Twenty-Five Twenty-One 스물다섯 스물하나 [2022]

[movingwheel]

yes they ended it... oh God.... its just that they showed that they havr drifted apart ./... thats it ./... Oh God !!!! @abs-oluteM

[Mizv]

Just watched live.   So disappointed 

[movingwheel]

oh F*** it...I AM NOT GONNA WATCH IT....

 

"i learned how to love because of you and i experienced break up too." -heedo

"you don't know how much you made my life shine." -yijin

"good bye, baek yijin." -heedo

"good bye, na heedo." -yijin

"this time, you go leave first." -heedo

 

That's the end ????!@!!!!!!!!!

@Mizv me too.... I am not gonna watch it....for me drama ended earlier than this...!!!!

[abs-oluteM]

@movingwheel @Mizv did you see the extra scene?

 

Hmmm so what do you think was the point of the drama? 

[mademoiselle]

Stay till the end of the credits, guys. There's an easter egg scene where Yi Jin trying to log into an account he had long time ago. He finally got in and there was a security question he had to answer and he typed "Na Hee Do".

 

... and yeah ...

 

Turns out the spoilers I've come across in Weibo (from Korea) was real.

@abs-oluteM Ah. Awesome. I was hoping to know what the question was! Now I will...

... even more

Actually, how is his first love Hee Do when he had two girlfriends before Hee Do?

Edited April 3, 2022 by mademoiselle

[movingwheel]

after wasting my energy like this , i am gonna take a break from watching k dramas for now specially with A listers !!!

 

@abs-oluteM the ending does not make sense. their relationship was not just whimsical first love that just because there is distance , they will grow apart....this whole logic did not make sense... because when two people are thorough and thorough in all hardships together... They don't break up just because its long distance and its not working !!! that is too fickle and does not make sense.

 

There is a lot of loose ends in story telling. For once . The Story did not throw light on how they actually resolved the issue of debt in Yijin's family?? What did his dad mean when he said that he was the biggest joy 10 yrs ago? Who did Hee Do marry and How can Hee Do look at Yijin like that even when she is married !!!! 

 

I don't know ... i just don't want to waste my energy anymore !!! There are loads of good things to move forward to...!!! in the end , i am not completely happy with the story telling till end.

 

@mademoiselle @gilaswan @Mizv @JenL

[LaLa]

It's been awhile since I logged in.. And the first thing I did was visiting this since few minutes ago I just finished watching live of the last episodes... 

 

My real and raw thought and opinions about the ending.. I might have different opinion after watching with subs or calming a bit, but who knows hahaha 

- Until the end we don't know who Min Chae father is or with whom Hee Do ended up with.

I was started to think that maybe my previous experience with finding the husband kind of plot messed something in our mind. I think most of us have experienced and watched Reply series. The most famous and popular one among the kdrama fans would probably 1998, but since I watched the first series 1997, it was more mind blowing at that time. The guessing I had to do every time there's hint about the potential husband lol. Maybe because of that when I was presented with similar plot in here, automatically I started to connect it with a little hint of finding the husband between Hee Do and Yi Jin.. However, the last name of Min Chae is already a big fat hint, but I tried to deny it.. for a few weeks.. 

 

By not showing who's the father.. I think the writer and PD want to show us that what they want to share with us was not all about finding the husband or father but the journey of Hee Do growth. From being an unknown fencer to become a national athlete that the whole country proud of. The precious memories and friendship she made during the hard times in 1998 when she almost lost hope and her dream. And they did success for it. I was on edge of my monitor when she fight in the piste, I cheered when she won and I laughed and cried together with her during her journey as fencer. 

 

- Friendship between the 4 school mates

What made me want to watch this story because I read and did anticipate the chemistry between the 4 youngsters of Tae Yang High school. Hee Do and Yu Rim have a precious kind of friendship. They grew from seeing each other as rival and enemy and they ended up as a dependable friend that always be there during the happy and sad days. They knew each other well because both are athletes and experienced the hate from media in turn. 

 

Ji Woong and Seung Wan friendship prove that there could be a normal friendship between man and woman without including and romantic feelings. Maybe because they're growing up together since babies, but they understood eachother so well that they don't have to explain or prove it to show their friendship. They are more like a cousin or brother sister kind of friendship. Both of them are so precious. 

