[Drama 2022] Twenty-Five Twenty-One ​⌛ 스물다섯 스물하나

[pbysbffnirl]

I saw this on twitter! Does it really hold water?

 

[chickfactor]

The slimmest sliver of hope...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPQo_LxYXm8&ab_channel=뇌피소설가입소문tv

 

This K-youtuber admits that he is rooting for Baek-do, so he's interpreting everything through that perspective, but he does think there are clues that support a Baek-do ending.

 

1. When Heedo's mom, Shin Jae-gyeong collapsed to the ground and wept at her husband's grave, it was similar to how Yi-jin collapsed and wept when seeing "Go Yu-rim Traitor to Her Country" painted in that tunnel. They both know the pain of personal sacrifice for the sake of their career as journalists.

 

2. No one else understands this pain better than Heedo. As Heedo becomes more of a public figure as a fencer, it's likely that it's never revealed that anchor Shin Jae-gyeong is her mother. So Heedo also knows how to keep familial relationship a secret - it's to protect her journalist Mom's career, but also herself.

 

3. Therefore, it's entirely possible that Heedo marries Baek Yi-jin, but they simply never reveal it until at least one of them retires. In addition, due to their careers, they probably spend time apart - she has to travel to compete, and Yi-jin has become an anchor, so he's also very busy.

 

This K-youtuber says that it's OKAY if Baek-do isn't the end game. What they had was a beautiful part of their lives, and if it remains just a beautiful part of their past, that is okay.

 

And I do agree with that. If that's how this story ends, it's OKAY. (I just know that no matter what, I'm going to be crying next weekend.)

[Apricot Tree]

13 hours ago, Skysky said:

@carolinedl IKR! The first eps reached 6%, thats quite high for the drama these day especially for cable channel, viewers already interested before we know about the 'kim' minchae, it could be higher without it, my friend dont want to watch because of that kim surname, and now watch business proposal instead.

 

I dont know why they dont have confidence and keep ruining the happy otp moments with the whole guessing game, when they have kim taeri-nam joo hyuk as main cast, its kim taeri comeback drama after 4 years, the writer and director are also famous, search WWW earn high praise, the director directed mr sunshine, the king eternal monarch etc. .just why

 

I also feel that the writer isn't confident. The show itself is great with stories about love, friendship and family relationship. Also, one of the show's message is about living for the moment, so why the writer and director play with our hearts with the present scenes? It doesn't make sense.

I was disappointed because the present scenes sometimes keep us forgetting about other humanistic lessons and stories in the show. Especially Ep 14, the clip in 2009 is the opening for the story of Yurim's sacrifice for her family as well as Yijin's sufferings about his job. However, the ending leads the viewers to the another controversy. It kinda ruins the meaningful stories of the whole episode.

 

[backstreetboysfan]

I am still hoping that they are endgame.

[kboramint]

Based on all the info that I have recieved, here's a theory that could make sense and will give BaekDo a happy ending. 

 

• Hee-Do really did marry someone else with the surname "Kim". Which is why BYJ congratuated on her wedding. 
• In 2009, Hee-Do didn't have a child but later in life, she would adopt Min-Chae. Which is why Min-Chae was born two years prior to her adopted mother's wedding. Hee-Do and "Kim" would register her adopted daughter's name in the Kim family registry. Which is why Min-Chae has "Kim" for a surname.
• Hee-Do and "Kim" would raise her like she is their own daughter.
• Later in life, Hee-Do divorced "Kim" but he is still Min-Chae's adopted father. Which is why Min-Chae got a dress as a gift. 
• Min-Chae is Yu-Rim's biological child. Sadly, something tragic has happened to Yu-Rim. Which is why Hee-Do blocked out the beach trip. 
• Ji-Woong and Yu-Rim couldn't make their long distance relationship work. 
• BYJ is still alive. Which is why Hee-Do's mom saw him a month ago in 2021.  
• Since Hee-Do is divorced in 2021, she is open to bring BYJ back into her life. 

 

 

2001: Hee-Do and Yu-Rim meet in Madrid for one last match. Yu-Rim loses and then retires.

2007: Yu-Rim gives birth to Min-Chae 

2009: Hee-Do announces her wedding with "Kim"

2010: Hee-Do retires and opens up a furniture workshop

201X: Yu-Rim passes away and Min-Chae gets adopted by Hee-Do

201X: Hee-Do divorces "Kim"

2021: Min-Chae quits ballet and finds Hee-Do's diary.    

 

[YongZura⁷]

@kboramint You worked hard! I'll mark your post.

[Skysky]

6 hours ago, Apricot Tree said:

I also feel that the writer isn't confident. The show itself is great with stories about love, friendship and family relationship. Also, one of the show's message is about living for the moment, so why the writer and director play with our hearts with the present scenes? It doesn't make sense.

