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

[banghyeri]

1 hour ago, Kathia said:

Also, if HD and YJ dated for a while, then does that mean she got pregnant with some guy right after breaking up with JY? Does that mean HD was "forced" into a marriage because she got pregnant? Can someone clarify this? Thanks.

I think they broke up in 2002. And according to MC’s age, HD was pregnant ard 2006(?). So it’ll be 4 yrs after they broke up.

 

Hahahaha. I think we all agree that what made us empty after watching the last episode is why don’t they show us more how the feelings fade away. 
 

Btw, the 41 NHD is also not wearing any ring. Might be mean she’s a divorcee and opened the store after that? Hahahahaha.
HD’s remark of divorce on SW’s dad funeral sounds suspicious to me. It’s likely a semi open ending. Moreover after they showed you the ringless BYJ too hahahahaha.

Anyway, it’s all ended. I’m glad to discuss and share my opinion with you guys all this while.

[agenth]

14 minutes ago, carolinedl said:

I also agree that for NHD to get married to someone after BYJ, the guy needs to be great. I wish we had learnt a bit more about that; that is the biggest letdown of this ending for me.

 

This.

 

I am not sad that BYJ isn't the husband, as in the course of the story I felt that he would just remain her first love, especially the way that their relationship broke down. For me, there was definitely a cause, which was that BYJ decided not to share his burdens and felt pressured by her support. It's not like HD could have done better to reach out to him. 

 

I never understood his reason for taking the NY job without telling HD first, not even after he told his senior that he needed to do NY in order to feel like a real reporter. I understand his ambition, but he was in a relationship and should have at least told her this before applying/taking the job. It was a huge letdown when we and HD found out via her mother that her boyfriend was applying for abroad.

 

This series is still great for me, but the fact they didn't show her husband (and he is now just some random guy), made it feel for me as if YJ and HD still have feelings for each other, even if the show is simply saying "this was their first love". 

[Skysky]

Okay the weirdest for me is when they run and searching to each other house so dramatically after break up but only to say goodbye again? Lmao. And they hug sooo tight, still obviously in love with each other, I legit thought they will reuite again. Who tf broke up like that again? Especially after they realize how they still miss and love each other. Cmon now, thats just not realistic

[wildcherry]

1 hour ago, Kathia said:

I agree. Their breakup had to make sense and be meaningful since their love and relationship was built on a strong foundation for 14 episodes. But their breakup was a joke...I get why people are angry. HD even seemed unhappy with her marriage, like...what??? She ended up with a partner who is not at home too. WTH...What about all those details? Is she pining over her ex? I feel sorry for her husband...This was extremely badly executed. Realistic??? Nope, it wasn't. People breakup and continue with their lives, but HD and YJ broke up, and they still seemed attached to one another...trash.

Is there truly even a husband? Or maybe she just made it up for her daughter. The girl probably BJY & NHD illegitimate daughter. Someone mention something abt the girl’s age, that NHD would had her while still with her fencing team or that after break up with YJ, she got married even before KYR & JW did. A makjang story is that MC is BYJ biological daughter. The Mr Kim who supposedly NHD’s husband is just a made up daddy, who lives abroad at all time… that’s why there no story what so ever abt the husband. 

[aria26]

We've been saying the same things over and over again, but I just need to read more to calm myself down 4 hours after that finale, so just let me post this write up I saw in reddit: 

 

 

level 1

luciferase258

·4 min. ago

 

I wasn't planning on watching this episode, but decided to complete the series. Here are my thoughts.

