Twenty Five Twenty One

A Forced 1998: Why Twenty-Five Twenty-One Feels Too Modern and Engineered

The series presents itself as if it’s set in 1998, but it doesn’t feel that way at all. The clothing, hair, aesthetics, and surroundings , the way they are talking and acting, all feel very 2022. Nothing about it feels like 1998 in any real way.

Second, they neutralized almost any possibility of romantic feelings. There are hints here and there as the episodes progress, but it feels forced, as if they were trying to meet politically correct standards. It stands out to me as someone who has watched very old films from that period, which were completely different in those aspects. Even in the early 2000s, it wasn’t like this at all. Political correctness like that simply didn’t exist.

In practice, they also don’t have chemistry, and it feels very forced. I’d even say that at some point I started thinking the screenwriter may have actually intended to write a GL story, and maybe that would have been more convincing. Personally, I’m not really interested in that, and I don’t like the GL genre, but it definitely seems to be leaning in that direction. Maybe it’s intentional, a wink to Western audiences.

That said, there are some beautiful dialogues, for example when they’re in the fencing hall, and there is depth in the dialogue. It’s very possible that the script was one thing, but the direction turned into something else because of certain constraints.

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Disgusting, gross and problematic

Heya guys, want to get a girlfriend?

Easy! Go to your nearest highschool and emotionally manipulate a confused and outcast teenager until she eventually falls in love with you even tho she doesn't know what she is doing! But it's ok, you were patient, you waited until she was a legal adult who was confused and didn't know what she was doing!

Don't worry everyone will be fine with it!

Or you can just obsessively learn everything about your target crush, to the point that you are mentally dependent on her existence and you treat her like she's your posession, but that is so cute and romantic!!!

This show is gross, grosser than gross. So gross that I could vomit.

For 8 episodes it's a really cute, wholesome show about a young girl pursuing her dream. After that, it devolves into highschool melodrama tropes, complete nonsense, and then pretends to be emotional and heavy in the final episodes, whilist also encouraging some toxic ideas that are incredibly problematic.

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MAKES ME DREAM AGAIN!

I was excited to watch this series because of Nam Joo-hyuk to be honest.. but then the plot is making me cheer for all of the characters. They way they are all so innocent and living for their dreams.. makes me remember how great it feels to have a dream and while working hard to achieve it is fruitful enough.
I'm so glad I've begun to watch it! I can't believe how much I'd have missed if I didn't.

The character Na hee-do is not a typical female character, the way nothing stops her from perusing her passion about fencing.. is something we all could learn from. And our male lead, playing Baek yi-jin is for now in a messed up place, but because of yee-do he's beginning to hope again! I can't wait to see what happens later on in the series with them!!

The whole plot, the team of actors, and the ost, I can't ask for more.. because this series have it all! I hope it receives much appraisals from people all around the world. And gives hope to all of us in times like these.
Being said that, please I can't wait for the nect episodes.. watching an ongoing kdrama has its downsides y'all.

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If you decide to watch it, I really do hope that it'll lift up your spirits like it did mine.

Firstly - I LOVE NA HEEDO. She is my favourite protagonist now!! And Baek Yijin is pretty awesome too.

All the characters are vibrant and honest. The stories within the greater story explore different perspectives on concerns about status and money, different types of love that are all real and meaningful, loss, failure, resilience, the complexity of human relationships, accepting others' belief in you, believing in yourself and other people, the phosphorescent shine of realistic optimism - just to touch a few of the themes.

The production is amazing - the settings are colourful and nostalgic, the shots can be humorous or heart-wrenchingly cinematic and the OST slaps. I don't know if this will ever reach the eyes of writer Kwon Do-eun and director Jung Ji-hyun, the actors and the creative team but you all have my full support (haha). Thank you for creating what is, in my humble opinion, a masterpiece!!!

To anyone else reading this: if you decide to watch it, I really do hope that it'll lift up your spirits like it did mine.

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The kind of story that made me feel everything is temporary.

By watching this, I realized that you will likely forget many of your most exciting moments with friends or family throughout your life, and that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. You will only experience your teenage life once, so cherish it. The ending was an example of that. Even though Baek Yi-Jin and Na Hee-Do were there for each other at their lowest, they didn't end up together. Everything you cherish might be gone tomorrow. Also, the OST in this kdrama was phenomenal. I know the song "Twenty Five Twenty One" by Jaurim is not from this kdrama, but it suits so perfectly. I'm repeating it constantly every day, by hearing this I could feel like I'm watching the kdrama again and again. Best korean song.

