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

[aisling]

There are only two options.

 

1) tvN is trolling us big time and must be laughing their butts off because of angry and panicked responses 

 

2) tvN is releasing sad conclusion beforehand to lessen the disappointment because they already know the fans are really heartbroken 

LMAO who did this?  

 

25/21 fandom losing their minds collectively!

 

[piluche]

18 minutes ago, aisling said:

There are only two options.

 

1) tvN is trolling us big time and must be laughing their butts off because of angry and panicked responses 

 

2) tvN is releasing sad conclusion beforehand to lessen the disappointment because they already know the fans are really heartbroken 

I honestly hope they are trolling us cause that would be so sad to end their love story like that. I would be ok with them gradually falling apart but I don’t see myself seeing HD marrying someone else and having a child in the midst of her competition. It makes more sense for YJ to be the one finding someone else to marry first. 
 

Anyway, everything is still speculations right now about the ending and it’s so suspicious how we are leaked the ending for episode 16 instead of 15. Usually this kind of ending is kept till the end and they usually give us the opposite spoiler. Like making us think they are together then slap us in the face with a breakup. But this is the opposite…..

[aria26]

remember what yijin's mom told him? that success is finding that lifelong companion?

I think we are all thinking that yijin would sacrifice heedo because he wants to be successful and bring his family together again. But he's not gonna give up Heedo for that. He's seen how all their money and friends have gone after bankruptcy but his parent's love stayed strong and true. He'll keep Heedo for sure!

[rocher22]

 

Ji Woong - '' I'll break the record''        

 

 

 

it was supposed to look cool but that car window just got stuck   

 

[-Love Blossom-]

Seems like it's confirmed that we're going to get sad ending. Don't know if I should be happy that none of them died? 

 

The production team used the word first love for both Heedo and Yijin. We all know that Yijin is Heedo's first love. But is Heedo Yijin's first love? Throughout the series we have been told that he dated a number of times. So are we supposed to assume that he never fell for them and Heedo is his first love? She might be his true love but I don't think she's his first.

 

Also, if the were going to separate them then why make them date in the last week. If they had gotten together earlier at least we would've enjoyed some more romantic scenes of them. 

 

The biggest problem I have with this drama is that I'm not prepared for a sad ending. It's not that I don't watch dramas with sad ending. I've watched quite a lot and some of them are even my favorite. But the thing is 2521 always gave fuzzy and warm feelings. Even in heavy episodes they always managed to include some funny/happy moments. So it felt like no matter what it will end on happy note. 

 

In the writer's previous drama Search WWW the lead couple had major issues between them but in the end they still decided to stay together and work on their issues. Even the third couple who had a very unpleasant marriage life and later they divorced, it was hinted towards the end that they are going to end up with each other. So I'm still holding on to that 1% hope that the writer will write a good ending that will satisfy everyone. At this moment I'm even willing to accept makjang plotline as long as Baekdoo can end up together  It would be a waste if a couple with such a healthy relationship part ways because of external factors. 

[carolinedl]

16 minutes ago, -Love Blossom- said:

Also, if the were going to separate them then why make them date in the last week. If they had gotten together earlier at least we would've enjoyed some more romantic scenes of them. 

 

This! This is my main problem... if they wanted a sad ending (something I can totally understand and I think it fits the drama well), they should have at least given us a tiny bit more romance. Just a bit more. We spent so many episodes with 23-19 that it was getting a bit frustrating.

 

I look forward to seeing how they will move toward that separation (or not) but it still feels a bit unbalanced. And I am going to repeat myself: why did you torture us with that whole "Who is MC's dad" mind games?!...

 

@aislingLove that wikipedia page addition!

[Skysky]

@carolinedl ikr! The guessing game and all minchae scenes already ruined baekdo moment before, now they take it at the whole new level, after longggg waiting of their lovely and 25 21 moments, we waited for like the whole 14 eps, finally we get it on eps 15, but the they really going all out with the preview of separation lmao. The writer is really toying with us, I bet she is having fun behind the scene 

[Sleepy Owl]

Chingus, the poll is up for this week's episodes 

 

 

It is still a mystery on whether Hee Do and Yi Jin are endgame or not! Do you support Yu Rim's decision to change citizenship?