Let me start with the ending. At the risk of sounding contentious, I did not find the ending to be open. They made it pretty clear that Baekdo parted. BUT it did not give the audience a well deserved closure either. When I say closure, I don't mean not finding out who Minchae's father is, why the store is 2521 etc. I don't want to sound dismissive, those are definitely valid concerns. But I want to focus on the ending for the main couple. To me the ending for the main couple was illogical and absurd. It was forced to be sad. 22 year NHD was being reckless/selfish and calling it quits to protect herself. Not saying couples don't go through this, but I didn't expect THIS couple to walk out so easily and quickly. It was so damn unconvincing. No doubt BYJ was poor at communicating his issues, but NHD was so hell bent on her version of an ideal relationship, she was willing to throw everything away. She was thinking about the break-up for 6 months but didn't utter a word until BYJ came back and sprung the break-up as soon as he landed??!! The same NHD who was super mature from 18-21 and had the biggest heart cannot support her partner in finding his calling or during something as mentally exhausting as 9/11? She could forgive KYR for not responding to her emails and understood where she was coming from but refused to forgive BYJ!!!!?? Even after all this, BYJ tried to have a mature conversation but let go because she wasn't ready. And she wasn't ready until he was leaving. And even after running towards each other she wasn't honest about how she felt. This is NHD we are talking about, a person who is brutally honest. To me this was such a BIG change in the character arc that it left me stunned. I am not trying to take sides, but the inconsistencies lead me to believe that the break-up wasn't mutual. I hope Mr. Kim has satisfied all her needs, although I feel bad for him because of the regret she carried with her until she found the diary in 2021. Not to mention the way she looks at BYJ in 2009 or tucks her hair on the left side because BYJ said so.

If you are going for a realistic drama it is important to maintain relatability from start to finish. If you want to show that relationships fail, start showing the cracks earlier. Yes, not all first love end up with happily ever after, but not all first loves have such a strong foundation. The audience isn't dumb and foolishly expecting a happy ending. It's the creators job to build the case. Strong relationships don't break just because of a few months of distance. It's a gradual process and it's their job to show those fine cracks turn into chasms. Sorry, but two fights and ending a couple plan just don't cut it! A marriage story is a wonderful example of this. Even La La Land did an exceptional job at this. Breaking up without a clear conversation is a recipe for disaster and scars you even more. The couple run towards each other but cannot express their actual thoughts and leave it in a diary??!! If BYJ didn't want to say it and could only express it in the diary, leave the diary in her letterbox or give it to Jae-Kyung. Leaving it with the book store owner of all the people makes it so damn unrealistic. It doesn't end there. KYR and Jiwoong can overcome all their CRAZY life changing issues, Seung-wan and Yi Hyun can reconnect after a decade like nothing happened, but Baekdo couldn't even hold a heart-to-heart or face each other? This ending is affronting to say the least.

I wish they had never taken the romantic arc for Baekdo because that just ruined this show for me. The process was so beautiful but the result was far from brilliant. Not because they didn't end up together, but it was just so unconvincing that it left me with a taste of bitterness. I'll only recommend the first 8 episodes to anyone wanting to watch this show.

[alivingparadox24]

 

27 minutes ago, baconham said:

You know what's funny about the script? They let Yu Rim and Ji Woong end up together happily even though we couldn't really see the extent of love they both felt for each other....not in the way that Hee Do and Yi Jin's relationship was built, from strangers to friends and then them falling in love deeply midway. We saw their love develop over time whereas for Yu Rim and Ji Woong it just felt like puppy love and EVEN then they managed to overcome the long distance nonsense.

So after building that solid relationship for both Hee Do and Yijin, the writer then turns around and make it seem like LDR was the starting of the breakdown of the relationship between Hee Do and Yi Jin??? Come on, that's just lousy and lazy writing. LAME LAME LAMEEE excuse.

And if LDR was the start of he breakdown of their relationship, why did she marry someone who’s always not around? :/

 

I mean yes the guy could be also great but idk…it doesn’t make any sense…

 

always thought their relationship would stand the test of time and distance just like Trash and Najeong in R1994 that’s why i was confident that they were endgame. 

[agenth]

9 minutes ago, aria26 said:

Strong relationships don't break just because of a few months of distance. It's a gradual process and it's their job to show those fine cracks turn into chasms. Sorry, but two fights and ending a couple plan just don't cut it!

I feel you contradict a little here, since I do think the breakdown was a gradual process. While I agree with most of your post, I think the end of the relationship makes for you (and me) no sense, because it seems so rushed as it happened during 1-2 episodes, whereas we had 14 episodes of sunshine before. However, in reality, the breakdown was gradual process of several months. 

