Erika Song

I think yes!

So guys...uhm, is it happy ending? Lol. I can really take satisfying endings even melancholic ones, but my heart was shattered into pieces and trampled on by the last ongoing drama that I've watched and I'm hoping that at least the romance here ended on a good note as in together?

Even this ending had a lot of hope unlike 2521. I'm so devastated.

I don't think he chose to work in New York because of financial status, he felt a sense of responsibility there. But, even I think that this was very cruel for the writing to let Yijin do.

"this drama was sad from the very beginning. since i already knew the ending, even the bright part felt nostalgic and sad. i was sad and heartbroken when i saw the ending.

still, i think the audience gave us a lot of love because na heedo and baek yijin were so pretty. during pre-promotion, we called it "the story of everyone's first love" but it was much more beautiful than that. the relationship between the two was so special and beautiful that i wonder who has ever had such a first love. heedo was really lovely and baek yijin was a really warm person.

i think that's why people who support the two naturally wanted the story to end in marriage. if i were part of the audience, i would have too. i'm sorry to everyone who gave us so much love. i'm sad too."

ㅡ kim taeri, on the ending of twenty five, twenty one
source: https://ssaktaeri.tumblr.com/post/680560917505835008/this-drama-was-sad-from-the-very-beginning-since

Just putting it here to everyone that feels depressed with the ending. I just want you to know that your feelings are valid and it's okay if you feel disappointed with the ending of a drama you once enjoyed and loved to bits. We cannot always interpret the ending in the same way as others do. We can also take time to process things. Believe me, I know 2521 is not only a romance and I am mostly satisfied with how they wrapped up the story of Na Hee Do and Ko Yu Rim which are both amazing, if this drama didn't show me Baekdo's great love and I only had to witness Heedo and Yurim's friendship, I think I will end up very satisfied and happy.

I also loved that we had a non-toxic male character and Nam Joo Hyuk owned him and made him even better. Their acting was top-notch and every time I think of their last hug and the nightmare of Baek Yi Jin, I knew that Baekdo's love for each other is worth fighting for. I stand by my perception that the writer had this ending planned out from the very first start she started writing it. She wrote the characters beautifully and while some parts of the ending of course can be understood logically, I do think the spirits of the characters were condensed to fit her initial ending. The characters were so out of control for 13 episodes (in a beautiful way) and to everyone who appreciated their love, their feelings, and everything that they did as two individuals, we interpreted and gave meaning to it as something very beautiful and precious and really worth fighting for. And I hoped the writer let the characters write their own story for the remaining episodes as well.

It was good that Na Hee Do became a good mother, finally fixed her relationship with her mother, had the best youth, and most of all got her own private space in the workshop for her father, but I sincerely believe that it was not displayed as powerful as Baekdo's relationship. I don't even think that we had the perfect amount of exposure to Na Hee Do's life in the present that made others sympathize or relate with her. If you had watched the animated movie, "Only Yesterday" and want to feel nostalgic about youth and you want to free yourself from pains from the past, it's a very healing movie and it would've been better if that same amount of exposure that the present woman in the movie had was same from what we've got with older Heedo. I don't want to put it here but the way they also provided subtle clues that Heedo and Yijin could've still ended up with a happy family and with how they build up the suspense, I believe it's a trick to hook us from the start to finish and this is one of the reasons why some viewers were left feeling betrayed.

I may accept this ending just to let go of the pain, but I think I need more time to do so. And when I do that, I want to think that Baekdo are living in an alternate universe, where communication, efforts and their courage to fight for their great love won. Every time I see Yurim's mother and father, I think Heedo and Yijin could've been that.

It's a love worth fighting for, not protecting for—at least for me.

Definitely my sentiments now. I read on twitter that the reason Jiwoong and Yurim persevere was because they communicated, but while it is true, I think it's a personal choice from the writer. They could also have big problems as their relationship progressed, 10 years of relationship would not be smooth sailing as well, but we saw them make it looked like the healthiest relationship for everyone only because we are deprived of their struggles. Had we known their struggles, some might think that it was also worth giving up for. I purely believe that Baekdo can still make it if they tried to fought for their relationship instead of parting in the bus stop scene. They will make more of an effort and compromise. Heedo will learn that Yijin doesn't need to share everything to her, because that's not possible and that her presence is already enough for him to get by just like what his recordings did to her and Yijin will learn to prioritize his health and relationship with her. I think even in the marriage of Heedo she learns to compromise as well and it's sad that the writer didn't change the initial ending she had in mind even though it's clear that the characters have grown so much and they would've fought for such kind of love or at the very least tried and if all things fail, they will become friends again. It has been such a great love and not just first love that is worth looking back to—for me, it is the kind of love that you would want to live with for the rest of your life with your favorite person, that's why I myself included was very devastated and depressed with how they ended just saying goodbye. I couldn't believe their story ended that way and I was stripped of the chance to learn more about the present timeline as well and instead had the montage of their flashback as friends, lovers, confidant and even their moments with the squad only made me even sadder.

It could have been really the greatest coming of age love story, they had the foundation and the writer still chose to break it. Yijin from episode 9 and Heedo from episode 13 would not do this. :(

They should've reconciled at that and communicated with their relationship. I know Yijin and Heedo from episode 9 and 13 would do that. At least, I know their love is something worth giving a shot for. I don't think they also protected it as it seems to me they no longer reconciled even in the present as both friends. It's just so heartbreaking, even the hug scene from the beach and Baek Yi Jin's nightmare is haunting me in a depressing way.

I didn't like La La Land's ending because I hated that they were still thinking of the "what ifs", but I didn't think theirs as beautiful as Heedo and Yijin's. :(

Everything was heartbreaking because I knew their story could've concluded very well and even more deserving. It is just painful...but in a very depressing way.

It's simple, the writer wanted that. It is not they just both communicated, that is because that's what the writer wants. (:

I really do think the writer intended them to break apart but the stories that the characters of Heedo and Yijin wanted were told for 13 episodes. It was obvious that the writing was opting for a different direction in episode 14, with how fast she destroyed our hopes that they did not get together. And with so many obstacles she tried to incorporate. Still, I hoped that they would overcome it because that's what they always do. At least, I hoped that like Yeji from Taeyang's fencing squad, they shoul've tried before they gave up. I do think if they tried again, Yijin can compromise and they can make an effort for the relationship to work again.

I think their love is really worth another shot.

The writer was already adamant that they should break up when she wrote that Yijin wouldn't even consult that NYC applying position to Heedo. Still, to me, their love is worth giving another shot, I do think even if this had happened, Yijin could've make a compromise. They would put effort to their relationship, I know they would and I would want to believe they will be able to make it. They will look back on it very fondly when they get older as something that they achieved together.

"If their youth was just practice, when is the real game?"

You've got something here and I really didn't like that practice thing, what a way to discredit all the hardwork of youth

LOL

It's true that Heedo's relationship with her mom is already hard, but with proper communication and effort to put in her relationship with Yijin, I feel like they can make it. Atleast, I know they tried because that seems to be in character or make them friends at least after that. It's also not in character with them selves in episode 9 and 13. :( She even married another one who also travels overseas. :(

Her husband is still busy tho and always in overseas.

I definitely agree with you, but I guess we will never know. I just hoped someone will write a fan fiction regarding this and a better ending alternative to everyone. I hope someone really do.

It's okay if you don't.

Also not to mention with all the hints from the drama that led us to believe they could actually be the endgame. I think it's just a production and marketing trick, I really hated that.