Disclaimer: Potential Spoilers Ahead!
Although it have been over a month since the final episode airing on television, I still cannot get over the drama Twenty Five Twenty One.
Twenty Five Twenty One is a Korean drama starring Nam Joohyuk and Kim Taeri and based off in the late 1990’s when Korea is going through the Asian Financial Crisis. The plot revolves around a young female high schooler, Na Hee-Do, as aspiring fencer and a university student Back Yi-jin, who stems from a rich background. Due to the Asian Financial Crisis, Na Hee-do’s school cuts the budget for their fencing team, shattering her dream of being on the National Team, meanwhile Back Yi-jin’s family business goes bankrupt, forcing him to drop out of university and search for a job to make money instead.
The story follows the journey of these two characters as Na Hee-do goes through obstacles to get onto the Fencing National Team to being a worldwide famous champion and as Back Yi-jin works several part time jobs to support his family before he finally lands a job as a reporter. As these two young characters try to find their places in this world, their relationship slowly develops from friendship to lovers.
If you are weirded out by the idea of a university student dating a high schooler, then don’t worry. The main characters do not actually become lovers until much later, when they both are adults with stable lives.
One of the reasons why I loved this drama so much is because of the detail and time it takes to develop the relationship from friendship to love between Hee-do and Yi-jin. The development in the plot line is so realistic and smooth and there is a whole new level of satisfaction seeing the relationship move from friends to lovers. It gives the audience to time to process everything going on as well as be well prepared for what will come next.
Furthermore, the drama does a good job to emphasis on what a healthy relationship should look like, which is having support for one another, happiness, trust and the ability to make the other feel at home.
Not only does this drama focus on the love plotline, but it also spends a good amount of time on developing the friendship between Na Hee-do and her enemy Ko Yurim as well as developing and healing the broken relationship Na Hee-do has with her mother. The show also focuses on the Asian Financial Crisis and how it ruined many jobs, leaving many in poor financial conditions as well as how it affected Yi-jin and his family.
This drama is essentially a coming of age drama as it explores how two young individuals make their way in the world. Watching this will give you a rush of adrenaline and you will find yourself emotionally invested in the every ups and downs.
Watching this made me want to redo my high school and university years and live in the 1990’s, even though I wasn’t even born back then. It will also leave you feeling refreshed and nostalgic of the past as well as make you want to be an athlete too just to experience the thrill of winning.
Not to mention that the OST of the drama will also leave you feeling very youthful and active.
I recommend everyone to watch this drama, especially now that summer is coming up as it is the perfect summer drama to watch.