Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

Whats so special about it?

Its gotten so popular out of nowhere and I assume its because of its great cast but this kdrama was such a drag and bore throughout most of the episodes. I guess you really have to love these characters to enjoy most of its episodes but I just couldn't bring myself to find anything interesting. I do admit though that at the end of the episodes like the last few episodes roped me in and I really enjoyed it! So I guess I enjoyed their adult years more than when their story spoke about their teen years which was most of the show...I also found the main characters' relationship weird mostly because of when they met she was underage and he was older. I think those two would've remained best if they always stayed as friends and I'm glad they didn't end up together in the end because there was simply no chemistry between them, in my opinion.

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The drama was an inspiring youth drama... not until it gets to ep15&16
I'm not into happy endings since it's usually predictable but this one didn't gave me that satisfactory of a good ending. Probably the most disappointing ending I ever watched yet.
The story is realistic which is good but it hits you that change is constant and it's inevitable; that no matter how happy you are right now, you can't stay as is forever.
The writer is good at building up viewer's attachment to the characters only to put us into slump in the end.
The story revolves around what Hee Do wrote on her diary so it ended when she found her last diary, that I understand, but it's so unsatisfying since it leaves a lot of questions; not just his husband's identity but also what happened to the others in the future. No matter how adult Hee Do looks happy and satisfied with her current life, the ending still felt sad and depressing at some point.
The type of drama that's so good but also painful to rewatch until the end
Despite my rant, ep1-14 is actually good so I'm giving it a high rating.

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An epic!!

A must watch drama
It will made u realise the dreams are more important than love...
I too deny the the fact that they break up atleast but till it will show how life moves on..
So i highly recommend you to watch this drama...
Be ready with ur tissue becoz it will flow like a riverr...
Not everyone deserves an happy ending
Now about the second lead...
It will bee soo cute to watch their scenes... And they will last forever
And about friendship shared btw the mains will be awesome...
And the director didnt miss anything its an complete packagee....
Never ever give up on ur dreams...
What we gained from this story:
Even though life puts you in difficult situation there will be someone who motivates us even in that situation and they will be reason for your success..... But sometimes we have leave that person for their happiness and one we only have memories to cherish and its enough
Chemistry between the leads:
It will bring butterflies in our stomach
Conclusion :
If you have loosed your hope give this drama a try and you will filled with hopes

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What's with the ending??

Like I said what's with the ending ??! I was expecting a relatively good ending since they both suffered especially Back YiJin But why does it end like that.
I liked the story how they met, they changed each other's lives and was courage for each other. The way they still think and remember each other even tho they broke up long ago. Na HeeDo still loves YiJin that's what it looks like, I feel bad for her current husband. YiJin remembers HeeDo when he sees the rainbow that melts my heart I really wished they end up together.
About the rewatch value I will for sure rewatch this because it's unique and unforgottable for me. I would've been happier if I watched it for the first time again and again - yes, that's how much I loved it. The cast being Kim TaeRi and Nam JooHyuk, her being older than him and playing a teen girl role is okay with me since she played it well.

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"Watch the fireworks. Life is long and fireworks are short."

This particular line got me the first time I watched 2521 and, after a rewatch, it made me believe that it's intentionally put there as a summary of the drama's message.

The drama is a glimpse into Na Hee-do's and Baek Yi-jin's lives in a time they were forced to grow up in order to survive . When the IMF crisis hit up, they were victims in their own ways. Fencing was the one thing Hee-do loved the most, but she was going through a slump and her mom didn't support her dream of becoming an athlete. After Hee-do's fencing team got called off for lack of funds, she had to put all of her determination in action to find a way to keep pursuing her dreams. Yi-jin's family's business went bankrupt and his family had to scatter away. All of a sudden, he had to leave college, was all by himself without any money and having to be an adult for his younger brother - it didn't help that creditors were going after him after his dad had to disappear for a while. He rented a room around Hee-do's neighborhood and got himself some part-time jobs, and that's when they met.

Hee-do's courage and impulsiveness amazes the filled with despair Yi-jin, while Yi-jin is a source of comfort for Hee-do when she doesn't find anyone to support her in her endeavors. Because they were together helping and encouraging each other, dark times became lighter and full of friendship and joy. Taking part on that joy are the friends they make along the way and who brought even more light into Hee-do's and Yi-jin's lives, and it was a delight to see them growing up together and overcoming their fears and obstacles. The world isn't nice to them, but they learn how to take beauty even from the hardships.

