Answer Me franchise returns this fall with same parents, new year
by girlfriday
After the longest development tease ever, PD Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jung of the Answer Me franchise (that’d be Answer Me 1997 and Answer Me 1994) have finally announced that the team will definitely be returning with a new installment of the stand-alone spinoff series this year, and as previously teased, this time we’ll be heading a little farther back in time with Answer Me 1988. More importantly, some key story changes are also in store.
First of all, parents Lee Il-hwa and Sung Dong-il will be returning for their THIRD run as Mom and Dad. I don’t know how many bizarro moms and dads you can create in the same dramaverse without making the world implode on you, but they sure are testing the limits. It already weirded me out when they had Jung Eun-ji’s dad meet Go Ara’s dad in Answer Me 1994; now they want a third Sung Dong-il running amok? Granted, I love love love these guys and they play the best parents in dramaland… but c’mon, there have to be other actors that wouldn’t require bending the space-time continuum for?
Answer Me 1988 will shift the franchise’s focus from first love to family, and the central concept this time will be three families under one roof and the relationships that develop between neighbors. They’ve also promised that there won’t be any husband-hunting mystery this time. THANK GOD. I’m pretty sure that was a collective sigh of relief that I heard going ’round the world.
Honestly, that was my biggest hangup with the team returning with another Answer Me series (they were debating a whole new drama concept altogether, which I’m still hoping that we see after this third drama). But not having the who-is-the-husband mystery opens us up to so many new possibilities, and lets the story focus on the things I love best about the franchise — family, friendships, and their patented brand of feel-good nostalgia.
Casting is now underway for the leads, and Answer Me 1988 is planning to air on Fridays and Saturdays in October on tvN.
RELATED POSTS
- Answer Me series to go back to 1988 this summer?
- Answer Me’s team reunites for new drama
- Answer Me 1997’s cast drops by 1994 for cameos
- Cast of Answer Me 1994 in all of the December photo shoots
- Answer Me 1994’s cast featured in Vogue shoot
- Answer Me 1994: Episode 1
- Answer Me 1997′s cast to host SNL Korea
- Jung Eun-ji and Seo In-gook sing duet for 1997 OST
- The Answer Me 1997 love keeps growing, along with ratings
- Answer Me 1997: Episodes 1-2
Tags: Answer Me 1994, Answer Me 1997, sequels, Sung Dong-il
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1 Hmm
March 17, 2015 at 6:33 PM
So... it's like the Vacation series. same parents, different kids.
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magpie
March 18, 2015 at 1:17 AM
Thank goodness. Still traumatized from the fan wars of the last one, LOL :D
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Teleri
March 18, 2015 at 3:48 PM
The fan wars were definitely fanned enormously by the network deciding (after clues had ALREADY been written in the story) to let fans pick the guy :( If the clues hadn't been there - if they'd done that from the beginning - it could have been great. But no. The logical progression got decapitated...
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smoot
March 24, 2015 at 10:08 PM
Being a K-Drama fan is serious business! :)
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2 ...
March 17, 2015 at 6:37 PM
So EXCITED!!! The husband hunt although exciting really burned when it didn't work out the way I thought it would (chilbongie forever haha!). Looking forward to see what the writers do now that they're starting with a new slate!
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rezberry
March 18, 2015 at 7:43 AM
Yeah for team chilbong, I skipped some parts because I knew it wasn't chilbong...
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sancheezy
March 18, 2015 at 9:23 PM
huhuhu
you open up my heart again...aah one reason I can't really enjoy 94 is because chilbong character, he is lovely and the writer seems to put him in some scene to make he can always be candidate for husband but never showed his family
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Chiaki
March 26, 2015 at 6:07 PM
I want to cry!!! My poor chilbong....WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
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nomad
March 19, 2015 at 8:41 AM
Chilbong, my forever favorite second lead ever. Miss him much.
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3 Korboko
March 17, 2015 at 6:41 PM
I want to see what they can do if this story becomes a Sageuk. So bring on "Answer Me 1832" or something...
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Dkaoru
March 17, 2015 at 6:45 PM
Yes! I second that! Answer me sageuk version!
