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Reply 1988 korean drama review
Completed
Reply 1988
0 people found this review helpful
by Kate
Nov 10, 2021
20 of 20 episodes seen
Completed
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 7.5
This review may contain spoilers

It’s not a drama, it’s more of a life lesson.

Honestly speaking, I was not as charmed by it as many people, but I still see the value this show has and its perfect execution. It was not an exciting roller coaster that made you want more. It reminded me more of a cup of hot tea that you crave after an exhausting day.

There is no real plot, and the whole show focused on the characters and their daily lives. One could assume it’s boring, but the realistic problems they are facing, the true emotions shown through the acting, and the inspiring dialogues serves all that one could ask for.

Turning on the episodes just felt like hanging out with friends - I laughed with them, cried with them, was frustrated and happy when they were. The show had this magical quality that made you feel part of it, included in whatever was happening on screen.

Realistically speaking, romance was the weakest part of the show. With Hye Ri and Joon Yeol dating in real life, their on screen chemistry has been just too strong. Personally, I was team Taek, with how the characters and the story was written, they just made more sense. That said, I could clearly see why so many people suffered from Second Lead Syndrome.

On the other hand, Reply 1988 gave me one of the realest representations of teenage crushes. The intense emotions, lack of maturity that goes into it. How one day you might like one person, to fall for someone else the next day. It all reminded me of my first crushes and how ridiculously over the top it all was back in the days.

My favorite stories did not even include the main teens. I was in love with all the ajummas and their husbands. Even the possibility of any of them getting hurt made me cry.

One complaint I would have - the episodes were too long. I’d rather have 24 episodes and none of them being longer than 1 hour and 30 minutes, than having some of the last episodes almost 2 hours long. Especially since it was a show I enjoyed watching before sleep, and sometimes I truly struggled to finish the episode without falling asleep.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot. It’s hard for me to describe why. It’s just dear to my heart without me being able to verbalize why.
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