim Tae Ri was amazing in this role.

Ko Yu Rim might just be the second best-written character in the series. Her thoughts are conveyed transparently in her conversations with Hee Do, from which we can get to learn about her as a person. I thought she was gonna end up being the typical rival/ bitter enemy character who's just an ass for no reason. But I loved that the show humanized her instead of going along with some dumb K drama trope. With her family dynamics, relationships and ambitions, there was considerable depth to her character. She suffered a lot, but endeavored earnestly and earned her happy ending. Her going to Russia was probably the only thing that was stupid about her character. Not the idea of changing countries to earn some extra cash. But a post-collapse Soviet Union offering more money than a rising economy like South Korea for something as obscure as fencing? Funny.

Yi Jin was a little pathetic initially, but I liked how he learned to be better over the passing of the years. His family life and past were potential subplots that were completely ignored, so that was a shame. I think his story was a bit too focused on Hee Do. He didn't seem to have much of a life outside of things that directly or indirectly concerned her. Regardless, he's a better than okay ML. The other two members of the gang, Seung Wan and Ji Woong were cool, but they were underutilized as characters. I would have loved to see more of DJ Wanseung. Well, at least she had an arc of sorts and we get some decent conversations involving her and the other main characters. But the only thing we know about Ji Woong is that he likes Yu Rim. That's it. So, he was a bit of a plot device. Really enjoyed the chemistry of the gang. They had some great times together and it was a joy to watch.

This show takes place in the present and tells a story that starts more than two decades in the past. However, the Hee Do of the present nor her child contributed absolutely nothing to the series. We didn't get to catch up with Yi Jin and the other members of the gang either. Thus, I can't see the point of its narrative style. The whole point of telling a story from the future is to build a connection to the past and foreshadow certain events, maybe even spoil them to some extent to pique the interest of the viewer. That's not what happened here. The only purpose it serves is that it spoils a bunch of important events.

I don't remember anything from the late 90s and very little about the early 2000s. Regardless, the series portrays an authentic atmosphere of that period, with retro technology, automobile, food, events, fashion, and whatnot in a refreshing manner. Not super relevant when it comes to the plot or the characters, but that was a nice touch.

The romance between Hee Do and Yi Jin- It was short, but it gave us a lot of lovely memories. I already knew about the outcome of their union so it wasn't a surprise, but I still failed to brace myself for the emotional impact I was in for. Probably the best breakup I have ever seen, which isn't to say I wanted that to happen. The ending.. I loved it. It was bittersweet but memorable. I thought the breakup itself was a little forced, but it was impactful. And it's not incoherent with the rest of the show. The flashbacks that show their memories are edited so beautifully and timed perfectly to accentuate the emotional impact of the events. A truly heart-wrenching finale. It's sad that they broke up for good, but even sadder when you realize the fact that after all that, they were never a part of each other's lives in any capacity. The flashbacks and their final interview really highlight that fact. Also, the shoelace tying scene. That was heartfelt.

I love the music in the show. Love the cast. How Kim Tae Ri can simultaneously look like a late 20's woman and a schoolgirl is beyond me, but she was fantastic. Nam Joo Hyuk, Bona, and the others as well.

I'm not an avid K drama fanatic. I'm an anime/ video games/ Western TV guy. When it comes to entertainment, the things that I love leave a feeling of bittersweet emptiness when I finish them. It's a pain that I relish. The more I like a work of fiction, the more intensely I feel the emptiness in my heart after I complete it, knowing I'll never experience it for the first time again. I've liked other K dramas before, but this is the first time I've felt said emptiness. This was an awesome show. Take it from someone who's not generally into dramas.

So.. What does this show leave us with? 2521 illustrates the ephemerality and preciousness of passionate love and friendships in youth. I think its message is that some people may only be part of your life for a short period, but the times you spend with them are priceless. Cherish those moments, so that even when you are no longer in each other's spheres, you don't regret thinking "What might have been." Improvement in your craft isn't always linear. Keep going even when you hit a wall if you truly enjoy it. Disappointment, frustration, and heartbreak are all part of life. But you can't let any of them break you. Is it better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all? The writers certainly think so.