 

- The love story.. 

Haaa.. actually I had mixed feelings about this.. at first after ep 15 finished, I was wondering if Yi Jin didn't move from sports section and stay there at least for 1 or 2 years, maybe the results of their relationship would end differently. He can always be there for Hee Do, watching her from beside when she competed and he later reported it in his duty as sport reporter. The things that happened to Yu Rim family was a pity but there's little chance for Hee Do to face that because of her family background. However, knowing Yi Jin's type, he might not want to stay long in sports, not only because of Hee Do. He will probably want to expand his experience and career as reporter. 

 

After the end of ep 16, I wanted to blame the book rental owner. What if he delivered the package instead of waiting for Hee Do to come and visit the shop? Maybe we could get another chance? Yes the long 6 months being apart between the two were something that already happened, but at least they didn't have to misunderstand and their sincere feelings towards each other can be delivered.  They might give their relationship another chance after thinking and parting for a while

 

But then from the last entry of the diary, written by both when they were still in so much love with eachother, when Hee Do realized that she didn't mean what she said to Yi Jin and Yi Jin who finally understood the pain Hee Do had to go through when he's away, it looks like they were all ready to end their relationship as lover. That's why both wanting to say goodbye not with hateful remarks and bad memories, but they want to have a happy end. 

 

Oh I really wished and prayed they would end up together. I really did so. But then again Hee Do had really a bad experience when she's young when she was all left alone by her mother because she's busy with work. She tried to understand Yi Jin because she had that experience, but Yi Jin himself kept breaking the promises he made to her. Yi Jin also realized that maybe he's too selfish to think about himself and not about Hee Do. The affection between both grew when they needed eachother the most during their hard times in 1998. But as the time change and the problems both have to face become too much different, their support at that time no longer become strength that they needed.. 

 

 

Did I feel disappointed with it's end? Well I do, but I don't regret watching this drama. It taught me several lessons and I really enjoyed spending my weekend night with them. I laughed and teared up because of it  For the past 2 months I really had good times.

 

Through this I found Kim Tae Ri who really did fabulous work in portraying Na Hee Do. Nam Joo Hyuk too has really grown and become a one of a kind actor. Hopefully one day there's another project that reunited the two that end up with the two characters can get their happy end together as couple. Their chemistry are really amazing. 

The other 3 members of Tae Yang High school were also great and I'm looking forward for their next project. 

[Tofu]

I saw the spoiler and while I expected that kind of ending, I still feel a bit disappointed that it happened. 😩

 

 

The little nod to Search WWW was cute at the end though! 

 

[ktcjdrama]

Wow... wow... They really did go that route. How should I put it... expected but, so unexpected as well...?? But I am actually okay with the way it ends. Although if I had known how it ends, I probably would never want to start the drama. That said, I'm glad I picked this up while airing, so I can fully enjoy the joy, laughter, thrill and anxiousness about how their relationship will become. Would I recommend it to other people? Not sure... It really is so different from the usual dramas that I'm not sure if a lot of people will appreciate the way the drama wrapped up. I thought it was good, but I don't think it's something I can go around recommending to people to watch. 

[gilaswan]

Well, and so that’s a wrap, folks!

 

@movingwheel@Mizv@mademoiselle@JenL@ktcjdrama

 

Good show. Good end. Yes, you heard me right. It was a good finish. Not your typical happy-ever-after ending, but a realistic one that I can relate to. I could see parts of my own lived experience through the stories of all 5 of them, through Heedo’s story (though I have managed to get rid of all my diaries. Hahaha… sorry, I don’t want anyone uncovering my diaries.)

 

Their break up quarrel and final send off of each other at the bus stop was very real, the fluxing emotions - wanting to blame, not wanting to blame, wanting to be objective and above it all, yet not being able to, angry, sad… and then the regret, but knowing that the break up was really for the better. I remember those heartaches and feeling very intensely, even though today, my own daughter would tell you (like Minchae does of her mum) that I have zero emotions and am pragmatic to a fault. But once upon a time I too was a little reckless like Heedo, high spirited, and passionate about things. At one point in the show, I found myself wanting to blame Yijin for the breakdown of their relationship, cos at some point in my own history, I did have an Yijin that I blames too. But Heedo was right to have recognised that in the long run, Yijin’s base personality would have caused her more pain than happiness, and they would have ended up hating each other instead. She knew it was the right thing to do even though staying together and pretending all was ok (as I suspect was what Yijin wanted) would have been the more comfortable and easy way to live. Who likes change after all? Which is ironic, cos this relationship started because she exactly wanted change. 