I was disappointed because the present scenes sometimes keep us forgetting about other humanistic lessons and stories in the show. Especially Ep 14, the clip in 2009 is the opening for the story of Yurim's sacrifice for her family as well as Yijin's sufferings about his job. However, the ending leads the viewers to the another controversy. It kinda ruins the meaningful stories of the whole episode.

 

 

Totally agree. I think the eps about yoorim is really well done and tell us more about the sacrifice, sometimes we only see one side of the coin, like how public only see yoorim as 'traitor' but she only did that for her family and how hard for her to make that decision, there is always a story that anyone dont know. 

 

And yijin telling us about being adulting is hard and you need to be profesional at work, need to put aside of your emotion and your private matter. This might be simple and basic common sense but a lot of youngster still dont understand (including heedoo!) I read some comments on twitter that telling yijin is selfish, but if adult watching that, they kinda understand his decision and profesionalism, even feel sympathetic toward him. But this guessing game is burried them all, even some people refused watching eps 14 after saw the spoiler about heedoo marriage lol

 

@chickfactor thanks for the infos! Really appreciate it

[-Love Blossom-]

Agree how the last scene totally undermined Yoorim's sacrifice and farewell which was the focus of the whole episode. Even I forgot about them all after the ending twist. 

 

I'm slowly accepting the fact that Baekdoo are not going to end up together. Seems like the writer is going for "First love never works out" and "Time changes everything" route. This is actually poetic. But if they were going to do this they shouldn't have made Kim Minchae so excited about the diary. I understand that they included the scene of 2009 to increase viewer's anticipation and ratings but Heedo being a married woman and mother looking at her ex with those eyes...... I don't know what to feel about about this. You cannot convince me that she was just overwhelmed seeing him after a long time. No you don't look at your old friend like that. Those were the eyes of a person who is in deep love and misses someone dearly. Unless she's really still in love with him. There are people who gets married and lives with their spouse their entire life but never actually forgets their past love. If this is the case for Heedo then what about Yijin? 

 

@japehin said that Yijin might have passed away after 2009 that's why Heedo could keep his belongings in her room. I think that's plausible otherwise there's no other explanation. Moreover, Heedo's mom saying that she met Yijin recently and Heedo's silence after that. The more I'm thinking the more I'm losing hope.

[Skysky]

@-Love Blossom- agree. I think if they really want separation ruote, they shouldnt make it like baekdo are still in love especially for heedo, since she is married and have kid. And she said that she will support yijin with much love eyes on live TV and the voice over 'I will take everything, see you' is really the worst. .what makes her husband and her kid then? If they want baekdo separation then do it properly, not making them like they are still in love. .like whats the point then? 

 

Idk if I should share this, a 2521 staff (not official one, so take it with grain of salt) shared that 25 21 have possible sad ending, and the article is trending on naver, ofc the respond isn't good, full of sad and shock emoticons (since naver comment is off). But honestly I'm not sure if this really 25 21 staff because how can they risk their job for a spoiler? Or probably just a random person who frustated about this guessing game lol

 

Now idk anymore about the ending, but I still team #baekdoendgame tho lol

[marrez1]

4 hours ago, kboramint said:

Based on all the info that I have recieved, here's a theory that could make sense and will give BaekDo a happy ending. 

 

• Hee-Do really did marry someone else with the surname "Kim". Which is why BYJ congratuated on her wedding. 
• In 2009, Hee-Do didn't have a child but later in life, she would adopt Min-Chae. Which is why Min-Chae was born two years prior to her adopted mother's wedding. Hee-Do and "Kim" would register her adopted daughter's name in the Kim family registry. Which is why Min-Chae has "Kim" for a surname.
• Hee-Do and "Kim" would raise her like she is their own daughter.
• Later in life, Hee-Do divorced "Kim" but he is still Min-Chae's adopted father. Which is why Min-Chae got a dress as a gift. 
• Min-Chae is Yu-Rim's biological child. Sadly, something tragic has happened to Yu-Rim. Which is why Hee-Do blocked out the beach trip. 
• Ji-Woong and Yu-Rim couldn't make their long distance relationship work. 
• BYJ is still alive. Which is why Hee-Do's mom saw him a month ago in 2021.  
• Since Hee-Do is divorced in 2021, she is open to bring BYJ back into her life. 

 

 

I see this theory that Minchae is Yurim's biologic daughter and that Hee Do would have adopted her but yet if that's the case, even if Yurim and Hee do are very close, Minchae already has grandparents, I don't see how she could adopt the child of her best friend and even still, an adoption is not easy especially if her mother is a Russian of nationality

she would have adopted her after her marriage? it is necessary that her husband and the family of this one can really be open-minded to accept that

 

[aria26]

10 hours ago, -Love Blossom- said:

I'm slowly accepting the fact that Baekdoo are not going to end up together. Seems like the writer is going for "First love never works out" and "Time changes everything" route. This is actually poetic.