This show left me with a lot of memories and feels. I will fondly recall its many amazing moments, with a bittersweet pain in my heart, slightly bleary eyes, and a faint smile.

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I hate this series so much - hate it the same way each time Na Heedo saying she hate Park Yijin.

Well wrap-up. It's so hurtful. This pain almost suppressed the positive score I had for this series, but because of the way they wrap up with recollection scenes to remind the viewers what their messages are - and those messages are so strong I just can't deny it. In this way, they kind of console me to not let the anguish bury the valuable points we've gained from watching the series. The original plot is complex and well built, the characters are interesting and well created, the dialogues are well written. The FL's acting is superb. I don't feel much chemistry between the leads though, and still hate the ending so much. I think maybe because I've been through only ordinary kind of love, never this kind that so intensely intertwines with life to the core. So when I see this kind of love that two people went through so much before being together falls apart, their break-up just doesn't make sense to me.

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Tragic

The first 10 episodes of this show are truly amazing. Episode 6 was one of the most well written episodes I've ever seen and was executed so perfectly.

The fencing themes in this show are honestly where it thrives the most, I think the strongest characters are Hee do and Yo rim and their stories are told so well. Their dynamic in the first half of the show is so interesting and honestly heartbreaking to see and their development as a partnership is a joy to watch. The messages sent to the audience through the fencing in this show make it all feel necessary and worthwhile as opposed to a useless gimmick to drive the story.

The show is at Its best when the group is still in school, because as soon as they graduate, everything turns upside down. The characters fall apart and as an audience member you fall apart with them. This drama was one that gave the characters adversities and you watched them overcome them, they were dealt a bad hand and the flipped it, especially Yi Jin. But as soon as episodes 13-14 roll around it becomes one sad story. You see Yi jin fall into a whole and he doesn't even try to get out of it.
He even volunteers to stay in it, which I struggle to understand why to this day.

The ending to this journey is extremely tragic but honestly I found it beautiful, first loves are just that, they are first loves, they got each other through the most difficult time in their lives and they are both respectful and grateful for that.

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What if it did all work out, for at least a few golden years?

The nostalgia and and wistful longing is painfully strong in this drama. Targeted at adults, it explores common what ifs from teen-years:
1) What if the popular, cold bully in high school turned out to be my best friend?
2) What if that handsome older guy who I have a huge crush on, actually was pure of heart and waited for me?
3) What if I actually could be world class using a talent from my teen years?

Credit to the show, not all of these "what ifs" end up happily.

With the world we live in now, it is painful to look back on such golden times and this emphasis adds another layer of emotional connection for the viewer. Credit to actually honoring the professions featured (fencing and reporting) and not just giving superficial treatment to cut to the romance bits. I was inspired enough by the show to checkout some fencing on YouTube!

The acting for Na Hee-Do is a bit over the top at the beginning likely to create a believable teen and leave room for growth. By the third or fourth episode, I thought Kim Tae-Ri settled into the role wonderfully, and I became extremely attached to her character. Baek Yi-Jin is played a bit more subtly, and I must say Nam Joo-Hyuk at this point has had a great career of portraying angst, protectiveness and 'holding back' strong emotions.

I really really liked two of the songs on the soundtrack which is rare for me for a modern drama. I especially liked Your Existence by Wonstein and Very, Slowly by Bibi.

I grade on other criteria as well:

Complex Themes: 7.5
Sometimes life does not go as planned, but the journey can be one to remember. Make sure you cherish those who care and support you. Plateaus happen, but just around the corner could be the success of your dreams. Relationships can be work yes, but they shouldn't make you feel like your life is on hold.

Character Growth: 7.5
Na Hee-Do is the guiding light and has strong moral convictions at the start and doesn't so much grow as come to terms at the very end with the lesson that not everything can work out through sheer determination alone. Baek Yi Jin is the one who grows from being cynical and entitled to being inspired by Na Hee-Do to be more earnest and to seize life.

Complex roles for women/between women: 9.5
There's excellent roles for women and amongst women especially the complex relationship between Na Hee-Do and her mother, and the friendship/rivalry between Na Hee-Do and Ko Yu-Rim. Both allow for a mix of complex emotions and resentments and a lot of screen time.