 

While we all prolly know a Jiwoong or Yurim who end up marrying their high school sweetheart, truth is most of us don’t end up or remain in touch with persons we encountered in our youth. Nevertheless, what a vibrant and precious time of life that was! I totally understand present-day Heedo’s perspective on these events in her now distant memory. And on a side note, I reckon Yijin never married. I don’t think his personality would have been good for marriage. 

 

What then of all those random things thrown at us?

• Yijin’s father’s comment of “last 10 years”? Well, that would have been the time he was probably in school and that’s when parents can take active pride in their child’s achievement. 

• Family’s debt? Yijin managed to reunite the family. I reckon they managed to do whatever they could and that’s also been settled. 

• Who’s Minchae’s dad? Maybe Heedo married Cutie Pie after all. Hahaha. Or Junho Oppa. I mean, she spent so much of her time in the NTC. It would have been very normal for her to have ended up with a fellow athlete who at least would understand her challenges. But by the time the end came around, it didn’t seem so important after all to find out who her dad is. 

 

It’s a good show. I would recommend it to anyone in their 40s, willing to look back with some sort of bittersweet fondness to a past of experiences similar to Heedo’s and Yijin’s. 

[JenL]

I have just finished it! Wow, they went through with the hard ending! I am both heartbroken and impressed (because TVN should fear for their building since the craziest of fans are threatening to burn it down...hahaha). 

 

The ending hurt my heart a lot, but it didn't surprise me   I sort of had a slightly softer divorce theory, but I definitely knew that Hee Do had married someone else and Min Chae was not Yi Jin's daughter. I think deep down I knew very well that it was quite likely to have a sad ending...But this was harsher than I thought it would be because it seems like they never saw each other again except for that interview...they never went back to having any kind of friendship or even once awhile connection. It was so realistic in the sense that it was like a proper break-up and you lost the friendship along with the relationship. There's definitely people that I promised to be friends with after dating and it never happened...it didn't hurt for me, but watching it for 2 characters I loved who felt perfect for each other hurt a lot.  

 

This ending is definitely the same as Lala land - in the end the story was about a deep and meaningful past love and the sacrifices we make in order to grow up and to get the careers/ achievements we want. And I guess to be honest, the drama never did make any promises of a fairytale ending. We were shown in every episode that there was a strong sense of reality. Things don't suddenly get better...sometimes they just get harder - we all just wanted more from these past events and to milk the fairytales from them 

 

With that said, I enjoyed the series and I don't regret watching it at all even knowing the ending now. I thought it was well done and it was oddly cathartic watching a series about growing pains and life changes when I feel like I'm going through some myself. I think the story was so beautiful anyway and if I was the sobbing type I would cry so hard for this. But I'm happy to take away the idea that there are people who love us and change us in our lives even if their paths only cross ours briefly. 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2022 by JenL

[ktcjdrama]

27 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

Good show. Good end. Yes, you heard me right. It was a good finish. Not your typical happy-ever-after ending, but a realistic one that I can relate to

Very well said, your post above, especially the reason why a break up is necessary... I agree with all of it, except the recommending to other people part, haha... Still can't think of anyone who would appreciate the storytelling even though my circle of friends are mostly in our 40s. Almost everyone seems to be coming to kdramas more for a fairy-tale story and an escape from reality. 

[Mouse]

My heart hurts for Hee-Do and Yijin. Like @mademoiselle, I also couldn’t predict how this drama was going to end.

 

Spoiler

I loved Hee-Do and Yijin together so

much that to see them break up hurt so much. I had hoped for a future together for them because of so many reasons. First, I love that their relationship and love for each other grew out of real friendship and respect. Second, they loved and supported each other when they were both at their lowest point. Third, their presence in each other’s lives was pivotal in them achieving their successes. And fourth, you could just see that they truly saw each other for who they were and they truly enjoyed each other’s company. 
 

