Twenty-Five Twenty-One

It has been a few weeks since Twenty-Five Twenty-One ended, and I still can’t seem to get the drama or it’s many characters out of my head. It is by far the best drama I have watched in recent times. The fact that I managed to already watch it three times since it ended, not to mention the countless times I went over its many iconic senes (this drama is loaded with them), should give you an idea of really how very good it is. Every single episode of Twenty-Five Twenty-One is so beautifully written that just when we thought that we had watched the best episode in the series, the writers would surprise us with two more amazing episodes the following week. I don’t think I enjoyed watching any drama while it was airing as much as I did this one. The emotional high that one gets from eagerly waiting for an episode, to watching it when it finally streams, and discussing it with fellow fans while going over the scenes and possible scenarios, is something only a true fan of the show that watched it in real time will understand.

The year is 2022, and the world is trying its best to get back on its feet, post Covid-19. Kim Min-chae (Choi Myung-bin), an aspiring ballerina is on her way to a dance competition with her mother, Na Hee-do (Kim So-hyun). Hee-do tells her daughter to not worry about the result and to just go and show the judges how much she loves ballet. However, Min-chae’s view regarding the competition is very different. She believes winning is everything. So, when she realizes that she may not be able to outdo the performance of the previous contestant, she gives up and runs away to her grandmother’s place. When her grandmother, Shin Jae-kyung (Seo Jae-hee), finds out that Min-chae has decided to quit ballet, she asks her if there is something else she wants to do. An uncertain Min-chae asks if people always have something they want to do. When her grandma asks isn’t that why she was doing ballet for the past five years, Min-chae replies, that she doesn’t know any more. She wonders if she needs to do something to look like she is doing something. Seeing how her granddaughter has the wrong idea, Jae-kyung explains it is not about something she has to do, but rather about something she wants to do, like a dream. Min-chae tells Jae-kyung that adults never accept if kids say that they do not have a dream. She goes on to ask if she really needs to have one, after all people only talk about getting a job. Hearing this Jae-kyung knowingly nods and says “You are right. These are the times you are living in”. This is a very important conversation because it puts into perspective a generation that grew up post South Korea’s worst financial crisis, the IMF crisis. Just the way Covid-19 has changed the world forever, and the world we live in now will be the norm for future generations, Min-chae lives in the new norm of South Korea, after it was hit by the IMF crisis. She will find out how different her world is from her mother’s and her grandmother’s when she stumbles upon her mother’s high-school journal.

So what is the IMF crisis? In the late 1990s South Korea which was mostly driven by chaebols was one of the fastest growing economies. However poor management, over borrowing and foreign exchange crisis led to many of them filing for bankruptcy and foreign investors pulling out. This resulted in many people losing jobs, businesses going bankrupt, college students dropping out, and schools losing funds. The times were such that people even donated their personal gold in hopes of helping the country recover. Sadly the $2B raised from the gold did little to help the country. With the collapse of its economy South Korea had no choice but to accept a bailout of $58.4 billion from IMF. While many did not understand what was happening, life as they knew it changed for almost every one of them. High-paying permanent jobs were replaced by low-paying temporary positions with no benefits (something that is still very much prevalent in the country), driven to poverty many families had to split up to make ends meet, young adults and women tried to join the workforce to help their families, and those that could not get these temporary jobs took to self-employment by setting up small roadside restaurants or stores. People were told that the only way to get out of this dire situation was to work hard, and that is exactly what everyone ended up doing, working very hard to stay afloat. Earning money to survive became more important than having dreams. While South Korea was back in its path to recovery within a year, the country has never been able to go back to how it was pre-IMF crisis. There are many people who have never recovered from it, temporary jobs far outweigh permanent positions, self-employment is still a thing, owning a house is still a distant dream for many, and landing a job is much more important than chasing a dream. It is very important to understand this to truly understand Twenty-Five Twenty-One and its many characters, especially Baek Yi-jin.

