In the recent episode of Twenty Five Twenty One, Hee-do moves forward to kiss Yi-jin as they celebrate the new year together.
Hee-do’s mom persuades her to prepare for the college exams, which she initially had no intentions of taking. Only Ji-woong and Hee-do take the CSAT as Seung-wan, who has called out the abusive behavior of their teacher, decides to drop out.
While waiting for the new year, Hee-do stays with Yi-jin after the others leave to celebrate it with their families.
Marcie Line watches Twenty Five Twenty One on Netflix
Episode Recaps: 01 & 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Finale + Review |
Twenty Five Twenty One Episode 12 Key Moments
“So for us, to give up is to face our greatest challenge.”
Reconciling with each other, Hee-do’s mom convinces her to take the college exams instead of being swayed by the money in professional teams.
Ye-ji gets scolded for her intentions to skip training and quit fencing. Coach Yang is against her decision of quitting, seeing it as a slump.
Hearing their teammate out, Yu-rim and Hee-do understand Ye-ji’s sentiments about being serious with her decision to quit. They defend her choice to Coach Yang, skipping training until Coach Yang hears her out.
Coming back to their classroom, Hee-do praises Yu-rim for doing the right thing.
“I don’t want to live just minding my own business just because it doesn’t concern me.”
With the rising trend of wearing the iconic shirt of a fugitive, Ji-woong proudly flaunts it to their schoolmates while walking on the hallway with Seung-wan. However, he gets caught and hit by their teacher.
Unable to tolerate the abuses she has witnessed along with Ji-woong bleeding, Seung-wan stops their teacher and calls the police.
Baffled by her move, she is brought to the office in the school, but the police do not hear her complaint. They dismiss it, saying that the school shall handle it internally.
At the precinct, Yi-jin overhears another reporter asking for the details about the recent issue in Tae Yang High School.
Realizing the intentions of the reporter, he tries to call Seung-wan, but she does not answer. Yi-jin arrives right in time to stop Seung-wan from agreeing to be in an interview with the reporter who will only exploit her to put the blame on the students.
“Well begun is half done! So please do it before you say anything!”
Yi-jin takes on to cover a baseball game in the same location as the fencing match. As it is rainy, Yi-jin’s notes get soaked in the rain, but this does not hinder him from reporting. He continues with his memory of the game he covered, impressing his workmates.
Meeting up with Hee-do, Yi-jin encounters a foreigner speaking French, and he becomes impressed when Hee-do arrives in time to handle the situation as she is fluent in French.
With what happened in the recent baseball game, arguing fans in the restaurant triggers Hee-do. However, Yi-jin takes her outside as they recognize her as a famous fencer.
Going back to the hotel, Yi-jin and Hee-do share an umbrella together on a rainy night.
“Whenever you’re having a hard time, remind yourself how difficult it was to start.”
With a condition to reach the quarterfinals at the nationals, Coach Yang will accept Ye-ji’s decision to quit fencing. Hearing those, Yu-rim and Hee-do train together with Ye-ji, and she succeeds with notable progress and improvement.
They cheer for Ye-ji on her match, and she wins it with full smiles on their team. Coach Yang congratulates her, and tries to persuade Ye-ji to end her career in the quarterfinals. However, she declines the offer as she is determined to quit. She informs Coach Yang about her plans to try baking, becoming a patissier, and Coach Yang wholeheartedly accepts it and lets her go.
Seung-wan gets called by their teacher for her radio broadcast, and the teacher gives her the chance to redeem herself by writing an apology letter to be read in front of everyone, admitting she was wrong.
However, Seung-wan stands firm with her choice to drop out, and even Ji-woong could not stop her. Her mom supports her decision to drop out, and causes a scene at the school, confronting the abusive teacher Seung-wan called out.
Seung-wan bids farewell, and her classmates wish her good luck. She happily leaves school, and together with Ye-ji jumps out of the school gate to be greeted by Yu-rim and Hee-do.
“I think of someone else more than you. And I shouldn’t be doing that.”
Coming back from buying milk in the hotel, Hee-do’s ex-boyfriend Jung Ho-jin talks with Yi-jin, and tells about his breakup with Hee-do. With the words and questions of Ho-jin, Yi-jin stresses how serious and respectable Hee-do is, and that she deserves the greatest experience.
As the day of the CSAT comes, Hee-do and Ji-woong are cheered on by Seung-wan, Yu-rim, and Yi-jin.
Hanging out in Yi-jin’s room to wait for the new year, they all wonder about the year 2000, the new millennium which causes mixed emotions on the possibility of the end of the world.
Thinking about their families, Yu-rim, Seung-wan, and Ji-woong leave Yi-jin’s room. Hee-do is left alone with him, watching the television waiting for the new year, and moving forward for a kiss.
Twenty Five Twenty One Episode 12 Musings
Inspiring lessons about quitting are highlighted in this episode. Quitting in something does not always indicate failure, but a way to see a new beginning in life. Though she could continue fencing, she is still determined to quit, and her stance is respectable.
Standing by your own principles takes up a whole lot of courage. Seung-wan, who has taken care of her academics, does not take the CSAT, having only Hee-do and Ji-woong the only ones taking the test.
Ji-woong tried to stop Seung-wan, but she still chose to drop out. Even her mother is supportive, and she even defends Jo-woong also to the teacher, demanding him to apologize also to the student. Seung-wan and her mother are inspiring figures who advocate for change in the system even in the face of sacrificing your academic track.
Talking about change, more visible progress comes between Yi-jin and Hee-do. Yi-jin becomes clearer on how he sees Hee-do, and Hee-do also moves forward towards Yi-jin with her actions.
As they are nearing finishing high school, they are turning twenty. With the episodes left, it makes you wonder about the turn of events in their relationship as they near the age stated in the title.
We shall continue to enjoy their shared moments together as long as it lasts, while also looking forward to the possible direction of their relationship.
Watch the latest episodes of Twenty Five Twenty One every Saturday and Sunday on Netflix.
Photos: tvN
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