Unfortunately, due to circumstances they couldn’t predict (9/11 happening and Yijin having to travel and stay there for some time), their relationship suffered bec of it. The part where Hee-Do tells her friends that she sort of saw it coming.. I think it’s because she knew deep down that they both had dreams they wanted to pursuit and recognize the fact that their dreams could lead them to different places which is what actually eventually happened. 
 

I don’t think they loved each other any less. To me, I felt that their breakup wasn’t bec they no longer loved each other. Rather, it was the two of them coming to the realization that they were heading different places. How they handled the breakup was actually quite mature. I cried with them as they held each other for the last time. 
 

I think for me, it hurts to witness such great love with such great potential not have a future together. I think of all the happy, wonderful years they could have had. 
 

I was a little disappointed that it didn’t tell us in the end where Yijin was, or where Yurim or the others were. It seemed like Min-Chae did not know any of them which meant they were no longer in each other’s lives.

 

but then again, maybe it was better that way because I can keep imagining Yijin remaining single and only having a heart for Hee-Do 

 

I truly love this drama and glad I decided to check it out. 

[Mizv]

@movingwheel @abs-oluteM @gilaswan @JenL

 

it took me time to process this drama end.  Rewatched with subs.  sigh, everyone else got their happy ending but BYJ and NHD…. It was an amiable ending for them…But not for me. 
In some ways, it gave a tinkle to real life.  nobody really  forgets their first love.   Most first loves are buried in our hearts.  a few lucky ones end up Similar KYR and JW.  

this drama was good yes.  It was an emotional roller coaster.  I’m glad I watched it on air. would I recommend it to another? Nope! the writer is officially on my black list as well.  
 

Good Riddance.

[gilaswan]

@JenL@ktcjdrama@Mizv@movingwheel@Mouse

 

yaedeul a… you wouldn’t believe it (or maybe you would) but I woke up in the middle of the night with a heartache because of the show. Hahaha… 

 

Spoiler

Loving everyone’s response to the show, from why you loved or hated the ending to whether you would recommend it to someone, and for me now, whether I would rewatch it with my hubby. Agreeing on so many points everyone has raised too and thinking back to my own “Yijin” in my past experiences which have, as @Mizv said, been buried deep in the recesses of my mind. Maybe that’s why it was said that this show would be “healing”. 
 

Did I love “Yijin”? Perhaps at some point in time, I really did. Afterall, I too, like Heedo, pledged a “forever” with him. But it didn’t happen. Because like Heedo and Yijin, we had futures then we wanted to explore that didn’t include each other - that we weren’t willing to include each other in but weren’t also willing to admit it at the time. I remember similar conversations like the one Heedo had with Yijin at the tunnel, especially when Yijin said to Heedo that she had been thinking on her own for 6 months and he wasn’t included in it. But you see, he wasn’t available to be included in them too. 

 

Like Heedo, I think there were significant memories created together (like the trip to the beach) which I have altogether forgotten the details of or if they had ever happened, cos while they were happy moments, they had become associated with sad ones, and I am the sort to prefer a mental erasure of them. Like Heedo, I prolly have some mementos of those pasts still stored somewhere in my old bedroom at my parents’ home, not deliberately kept but more so forgotten and not removed. And I don’t think I would like to talk about them if anyone asked. 

 

Like all of you, I really wanted Yijin and Heedo to succeed, maybe because I didn’t in that regard, and isn’t dramaland supposed to be where fairytales happen? Which is why I can agree with @ktcjdramathat we’ve had enough of our own to weather and would rather be watching dramas to escape reality (hence the next two nights of Business Proposal is very important! Hahaha. Thank goodness it’s airing the same time!) and why I also said that I’d recommend it only if you are ready to confront your own bittersweet memories. 

 

It seemed like Heedo’s mother really liked and approved of Yijin, but I wonder if she would have continued to if he had become a son-in-law. She certainly was in touch with him through their circle of professional contacts. Not dissimilar in my own context where a close relative up to recent times was still in touch with my ex. It’s always odd when the name is mentioned casually. 

 

But do I want to go back to that time even if there are no hard feelings anymore? No. I don’t. I’m very happy where I am and I found someone post-Yijin which he could and would never have been. In reality, I think neither of them would have regretted the decision to leave each other. I think they were right that they should never have tried “that kind of love” but they would never have known if they never did. And the costs that came with that decision - Yijin lost that entire group of friends - were also valuable as a life experience. 