 

I do think that relationships were there is long distance in physical/geographical distance, between partners, will break down more easily, if there is no clear communication. YJ and HD were both not communicating well when YJ was abroad. I think it started to go downhill due to YJ's decision to apply for the permanent NY position, without talking to his gf. 

 

HD was trying to support the relationship without talking her concerns with him, which is why he was able to ignore the warning signs. 

 

I think the last episode did cast a shadow on the series, but if you watch ep 1-15, you will be alright. It's just disappointing in the end, because they showed such a beautiful journey from strangers to friends to lovers.... 

 

I was prepared them not ending up together as it was announced as first love - story, but I did expect them to tie up loose ends. Maybe they did it this way for Season 2 ? Where YJ and HD can find each other again? 

[qynn]

19 minutes ago, banghyeri said:

I think they broke up in 2002. And according to MC’s age, HD was pregnant ard 2006(?). So it’ll be 4 yrs after they broke up.

 

Hahahaha. I think we all agree that what made us empty after watching the last episode is why don’t they show us more how the feelings fade away. 
 

Btw, the 41 NHD is also not wearing any ring. Might be mean she’s a divorcee and opened the store after that? Hahahahaha.
HD’s remark of divorce on SW’s dad funeral sounds suspicious to me. It’s likely a semi open ending. Moreover after they showed you the ringless BYJ too hahahahaha.

Anyway, it’s all ended. I’m glad to discuss and share my opinion with you guys all this while.

Koreans generally don't wear wedding rings.

[aria26]

@agenth just to be clear, I did not write it. I dont want to take credit for it. I just saw it in reddit

 

yup, there has been communication breakdown since yijin suddenly flew off to new york (maybe he did think it would be temporary). maybe part of the bitterness is coming from the parallel relationship of jiwoong and yurim, who were also far apart but made it. yurim is hinted to also have a communication problem, but they overcame it. I think the drama was trying to subvert the idea that giggly puppy love is worth less than a mature understanding one, but instead it's backfiring.

 

season 2 might be out of the question as nhj is enlisting this year and there is no enthusiasm for the 2021 timeline actors.

[youactlikeicare]

I am prob saying something someone already has, but I wanted to see more of NHD's current life. 

 

I am fine with the main couple just being a first love that didn't work out. Actually, I wanted that ending vs a happy ending. However, they should have shown that NHD was happy with her life/husband now. Because it just looked like she wasn't and she missed BYJ/regretted the breakup. Maybe thats not what then meant but it was how I interrupted what they showed. 

 

If they didn't want to cast the husband they could have shows her daughter walking in on a happy phone call between spouses and than grown NHD could have said "did you want to talk to your dad?". That would have told the audiences and she is prob happily married even if they are temporarily living apart due to job/covid reasons. It would have been a simple scene and would have answered some questions. 

 

I am not surprised that Yu-rim/Ji-woong could make it work. Mostly because Ji-woong dream/goal was Yu-rim. Even if Yu-rim wanted to settle in another country permanently I could see Ji-woong giving up his life to follow her and fit her life. NHD and BYJ were people who had their own dreams and busy schedules and couldn't make their lives fit with each other any more. 

[agenth]

Just now, aria26 said:

yup, there has been communication breakdown since yijin suddenly flew off to new york (maybe he did thought it would be temporary).

 

He did suddenly fly to NY due to 9/11 reporting, which HD knew as he told her. However, once there he applied for a permanent NY posting as foreign correspondent. That's when things went downhill, as she had no idea about this until her mum told her. He only told her when he said "oh I will be in Korea in 1 month... it's to tie up loose ends... I applied and got the correspondent job in NY".

 

ME:

 

That's one of the things that confused me. They were great at communicating and suddenly, they are terrible at it. I mean I am able to accept that HD married some other guy, if they would have been better writing in last episode. It just makes me question, her marriage which seems to be bad, as there is little to no information, and what we know is that her shop is called 25.21 after her first love, so it seems as if she's been pining for a long time...

