Looking back on fond memories of one’s youth, Twenty Five Twenty One appreciates the period of growth and recovery.
Not all first loves blossom and last until the end. Although it may not be sweet or easy to accept, it sure was a beautiful process of a period that encouraged individual growth.
- Main Cast: Kim Tae Ri | Nam Joo Hyuk | Bona | Choi Hyun Wook | Lee Joo Myung
- Supporting Cast: Seo Jae Hee | Kim Hye Eun | Choi Myung Bin | Choi Min Young
- Streaming Site: Netflix
- Romance/Addictive Meter:
- Overall Rating:
- Rewatch Value:
- K-Dramas of Similar Vibe: The Third Charm | Reply 1988 | Reply 1997 | Reply 1994 | Racket Boys
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 Finale Key Moments
“We’re lovers only during the good times, and a burden to each other in the bad times.”
Appointed to the office in New York, Yi-jin calls Hee-do to tell her about it. Already aware of where it is headed, Hee-do tells Yi-jin that she wants him to stop feeling sorry for her.
Coming back to Korea, Yi-jin’s luggage is exchanged with Hee-do’s. Hee-do leaves the luggage to the receptionist, but Yi-jin claims his and brings Hee-do’s to her house.
As she goes to see her bag at the gate, Hee-do catches up to Yi-jin leaving, and confronts him about their relationship. In front of the place they first met, they break up.
Drinking all together with Yi-jin absent, Hee-do reveals to them that she and Yi-jin have broken up. Meanwhile, Ji-woong and Yu-rim declare their plans of getting married.
With her phone soaked, Hee-do cancels her couple’s phone plan, but the consent of Yi-jin is also needed. In her training, Hee-do faints, and writes in her diary thinking about the hurtful words she has said while breaking up.
Yi-jin receives a parcel with Hee-do’s lost diary, and thinking about that while waiting for the bus, he rushes to Hee-do’s house. Hee-do also rushes to see him, and they meet each other at the bus stop, hugging each other while crying.
“It doesn’t matter where I came from. What matters is where I will go.”
Shin Jae-kyung recommends Yi-jin to be the next news anchor after her. With that job, Yi-jin brings back his family together in Korea with an apartment.
Now an assistant director at a variety show, Seung-wan reunites her friends with her dad’s funeral. Yi-jin arrives later, and hears about Ji-woong becoming a CEO and Yu-rim retiring to own a fencing club. As for Hee-do, Yi-jin tells Seung-wan that he will hear about her on the news.
In their live interview, Hee-do from San Francisco smiles at Yi-jin who is already a news anchor. Retiring as an athlete, Hee-do appreciates Yu-rim as a rival, and they hug each other in front of the reporters.
Returning to the present, Min-chae receives the diary from the owner of Myeongjin bookstore. Min-chae informs Hee-do that she will pursue ballet again, and hands the diary recently returned. Reading through the diary, Hee-do finds her closure as she sees the entries of Yi-jin on its pages.
Struggling to open his Barro account, Baek Yi-jin inputs Na Hee-do as the answer to the recovery question on who his first love is.
Twenty Five Twenty One Quick Plot Recap
Na Hee-do’s daughter, Kim Min-chae (Choi Myung Bin) announces that she will quit ballet, and consequently stay at her grandmother’s house. In her mom’s old room, she sees her mom’s diary.
Going back to the time when the IMF crisis in 1997 affected the lives of everyone, Hee-do (Kim Tae Ri) narrates how she stood still against the seemingly hopeless times.
Overcoming everything, she transfers to Tae Yang high school to be part of its fencing team and become a rival to gold medalist Ko Yu-rim (Bona). Distraught with the sudden downfall of his family’s business, Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo Hyuk) takes on jobs and meets Hee-do, who brightens up his life.
Along that process, they meet other friends Ji Seung-wan (Lee Joo Myung) and Moon Ji-woong (Choi Hyun Wook). Hee-do becomes part of the national fencing team, and brings gold to her country.
On the other hand, Baek Yi-jin also rises up to become a reporter and a news anchor. Throughout that period of growth, they undergo the significant process of developing friendship, love, and parting ways.
Twenty Five Twenty One Series Peak Points
Relevant and Relatable Story of Growth & Recovery
Covering various notable periods in the world such as the IMF crisis, similarities with the present times can be found. The times when it appears that the future is blurry, viewers can empathize with the challenges faced by its characters.
Words from the characters, especially Hee-do, inspire viewers to burn with passion and find hope in the most uncertain times.
From their initial states where no one believed in their potential, characters from the series such as Yi-jin and Hee-do rise up to grow into individuals they could be proud of.
Inspiring Period of Friendship, Passion, and First Love
Having said that youth is one of the most memorable periods in life, it is indeed enjoyable to watch Hee-do and her friends enjoy their times together while appreciating the silliness of simple things.
Warm feelings of having someone who supports and roots for you are also highlighted in the series. Despite the outcome at present, the whole process of the relationship as friends and lovers has been heartwarming to witness.
Along with those, is the appreciation of nostalgic objects, which has also resurrected a trend of collecting stickers from bread packs.
Heartfelt and Motivating Lessons in Life
With the variety of situations, each character has offered lessons that hit close home. Talking about progress, Hee-do emphasizes how it is not constant but is like steps.
On the other hand, Yi-jin’s experiences as a reporter tell a lot about how some disheartening situations in life are temporary, and will pass by. In the aspect of love, the series takes a realistic approach, leaving an impact on its viewers.
Twenty Five Twenty One Series Musings
Observing the lines that have been said throughout the series, like forgetting to move on and nothing lasts forever, these hints could have already prepared us for the turnout of Hee-do’s and Yi-jin’s relationship.
What can be appreciated in this series is its revisitation of historical events that has served as both a lesson and a nostalgic trip to the past. Seeing how Yi-jin uses Barro by the end reminds me of Search: WWW which also came from Hwa&Dam Pictures.
Reading Hee-do’s diary together with the cast’s powerful energy, viewers are taken on a trip that also reawakens one’s inner youth. Possibly, just as how Min-chae regained her passion for ballet, we too have found hope in the challenges of our times.
In addition to those, the economic struggles of the characters like Yu-rim and Yi-jin can bring comfort. Their characters make realistic and practical decisions, which provides reassurance that people could recover and rise above their struggles.
Overall, we could value the whole process of Hee-do’s journey to becoming a notable gold medalist fencer of her country. Together with other characters in the story, the series imparted an inspiring story of personal growth without forsaking the reality of what comes in exchange.
First love may not always end well, but it does not mean it was all bad. Although it may hurt, ending up together is not the only way to prove one’s love is real. Sometimes, letting go is also love, and rooting for each other’s growth can be enough.
Watch Twenty Five Twenty One on Netflix.
Photos: tvN
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