 

There’s just so much to say about every scene, from them gathering again at Seungwan’s father’s funeral, to casual remarks made by Yijin and Heedo when they were preparing for that interview… It is certainly no rom com. 

 

Anyone found the scene where they had to cancel their couple plan both funny and sad at the same time? It was like a pre-divorce counselling before the signing of the final papers. The things that happen in our youth! 

 

The rational me is all in the spoiler tab, but the drama watching me actually still wants to blame Yijin for the collapse of the relationship. Hahaha… Who’s with me here? It’s his fault. 

 

9 hours ago, abs-oluteM said:

Hmmm so what do you think was the point of the drama? 

I think for me, the point of the drama is that our lives are all lived in response to all that is happening around us - whether IMF crisis, 9-11, U.S. presidential elections, olympics - whether we think there are direct impacts on us or not. Our kids today will have the impact of Covid-19 and the Ukraine-Russia war on them. The opportunities and options available to them, and their responses to them, will shape their future. And there can be happy-ever-afters in them in some way or other. I actually think when Yijin told Heedo through the camera that he had been well, it was closure for her too. They all managed to move on positively. 

[ktcjdrama]

10 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

 

Anyone found the scene where they had to cancel their couple plan both funny and sad at the same time? It was like a pre-divorce counselling before the signing of the final papers. The things that happen in our youth! 

Me. I was laughing at that scene. It’s as if they signed their divorce paper. That’s the magic of this show, even for such a sad occurrence, they managed to make it light, which has been the consistent tone of the drama. And then it became a good transition for the emotional quarrel. 
 

12 minutes ago, gilaswan said:

wants to blame Yijin for the collapse of the relationship. Hahaha… Who’s with me here? It’s his fault

I kinda want to blame him too, but I notice it was HD who distanced herself first and determined for a break up. She knows what she wants and YJ is not able to meet them. In anyways, I think YJ is a person not suited for a relationship (mostly due to his profession), although he would love sincerely. I believe he would always be apologetic for the demand of his work, thus no matter who he is with, they would never be happy.

[gilaswan]

2 minutes ago, ktcjdrama said:

… but I notice it was HD who distanced herself first and determined for a break up. She knows what she wants and YJ is not able to meet them. In anyways, I think YJ is a person not suited for a relationship (mostly due to his profession), although he would love sincerely. I believe he would always be apologetic for the demand of his work, thus no matter who he is with, they would never be happy.

You reckon? He didn’t tell her that he had applied for the correspondent position (why?) and he didn’t share his struggles - he was sinking into himself even though (IMO) Heedo was trying to reach out. I actually felt he was the one who shut her out. I couldn’t tell though if he had already determined their end but simply had no courage to be the one to say it first. When he came back and found their luggages had been swapped by mistake, he was going to leave it for her without talking to her (why?). But in their conversation, when she wanted to end it, he said to her that she had better not regret it. It’s like he didn’t want to break up but knew he had to but didn’t want to be the “bad guy” but actually was…? Haiz… Yijin ah~ 
 

I found Yijin actually very confused and conflicted throughout and it took Heedo’s clarity to call an end to everything. 

[Unnie0110]

I do not want to comment anymore on the ending.

 

I just want to give a shout out for Kim Tae Ri and Nam Joo Hyuk for doing such wonderful jobs in this drama. I knew that KTR is a brilliant actress but I never knew that she has a flair for comedy! I want to see her in ROMCOMs in the future. NJH has been showing us good acting in his recent projects and I'm happy that he did BYJ with such depth characterization. I am looking forward to more good projects from him.

 

The Taeyang squad are also actors I will look forward to in the future. Good job everyone!

 

In general 2521 has good actors, good cinematography and has many good moments of heartfelt scenes. However, like many Korean dramas, it has a good start but spins out of control towards the ending. Korean writers really need to work backwards first and build the story from there so everything else can fall into place and make sense. And they should always, ALWAYS remember that their audience are THINKING, FEELING and SMART people.

 

Thank you everyone for watching this drama with me, see you in other dramas!;) ANNYEONG!

[JenL]

8 hours ago, ktcjdrama said:

Still can't think of anyone who would appreciate the storytelling even though my circle of friends are mostly in our 40s. Almost everyone seems to be coming to kdramas more for a fairy-tale story and an escape from reality. 