Cinematic/Production Quality: 9
Excellent as we've come to expect from these dramas with a fair amount of outdoor shooting and a good amount of different sets. Some experimentation with framing scenes in interesting ways such as from the back. The fencing scenes were top notch.

*** A note on the age difference portrayed. I am disappointed the focus of the story is in the ages where the romance is squicky and inappropriate e.g. Na Hee-Do is in school, living with her mom, and in a completely different development stage than Baek Yi jin.

In addition, in real life, older guys who can't make it in the real world and come back to their hometown to hang out with teenage girls are huge, walking red flags.

As the actors were actually much older, and there was a big emphasis on slowing the romantic part of their relationship until Na Hee-Do was more grown up, I wasn't so offended by the inappropriate ages that I turned it off.

However, just focusing the show on a couple years later would have made this much less problematic without sacrificing much.

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I award this drama as the best acting to all the cast

The drama contains Pure emotions and true side of a teenager. (I dont know about baek yi jin as i am a teen rn) It have those beautiful scenes and beautiful relation between each character.
Romance is there, Comedy is there, Slice of life is there, Chemistry is there.
It was a really good play between the leads. Kim tae ri did a good job for her role, She is similar to Na hee do irl too. Nam joo hyuk helped this drama score alot because of his actinggg. When he was in love with na hee do it made feel so third wheeling.
Also Their friends made its 1000 times better. The struggle of starting from a poor family and how she over comes is simply portrayed by ko yu rim was touching too. Overall do not rely on this review just go and watch. It is not as i have said too as these are my pov only. Go watch and write yours too.
Many people seem to not like the drama just because of the ending. Well the ending was pretty obvious right from the first episode.

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Crashing and burning

I really enjoyed the drama initially, but a few moments stole it's essence, making it a huge disappointment instead.

While the portrayal of friendship throughout the years warmed my heart, the depiction of the romantic relationship between our main protagonists left it somewhat broken. There were two aspects that I found particularly disappointing:

1) The part where the older Na Hee Do (NHD) doesn't seem to remember going to the beach with her friends, which is such a core memory of her adolescence. I understand they wanted to convey how nothing lasts forever and how, at some point, we may desire to capture a moment and freeze it in time. However, most people remember the pinnacle moments in their lives.

2) Although I understand that this drama wasn't primarily about the main protagonists getting together at the end and was meant to showcase NHD's first love and subsequent breakup, I felt that the reasoning behind their breakup wasn't strong enough. It's hard for me to get over how easily they gave up on such a profound "love." Baek Yi Jin was going through a challenging period, striving for change, and was understandably not available for NHD. She, on the other hand, was busy with her training, and the two had little time to spend together. NHD's rationale for breaking up with Baek Yi Jin, citing that she didn't want to live her life waiting for him and then getting disappointed, made sense, given her mother's career-driven choices. However, her other reason for the breakup, which was that he didn't share what he was going through, seemed a bit harsh. Baek Yi Jin likely didn't want her to suffer alongside him, as some people find it difficult to express their emotions to their partners. Their was a lack of understanding on NHD's part and her behavior was insensitive towards Baek Yi Jin work struggles.
I felt that if they truly loved each other, they could have taken a break, given each other space as they settled into their new beginnings, and then attempted to rekindle their relationship. Even Yu Rim and Ji Woong managed a long-distance relationship because they didn't give up on each other. Yu Rim's father wasn't around all the time due to work, but her parents still made their relationship work. So, Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin could have ended up together if they had put in a bit more effort, which was almost negligible - a disappointing fact considering all they had been through together.

This drama held so much promise, but unfortunately, the last few episodes left me disappointed. It was in the final 4-5 episodes that the charm seemed to fade. While the humor remained entertaining, the overall atmosphere took on a more somber and gloomy tone.

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heart and inspiration

“The things I have can’t be lost. Such as my dream, and my aspiration.”