There should be a scene that then show the parents are actually immortal aliens who is doing research on humans- effect of awesomely hilarious parents on angsty teenagers
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jomo143
March 17, 2015 at 7:08 PM
AWESOME THOUGHT!
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astromantic
March 17, 2015 at 7:38 PM
I never knew I wanted this until now!
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Mia
March 17, 2015 at 8:01 PM
hahaha I actually like that idea! nice!
can we still have the same parents?
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mary
March 18, 2015 at 12:05 AM
LMBO I love your comment :D
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k4ice4thu
March 18, 2015 at 12:06 AM
Please drama gods, make this happen..with the same set of parents. *offers up sageuk-y type props and food to drama gods*
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museofmanymasks
March 18, 2015 at 6:15 AM
+1000
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fab
March 18, 2015 at 6:48 AM
HAHAHAHA
Well THAT saeguk I'd watch voluntarily...
I really love the actors, but wouldn't they get bored playing the exact same characters over and over again.
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Rovi
March 18, 2015 at 7:01 AM
Haha.
SBS already did that in their gag program "UtChatSa".
The skit corner was titled "응답하라 1594".
Basing from the date itself, Joseon is in the 2nd year of the Imjin War (First Japanese Invasion, by which time Seoul should've been recaptured albeit burnt down), and I don't know if there were generals or Japanese soldiers involved...
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united
March 19, 2015 at 11:42 AM
Not a bad idea. I've been tired of saeguks that are too focused on politics. A heartwarming family dramedy saeguk could be interesting.
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united
March 19, 2015 at 11:44 AM
Although it wouldn't be nostalgic, which is big part of the Answer Me series unless there's someone still alive from that time. :O
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4 Daisy
March 17, 2015 at 6:42 PM
The husband hunt Was definitely the worst part of this series mostly toward reply 1994 or courses! Reply 1997 will always be my favourite as they didn't have as much filler episodes compared to 1994!
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5 be
March 17, 2015 at 6:43 PM
Thank God for the family focus. That part was what I love the most about the show. The husband hunting for the second time was what made me unable to finished reply 94 even though i love the family and friendship part.
Though i'm not really sure about the focus on the year 1988 but i think it will surprise me since i would have same doubt in regards to year 94 and 97
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6 JD
March 17, 2015 at 6:43 PM
It will be so amazing if they casted Jung Eunji and Im Siwan on this drama. They both want to collaborate for a project, and it would be so amazing if its with tvN!
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7 Y.
March 17, 2015 at 6:50 PM
"They’ve also promised that there won’t be any husband-hunting mystery this time."
I hope that doesn't mean it will be a WIFE-hunting mystery instead...
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8 Waiting
March 17, 2015 at 6:50 PM
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
I am not looking forward to the return of colder weather in 6 or so months, but I am looking forward to October for this!
Can't wait to see who they will cast...and please don't tell us no husband hunt and then pull a wife hunt instead. That would not be cool.
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9 riri
March 17, 2015 at 6:59 PM
Who do think should be the leads??? I'm not sure who I want.... ohh its so difficult, I can see Nam Joo Hyuk in one of the leads but not sure if he can carry of a series like Answer me.
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Sour Grapes
March 17, 2015 at 7:15 PM
One of the best parts about Answer Me franchise is that they always choose actors who are either complete newbies to the industry or are very low on a popularity scale. I hope that they will keep it that way.
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changhyun
March 17, 2015 at 10:38 PM
Not Go Ara though, although it did revive her career
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Sour Grapes
March 18, 2015 at 2:18 AM
How was Go Ara popular? She wasn't.
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bd5
March 18, 2015 at 1:28 PM
GA was still popular for her looks, but yeah, she wasn't exactly popular among the K-drama producers.
united
March 19, 2015 at 11:45 AM
Yeah she had some popularity, but she wasn't known for acting. Now she's one of the most promising actresses to look forward to.
geese
March 18, 2015 at 7:59 PM
i agree i prefer the non-famous one it's better this way. it feels like is he's/she's too famous the story/drama would be mess up by saesang fans...and i am so tired of fan wars... i want to discover new actors it doesn't matter if he's an idol but please not the famous one let the starters star in their own ability not those truck loads of fans here and there...and i need a good script again...hopefully they will listen to my whinings....good actors please newbies are mostly welcome...
