Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

A perfect Romantic coming of age story

Let me just start by saying that what pushed me to write a review is the fact that I found a couple of reviews here who stated some very strange and unbelievable nonsense regarding the concept behind the story here as being a mystery of who will become the father!!!!! What?! I will not say haven't you been paying attention through out the show for hints or whatever, rather Haven't you watched the first episode for heaven's sake? Very early on the viewer is outright shown that the outcome of the romance that is about to unfold is unfortunately doomed, that the grown up FL's daughter's father is someone else other than the ML.
The fact that some people failed to grasp that, most propably I would guess out of sheer unwillingness to accept the fact that a KDrama can willingly choose to do that, and they kept watching with the hope that a twist will come along that will explain how the ML for some freak reason changed his name and had plastic surgery making him unrecognizable both in physical appearnce and identity to his own 14 year old daughter. Come on guys!!! If the girl was mearly reading written diaries written in codes, I would understand the mix up, but she was shown albums of old pictures by her grand-ma and she was inquiring who was the ML in the pics?! Her mom was mentioning her dad as being very much alive and working overseas! HELLO!!!!

now that I have vented out my anger at those delusional viewers who unfortunately end up giving lower ratings to the show because of their unfounded disappointment at the ending, let me very briefly state my humble review of this show.
I need not say just how much I enjoyed it, since my above rates just show, but let me state that I totally LOVED the idea of a show about falling in love AND breaking up, and not in the common fashion of heartbreak and angst, but rather the characters and their lives progressing in a way that shows them maturing by the passing of time and accumulation of experiences, and how their budding romance was a very important part of this process, how they both paved their own paths to a successful future with support from the other, and how those paths started to deviate from the other naturally. Because honestly, to me this rings more truth more than all the happily-ever-afters that we constantly get shown on TV and in movies.
Also,, let me put it out there, I would understand if people are disappointed with La la land for example, but this one is just totally different in that we knew the fact beforehand....way before the actual ending, actually I was thinking to myself while watching how I appreciated how the writers didn't play the boring game of "who's the father" that the reply series is famous for. As a viewer I find this to not be my cup of tea.

The only things I would have preferred had been done different in this show regarding writing, is how starting a certain point in the drama the ML's intial drive force to work hard ie his family got entirely pushed out of the picture, to the point than when they suddenly reappeared in the final episode, I was like yeah right....his family I totally forgot about. I would have appreciated if they were depicted just a wee little bit more in between especially when he was making life changing choices in his profession.
As for changes to the production, what was the need for a different actress to portray Na Hee Do as a grown up. Kim Tae Ri could have totally pulled of a 40-something mom thank you very much. I have nothing against the actress that played her (though tbh I was always annoyed by her voice) but what was the need to use a different actress for this character and this character only (other than the ML's younger brother which would totally wouldn't have worked with the same actor and appeared for a couple of seconds as a grown up). If Kim Tae Ri had played the older version as well, we viewers would certainly have felt more connection to the character, and the final scenes would have felt more seamless. Also, i honestly think that if KTR played both young and older versions, people would not have had such empty hopes that the ML was the father whol will show up eventually played by a different actor or something. Just guessing, cause I honestly can'twrap my head around viewers who were watching with hope of happily ever after. But still all those minor grievances did not really alter my opinion of the show as a whole.

If by some miracle, someone who hasn't yet watched the show and is checking out reviews to decide, is still reading this let me put it this way .....The story here is no mind boggling mystery with a title that is the only hint given (duh)...it just isn't! Rather, what this show is, is a coming of age story with a truely beatiful cute romance that will constantly make you swoon and blush and wish to fall in love the way they did, there is no love at first sight, no stupid initial denials, no love triangles, no needless push and pull, no acts of noble idiocy, none of these so well trodden tropes here, rather what you get are a bunch of strong and motivated characters with unique backgrounds and different upbringing settings, that bond during a critical part of their lives, whose existence in each others' lives was a driving force to push forward, grow up, persevere, excel, and become successful each in his own path. Their emotional connections transcends time and distance and even with no direct communications.
The pacing was great never felt any lags or rushed parts, and although the more we drew nearer to the final episode I was worried the last couple of episodes would not be able to wrap everything up and satisfy us as to what lead up to the current day time, I genuinely enjoyed the last episodes more than anything and thought they were the perfect closure to a perfect relationship, down to the last scene after the finale's credits. I just love how such simple scenes can speak loads and loads about people, their history. Just perfect writing period.

The acting was beyond amazing. I am growing more and more a fan of Nam Joo Hyuk, his acting here was simply put just perfect. Kim Tae Ri is also such a great actress and although I intially worried she would not be believable as a high school student younger than the ML, she proved me wrong. They were both able to portray great emotional chemistry. All the side characters were given enough balance of story development and screen time in a way that gave each of them a space to shine. The directing was wonderful, my only gripe would be how I sometimes felt the camera made people look like they had bloodshot eyes and extra red palms LOL

All in all, this was a great show, great writing with a good story pacing, awesome characters and magnificent performance, good direction and cinematography. Do not pay attention to the odd reviews here who say they were disappointed by the ending, it's a great show and with a fitting believable heartfelt ending. You will certainly enjoy each momente of this ride.