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this kdrama might not be liked by everyone because of its ending, this is just my opinion

this kdrama made me cry a river, it hurted but I loved the pain. If I have to describe it in 3 words it's bittersweet, youth, friendship. hands down, the best youth kdrama I watched. Na hee do is a determined fencer whom no matter how hard it gets keep working hard. when her school fencing club closes. She decides to go to Ko yu rim's, her idols school for fencing for which she tries to get herself out of the school trying fights, underage drinking. In this she meets Ye jin who knocks some sense in her telling her to talk to her mother directly, with whom she has a really bad relationship. they both had a chaotic first meet where Ye jin is just giving newspapers around as he throws the newspaper it ends up breaking the peeing boys statue. I laughed soo hard when Na hee do came to confront him. this all is written in Na hee do's diary which is being read by her daughter. Seeing this Kdrama I wonder how must've my mom's life as a teenager been... Probably better than mine I'm just staring at my phone 24/7. I really loved the kdrama even though the last 2 episodes killed me. i kind of find their reason for breakup a little unreasonable. Both Ye jin and Na hee do were way too busy for each other but that's not the reason for their breakup it's the lack of communication. The last interview broke me when it was revealed that Na hee do was married to someone else even though it wasn't revealed who. the last scene where Ye jin was trying to log into an application where it asks for his first love with a sigh he wrote "Na Hee Do" it fucking broke me I had 3 mental break downs because of this Kdrama but I don't regret watching it and I never will.

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I'm watching this because of kim taeri! the projects that kim taeri brings must always look beautiful and fresh, before I watched this I really felt that this drama gave a beautiful and nostalgic impression, full of emotion, sadness and laughter wrapped in a fresh and warm format, a simple plot format but able to give something new with all the varied scenes in it. Thus the audience will still be addicted to watching it.

from the start, this drama emphasized a dream, the agility of being a teenager, I was reminded of the lyrics of taylor swift's song "nothing new" like 'how can a person know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?' the lyrics really describe the portrait of the main character in this story, na heedo.

Na heedo who is passionate in his dreams, she is someone who is principled and doesn't want to lose so don't be surprised if yall will see his cheerful, weird, annoying and outspoken personality.

I like the plot depiction of forward and backward plots presented in being harmony by showing the struggle to achieve dreams and challenges in it with the results of these achievements which then become an effect for those around them until now.
friendship, a love story that affects the change in identity from someone aged 18 to adulthood.

warm and passionate nostalgia makes everything feel nice and romantic. but nostalgia still called nostalgia which means the "past". doesn't stay forever will definitely go too.
people come and go, dreams that have been achieved can be finished when it's time to finish, but the beautiful memories that made up the identity remain forever.

this drama really describes nothing last forever in life. all achievements, pleasures and happy endings of life are not always permanent, in the future we never know what will happen, such as death, and soulmate. we really don't know about those things.

although in most films and dramas with a happy ending or happy goals is being as inspirations for audience , but being grateful for everything include your weakness as it is also a happy ending.

open ending about love, friendship, family and career makes us think with various questions such as "how they live..." "how are they now.." we determine the answer to that question.

REMEMBER ! nothing last forever, but good memories will last forever.
that's how the characters in this drama feel.

NOTES: this drama is a melo-drama and nostalgia genre, it will definitely make the audience empty, lonely but happy to be touched because finally the character's life journey is formed from nothing into extraordinary characters. a love story that is so sweet, passionate and intimate that forms the main character in this drama is so beautiful and then ends with a form of self-achievement, beautiful yet tragic.. because the separation in it validates us when we are 25 and 21.
that's what the screenwriter is trying to convey to the audience.
at any age in a love story there must be a difference in it and accept a different ending, but the memory in it is equally beautiful and unforgettable, that's first love, first journey and first goals means.
FOR THOSE WHO LIKE SOMETHING POETICAL, and SLOWBURN TROPE will be very easy for you to enjoy.

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (2024 review)

This drama is the first 10/10 I have seen in a while.

I really enjoyed watching the main characters develop into adults achieving every single one of their dreams.