2521 is a beautiful drama that highlights how magnificent being young can be, how we feel infinite and invincible and see everything with the brightest hope; how some moments can be filled with the most absolute bliss and others with heart wrenching pain, but have equally important roles in our process of growing up. And most importantly, that because nothing is eternal, we should enjoy each moment to its fullest, specially the happiest ones - they are like fireworks: pretty and loud, but nonetheless short.

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In My Opinion It’s A Perfect Show

Right I don’t know what to say, I just finished the last episode and I’m still crying. That was such a beautiful show and it has completely wrecked me.

It was so funny my favourite moment was the way Back Yi-jin dodged the kiss in episode thirteen but honestly every episode had me laughing out loud at one point.

And then at the end of episode thirteen when Back Yi-jin said “Congratulations on your marriage.” or words to that effect, that’s when I knew that this show was going to break me and it has.

All the characters felt so alive and real and I think that’s why it’s gotten to me. In the last episode when they were are the bus stop and the cherry blossoms were out, that was one of the prettiest shots I’ve ever seen and the whole show is just so pretty.

And then in that post-credit scene right at the end, you don’t see his face but you can see the salt and pepper hair of Back Yi-jin and when the website is like “What is the name of your first love?” and he put “Na Hee-do” that just set me off crying again right after I thought I ok.

Basically, I know I’ve missed out big chunks of stuff and characters that I want to talk about but I’m sad please cut me some slack. It’s a perfect show I love it and everyone should watch it.


I’ve just read some reviews and I’ve seen loads of people complaining about the ending. Honestly, I liked the ending even if it made me cry (like a lot) yes it may have been nice to find out who Min-chae’s father was but then it may felt a bit shoehorned and I would rather have ambiguity than a cheap surprise.

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A very beautiful story AND an ending as well.

I hope I got your attention with my title. Contrary to many people who had breakdowns after watching the climax, I felt relieved. I felt the ending was not only realistic but also very beautiful. I have watched this series over the span of two months, so there is a possibility of me missing details with respect to the story and stuff, but I am going to write this review with all the emotions the series has put me through. This review might get long and will have spoilers.

As the plot summary says, it is a story of 2 friends, Na Hee-Do and Baek Yi-Jin with an age gap of 4 years growing closer and closer and finally starting a relationship when they turn ~21 and 25. Hee-Do is a fencer and Yi-Jin is a news reporter.

More than saying they were in a relationship at their 21 and 25, we can say, they faced very big twists, learned lessons, and matured emotionally during their 21 and 25. So yes, unlike many people saying they got together at their 21 and 25, I'd say they experienced love as well as heartbreaks at 21 and 25, and this my friend brings even more beauty to the title of the series.

This series is more than just 'romance'. This series speaks about rivalry, admiration towards colleagues, friendship, sportsmanship, unsaid apologies, AND LOVE. The series starts off from Min-chae's (Hee-do's daughter) POV and pretty much continues the same till the end. She is a ballet dancer who wants to give it up as she is in a slump/ lost interest. And in a break she took off from the ballet, she visits her grandmother and ends up finding and reading her mother's diaries. The story is in those dairies;

1. The story of how 'Na Hee-Do, a very outgoing high schooler and a fencer in a slump, does everything to practice fencing in the same school as her fencing idol Ko Yu-Rim and ends up becoming her RIVAL and thereby a very dear FRIEND'. ---> This talks admiration to rivalry to friendship.

2. The story of how 'Ko Yu-Rim, a very kind-hearted, family-oriented, gold medalist fencer, who was finding ways to project all her insecurities and hate towards her co-fencer Na Hee-Do but ends up finding solace in that same person'. ---> Sportsmanship and empathy.

3. The story of how 'Moon Ji-Woong, a guy interested in anything but education finds his passion, love and does everything to make a life out of those and to keep them sustained'. ---> Passion.

4. The story of how 'Ji Seung-Wan, a topper and a private talk show host, despite having everything still feels how empty and boring her life is and how she holds on to all the principles she believes in.' ---> Determination.

5. The story of how 'Baek Yi-Jin, the first son of a bankrupted once-rich family, struggles hard to make ends meet and bring his dispersed family together by starting off with small jobs and rising till a news anchor position'. ---> IDK man, he is everything. He is a RAINBOW!

All the other characters, Hee-Do's mother, Yu-Rim's parents, Seung-Wan's mother, and Yi-Jin's brother, all of them added to the story very much and brought so much life.

Story: I will give it a 10/10. The writers did a terrific job. If this sort of story isn't real I don't know what is? It is time we accept not every love story ends in marriage even in the K-Drama world. This story covers so many emotions that many of us experience on a very regular basis.