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cecilia
March 17, 2015 at 9:40 PM
Kim Seul-giiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.....
he he.... I just want her to headline her own drama, so she can rule all of the scenes (scene-stealer no more, because she RULES!)
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mary
March 18, 2015 at 12:07 AM
Yes to this! And she's a tvN darling!
Please, drama gods... T_______T
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Waiting
March 18, 2015 at 2:33 AM
+1
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kororo
March 18, 2015 at 6:37 AM
+ 10000000000000
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bd5
March 18, 2015 at 1:28 PM
Yep.
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dimsumofallthings
March 19, 2015 at 10:58 AM
+ infinity
Someone needs to cast that girl as a lead in a full drama and not a drama special.
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samkaz
March 18, 2015 at 2:26 AM
They can do a Seo In Guk and Eun Ji again. I really don't mind. Their chemistry is sizzling. But I am sure that won't happen cause this is 1988!!!
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10 Even
March 17, 2015 at 6:59 PM
I even don't care how illogical it is lol, I want these parents to come back for every single Answer Me installment ever. I just love them so much.
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Even
March 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM
whoops.
*don't even
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nomad
March 19, 2015 at 8:43 AM
me too. I don't need logic when it comes to these two.
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11 ageha
March 17, 2015 at 7:12 PM
General thoughts:
*VERY pleased to have the same set of parents back. It doesn't bother me at all to have them in it. They're not playing the same couple, so it's not weird (other than they're in all three shows) to me.
*I actually really enjoy the so-called "husband hunting" aspect of '97 and '94. For me it's the gimmick of the series...if I didn't want it, I wouldn't watch it/would seek out pretty much all other romance based dramas that *don't* use it. That's why it never bothered me (plus, I was Team Oppa, so I didn't have to suffer the disappointment) and why I'm a bit disappointed this one apparently won't. I still hope there's romance, though!
*I was a child of the '80's, but didn't enjoy the fashion...can't say I'm looking forward to THAT aspect of the series. ;)
*In general just happy to have this team making a drama....for all my tiny reservations I'm really looking forward to it!
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ellenelle
March 18, 2015 at 4:39 AM
LOL My thoughts exactly. 1988? With the fashion and hairstyles? *Sigh* At least it means laughs are in store for sure haha
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12 danna
March 17, 2015 at 7:13 PM
They’ve also promised that there won’t be any husband-hunting mystery this time. THANK GOD. I’m pretty sure that was a collective sigh of relief that I heard going ’round the world.
For Sure!!!
But this is exciting news and I'm all in. For me the highlight of these shows were never the love triangles (they were good or alright). It was always the family love, the everyday life comedic moments and standout friendships. I'm also happy they're going back to the eighties. I'm a bit sick off all the nineties nostalgia (not only in dramas., but all around). I cannot wait to see who else they cast. This team has an eye for bright new talent. I'm glad the mom and pops are returning, especially Sung Dong ll. That man has brought one too many tears in my eyes from both of the shows. I'm hoping this show is Sunny-esque in terms of the 80's reminiscing and there is at least one young love storyline we can root for because this is a kdrama after all.
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13 liz
March 17, 2015 at 7:35 PM
There won't have husband hunting. But ... what if there is wife hunting? looooooooool
Oh and no matter husband hunting or not, they always have good main and second lead, leading to shippers fights.
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pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
March 17, 2015 at 7:44 PM
there weren't shipper fights for 1997 though, even when we had no idea who the husband was going to be.
1994 has a lot to answer for.
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liz
March 17, 2015 at 7:51 PM
had no fights because it was clear the husband was going to be the young one.
In 1994, it was clear who was the husband too, but because the second guy was cute, and never give up - like the guy in answer 1997 - everybody thought he could get the girl...
Answer always shows who one of the main likes, and they stay loyal to it until the end.
