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Twenty-Five Twenty-One got me back into K-dramas. Here's why

Writer's picture: Joyce ChuaJoyce Chua
twenty five twenty one poster

I watched Twenty-Five Twenty-One weeks ago and I can’t stop thinking about it.


It took me three years to finally watch it because I’m still stuck in the restaurant that is Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo (my ultimate favourite go-to feel-good comfort K-drama). But here we are finally, and I must say that while it didn’t exceed my expectations like WFKBJ did, it’s definitely a well-produced, well-told story that gives you the feels as well. And, as we all know, we watch K-dramas for the feels (and the visuals, of course). 


Summary

Twenty Five Twenty One is about a teenage girl who finds her mother’s old diaries and learns about her first love, Baek Yi Jin, who went on to be a famous news anchor but didn’t end up with her mother. Most of the story is told in flashbacks to the 90s, starting from when the female lead (Na Hee Do) meets Baek Yi Jin (endearingly dubbed Baggy Jeans by the fans), falls in love with him, and eventually breaks up with him.

twenty five twenty one screencap

Hee Do and Yi Jin’s story begins amid the backdrop of the IMF financial crisis in 1997 (and spans the next few years into the 2001 event in New York City), so pretty dark times. Yi Jin’s family is bankrupt as a result of the crisis and the family has to split up and fend for themselves to avoid debtors. Yi Jin is forced to quit university and takes up odd jobs to support himself.


He meets Hee Do in the lowest trenches of his life, and she becomes a strong emotional support for him, eventually helping him find his calling as a sports reporter. She, on the other hand, is an aspiring Olympic fencer working towards her dreams. They become fast friends and rely on each other through the hard times, so naturally they fall for each other, as K-dramas go.

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Cuties

Eventually, though, circumstances force them apart as Yi Jin chooses to pursue career overseas (by covering the 911 attack), and Hee Do chooses to prioritise her emotional needs over staying in a dead-end relationship (her mother is also a news anchor and is emotionally neglectful towards her, and she didn’t want to date someone who makes her relive this pain all over again). The two grow apart and Hee Do eventually decides to call it quits, but they part with beautiful memories and gratefulness for the experience and love that the other gave.


First Thoughts 

The aesthetics of this drama are stunning! The director definitely focused on the vibes, because there are so many frames that look straight out of a postcard and can tell a story on their own. 

twenty five twenty one screencap

Nam Joo Hyuk (who plays our dear Baggy Jeans) is a cutie patootie as usual. Except that his character in this one is a little more sombre than the absolute puppy his character was in WFKBJ. With those puppy eyes and naturally shy demeanour, he excels at roles like this, and it’s not hard to understand why Hee Do would fall for him.

nam joo hyuk twenty five twenty one screencap

The 90s vibes are strong in this one, so if you’re a 90s baby, be prepared for a nostalgia trip!


Reflections

There’s something about college dramas that feel especially nostalgic and heartwarming, especially now that we’re adults and look back on our school days with rose-tinted glasses. 


Now, onto the romance storyline. 


I get why folks call this their "K-trauma", but I think FL did the right thing by breaking up with ML. They were no longer giving each other what they needed—her support felt hollow to him, and his absence was triggering her emotional trauma from her mother’s negligence. They were already on different paths in life, drifting apart not just physically but mentally, him with his journo career in New York (and getting PTSD from covering 9/11) and her with her fencing career. It wouldn't have worked out. 

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Final hug

Sometimes, people come into our lives to teach us a lesson and/or give us an experience. They're just here for a season, but we grow so much because of them. Not everything is meant to last, and they would have been even more miserable if they had tried to stay together. It's better to just carry the memories and lessons with you rather than stay stuck in the same spot trying to fix something that is already broken. 

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This ending wasn't devastating for me, it's just a reflection of life—heartbreaking at times, but rewarding nevertheless. We only understand the message life sends us in hindsight, and that is to cherish every moment we have with the people around us because we never know when it will be our last time with them.


I think we have better hindsight as we get older and are able to rationalise our decisions better instead of getting overly emotional and sentimental. That doesn't mean the loss doesn't hurt; it just means we are able to detach better knowing that we made the right choice. 


Conclusion: Is Twenty-Five Twenty-One worth the watch?

All in all, 25/21 was a poignant, bittersweet drama that handles themes of first love, friendship, coming of age, family, and ambition with lots of care and heart. Definitely a drama worth watching. 4/5 📺


If you liked this, try: 


weightlifting fairy kim book joo poster





Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo

I can’t rave enough about this one! As mentioned, it’s my all-time favourite comfort K-drama, one that I’ve rewatched every single year since 2017, when an ex-coworker of mine recommended it to me during a particularly rough time in my life. I will always be thankful to her for that. I have too much to say about this one, so maybe I’ll get it all out in another blog post.


saving francesca melina marchetta











Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

This contemporary YA by one of my favourite Aussie authors also deals with similar themes as 25/21, except that instead of having first love as a major theme, it’s more on depression and how it alters the entire entire family dynamic. 







until morning joyce chua




Bit of a shameless plug, but I promise this rec is relevant.


Coming-of-age, tricky family dynamics, first love, lovebirds torn apart by reality, Until Morning by yours truly is a YA contemporary romance set against a whimsy dreamscape backdrop.


(I call this my fluffiest book, but I've been told it's not as fluffy as I think it is because of some of the themes involved.)


You can find out more here!







Q: Have you watched 25/21? What are your thoughts? Share your drama recs if you have any!

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©2024 by Joyce Chua

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