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Friendships and love will not always last forever.

When you are in a relationship, fights become frequent, especially when there is distance. Not many people can withstand being away from their partners for a long time. That also wears out a couple a lot, because it takes great communication, patience and willpower.

I've always said that there is no reason to break up with someone. There are thousands of reasons. And you shouldn't always get into a discussion about who has done things wrong, who has made a mistake, or what could have been done to improve things. Sometimes it's just accepting that things aren't working out, that you don't feel good feeling that way even if you love that person. Sometimes neither party is to blame, it's just that time and what you want to do with your life don't match what your partner wants or what you want. The best thing is to say goodbye to that person wisely and be grateful for the time shared.

First love is always unforgettable and hurts a lot, but it is part of life's learning.

Then, friendship. You won't always be able to keep in touch with your friends from the past and even more so today. There are few people who maintain a friendship for years.
Time, priorities, and everything that comes with being an adult take you away from those people. It hurts, yes, but it is a reality. In an era where everything moves very quickly and everyone is busy with their own affairs, it is normal for you to lose contact with those who were your friends.

The issue of the protagonist leaving her career is something that happens to many athletes. For many reasons they decide to retire and concentrate their lives on their own families. An athlete's time is very short, so you have to make the most of it when you are young, because you know you will end up retiring. It's sad but the athletes themselves know that their time is short. In any sport.

About why the protagonist's husband is not shown. I think it was better that way, otherwise it would be like adding salt to the wound.

This drama is realistic. Life is not a Disney story. Life is hard and even more so as you get older.

In the end, only the golden times of when we were young and enjoyed our time to the fullest remain with us. This is life.

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Probably my favourite k drama

I don't understand how come people seem to hate the ending saying it was rushed. It was pretty much clear Hye Jin wasn't going to end up with Heedo. (Whose daughter wouldn't be able to recognize her own father while seeing his photos from past).
Also the seeds of growing differences could be seen from the start. Hye Jin don't have a graduation degree and he must give his 100% in his job to provide for himself and his family while Heedo already has PTSD from neglectance from his mother choosing her career over her family. Their decision to split was justified. You can see their relationship in contrast with Yu rim and Moon ji yung who were in worst situation than them (literally miles apart for years) but were still able to pull through. Their problems weren't in the way of their compatibility with each other.
Again another complain about people is why wasn't the dad shown. But this story is not about Hee do's husband. This story is about Ye jin and Heedo when they were 25 and 21.
Personally for me the ending is the best thing about the whole show that sets it apart for every other k drama. I was hoping for a 'How I met your mother' kind of ending, that Ye jin and Heedo would end up together after they got old. But again this story is about a distant summer they shared together. You are not the same person you were 20 years ago.

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Overall a Good Show.

Twenty five Twenty One

Kim Tae Ri as Na Hee Do

I have not been exposed to this side of Kim Tae Ri's acting. I especially stayed away from this show because I thought Kime Tae Ti would have a role which was consistent of her past role. Calm, thoughtful, Pleasant and somewhat dormant. Mr. Sunshine, Forest comes to my mind. I liked both the shows. Man O Man was I wrong! Her role and her acting completely different from the other two. I was pleasantly surprised. What a performance! I would say Career Best. I loved each and every scene she was in. I wish i could just make a compilation of just her scenes and rewatch it.


Bona as Go Yu Rim:

I am not familiar with this actress, this is the first I have watched her performance. She was fantastic. Very Talented. She fit the role perfectly. Loved the way she acted throughout the show.


Choi Hyun Wook as Moon Ji Woong

He was great. Very Funny guy. Every Scene he was on was top notch.


Lee Joo Myung as Ji Seung Wan

She was fantastic, I wanted more screen time for her. Whenever she was on screen, things are always interesting. Every scene she was on was rewatchable. I enjoyed her performance very much.

Nam Joo Hyuk as Baek Yi Jin

I liked his name in this show, other than that nothing to write about. Same old same old ML.
His role was insignificant to the story. It looked like this role was forced in to this story.
His performance was just ok. Others regardless of the strength of their role, i felt they brought something to the table. Unfortunately in my opinion he did not. Which was sad. The show would have been much better without this role. Addition by Subtraction. ...Yi Jin role could have been a support role instead of ML.

Story and Screen Play: The story was good. In my opinion, it should have been just about the 4 characters, Kim Tae Ri as Na Hee Do, Lee Joo Myung as Ji Seung Wan, Bona as Go Yu Rim and Choi Hyun Wook as Moon Ji Woong. Although Nam Joo Hyuk as Baek Yi Jin was ok, but his role did not fit. It seemed forced. The story could have been more fun without this character. The show could have spent more time with the other 4 main characters. They were really missed in some parts of the show.