One reason why I love kdramas is because they are theme driven instead of plot driven. I was firmly in this camp of Baekdo not ending up together after Heedo forgot about the beach trip. I thought the story is about the transcience of youth.

 

But I pivoted when Yurim also said the same thing, about things not lasting forever. It would be just feel like to much of a repetition if they pull it out again until the end. So, it could not be the main message of the story but a red herring.

 

Remember when they made it look like Injeolmi was Yijin? Even that "I went to see that kid" line that got Minchae hooked thinking it was mom's ex-bf when it was actually Yurim. I think that were deliberate messages from the writers that we should be wary of what they are choosing to show us. And the turn tragedy into comedy quote of Heedo, I feel that it will come bite us down as we are in the ultimate tragedy now.

 

Still, I could not figure out what contrasting message the writer could be trying to portray, and then I came across this blog:

https://kestrel-of-herran.tumblr.com/

"Rather than about receiving and losing, 2521 is about facing and chasing, about mustering courage, about the obstacles that trip us up and how we face and overcome them."

 

I think this is the perfect foil for the "nothing last forever" mindset. "Nothing lasts forever" is very melancholic, something you reach after you've lost so much - an adult way of thinking. Let go because it is impossible to hold on. But this is a story of youth, young people have the energy and none of the jadedness that bog down older people. They just run, run, run after what they want. We saw this is 13, Yi Jin was reluctant because of consequences, but Heedo just went all out pursuing him.

 

I think this is also very well summed up by that short scene with the Jungle Band guitarist who went after his girlfriend: throw caution and consequences into the wind and go after what's important to you. And Yi Jin was there to pick up the spot because he's the adult. So the young ones can ask for help from adults (that preview scene with Jae Kyung). As yi jin said earlier, there are certain privileges that only young people have, and they should take advantage of that.

 

At the 2009 interview, we can still hear the echo of Heedo's youth, "I will take care of everything". If Heedo of 2009 is still confident to say this, it means that she has indeed taken care of everything and kept Yi Jin.

 

Actually, I was all up against all the makjang reasons to make this happen (dementia, surname change) before, but because I found a theme that comfortably cushions those twists (or not twists because they've been predicted all along), I'm fine.

So the plot I've pieced together for the happy ending is:

1) Yi Jin and Heedo stayed together, had a kid but did not marry because debtors can still go after the Baek family

2) The 2008 legislation on transfering family registry happened, Baek became Kim (after Yijin's mom), they can now get married and make Minchae a Kim. Baek is still his screenname.

3) Baekdo is just overly dramatic in the 2009 interview. The wedding sentence could be anything from (happy wedding anniversary, to sorry about marrying you late, to it's too late but I'm actually just bring up wedding and this is actually a PROPOSAL to you!). Minchae is out there calling APPA.

4) Yeah, mom has dementia or something or something else, I really dont care haha

[mizv]

 

[aria26]

maybe they do, they just dont act on it. or act on it, keep it a secret and then break up when they fall for their new co stars in the next drama

also, there's tons of people on set. so they dont just interact with each other. the make up artists for one, really gets in their faces and I dont know how they dont get butterflies from that.

it's not uncommon for actors to practice snapping out of character after the shoot. it's for their sanity and also to guard their hearts too. the behind the scenes where actors are friends now are very different from the few behind the scenes of older dramas. back then, the actors look very distant from each other after the cut. I guess it's also a generational thing. kids now freely embrace friends from the opposite sex.

[carolinedl]

I asked someone about it once and she said that it is the least sexy thing to do. People watch you, you do it over and over, you plan it, your lips can get dry as hell, etc. It goes okwith some but it is very nasty/gross with others. She said she hated it with smokers for instance. So not as glamourous as it may seem...

 

@ari26Love your post! I agree with you and I would be happy whether they part or stay together. It is true that many things point to them staying together as they are overplaying the whole "nothing-lasts-forever" trope. Let's keep our fingers crossed.  

 

I am not too convinced ce with the whole adoption talk... I mean, yes, I think YR's parents would have taken care of the child. Blood lineage is very important in Korea. 

[lin_00]

Guuuuuys, I've just created an account to say this... 

Why has no one, literally no one has mentioned that "Kim Do Hee" aka Do Hee is basically Hee Do on different order?! I've just realised this and I'm starting to believe in a happy ending now lol. Haven't still seen ep 14 because I need to be mentally prepared lool.