 

Special thanks to @YongZura⁷ Chingu for helping me with the questions 

 

tags:

 

@Maetawinz @D27Gjk68 @backstreetboysfan  @marrez1 @bqm94hana @Helena @rocher22 @Latte_Anyday @Kathia @nrllee @rocat @YongZura⁷ @pp05 @haruhi17 @sadthe1st @thistle @Skysky @luffie @SJW @Yinye @exogirl @kboramint @mizv @Kvothe @1Min1Sec @scribbledjunkie @kokodus @carolinedl @bee_wannabe @Thong Thin @Dev11O @simplesim @luffie @cuteyabby @chuu18 @Ameera Ali @marrez1 @L A @JenL @banghyeri @1Min1Sec 

 

re:

 

@partyon @confusedheart @agenth

[kboramint]

4 hours ago, -Love Blossom- said:

 

 

Also, if the were going to separate them then why make them date in the last week. If they had gotten together earlier at least we would've enjoyed some more romantic scenes of them. 

 

 

 

 

They are dating in the last week because this is all taking place before Madrid 2001. Despite what happened in 2009, we are still telling the story of Hee-Do's youth. 

 

You could of made that arguement since Episode 2, I mean if Min-Chae has a father and it isn't BYJ then one can assume that BYJ and Hee-Do didn't end up together. Why have romantic scenes throughout the whole show when it's pretty obvious that BYJ is still alive and it doesn't seem like he is with Hee-Do in 2021?

 

How is the 2009 interview different from any other suggestion that they aren't together presented by the events happening in 2021? 

 

     

[nrllee]

22 minutes ago, kboramint said:

You could of made that arguement since Episode 2, I mean if Min-Chae has a father and it isn't BYJ then one can assume that BYJ and Hee-Do didn't get together.

Yes this is the most rational and logical conclusion given MC’s responses, HD’s mom’s responses and also adult HD.  I don’t know any teenager who wouldn’t recognize her own dad in old photos.  And it’s not like YJ was a baby/child in the pic.  He was in his early 20s.  His facial features were set.  You would be able to pick him out straight away?  
 

Quote

Why have romantic scenes throughout the whole show when it's pretty obvious that BYJ is still alive and it doesn't seem like he is with Hee-Do in 2021?

I think the writer is trying to portray that no matter how glorious the past was - be it career (HD’s fencing achievements) or romance, it belongs in the past.  We need to KonMari it - be thankful for what it was and leave it in the past.  That could be why HD has 25-21 as a plaque in her workshop.  Like a framed graduation certificate/epitaph.  It’s a reminder that the past stays in the past.  You live in the present.  You don’t dwell in “what could be” or talk about “those good old days” only to live in its shadow.  I do find it rather odd about how writer approaches the whole topic of nostalgia with the cryptic lines that adult HD spouts.  Being thankful about the past and acknowledging the part it played in your life now and moving on from it is not the same as “forgetting all about it” or totally obliterating it from your mind?  But perhaps that’s what adult HD had to do to live fully in the present.  She’s removed from the limelight now.  She made a complete break from fencing altogether in her latter years (she didn’t go into coaching or commentary which is what most elite athletes tend to do after they “retire”).  And perhaps she had to make that call about her past life as well?  So that she could live now with no regrets…forever wondering “what could have been” or “how it should’ve played out”.  
 

But I do agree that she’s (writer) has dragged it out for too long.  It’s a major troll.  She hasn’t given the viewers enough time to buy into the idea that the mysterious Mr Kim could possibly be someone else other than YJ.  I am not entirely sure she will wrap this up well given the previews seem to tease us with more YJ/HD sweetness.  

[kboramint]

16 minutes ago, nrllee said:

 

But I do agree that she’s (writer) has dragged it out for too long.  It’s a major troll.  She hasn’t given the viewers enough time to buy into the idea that the mysterious Mr Kim could possibly be someone else other than YJ.  I am not entirely sure she will wrap this up well given the previews seem to tease us with more YJ/HD sweetness.  

 

If I had been the writer, I wouldn't have added any scenes that took place in 2021 or introduce the character Min-Chae. The first scene of Episode 1 would had been the 2009 interview that transitions towards the match bewteen Hee-Do and Yu-Rim in Madrid 2001 then when they are about to duel transition into the scene where Hee-Do runs out to go to school.

 

That's all of the future scences I would had shown.  

 

 

[piluche]

58 minutes ago, nrllee said:

But I do agree that she’s (writer) has dragged it out for too long.  It’s a major troll.  She hasn’t given the viewers enough time to buy into the idea that the mysterious Mr Kim could possibly be someone else other than YJ.  I am not entirely sure she will wrap this up well given the previews seem to tease us with more YJ/HD sweetness.  