 

Should I pity her husband? Or is she divorced? Or what. All we know is Minchae's father is alive (and was abroad). And why did her mother tell her she saw BYJ a month ago? 

[Kathia]

19 minutes ago, qynn said:

Koreans generally don't wear wedding rings.

I thought just women used wedding rings, they certainly did back in Joseon. Moreover, I followed Son Ye Jin's wedding to Hyun Bin, and he gave her a ring at the wedding ceremony.

 

38 minutes ago, Skysky said:

Okay the weirdest for me is when they run and searching to each other house so dramatically after break up but only to say goodbye again? Lmao. And they hug sooo tight, still obviously in love with each other, I legit thought they will reuite again. Who tf broke up like that again? Especially after they realize how they still miss and love each other. Cmon now, thats just not realistic

I agree with you. It seemed silly to me. I might have disliked the narrative of the movie Love, Rosie starring Lily Colins, but at least, they got together in the end (even after having different partners and Lily Colin having a daughter from another man). That ending was way better than this trash. They could've make them reunite after all those years to reconcile (if HD was a divorcee).

[lin_00]

Guys, recommend me slice of life dramas that have a happy ending, please... I may rewatch "Because this is my first life" or "When the weather is fine" to swallow this utter bitterness. 

I was just asking for closure, why didn't we get it? 

[Pixaiated]

The comments after this episode are the best part about this show

[alivingparadox24]

Just also learned in Reddit that Knetz are really mad mad. It’s now trending at 60+K tweets lmao idk what to say

[aria26]

we really thought that meme about nokor/sokor, alien/actress, goblin/high schooler, kingdom of corea/republic of korea was just a joke and wont happen hahaha

[Skysky]

 

It's crazy that they wasting NJH and KTR chemistry like that. I feel like baekdo dating time is way too short, only like half of eps 15, .they have the best chemistry yet they only kissed once (the heedoo 'kiss' was just peck) 

 

Can we get their reunion again please? Probably after NJH back from millitary, please someone do justice for both of them

[marrez1]

What makes me laugh is the number of theories that I read everywhere on social networks twitter insta, facebook, streaming sites etc, while the answer was simple, there were so many incredible and crazy theories like what Minchae was Yurim's daughter lol there was no need for theories

[SJW]

think the writer underestimated the impact of the 911 incident. 911 is a war done in a nonconventional way. some people watched the horrible incident on tv had to seek counseling, not to mention the trauma on those directly affected in ny, many of them had ptsd. yijin wasnt trained as a war reporter and he was staying in ny living in a dorm for too long. the senior reporter should have done something for him when he noticed the medication yijin took. ptsd was a widely known mental illness back then, the broadcasting station could have removed yijin from ny and sent him back to sk. and he himself had a traumatic experience of bankruptcy and family separation from the imf. with his mental condition and nobody he was close to around him, it's not unusual for him to shut down and face the problem himself. heedo also had years of unpleasant experience with her mom. yes they mended the relationship but didnt mean all the hurtful memories were erased.

it's heartbroken to hear (even for viewer like me) heedo questioned yijin's love for her at the tunnel scene. the tunnel meant so much to them in their up's and down's. the breakup turned heedo into a ignorant and self-centered person. to me, it's hard to believe she didnt have the sensitivity and understanding to the 911 incident and the emotional impact on yijin. 

friendship is very,very different from romantic relationship no matter how strong the foundation it is. different expectation and needs arise in romantic relationship. and they both had scars and brokenness didnt or couldnt deal with at this stage of their life.  she was dating a guy who had the same career as her mom and i already wondered if those bad memories would eventually affect her expectation in this relationship. their personalities were very different from jiwoong and yurim. jiwoong was a very simple guy. he had a great faith in yurim and their relationship. so even though they didnt see each other for a much longer time than yijin-heedo, their long distance worked.

am glad that bona, LJM and CHW did so well in this drama, especially bona! love their characters and wish there would be more plots on jiwoong and seungwan in the drama. 

 

[smhelen]

Why am I feeling its my own breakup that occurred? I am chocking with regret and sadness.