Twenty-Five Twenty-One

Better Than Expected

Every so often I get this urge to binge-watch recent k-dramas and this happened to be included this time. Tbh, I'd scrolled past it for a few weeks before finally giving it a chance. Honestly I'm glad I did. The characters and chemistry was so good! I loved how everyone evolved over time and the character development. Also, let's not forget about the music. I actually first heard about this drama when it was announced that DK was doing an OST for it. It's such a good song; along with literally every other song on the sound track. This is one of those come of age, feel good type dramas. I highly recommend it.

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realistic, overall the drama is unique and different from your average clingy romance plot

[please don't read this unless you've finished the drama!]

this is my first time writing a review and i'd like to keep this as short as possible haha, overall this was one of best kdrama i've watched. amazing plotline and again it was realistic. of course, the ending wasn't something that'd make you smile, but nevertheless it was still beautiful. it portrayed how your first love or your greatest love wouldn't always be there with you forever and how you should move on with life regardless of what happened in the past; a lesson on life. on a side note, i've also seen people being confused on who heedo married and in my opinion, i don't think the identify of him matters at all. i believe the writers just wanted to show how heedo had moved on from yijin and was able to live her life and finding a new partner.

aside from the ending, the overall plot is still very refreshing and is something that you'd enjoy, this drama clearly showed youth in the 1990s, as a teenager myself, this drama reminded me that i should be spending my teenage life on something fun instead of wasting time staring at a screen. moreover, the drama itself is actually pretty healing for me, (not included the ending ofc, i cried for 2 days straight for that.). the most beautiful thing in this drama is how the main leads starts from supporting eachother, being there for eachother into falling inlove. it was a natural process and not rushed at all. out of all the kdramas i've watched, i was most jealous of their relationship. even if the ending wasn't what you'd expect, they still loved eachother with their whole heart and did not regret falling inlove. meeting eachother made their lives and youth shine brighter than before, a fateful encounter.

i don't think heedo left yijin, nor did yijin left heedo. it was fate who left them.

some reviews have mentioned this before and i'd like to mention it again. the ending is what make 2521 unique from any kdramas. the writers did not attempt to force the main leads together and i appreciate them for that. the ending was probably the most realistic one. watching 2521 was a refreshing and nice journey for me. i enjoyed it very much and to the person reading this, i hope you've had a great ride in 2521 too! <3

alright, time to study for my exams now haha, again i hoped you enjoyed 2521 and have a nice day!

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Twenty Five Twenty One: I Came for the Romance, Stayed for the Edits

I write really long reviews but here's a summary. Keep in mind this is just my opinion and I don't mean to offend anyone ❤️

❗SPOILERS AHEAD❗

The Good

The Actors
I say this in almost every review, but the acting? Chef’s kiss. Especially Kim Tae-ri as Hee Do—her crying scenes hit hard, and not in a dramatic K-drama way, but in a “wait, am I intruding on a real moment?” way. The raw emotion, the red eyes, the realism—it was so good it blurred the line between fiction and reality.

The Breakup
People say Hee Do would’ve fought harder for the relationship, but honestly? She did. She waited, she compromised, she swallowed a lot of disappointment. But after months of being stood up and feeling like a background character in her own love story, even Hee Do had her limits. When Yi Jin missed dinner with her mom, it wasn't just a scheduling conflict—it was a turning point.

Her breakup wasn’t abrupt, it was a slow, painful realization that she was walking into the same lonely life she lived as a kid with her mom. She saw the future and it looked like emotional déjà vu: workaholic partner, neglected family, inner child re-traumatized. Letting go wasn’t giving up—it was an act of self-preservation. Sometimes love is knowing when to leave before resentment replaces what was once beautiful.

The Scenes
The drama had its mess (see: “The Bad”), but wow, some scenes were cinematic gold. The friend group scenes were both heartwarming and a little heartbreaking for us friendship-deprived viewers (just me?). The fencing matches were so intense I forgot to blink, and the Madrid scene? Just pain. Soul-crushing, beautiful pain.

The Bad

Fencing Skills—Too Fast, Too Furious
I know K-drama characters are built different, but Hee Do’s glow-up in fencing felt a little too miraculous. One week she’s getting clowned at her old school, and the next she’s out-dueling Yu Rim, the fencing queen of Korea? Sure, she trained hard, but that kind of level-up usually comes with a time skip, not a montage. Did she just suddenly become psychic with everyone else's moves too? Unclear.