I completely agree with you…if the ending was to not have them be together then they shouldn’t have drag out the love story so long. They should have started dating earlier and then gradually pull away due to their busy career later on so we can see fhe transition in their character development. Instead, after episode 14, we have to sit through episode 15 love moments and then get our hearts stomped on with break up. How can they integrate HD and BYJ into each other’s life from the beginning and then take it away. They were each other’s support. She didn’t have anyone rooting for her, he didn’t have anyone rooting for him. They were meant for each other, like BYJ said, their end destination will be together regardless of how they got there. 
 

The big break up…..that would totally turn a beautiful story about friendship and love, giving many people hopes and rooting for the couple, into something tragic. I get it, we have to leave things in the past, including first love too. But why does the writers gave us a beautiful love story and then take it away. I would have been fine if the love story was like JW and YR….they didn’t developed that story as much so it wouldn’t hurt as much if they broke up. 
 

Maybe the writer and director didn’t think this drama was going to be so successful? The ending was already determined but then KTR and NJH came in with their adorable acting so it’s a hit drama now. Their chemistry is so good and KTR is a phenomenal actress. Only she can pull if HD’s character. 

[YongZura⁷]

I'm not sure whether I can post all the info I read on Twitter this morning ... so much... but this:

 

 

Credit to Zero.

[kboramint]

4 hours ago, nrllee said:

 

But I do agree that she’s (writer) has dragged it out for too long.  It’s a major troll.  She hasn’t given the viewers enough time to buy into the idea that the mysterious Mr Kim could possibly be someone else other than YJ.  I am not entirely sure she will wrap this up well given the previews seem to tease us with more YJ/HD sweetness.  

 

Reading your post made me realize something... 

 

The drama is about Hee-Do's youth. Her life between when she was 18-21. The drama could end in 2001, with Hee-Do and BYJ together as a couple and it will be considered as a happy ending. It's never about her life when she was 21-44.

 

I mean if you really think about it. Is it really important that they show them breaking up and going their seperate ways? What if it happened when Hee-Do was 23 and BYJ was 27? 

 

Viewers are so worried that they won't show who Min-Chae's father is or if BYJ can reunite his family or if YuRin can come back to Korea but I have a feeling that none of this will be addressed since it's not going to take place in the Hee-Do 18-21 timeline. 

 

Mr. Kim is probably someone Hee-Do meets after 2021. It's not that important to this story because it's not part of Hee-Do's youth. It's not what she experienced when she was 18-21. This is a love story that takes place during Hee-Do's youth. Hence, the title 25-21. 

 

 

 

 

 

     

[Skysky]

 

Lmao. IF baekdo never mean to be together, why they have to make minchae rooting for both of them so much and mr kim need to see his wife and her ex adore each other on national tv even his wife already made a plan to meet yijin. .a lot of yijin stuffs are displayed on her wife room too, even IF they wont introduce mr kim officially in drama, its still disrespectful, making heedoo not completely move on from the past and still in love with her EX, while the message that they are trying to convey is nothing last forever and the past stay as memories, living as present

 

@piluche I feel like you can read my mind lol. So much agree with everything you said! 

[piluche]

So let’s compare notes why or why not BYJ is dad from the previous episodes (not from speculations online):

Not dad:
-Minchae’s last name is Kim 
-Minchae not recognize BYJ’s face or know who he is 

-HD doesn’t seems to remember the past memories as much with BYJ
-episode 14 ending 

-leaked spoiler for episode 16

Is Dad:

-his unconditional love for HD

-his stuffs are in HD’s room

-the photo only he signed up for of HD is in the photo album 

-Minchae’s ballet shoes has her name as “Ballerina Kim Minchae” just like how HD’s sword was written as “National Team Member Nam Hee Do”

-HD’s workshop’s name and the rainbow chairs 

-HD drives a red car

-dad’s career that makes him absent a lot 

-“appa” echo in episode 14 during BYJ’s scene 

 

25 minutes ago, Skysky said:

Lmao. IF baekdo never mean to be together, why they have to make minchae rooting for both of them so much and mr kim need to see his wife and her ex adore each other on national tv even his wife already planning to meet yijin. .a lot of yijin stuffs are displayed on her wife room. .even IF they wont introduce mr kim officially in drama, its still disrespectful, making heedoo not completely move on from the past and still in love with her EX, while the message that they are trying to convey is nothing last forever and the past stay as memories

 

@piluche I feel like you can read my mind lol. So much agree with everything you said! 