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pigsnout
March 17, 2015 at 8:57 PM
It's not true that it was sooo obvious from day 1 who the 1997 husband was. You look at the recaps on db, people shipped Yoon Jae but even JB/GF were not sure which brother adult Shi Won will end up with. People only became sure after the staircase kiss, I don't know why everyone is saying now that it was always obvious. At airing time it wasn't! People thought that maybe SW/YJ's first love was a thing they got over as adults and Shi Won even, dated hyung. That really confused people a lot.
The ship wars on 1994 began because Chilbonge was promoted in the expected place of a love interest in all the publicity before, we don't even learn Trash oppa isn't her real oppa until the show began to air. And also CB was young and cute.....but she only showed romantic interest in oppa from day 1.
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bd5
March 18, 2015 at 1:26 PM
Plus in the 1997, the 2nd "love-line" was kinda ewww - the much older brother-like figure seeing the still school-girl (younger sister of his dead fiancee) in a romantic light.
And it felt too forced and artificial as well.
While 1997 had a better run-time and editing, I ending up liking 1994 better just b/c I liked all the characters better and it didn't revolve so much over being a crazy fan.
Have absolutely no issue w/ Lee Il-hwa and Sung Dong-il returning as the parents since they and their characters are so good and brings some stability/familiarity with each new edition w/o getting old (unlike the whole marriage "mystery" - this running joke doesn't get old).
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Herie
March 18, 2015 at 6:43 AM
There were shipper fights in the beginning of R1997 but it eventually died down halfway through the drama because it was obvious who the husband was gonna be.
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sancheezy
March 18, 2015 at 9:27 PM
oh no...
97 was quite friendly since the clue wasn't that contradicting with the event
the 94 was way heartbreaking, intense fan war and really wasted one character
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14 pogo - now sailing HMS Queen of Tears with Corn Salad on deck🍉
March 17, 2015 at 7:51 PM
Just two things please, Show:
1. For god's sake stop with the damn movie-length episodes full of rambling (it's not atmospheric, just self-indulgent)
2. No more husband hunts. PLEASE. That got really old with 1994.
Oh, and please choose a good cast.
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alpha
March 18, 2015 at 3:05 AM
If you read the article, girlfriday has mentioned that husband hunt wont happen in the new series. So ... yh...
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15 sfgirl
March 17, 2015 at 8:08 PM
I can't wait for Reply 2005... Too soon?
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united
March 19, 2015 at 11:50 AM
Was there anything interesting about 2005? I was thinking 2002 could be a good choice because of the world cup, but some of them already covered it in the future scenes.
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16 anglvue
March 17, 2015 at 8:12 PM
actually, i don't mind if these two remain the parents. it would be one of those long-running gags in the show. hee.
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17 Lena S.
March 17, 2015 at 8:28 PM
so no fan wars this time? great! sign me in.
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18 Mandy
March 17, 2015 at 8:54 PM
I'm totally fine with the parents coming back; they can just make it a parallel universe because I feel like they're signature Answer Me. Without them the show would feel rather incomplete.
More importantly, Thank Heavens!! they're going to skip the so-called husband mystery. 1994 got really old, really fast and I couldn't tolerate the way the writers sacrificed character development just so they could continue with a non-existent secret. Family and friendship please! I'll take that over a love-mystery in this series any day!
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pigsnout
March 17, 2015 at 9:01 PM
They said no husband hunt, but they said nothing about no wife hunt...
I don't trust these people.
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19 Beebeeshing
March 17, 2015 at 8:59 PM
I like answer me 1997 but I don't really like answer me 1994. I watched a few episodes of Answer Me 1994 and dropped it. I felt the Magic of Answer Me disappeared. I hope the production team have thought through when they penned the 3rd installment. :/
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20 newgirl
March 17, 2015 at 9:47 PM
I loved this couple soooo much! I really never cared who ended up with who in 1994. I just wanted to see more scenes around the boarding house dining table. When the show got away from the family & friends vibe I lost interest, though I kept watching in the hope that it would return to its beginnings. It was so nice to watch a couple that was settled and happy with one another. Who knew that could be interesting? Or even present in Kdrama?
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21 Anvesha
March 17, 2015 at 10:03 PM
... They didn't say there won't be Wife-hunting this time?
Jokes aside, I'm not really sure about this. 1994 was already hard to connect to but 1988 just feels like a long time ago.