Romantic Story between Hee Do and Yi Jin was again forced, they did not have chemistry at all. The entertainment value of the scenes was lower whenever Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk was on the screen simultaneously. Usually it is other way around whenever the FL and ML is in the screen the value goes up. Choi Hyun Wook as Moon Ji Woong and Bona as Go Yu Rim romance was much more believable and entertaining. Even though they had their own ups and downs, it seemed real and watchable. Whenever they were together in a scene, you did not feel like you need skip those scenes.

Fencing, this part of the story was well written and well presented. It is not easy to direct a sports movie. I am not sure how much research and effort went in to tell this story. It looks like the director and the cast did their home work. Whether they used double or not, every scene looked real and entertaining. Kim Tae Ri and Bona might have gone through some real tough training to be casted in this role.

Friendship: Kim Tae Ri as Na Hee Do, Lee Joo Myung as Ji Seung Wan, Bona as Go Yu Rim and Choi Hyun Wook as Moon Ji Woong Friendship story was well presented to the audience. Their chemistry was awesome. It was very nostalgic whenever they got together and talked about their past experiences.

Overall a very good show. I would just watch this again just for Kim Tae Ri and Lee Joo Myung.

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Spoilers after few sentences(I have given warning when the spoiler starts)

It reminded me of Reply 1988 and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo because of the nostalgic and sporty aspects. The visual aesthetics and ost were amazing.Its easily one of the best Kdramas of 2022.(Spoiler alert)Now for the ending alot of people are not satisfied with it but I personally liked it.It was bittersweet.We usually don't see such endings in Kdramas but the writers were very brave to choose it.It did not change my love for this series.I would have liked if they ended up together but it conveyed the message that sometimes things just don't workout and its no one's fault.That is what life is.It is not always going to be rainbows and sunshine.

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Bad storyline

I am currently on episode 4 and I thought that Min Chae is Yi Jin's daughter. As I was curious, I searched for the cast to know about it. But found out she is not his daughter as they do not share the same Surname. And what's more annoying is that Hee Do's husband is not revealed. There is no relation between the present storyline with Older Hee Do and her daughter and the past. This could have just been a random girl finding the diary and reading the story of her seniors at high school instead of bringing a daughter and older Hee Do. Total waste of time and as from episode 4, I see that the story is going nowhere. It's time to drop it

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the most sweetest yet amazing, most spirited yet broken series

Okayyy!!!! So this is like my hella first review after watching a hundreds of kdrama, cdrama and even Thai drama✌️?.... But I just had to write about this one... ?This is like the most sweetest yet amazing, most spirited yet broken series I have ever watched❤️.... There were many dramas which I fell in love with... But this just hits different??.... The fencing training, the love mashup... Everything just ifta perfect..... ?And the mostttt amazing thing about this drama is th storyline and development of the characters as well as the drama??... It's just so heartwarming to watch it every single time.... And while watching this you just can't think of what's the ending gonna be and that's the beauty about it... ?Only 4 episodes are released till now but they have just took my heart off.. Of you r a kdrama fan you have to watch this one...??❤️

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Such a nice feeling watching this drama

I find myself absolutely loving dramas which show the slow and steady success of people who want to achieve their dreams, i.e. Start Up, Itaewon Class etc. This drama does exactly that in the most heartfelt, but also heart-jerking way. Definitely would rewatch and gonna miss it when its off air. Love this drama so so much and all actors. I personally wouldn’t say it started off slow, I think every element of the drama is perfect. I find my self analyzing shows nowadays for redundancy or elements that were completely unnecessary but I believe, so far, this drama is executed well. I’m not sure what to expect in the coming episodes ~

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yeuuuuuu

dari awal emang udah ketakar banget sih kalau kisah mereka ini ngga akan berakhir indah. pertama, marga anaknya na heedo (minchae) itu bukan baek, so--ya itu udah fakta pait paling jelas. kedua, karakter na heedo sama baek yijin ini emang jomplang banget sih, apalagi ngeliat perbedaan usia dan terulangnya pola 'luka' na heedo waktu kecil. dari segi development juga na heedo >>> baek yijin. di sini karakter baek yijin cemen banget sumpah kesel gue hadeh. kagak jelas, klemar-klemer.

endingnya bagus sih. meski ada sangkut paut dengan child issues yang dipunya na heedo, keputusan na heedo udah tepat dan tegas banget. tinggalin baek yijin, u deserve someone better than him. tapi setelah sampai di detik terakhir episode JUJUR GUE KESEL BANGET. kek hah apaanda jadi dari keseluruhan 16 episode ini cuma nyeritain kisah cinta monyet cinta pertama yang kandas??? realistis sih, tapi ya sayang aja kek gimana gitu. kek--hah, udah gitu doang? yaelah bro.

apresiasi tertinggi untuk my dearest kim taeri yang EFFORTLESS BANGET LUCU DAN GEMESNYA. hebat banget loh dia bisa mainin peran anak sma tapi bukan yang flashback gitu, melainkan dari awal sampai akhir (ya sampai anak awal-awal kuliah la yah). gila sih. kasian yang muda-muda minderrrrrrrrrrrrr pasti adhadajhdfa

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