Yi Jin’s Big Apple Detour
Why did Yi Jin move to New York? Genuinely asking. The man had unresolved trauma there, looked miserable, and yet just… went? It felt like the writers spun a globe and said, “Here, New York.” Not to mention he made that choice without much thought for Hee Do, his brother, or, you know, anyone. And calling Hee Do’s support a burden? Sir, please go sit in the time-out corner.

So What Was This Drama About?
Romance? Yes. Fencing? Kinda. Friendship? Also yes? The show felt like it wanted to be ten things at once and ended up spreading itself too thin. It never fully committed to one storyline, so even great moments got a little lost in the shuffle. A tighter focus—like making Madrid the climax for both sports and emotional arcs—could’ve made the story land harder. Instead, it wandered, and at times... yeah, it got a little boring.

Too Real, Too Painful
This drama said, “Let’s talk about how nothing lasts forever,” and I was not emotionally prepared. It hit too close to home with its realism—watching friends drift apart, love fade, and life move on was depressing in the “ugh, fine, you're right” kind of way. I get that slice-of-life doesn’t always mean happy endings, but sometimes I want to be delusional. Let me pretend things work out perfectly forever, okay? That’s why I’m here!

Final Thoughts
This drama was just… fine. Not bad, not great—just aggressively average. It didn’t live up to the hype, and if I’m being honest, the only reason it’s not rated lower is because of that one beach scene song and the emotional edits people made online (they really did the heavy lifting).

The cast was great and there were cute moments, but it didn’t land for me the way it clearly did for others. It’s one of those shows I’ll forget the second I hit “post.” Moral of the story? Keep your expectations in check, or you’ll end up more disappointed than necessary. Glad I watched it—gladder it’s off my watchlist.

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It just felt incomplete but yet loved it

I loved this drama with all my heart and everything from the very begining. I loved how it explored friendship, goals and might I dare say love. It had everything. This series gave me butterflies and made me cry at some points. How I kept on silently rooting for both Na Hee-Do and Baek Yi-Jin. How I cried every time Hee-do won and celebrated with her friends. This series really showed how friends grow apart but still play a great role in Every step of your life. Reminded me of my college buddies and how we all went different ways and still are there for eachother always to support each other. The cast was just amazing and acting was perfect except the middle aged Na Hee-Do. She kinda ruined the character's vibe tbh. The tracks were great too. The story was so nice to watch and of course I desperately wanted a happy ending but didn't get one which was okay too. The drama really taught us that not every fluffy love story has a happy ending. I was not dissapointed at the fact that they didn't end up together but I was more dissapointed at how they ended the series without proper explanations. At some point of the drama it was indicated that Na Hee-Do didn't have much connection with her friends anymore. The show never really told anything about that later. They never showed us if they actually got apart or just weren't friends anymore. They never finished Ko Yu-Rim's story. And the worst was they never showed Na Hee-Do's husband. I really was hoping to see her husband or at least their family photo to know who she actually ended up with. And what happened to Baek Yi-Jin.. Was he married too? Ughhh so many questions and not a single answer and yet THIS is one of my favourite dramas. Netflix you owe us some answers baby. Give us a season 2 or at least a special episode or something. We really need some closures.
So to summarize It felt incomplete but yet I loved it

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A very bittersweet story about love, hard work, friendships, fate and facing the inevitable. I very much enjoyed the story as it was so much different from your regular Korean dramas. The plot was very refreshing, and even the side characters had an interesting character development overall.

While most topics about the ending and relationships were discussed in many of the existing reviews, I just wanted to say personally, the ending didn't work for me. Maybe it's because I had too many unanswered questions about Na Hee Do's year's leading up to her marriage and then having a daughter. Hence, I wasn't that satisfied with how the show was executed towards the final episodes.

I'd say a very good watch because of the rather interesting story and the visuals, worth the hype that it gets.