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22 sophia
March 17, 2015 at 10:06 PM
Really? I actually love it that the parents come back every season. It strings everything together just by a tiny thread, which makes it that much more attractive. I just hope this new concept doesn't kill the series D:
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23 john
March 17, 2015 at 10:24 PM
Yay for the parents. I love Lee Il-hwa's accent.
Hey I know, they can have a daughter who wants to be a trot music singer, er, wait..
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spazmo
March 17, 2015 at 11:15 PM
john, i am not stalking you - but you seriously crack me up... omg...
first UEE looking like a cross-eyed cat and now this....
: D
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john
March 17, 2015 at 11:50 PM
spazmo ~
Can you imagine Jung Eun-Ji and Seo In-Guk doing trot music together?* Lee Il-hwa and Sung Dong-il as her parents? That would be squee worthy.
I lub those two together.
All For You
* Forget that monstrosity known as Trot Lovers.
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spazmo
March 18, 2015 at 3:26 AM
dammit, you just reminded me...
loved the OTP from 1997 and the OSTs, as well!
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24 mary
March 18, 2015 at 12:16 AM
What if those 3 families in one roof all had Lee Il Hwa and Sung Dong Il as parents?
tvN wouldn't be that crazy... right?
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museofmanymasks
March 18, 2015 at 6:18 AM
THAT WOULD BE SO MUCH AWESOME! Crazy is relative term.
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mary
March 19, 2015 at 1:39 AM
It's the kind of crazy I'll watch hehehe
Poor actors and special effects editors though. It must be a headache to film those scenes.
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25 ana
March 18, 2015 at 12:52 AM
THIS FALL :( It feels like forever since the rumors started and now we have to wait again.
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26 alpha
March 18, 2015 at 3:07 AM
I hope there is still romance. If not I aint watching.
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27 Dorotka
March 18, 2015 at 3:31 AM
Oh, but I love the parents! Somehow without them it wouldn't be the Answer drama... at least for me.
I will definitely watch, liked both seasons (just hope they will come back to tight editing and keep the episodes short).
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28 ellenelle
March 18, 2015 at 4:41 AM
I just hope the new plot shift brings back the magic of '97. I was never able to watch more than 20min of 94'. Just wasn't working for me.
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29 Carinne
March 18, 2015 at 5:57 AM
What a fine bday present for moi this October!?! Can't wait. Bring back my 97 feels. I couldn't even finish 94. Sighs.
I'll definitely be marathoning 97 before 88 goes on air. Haha~ Who's with me?
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fab
March 18, 2015 at 10:00 AM
MOI! Answer me 1997=10/10!
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geese
March 18, 2015 at 8:08 PM
me too...i can't watch 97 hundred times while 94 i'll watch chilbong's, hatai part only....sorry no offense to 94 team
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geese
March 18, 2015 at 8:10 PM
my mistake i can watch 97 not can't
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sancheezy
March 18, 2015 at 9:29 PM
then, I guess we're roomate if that is the case
I never play the last ep again after I finish the series, I just watch it 2 times and stop
the length in 94 is too long
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30 FlyingShoebox
March 18, 2015 at 3:06 PM
It would have been nice if they went earlier and did a Reply 2002 or something. What with the World Cup being in the same year. But I guess it is too recent for them to do.
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geese
March 18, 2015 at 8:11 PM
yeah i don't like the backward year already early 20th century would have been a good choice...
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31 Stuart
March 18, 2015 at 5:12 PM
I don't see anything "bizarro" about having Sung Dong Il & Lee Il Hwa back as the parents. THey were two of the four reasons I stuck with the awful 94 (YJ & SCP were the other 2) and since they really do "play the best parents in dramaland" having them back makes perfect sense.
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sancheezy
March 18, 2015 at 9:33 PM
they are lovely and just overall so enjoyable as parents
I want them back, cause then I have some worry if the used diff actor and there's some comparison happen
I love the parent and also YJ and SCP relationship, seriously, YJ and SCP relationship is really the meat of the show,
poor chilbongie to didn't have parent or any relative in all ep,
too much is sacrifice in 94 to make the husband game
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32 sirey
March 19, 2015 at 3:30 AM
My birth year
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