 

Hahahaha, but there's people like me who would take these recommendations  

 

Would I still watch it if I knew the ending? I would say yes, but it's mood-dependent and context dependent. Sometimes when I'm down, I like to watch characters doing through similar sad life events or moments. But other times, I only want to watch happy experiences and romantic moments. But I don't actively avoid shows because of a sad ending or death and in this case, I have accepted the bittersweet ending even though it hurt me. A part of me even likes it for the realism, though the rest of me definitely struggles  because I loved Hee Do and Yi Jin and I wanted them together of course no matter how impossible it seemed.

 

I think it's niche but there are definitely some people who like sad endings. There must be people who like them because the illness trope that ends in death is really really popular in Asia (ie. dramas where one part of a couple gets cancer/ terminal illness and dies. I really can't watch this trope not because it's sad, but because I get frustrated by the noble idiocy that often happens in these series where they 'pretend' to be a jerk to their partner or to set them up with someone else rather than just spend their last moments happily with them.) 

 

@gilaswan  @ktcjdrama I think I would recommend it less on age and more on ending type preference. I agree with you when you say it's for people who want to reflect on their own bittersweet experiences too. But I would actually not necessarily recommend for those over 40 - I feel like, in my own experiences, the generations above mine actually watch dramas for the traditional fairytale/ happy ending/ escape elements even more so than younger drama watchers. I think of my mum and aunties and other ladies and can see their horror at sad endings. But actually a lot of people my age or younger might be more accepting of these endings because we have to deal with a lot more complicated relationships with online dating and more opportunities to move away to other countries and higher divorce rates. There's definitely still A LOT more people who love a happy ending, but I guess I would say you could still recommend it carefully as a niche as some people will find it cathartic or will have realistic tastes.

 

I would actually recommend it to people who like Korean or Japanese movies more as well because it has a very cinematic ending rather than drama ending. If you're used to Korean movies, this ending is actually kind of common. In fact, this ending reminded me of Nam Joo Hyuk's Josee...and I think that ending might have been worse, except this one hurt more because of the length of the drama and how likeable the characters were. 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by JenL

[JenL]

4 hours ago, Mouse said:

I don’t think they loved each other any less. To me, I felt that their breakup wasn’t bec they no longer loved each other. Rather, it was the two of them coming to the realization that they were heading different places. How they handled the breakup was actually quite mature. I cried with them as they held each other for the last time. 
 

I think for me, it hurts to witness such great love with such great potential not have a future together. I think of all the happy, wonderful years they could have had. 

 

Thank you @Mouse also for your lovely opinions. I really liked your thoughts quote above because I think that's the part that hurts the most for me too. It was the potential and the lost possibilities  And the fact they didn't actually fall out of love, but the situation created hurt which was starting to lead to resentment....but because they cared about each other too much, they didn't want to poison what they had and chose intsead to seperate. It is so tragic. Beautiful, but painful.

 

2 hours ago, gilaswan said:

@JenL@ktcjdrama@Mizv@movingwheel@Mouse

 

yaedeul a… you wouldn’t believe it (or maybe you would) but I woke up in the middle of the night with a heartache because of the show. Hahaha… 

 

 

HAHAHA OMG SAME!!! I couldn't sleep last night for aaaaaages. And then when I woke up this morning I felt flat and was trying to remember what happened. It sure felt like a breakup  I have more to say about Yi Jin and the idea was who broke up with who but my laptop battery is dying, so might get back to you later!

[gilaswan]

@JenLYay! I'm glad I'm not alone here! It's a late start day for me so I found myself a bit mopey this morning. Just decided to get myself moving with a bit of exercises so this melancholy doesn't weigh me down. Indeed, it does feel like a break up! Hahaha... 

 

Y'know, I wonder if falling out of love would have been easier. It's tough when there actually isn't any other person distracting you but the relationship itself that has become a distraction. I did like that one moment where mum looked like she wanted to murder Yijin for putting Heedo through this physical pain of breakup. What would have happened if Yijin knew she had fainted? I think he would have rushed over and they mightn't have broken up. But the relationship I reckon would still have headed for greater pain. 

 

I wouldn't call this a sad ending actually. At least, it's not an ending that did not make sense. It was what it was. 