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Suggestion to watch

“Learn to let go sometimes.” both Hee Do and Yi Jin grew up, their relationship failed to grow. They expected it to stay the same when they weren't the same people anymore. Yi Jin understood this fact more than Hee Do, but miscommunication, misunderstanding, and impatience took the best of their relationship. This drama was really enjoyable and i loved it. However, in context of the story, and as substantiated by the Hwa&Dam production company, the first love of Heedo and YiJin was each other. YiJin corroborates it in the final minute of the drama: Who is your first love? Na Hee Do.

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From Fencing to Love: Twenty Five, Twenty One is a Must-Watch K-Drama

Twenty Five, Twenty One is a beautiful coming-of-age drama that blends nostalgia with emotional depth. The story follows Na Hee-do (played by Kim Tae-ri), a determined fencer, and Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), a reporter navigating the ups and downs of their lives in 1990s Korea. What makes this show stand out is how it captures the struggle of chasing dreams and love in an uncertain world.
Kim Tae-ri's performance is the heart of the series. She brings Na Hee-do to life with the perfect mix of youthful energy and vulnerability. Her chemistry with Nam Joo-hyuk makes their relationship feel real, and you really get invested in their journey. The show also does a great job of balancing humor, emotional growth, and the pain that comes with personal and professional challenges.
Overall, Twenty Five, Twenty One is a beautifully shot, emotionally resonant drama that showcases the power of dreams, love, and resilience. Kim Tae-ri is absolutely brilliant, proving once again why she's one of the best young actors in K-dramas today.

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Can I ever move on from this? Maybe, maybe not.

Finally gathered the courage to write a review about this. It wasn't easy going back to this drama and collecting my thoughts because it caused me a great amount of pain, and pain, and pain. No other television show has made me cry like this drama did and it was literally ugly crying and catching my breath at 3AM. I physically felt the ache in my chest as if it personally happened to me. Even until now, weeks after I originally finished watching this, the wound is still fresh and it's a constant sting that will forever haunt me. Can I ever move on from this? Maybe, maybe not. Seeing the actors' photos unrelated to this drama tears me up, even.

Let me reminisce the good things first. This drama has shown me beautiful representations of friendship, love, life, family, passion, dreams, and youth. The characters feel so close to my heart. Each and everyone of them has given me good memories and lessons that I will treasure and cherish forever. The character development is topnotch for everyone. The buildup is so strong with just the right pacing which delivered so much impact. Each character felt like a portrayal of each and everyone of us and our struggles. Witnessing how the they have spent their youth and waved goodbye to it sends a feeling of nostalgia, bliss, and sorrow all at the same time and it made me realize and think about how I'm spending my own youth and my life, what I'm doing for the things I love, and how I'm valuing my personal relationships.

I watched this drama completely aware of the nature of the ending but I am in the dark on the specifics of how things will go down. That's actually why I put off watching this drama for so long to the point that I even said I will never watch this so it was surprising, especially to me, when I finally did. As much as I have no regrets and I will forever carry the memories this drama gave me, this hurts like hell, partly because it depicts the reality we all go through. I fully understand why things happened. Sometimes life just ambushes us and punches us in the gut and we won't be able to do anything about it. It is what it is. That's just life and I've had my fair share of life surprises that I am able to always expect for the best, while preparing for the worst. However, I do think that there were some important events that felt so out of character and it's so hard to accept. Up until now, it doesn't feel natural as much as I try to make myself come to terms with it. I'm out of my denial phase but some things just doesn't feel right. To me, it just wasn't possible given the history. Though it wasn't perfect as all things are, but this easily found its way to a spot in my all time favorites.

Lastly, Kim Tae Ri is a revelation to me. She left me in awe of such powerful performance and from the bottom of my heart, I am sending her my sincerest love as sign of my gratitude for bringing Na Hee Do's character to life. Nam Joo Hyuk is my absolute favorite actor and just when I thought it wouldn't be possible to fall in love with him even more, I did.

This may be inconsequential but I think they could've casted a better actor for the role of Adult Hee Do. I swear she feels so awkward, I was so distracted.