Na Hee-do says, as she throws the flower to the sky and walks past something that the adults can worry about. Little does she know, that she will walk us through sixteen episodes and five years of growth, friendships, pursuing her dream, love, and memories of her unblemished transition from child to adult. I went into Twenty-Five Twenty-One practically blind, and did not expect them to take Hee-do and Yi-jin through so much of these photographed and diaried moments that, as adult Hee-do says, are brief but are what makes a long life shine. Last October I experienced My Mister, the only other work of television that has rent my heart in two full quaking pieces, and one that also highlighted the strength and purity of relationship that two people facing uncertain points in their lives could bring to one another. I had seen many Korean movies, so was very well familiar with how Korean screen work elevates human emotion, but more importantly, how with the nation’s cultural backdrop places an emphasis on the past, and remembering the sad events that have contributed to their present backbone. What I was not prepared for was first, unlike most of those movies, and second, unlike all of the previous Korean dramas I had seen and sampled, how realistic it handled the characters’ circumstances, interactions, and emotional moments. It seems to me, as it likely does by now to many others, that Korea manages to get at our emotional cores more fitfully, perfectly, than anyone else; and so My Mister not only brought me weeping for its characters’ sadnesses, but in its journey uplifted them, and through them, myself as the viewer who could only bear witness. As with My Mister, I came in a fan already of one of the main leads (IU), here with Kim Tae-ri. She is—to put it in as true a way as possible—breathtaking. The first few episodes alone were me trying to get over the fact that at age 31, she had played an 18-year-old, but as I couldn’t stop watching her smile so purely, laugh with her youth, and upend drinking fountains I fell completely into her character and as Hee-do grew older, I was only watching Hee-do, and sixteen episodes later, I am not watching Hee-do anymore. Her roles in Little Forest and The Handmaiden well displayed the lightness of the persona she brought to the scene. Imagine that but as light itself has a source, that source is Twenty-Five Twenty-One. While I have yet to see her completely in Mr. Sunshine, I have no doubt that just as Leonardo DiCaprio perhaps found his crystallization in The Wolf of Wall Street, Kim Tae-ri has done so here, in portraying a character in the best and sweetest spirit that she can be. Even if you have no idea who she is, that doesn’t matter; for like Baek Yi-jin, you too will be inspired, and find resolution to keep walking forward, in merely watching her. Having seen my good share of Japan’s shounen protagonists, who equip us with amazing dreams and work towards them in motivational (but hard to follow) arcs, as again the present day Hee-do says, progress takes place in steps, and witnessing Na Hee-do keep at attaque. touche. point. or without, because she loves fencing, and never gives up, gives me motivation like I have never felt before. Just as Baek Yi-jin tells Hee-do, in her presence he can stand on top of the world, he can do anything, after a number of episodes and during, I said aloud or thought to myself, I feel like I can do anything. I had been somebody who, for the past six years, have sought out in fiction those stories that I not only adore, but that can keep me going as stories, which has often been a tenuous mountain. For they are only stories, and when watching or reading these characters whom I love, I am not really living in the real world. I can go to bed at night thinking about how the episode or chapter ended, and have to wake up the next day facing real problems of my own. And I am going to have to do that tomorrow, besides which carrying a heart both empty and boundlessly inspired after Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin’s moments. But I feel like—for the first time, truly—I can do that for real. This Korean drama is transcendent. Not only did it take me through, unlike My Mister, five years practically in full, but even beyond its presiding song of love, the purest kind there is, in all its ways—but its most important theme, that of cherishing, remembering, and coming to where you are today because of moments in the past. These moments don’t go on forever. But they did happen, and you can cherish them in the moment, remember them later, and continue to live. Continue to love.

Now I have just the rest of my life ahead of me—and I feel like I can do it.

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Pure and real love

For me the ultimate romance/sad drama ever.
The acting is so good, and the characters fit the actor like a snug globe.

I also like that is about a type of love that no one talk about, that love when you don't need or demand anything from the other person, when you just love.
There really no words to express how much I love this drama, for me is in a different level just because is makes you feel something so pretty.

Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo-Hyuk are such amazing actors, that it doesn't feel like a drama or like a super production, instead it feels real, as the series develop you fall in love with them in a wonderful way.

Plis wacht it

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