Set during this time in history Twenty-Five Twenty-One is about Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri), a happy-go-lucky eighteen year old high school girl, and what happens when she meets Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), a twenty-two year old chaebol who is forced to drop out of college after his family goes bankrupt. The year is 1998 and South Korea is in the middle of its worst financial crisis, the IMF crisis. Oblivious to the gravity of the crisis, Hee-do lives in her own happy world of fencing, Full House manhwa and obsessing over her favorite idol, olympic gold medalist Ko Yu-rim (Bona). Her dream is to one day become Yu-rim’s fencing rival. Once considered a prodigy, Hee-do’s fencing skills are not what they used to be. But that does not stop her from dreaming or pushing herself to do better. Thanks to her mother’s stable job as a news anchor, she is spared from being directly affected by the crisis, that is until the fencing program at her school is canceled due to lack of funds. Desperate to keep her dream alive, she decides to transfer to Yu-rim’s school that still has funding, thanks to their star fencer. However transferring to a new school is not easy, especially without the permission of her unsupportive mother. It is around this time that she meets Yi-jin, who moves into her neighborhood and works as the paper delivery boy in the mornings and as a store manager in the neighborhood bookstore during the day. Once a happy go lucky kid himself, Yi-jin has a hard time adjusting to life without money and a family to fall back on. With his father in hiding, he becomes the prime target for creditors that were effected by his family’s bankruptcy, and being the son of a fallen chaebol makes it impossible to land a decent job. The fact that so many families were affected by his family’s bankruptcy weighs very heavily on him, making it impossible for him to be happy. It is at this very low point in his life that Hee-do appears like a ray of sunshine. With her bright smile and never give up attitude, she brings hope into his life. Her ability to change tragedies into comedies and refusing to be weighed down by failures, makes him always want to do better for himself. She is exactly what he needed, someone with the ability to open up his lonely and unhappy world, and fill it with friendship and happiness. Together they prove that to overcome any hurdles all you need is one person by your side, someone you can share your joys, sorrow, frustration, struggles and pain with, someone who will support you unconditionally.

*Spoilers – If you haven’t watched Twenty-Five Twenty-One that is currently streaming on Netflix, but plan on watching it, then please refrain from reading the rest of the blog, as it contains many spoilers.

As much as I love Twenty-Five Twenty-One, I would be lying if I said that it did not leave me heartbroken. However, I have no one to blame but myself for the heartache I suffered. From the moment I watched the trailer and the first few episodes of the drama, I knew exactly how it was going to end. The signs were all there and my brain saw them all, but my hopeless romantic heart with it’s ray of hope decided to see otherwise. I knew Hee-do was married to someone else, I knew the drama was about her first love and how those four years of her youth shaped the adult she grew into, and most importantly I knew that it was about teaching Min-chae the importance of never giving up through her experiences as a fencer. While I knew all of this, I still could not stop myself from hoping against hope and coming up with some ridiculous possible scenarios that would justify why Min-chae had Kim as her last name even though her dad was Baek Yi-jin. The signs were all there, the biggest being the fact that Min-chae did not know who Yi-jin was or even how he looked, and that Hee-do did not remember the most important trip in the time she spent with Yi-jin, the trip to the beach in summer.

While Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin may feel like the heart and soul of Twenty-Five Twenty-One, there is a lot more to the drama than just their love story. It is a beautiful story about youth, love, friendship and the importance of living with no regrets, because nothing lasts forever. All good and bad things must come to an end, so it is very important to never give up hope when times are bad and cherish every moment when times are good. Teaching us these important life lessons are Hee-do, Yi-jin and their amazing friends Yu-rim, Moon Ji-woong and Ji Seung-wan. What I love most about this drama is the very unique and special bond each of the characters have. Here is a look at some these special relationships.

Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin

He is who he is because of her, and she is who she is because of him. They both inspire each other to be better just by being together. Had it not been for him, she would not have found the confidence to do as well as she did in fencing, or even taken up carpentry which ends up becoming her profession after she retires from fencing. Had it not been for her, he wouldn’t have summed up the courage to come back to Seoul and pursue a career in journalism. Her actions and words of encouragement during his darkest times, are what help him persevere and do better. They find the courage to overcome any obstacle, and become happy, just by being there for each other. So, while my heart aches for Hee-do and Yi-jin and what could have been, I console myself knowing that while it lasted they were able to love each other with all their heart and no regrets.

Na Hee-do and Ko Yu-rim

Of all the characters in the drama the pair that shares the deepest bond are Hee-do and Yu-rim. When asked throughout her career what was her most honorable moment, Hee-do says, “I was most honored to be Yu-rim’s rival”. This was her dream from the very beginning, to be Ko Yu-rim’s rival. As a fencer, Hee-do idolizes Yu-rim. It was her love and obsession for Yu-rim that made her never give up fencing even though she was in a slump for the longest time. Through Yu-rim and Hee-do we witness the emotional turmoil athletes go through when they are competing against each other on an international stage. Their love for each other is such that they do not let anything come in between them.

Moon Ji-woong and Ji Seung-wan

Friends since their diaper days, Seung-wan and Ji-woong give us major friendship goals. They may be polar opposites but there is nothing in this world that can break them apart. While she looks out for him in times of trouble, he lights up her life by making it fun and entertaining. Of all the amazing characters in the drama, if I have to pick a favorite, then it will have to be Seung-wan. She is not only smart, pretty, and caring, but is also someone who will not hesitate to stand up for what is right. And the only reason we get to witness these many shades of Seung-wan is because she has Ji-woong by her side.

Baek Yi-jin and Ko Yurim

The bond between Yi-jin and Yu-rim is that of a big brother and younger sister. Having known each other since childhood, they are more like family than friends. They truly care and look out for each other.