Screenplay and Direction: I will give this a 10/10 too. Not a single unnecessary filler scene, no unnecessary character, everything is in the right amount.

Action: 10/10. Am I giving too many 10s? Nam Joo-Hyuk did a wonderful job. His tears feel very personal. He is the right choice for the character Yi-Jin. Another actor might have done a nice job too, but now I can't imagine someone else doing this role. Kim Tae-Ri, Bona, Choi Hyun-Wook, Lee Ju-Myung all have shined very well in their high school roles and uniforms as well. Totally loved everyone's acting, especially the main 5 actors'.

OST: This series despite having many BOMB OSTs, I personally loved 'Your existence' by Wonstein. And towards the end, in ep 16 we hear 'Your world' by Seol Hoseung. This song hits rightly. I might have misheard, but this song has got some mix of 'Coldplay - Fix you' in its instrumentals. And if that's the case I would be even happier cause then the song adds more depth to the scene.

Ending: This is where many people called out the writers for their 'poor writing'. But if you ask me, the series stands out because of its ending. Hee-Do and Yi-Jin broke up cause they can no longer make it work. It was in 2002 that they broke up. There was no video calling, no WhatsApp or Instagram to stay in touch 24*7. In a timeline as such, when each other's love is not providing the same support anymore, the breakup is the right decision. It is better to cut on it rather than endure it till they both break. Some say that Yi-Jin had a chance to make it 'right(?)' when he read Hee-Do's dairy. Yes, he did, but after reading how the words went from 'we bought couple of suitcases' to 'goodbye' he chose not to chase her anymore BUT accepted that their relationship fell apart. None of them are to be held responsible for the breakup. In the 20s even we lose our friends and many relations and they are portrayed the same in the series. I personally think not making them get back together is a nice and mature move. One more thing many people were upset about was not showing Hee-Do's husband. Does she have one or not? But hey! isn't the series about the 5 friends? They have shown how those 5 have grown up and that is enough. Hee-Do's husband is never important in this story, TBH Min-Chae too. But she is the reason this whole story started (via diaries) so it is OK to have scenes around her. But it is fair to never show Hee-Do's husband if she has one.

The story is of 5 friends, their ups, downs, love, laughter, and lives. We got it all in the right amount. I have no complaints about this story. I would definitely re-watch and re-watch it. I suggest you watch it at least once. I enjoyed watching Twenty five - Twenty one and I enjoyed writing this review too. I hope you do too, watching and reading my review.

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waiting for the day i ugly cry at the ending...

LOVE IT! friends to lovers has always been my favorite trope (and when said friends are played by kim tae ri and nam joo hyuk, you can't help but love it even more)! particularly, what this drama does SO well (that other youth dramas fail to do) is the gradual growth in maturity both characters experience coupled with its realism: from achieving ones dreams to struggling with hardship, i truly truly related with the raw sentiments expressed by the absolutely wonderful main cast. felt myself slogging through the first couple of episodes, but stuck with it and found myself watching one my favorite on screen couples of all time. but i've been putting off the heartbreak for a year now... one day i'll subject myself to the suffering that is the last two episodes...

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Grateful with this drama ❤️

I never wrote a review, but I feel like a have to this time.
This drama has blow my mind. I finished the chapter 14 two days ago and still I can't gebit off my mind. It can seem exagerated but I'm feeling too many things by watching this. This make me feel overwhelmed by feelings, and I don't know how to stop it. I was just bored when I decided to play this one, I didn't know it would impact me this much. I don't remember the last time I smiled and laughed that hard with a drama, I don't remember the last time I were so happy watching a drama.

Actors/ Characters.

I didn't know Kim Tae Ri, I never watched a drama of hers but the name seemed familiar. So, I really thought that the actress was a teenager girl. She played so well that it's not like "she's so good actress", it just seems like she's not acting at all. Nam Hee Do is so adorable yet so madure, and she makes me laugh the most omg.
Nam Joo Hyuk... I had a lot of

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Realistic for the most....

Although I'm also not a fan of the "not so happily ever ending", I think we all can relate to this story in one way or another. Everyone i know have had that one great love with that great group of best friends having the time of theyre lives that they can sit around & reminise & tell theyre children about..."the good ole days". It wouldve been amazing if Hee Do & Back Jin got together in the end but in reality, most "real-life" stories of growing up turn out more so like this. For that reason, Im not as disappointed over the ending.

Despite the ending, I really enjoyed this group of young actors and theyre chemistry together! They all were so excellent & have brilliant acting futures ahead of themselves. They had me engrossed in the story & I felt every last emotion as they portrayed. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

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