The story is very well written with a bitter sweet ending. It talks about first love as what it should be… a first love, a memory, and that’s what we get through the diaries. It is a story that hits close to my heart and will always remember. This k-drama is different from what we are used to, found myself screaming, crying, laughing all at the same time.

What I also found fascinating was the accuracy they had regarding the historical events at the time, it matched to what was happening at the 90s/early 2000s. It felt way more realistic with this factor in mind.

My favorite male lead by far from all the dramas I’ve watched.


Give it a go if you need to have a good cry.

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I’m finally brave enough to accept the ending

Watching Twenty-Five Twenty-One again years later made me realize that the ending was actually perfect.

The first time I watched it, I was focused on whether Hee-do and Yi-jin would end up together. Like many viewers, I wanted the fairytale ending. But after revisiting the series, I realized that the story was never really about two people being destined to stay together forever. It was about how deeply they loved each other during a specific chapter of their lives.

What makes the ending so powerful is that it reflects reality. Not every great love story ends in marriage or happily-ever-after. Sometimes people meet at exactly the right moment, help each other become who they are meant to be, and then move in different directions. That does not make their love any less real or meaningful.

Hee-do and Yi-jin were each other’s comfort, strength, and source of growth during some of the most important years of their lives. Their relationship shaped them, even if it wasn’t permanent. The heartbreak of the ending is precisely what makes it memorable—it honors the idea that some relationships are meant to be treasured rather than preserved forever.

Years later, I no longer see the ending as sad. I see it as honest. We didn’t get to watch a love story that lasted forever; we got to watch a love story unfold. And that’s what makes Twenty-Five Twenty-One so special.

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2521 my fav drama

This drama is truly one of the most beautiful and memorable Korean dramas ever made. The story is heartwarming, emotional, and filled with nostalgic feelings about youth, friendship, first love, and chasing dreams. Every episode feels meaningful and realistic, as if it gently brings viewers back to their own teenage years full of passion and hope. The acting performances are absolutely outstanding, especially from Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk, who deliver natural and powerful portrayals of their characters. Their chemistry feels genuine and sincere, making the relationship between the main leads incredibly touching and believable. The storyline is well written, balanced with humor, sadness, excitement, and life lessons that stay in your heart long after watching. The cinematography is beautiful, the soundtrack perfectly matches every scene, and the dialogues are simple yet deeply moving. What makes this drama special is that it is not only about romance, but also about growth, hard work, failure, and learning to move forward in life. The friendship between the characters is warm and inspiring, showing the true value of supporting each other through difficult times. Watching Twenty Five Twenty One feels like going on an emotional journey full of laughter and tears. It is a drama that makes you smile, cry, and fall in love with the characters at the same time. Without a doubt, this drama is a masterpiece that deserves to be watched again and again.

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I’m absolutely not okay

If you’re looking for a one-way ticket to emotional vertigo, this is it. It’s a masterclass in the "hurt so good" trope where the chemistry is so electric you’ll find yourself giggling like a schoolgirl over a ship that the show tells you on page one of their outcome. Kim Tae-ri is absolutely brilliant, pivoting from a chaotic ball of sunshine to a heartbroken pro with terrifying ease, while Nam Joo-hyuk delivers the kind of mature, "anchoring" energy that makes their eventual dynamic feel like a literal slap in the face.


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Watching them transition from "I have to have you" to a professional "congratulations on your wedding" is a cocktail of disaster that I hated every second of, yet I couldn't look away. It’s a beautiful, bittersweet nightmare that proves the most haunting people aren't ghosts, they're the ones who are just existing in a world where they no longer belong to you.

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Twenty-Five Twenty-One is not just a K-drama, it’s a feeling.

This drama talks about youth, dreams, friendships, and first love in a very honest way. It doesn’t try to be perfect or unreal — it feels like real life, especially if you’re young or standing at the beginning of adulthood.

What I love most is how deeply emotional yet gentle it is. The characters grow, change, and try their best, even when life doesn’t go as planned. While watching it, you don’t just watch their story — you remember your own moments, your own hopes, your own people.

I watched this drama twice at different stages of my life, and it felt completely different each time. That’s how you know it’s special.

If you’re looking for something meaningful, realistic, and unforgettable — this drama is worth watching. Please don’t rush it. Feel it.
'starlight :)

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