Baek Yi-jin and Seung-wan

Honestly I was hoping Yi-jin would end up with Seung-wan. I always felt that these two had a very special bond. She is very much like Yi-jin. Like him she is smart, caring, sensible and loves broadcasting. While Na Hee-do reminds him of how he was at her age, Seung-wan was more like him at his present age, like how only the two of them can see how bad the Jungle Prince performance is, and being mindful of Hee-do’s situation when going to rescue her when she is locked inside their hangout. That is why he preferred her sitting in the front seat as a navigator on their trip. There are many moments in the drama that belongs only to these two, like how she confesses her innermost thoughts only to him on the beach trip, and how he rescues her from the journalist. While it was sad that he had lost touch with the gang, I really loved how they hinted at the possibility of her being a part of his life in the end, because I strongly feel that their relationship has scope for something more and that definitely needs to be explored.

Baek-Yi-jin and Shin Jae-kyung

Almost all the adults in this drama are amazing, and they all make a huge difference in the lives of the five friends in one way or another. Of them all, my favorite is the relationship between Yi-jin and Jae-kyung. From being the one responsible for hiring high school graduates, to nominating him as her successor, her influence on Yi-jin’s life goes beyond being Hee-do’s mom. That is why, even long after Hee-do and Yi-jin have moved on, she is still in touch with him. As his senior at work, she is someone Yi-jin looks up to and aspires to be one day. They have a very special bond on a personal level as well, and that is the love they both have for Hee-do. I love how supportive she is of him and his relationship with Hee-do. The pride they share for being that special someone in Hee-do’s life is just too beautiful to watch.

Ko Yu-rim and Moon Ji-woong

Innocent, beautiful, pure and sweet are the words that come to mind when I think of the relationship between Yu-rim and Ji-woong. He is an extrovert that wears his heart on his sleeve, while she is an introvert who keeps all her thoughts and feelings bottled up. He is just what she needs to get her out of her shell, and she is what he needs to know that his dreams and passions are not trivial.

Na Hee-do and Ji Seung-wan

Seung-wan and Hee-do are the first girl friends they each have. While they may not be the best of friends, they understand, respect and support each other. Their friendship is uncomplicated and pure.

Na Hee-do and Moon Ji-woong

I really loved watching these two. Hee-do and Ji-woong are like siblings. They may fight and tease each other, but are there for one another when needed. They fill the space of the sibling that is missing in each others lives.

Baek Yi-jin and Moon Ji-woong

The love and admiration Ji-woong has for Yi-jin, shows how much he misses having an elder brother in his life. The fact the Yi-jin lies to the coach to take the girls to the concert, shows that while he may deny it, the sibling feeling between them is mutual.

Another reason I love this drama so much is the nostalgia that comes with being a nineties kid. It reminded me of the simpler times we lived in, when we would all watch the same movies, television shows, listen to the same music or read the same books, and spotting a telephone booth while having the correct change in your pocket gave so much joy. The choices were limited, so moments as simple as waiting for the release of a book were precious. I remember how excited I used to get when I would shop for a dear friend or sibling. The joy of buying a gift for someone you love or receiving a gift from someone you love, without first checking or telling them what it is you really want and what you already have, is something this generation will never know. I could fully relate to Hee-do’s excitement regarding Full House, and her joy of receiving Vol. 15 from Yi-jin.

I am not sure how long my obsession with Twenty-Five Twenty-One will last, but until then I will keep revisiting the drama while I soothe my aching heart and convince myself that Yi-jin has also found his happily ever after. For the sake of my sanity and closure I really hope that they make one special episode in which we get a glimpse into Yi-jin’s current life. I completely understand why despite loving each other so much Hee-do and Yi-jin had to break up. As someone who spent her whole life waiting, being letdown and then finally giving up, the last thing Hee-do wanted was someone like her mother. As a reporter with a sense of responsibility, Yi-jin ended up becoming just like her mother. His dedication and sense of duty meant that Hee-do would once again have to spend her life alone, waiting and disappointed. Sadly they lived in a time where finding a good stable job was almost impossible, especially for someone like Yi-jin. With just a high school degree he was lucky to have a job, and it was extremely important for him to do well. There was a lot at stake not just for him, but for others like him. That was why he could not quit his job even though he knew the toll it was taking on his relationship and Hee-do. So, as heartbreaking as it was, I accepted the fact that their break up was inevitable. That is why I really want to know how he is doing now and if he also forgot that summer beach trip like Hee-do. Based on the epilogue in the final episode it did seem like he is doing alright, and the fact that his password question is the name of his first love, there is a possibility that he might have fallen in love again. I have made peace with Hee-do’s future and I just want the same closure from Yi-jin. While they are at it, I really hope they give us a glimpse into Seung-wan’s life as well, because I am really not happy with how her character ended. Seung-wan is by far the best character in the whole drama. She was meant to do great things when she grows up, and I really want to know what those great things are that she ends up doing, because carrying props in a reality television show is not how I pictured her character to end up.