Minchae is probably trying to find out if her dad is BYJ too. Lol 

 

What if to protect their love and they have to go their separate way meant that they were protecting Minchae? Can you imagine if HD got pregnant and have a baby with the last name “Baek”??? The press will go wild, YJ’s seniors will know immediately that he’s the father. So to protect HD and her athletic career, they have to break up and love from afar. Maybe that’s why YJ isn’t present in Minchae’s life as much so she doesnt recognize him when younger, except in episode 14 when she called out “appa”. Maybe HD isn’t really married to someone else cause if she is, then she is still clearly living in the past with memories of YJ. Why does HD still longs for YJ in 2009? She expressions doesn’t look like someone who just won a gold medal and is being interviewed by her friend. It looks like someone missing her lover. Her last phase of sending her support to him wherever he is and that she would take care of everything until then….is the same wording she used when he went away in the earlier episodes and she left him a voicemail. Now, does that sounds like a lady who has moved on and found someone else to married? If so, then they really did HD and BYJ’s love story wrong there. 
 

 

[Sleepy Owl]

I really wonder if the writer is playing with us here. What if Yi Jin's 2009 interview with Hee Do was more of them not revealing they are married (being hopeful here though). It can be just like how Hee Do's mom never revealed that Hee Do is her daughter, maybe Yi Jin was doing the same there. 

 

Also I believe maybe the Min Chae is not calling Yi Jin dad, despite knowing it, is because Yi Jin is a character in the story she is reading now. She is into the story, and not really thinking she is reading about her dad. Or, maybe Yi Jin later on changes his name, or has got an alias, whose surname they use for Min Chae. Obviously having a character named "Baek Min Chae" would spoil the whole drama here. Also as many have theorized, maybe the reason why she asked her grandmom about Yi Jin and ask her to show who he was in the pic, is because she wanted to test her memory there. 

 

Also the fact that the father is shown to be travelling/abroad, and if he is indeed Yi Jin, it could mainly be because that he has gone to cover an international competition happening or so. 

 

Or, just like many are afraid, things didn't work out between Yi Jin and Hee Do, which is the reason she later in her life, must have met someone and married him. 

 

Whatever happened between Yi Jin and Hee Do, even if they are not together, I really hope that Min Chae gets to meet the other 3 people in her mom's story - Ji Woong, Yu Rim, and Seung Wan. Meeting the people she has read about in her mom's diary, the ones who were most probably the only special people in her 18-22, would be something I really we could get to see. 

[Skysky]

3 hours ago, piluche said:

-HD doesn’t seems to remember the past memories as much with BYJ

 

Heedoo actually remembers yijin well, when she and grandma looking at yijin photos and remember that he looked young, then heedoo said 'ofc he was only 22'. She even remembers his exact age. The thing that she trying to forget is the beach memories but it was 5 friends trip, so it was not exclusively about yijin, she might be sad because of she and rest of gag aren't together anymore especially to what happened to yoorim (changed nationality and move to rusia)

 

About the interview, you really made a good point about heedoo, like I just realized now she just won gold medal and being on national tv but she looks like someone who missing her lover and incredibly sad with teary eyes instead lol. She shouldve look proud and happy right? the whole nation were watching her! Thats why if mr.kim is someone else then I would be really sad for him, his wife still have feeling to her past lover and her wife didnt even look happy after get her gold medal because of yijin lol. Do they have to ruined heedoo character like that? Heedoo become someone who cannot forget to her past boyfriend, not respecting his husband and her gold medal? And her daughter minchae also trying to searching for new father lol

 

@Sleepy Owl yeah heedoo said she lived in paris for a while because of her mom work, so if yijin stay at overseas, its not really surprising. Also about yijin adoption and debt, they also need to explain it, I dont think they just throw it randomly? Especially it has connection with the yijin name and yijin name is completely missing after 2009 (and the poster about kim do hee aka baek yijin), and ofc minchae not being baek but kim

[kboramint]

54 minutes ago, Sleepy Owl said:

 

 

Whatever happened between Yi Jin and Hee Do, even if they are not together, I really hope that Min Chae gets to meet the other 3 people in her mom's story - Ji Woong, Yu Rim, and Seung Wan. Meeting the people she has read about in her mom's diary, the ones who were most probably the only special people in her 18-22, would be something I really we could get to see. 

 

I'm going to be positive and say we might actually see that. Similar to the movie, Sunny. 

[YongZura⁷]

Reunited as rival

 

 

 

Quote

Production company Hwa & Dam Pictures commented, “Kim Tae Ri and Kim Ji Yeon (Bona) showed incredible acting as they perfectly immersed into the situation and their characters from the fencing to the tears, to the point where everyone watching teared up as well. Please check out the scene of their telepathic tearful embrace that perfectly reflects their friendship and the enthusiasm they have for fencing in episode 15.” - Soompi

 

Credit to the owners