I think I still need to process it out of my system. Haha...

[Mouse]

I agree, Yijin and Hee-Do’s love story reminded me of my own “Yijin”. Although my heart is broken for them, I do agree that it’s pretty realistic. My own Yijin was there for me at my lowest, we also started out just as friends and we also truly had a great time whenever we were together. Although the love was real, unfortunately life had other plans. I ended up moving to a different country and although we tried to keep then communication open, it eventually got too difficult and we ended up drifting apart. I still occasionally think of him and sometimes wonder what could have been. But I look at my life now and there are things I have now that I wouldn’t trade for anything. 

 

I thought to myself that maybe it would have been better for Yijin and Hee-Do to have met later in life when they were both settled in their careers… maybe it would have worked. But then again, having met each other at their lowest point and growing through it together is what made them special and they wouldn’t have that if they had met later. Also, the successes they later enjoyed in life were largely due to having each other for support during those very difficult times. It was each other’s company that cheered them on and gave them the strength to endure and keep going. So in reality, they met exactly at the right time. 

 

I think that what this drama highlighted for me is that sometimes a love can be so strong and so right between two people but life can lead us to different paths. And no matter how much we want things to work out, there are just certain things we cannot control and sometimes that forces us to make hard choices. 
 

This drama is going to stay with me for a while bec I’m mourning Yijin and Hee-do - all the beautiful things they were and all the beautiful things they could have been. 
 

what makes it even harder for me is that the kind of love they had for each other is rare. I think they knew that too and I don’t think that love ever left them. The look they gave each other during that interview said it all to me. I think that no matter where life leads them, there will always be a special place in their hearts for each other. I think too that is why they chose to include that last tidbit at the end with Yijin trying to login and remember his password. It asked a security question - who was your first love - and he typed Hee-do. I think that is a form of comfort, that no matter how much time has passed, they will always have that memory of them together in their hearts. 

[ktcjdrama]

4 hours ago, gilaswan said:

He didn’t tell her that he had applied for the correspondent position (why?)

The sunbae in NY asked about this and he indicated that he wasn’t sure the request will be approved. I guess he didn’t want to mention it at all to HD when it was still uncertain so as not to cause unnecessary worry/anxiety. Sure he should have discussed it with her first, but I think he is unsure also whether that’s really what he wants to do. I mean I’ve been in that kind of situation too where I don’t really want people to know of my plan when I was still unsure. 
 

4 hours ago, gilaswan said:

When he came back and found their luggages had been swapped by mistake, he was going to leave it for her without talking to her (why?).

He was going to leave it at the counter, but he didn’t end up doing so because he couldn’t bring himself to do that. Whereas HD did so while leaving his name behind, and he noted later to her that he knows what that action from HD means. I mean, HD also could’ve called him directly and they meet and exchange the luggage’s. 

[gilaswan]

@MouseLove your sharing. Indeed, life does take us places and leaves us with differing priorities. At that age, I would not have wanted to compromise my own beliefs and values too. There was a time I did wonder if I could have ended things better. And perhaps this show has made me revisit that memory. Unlike Heedo and Yijin, I did not have that second chance to speak it all without the anger. It did bother me for a while, but today, it’s too far along in time to matter anymore. And perhaps I also never wanted to seek that second chance either. 

 

@ktcjdrama Fair enough that sometimes we don’t want to say too much before we know how certain things would be. But it also shows he wasn’t all that ready to share his innermost thoughts and feelings with her, and to her, that was the fundamental problem. And about the luggage, I reckon she might have done that out of anger. Or perhaps she simply didn’t even know if and when he could be contacted for a return and retrieval, which was sad, given that at that point they hadn’t actually broken up yet. But I reckon in her heart, they already had. 

 

It’s nice how the show brings all of these things together. Serendipity and chance in their encounters with each other brought them together - Yijin telling her at the Asian Games that they were meant to meet eventually. And the same brought them end and eventual closure - their swapped luggages that were meant for that trip together that never happened, missing each other on the bus… This show will stay a long time with me too.  

[movingwheel]

i don't even want to remember how much i love kim tae ri and nam joo hyuk. and i will surely look forward to all of their next projects. but this is insane. i am not going to forget how this drama screwed with me for a long long long time.