P.S. THE SOUNDTRACKS ARE PERFECT AND I'M EVEN PLANNING TO PURCHASE THE OST ALBUM 🥺

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i love this show sm

everything from the acting, soundtrack, production was perfect. the emotions i felt watching this, crying multiple times each episode is what made this drama stand out to me. what seems like a normal coming of age show is actually a rollercoaster of feelings, filled with lighthearted romance, comedy and heartache.

i really enjoyed this show; the friendships and family hardships were so wonderfully depicted. i know nothing about fencing and yet i found myself so immersed. whether the characters were competing or just hanging out with their friends, every scene was meaningful beyond words.

however, the ending (last 2 episodes ish) really broke my heart. i still cherish this drama but i wish it couldve ended well. or at least better. the show made the main couple out to be ill fated, or right person wrong time. it was disappointing to see 2 characters who seemed more than perfect together have to be pulled apart. they were more than lovers, more than friends. their connection ran deeper than labels and they deserved a happy ending with each other. but this show invalidated whatever bond they had at the end. it didnt ruin the show; its still amazing if i disregard the ending and just focus on the times they had as young people. this is just one of those shows where its because they loved each other so much they had to let each other go, i guess. if the point was that they found happiness, just not with each other then yes this drama showed that really well even if it was painful and bittersweet as a viewer to watch. ahhh i really wanted them to end up together but it is what it is lol still one of the best dramas i've ever seen tho

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the cast was perfect. the pacing was perfect until the end. the plot.... good enough, but not great. it started out wonderful; they tried to deliver a message. they failed in the last few eps. the build-up of showing the present-time characters amounted to nothing. we don't get an explanation as to what heedo is feeling. how she ended up getting married to someone else?? i can see that they tried to leave it mysterious alluding to the concept "not everyone is meant for each other. life moves on and so should you.". in reality it feels like lazy writing. heedo's present-time character does not connect to her past at all. as a representation they show yijin and heedo having an imaginary conversation through the diary, yet it is just a repeat of everything throughout the show. this led to heedo not feeling like heedo anymore with no explanation.

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It's a beautiful story, with such amazing acting. The actors truly brought their characters to life. This is a show that captivates you, makes you so emotionally invested that you aren't even aware until the tears fall. I cried, laughed, and sat in shock. Words aren't enough to describe the feelings I felt, and continue to linger on. Amidst this immense heartbreak I can't help but still recommend this show and give it high praise for the stunning 15 episodes it gave us.

After watching the 16th episode, I find myself heartbroken, confused, frustrated... a cluster of emotions and no way to make sense of them. One of the things that left me unsatisfied at the end of this series was a lack of closure. The questions I had at the beginning, the questions I imagined answers to as the characters grew up, these questions... never really got answered.

The ending is a heated debate. But I don't want it to discredit the journey. Heedo, Yijin, Yurim, Jiwoong, and Seungwan's struggles navigating their youth deserves more than that. Episodes 1-13 were absolutely gorgeous. From the cinematography, to the outstanding acting, to the build up we were all waiting for between Heedo and Yijin. There is incredible attention to detail anyone can appreciate. Everything, every scene, has significance. It matters, so watch closely. 2521 represents youth in a very relatable way, yet also makes you long and pine for those special, one of a kind experiences.

The escapist part of myself wants to believe it ended there, that day in the snow.

But reality isn't like that (unfortunately, haha...)

(ending spoilers ahead!)

For me, this is the reason why the ending is so unsettling. Heedo and Yijin had such a magical, fantastical relationship that was built up so well. They leaned on each other during the darkest time of their lives, but their romance ended because of mere growing apart? And they reunite on live television, years later? Never to speak again? After something that was founded on strong friendship, unconditional support, "love in all ways," it bothers me that they aren't even friends in the future. And their personalities were shown to be so strong-willed and passionate in their own ways. Heedo giving up on Yijin was never what I would've expected. Yijin not discussing anything with her is also something I didn't expect. It 100% feels out of character. So, that's why their breakup is so painful... it's not really them. That's what made their separation so difficult. They never saw it coming, after the five years they spent by each other's side, feeling on top of the world and invincible. Those feelings are momentary. To put it simply, things change, whether it's over time or in the blink of an eye. Sometimes you can't put a stop to it. It's such a bleak and hopeless realization in spite of the optimism that pushed them through their youth.

I could write so much more about this and imagine what if situations. Yes, there is indeed a world in which their relationship would have most definitely survived. But their downfall wasn't because of their love for each other fading, it was more because of the situation they were in. Their dreams brought them together, allowed them to stick together--temporarily. This is what hurts the most.

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