 

[aria26]

30 minutes ago, lin_00 said:

Guuuuuys, I've just created an account to say this... 

Why has no one, literally no one has mentioned that "Kim Do Hee" aka Do Hee is basically Hee Do on different order?! I've just realised this and I'm starting to believe in a happy ending now lol. Haven't still seen ep 14 because I need to be mentally prepared lool.

 

welcome @lin_00 !

I think there is a clue in that newspaper article but an indirect one (maybe the article on bankruptcy or to catch our eyes and pay attention to "names" and how it will impact the story) coz it will be just weird if baek yi jin changed his name to Do Hee, haha.

 

[caterpillar59]

My most hurtful moment from last episode

 

"Wherever you are, I'll make sure my support reaches you." 

 

From this

 

To this

[Mirav Sason]

I hope like a lot of you that we will have a happy ending, i think that the writer will play with us til the last scene with a lot of twist and turns like in the last episodes so lets wait and see. 

 I want to share my thoughts of thia perallas.

the first time they hang out together they promise to be always happy  when they are together but in the last scene Na hee do appears when he breaks a part in agony and sorrow. 

 

I interpret it as in friendship/ realatinship they share not only happy moments like they wish to only have together in the start. they will support each other in the good the bad and ugly to get up and deal with the bad days.

I really like this peralla. 

[piluche]

Dang, had to come out of retirement to dig up my password so I can comment on this drama. I’ve been a wreck since episode 14.

 

Here’s my take on this love story…apologize if it’s too long. 

 

Regardless of what the direction is hinting at a possible sad ending for HD and YJ, I still think they will end up together. Why? 
 

I went back to watch all the episodes again, in all their scenes, they are so smitten with each other. YJ loves her regardless of what she looks like and do, she loves him because he has been her biggest supporter when her own mom doesn’t even recognize her achievements. Their character development grew up, faced the many challenges of adulthood yet they still remain strong. In episode 13, YJ wrestle with the possibility of ending things with her but in the end, he loves her too much to not give love a try. She too loves him so much that she’s not willing to lose him, even if he doesn’t return her love, she doesn’t want him remove from her life. If you watch from episode 1-13, they keep their love and supports for each other consistent throughout. Then in episode 14, we were hit with that last congratulations on her marriage. 
 

Now….let’s just say they gave love a try and it didn’t work out….but how???? What could possible pull at their relationship enough to break them up? I don’t believe that YJ being a reporter is enough to break them up. And if they did indeed broke up, then how did she manage to meet a new guy, get married, and have a baby during the times she should be training and completing? And I don’t think her husband is another fencer cause Minchae would have seen an article on her dad if he was a fencer. 
 

The only thing we base the sad ending is on the facts that Minchae didn’t recognize her father’s face and her last name is different. My take on this is that maybe YJ did change his name. His last name will trigger controversy if the public got wind of his relationship with HD, so to protect her and the child, he has to change his name. Minchae found mom’s diary….thought she was reading about her mom’s love story with a guy named YJ. Then when grandma pointed out who YJ was, she must have gotten flustered and confused like …..what? Why does dad have a different name? What happened to mom and dad? Maybe that’s why she kept reading her mom’s diary and was so upset when YJ brushed off the kiss. Like dad, why you do that to my mom?! If it wasn’t her dad, I don’t think she would get so worked up…

 

Grandma said she saw YJ a month ago, that meant he is still around. Maybe grandma and YJ aren’t on the greatest terms if he went against everyone and overstep his boundary from a reporter to fall in love with HD. Maybe grandma disapproved of their relationship and they finally resolved their differences before he went on whatever trip he went. And maybe she has dementia like everyone said so she still remembers from as BYJ. 
 

The interview in episode 14 felt like two lovers missing each other and longing to meet again. HD wouldn’t be looking like that if she has a husband who wasn’t YJ. It would be unprofessional to confess her support for another guy on national television. When she said she will send her “unwavering support” to him, to me it meant she still loves him and hasn’t “waver” away from that. Same as in episode 13 when YJ was wavering. 
 

I honestly think the writers and production team are messing with us. Why span over 80% of the episodes on this love story just to break them up. It would be believable if they started drifting apart sooner in the storyline or something and she got married much later but to have her get married within 5-6 years and still make longing eyes at YJ is unconvincing to me. lol 

 

Yes, it will be a sad ending because HD and YR are no longer together. They meet when they were 18 and fell in love with their respective partners at 21. The love and friendship for each other were happy during their youth and then they went their separate ways. The meanings to all these sad quotes doesn’t have to apply to HD and YJ. For me, it apply to HD and YR’s friendship. 
 

sorry for the long rambling….let’s hang on tight and hope for the best this weekend.

 

Team Baekdo 

[YongZura⁷]

 

 

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