While everyone is going crazy over the finale of JBL, I was a caveman and was binging reply 1988- cos I was too nervous about GD’s fate. Anyway I finished watching and am absolutely mind blown…I guess it will be a close competition between this and R97 for my favourite…
I knew that this season was going to focus more on families and they didn’t disappoint.. all sorts of love were depicted beautifully .. whether it was Jung Hwan and his mom, Bora and dad or taek and dad, the parents love for each other, the friends whether the pentad or the ahjumma trio or the found family of Sun woo and Taek…everything was great..I just felt that the main romance was shortchanged…I know this series wasn’t focused on that much but I felt that when SW and Bora’s romance could get that much screentime,surely they could’ve spent some more time on the love triangle too..I mean the episodes were FREAKING LONG! And IMO some scenes were dragged out like the scene at the police station with DS and NE’s parents with his gf or the scene of the fathers playing go stop…it was really difficult for me to watch the first episode cos there were endless scenes of the mothers sitting on the bench outside and talking about stuff…but once I got past that this series really sucked me in against my better judgement. Like I said they could’ve spent some of that time on the love triangle..
My main complaint-so much less screentime for Taek! I know I’m being selfish-I think that everyone got more or less the same screentime but maybe I’m biased cos Its PBG and I started this for him! I got another guy to swoon on ofc-Jung hwan- I was and always will be team Taek- but I’m wondering if I didn’t like PBG would I feel the same way? Even though I knew the end game it still hurt so much. I knew about the faux confession at the end of ep 18 but when it happened-still wasn’t prepared for the unexpected hurt and couldn’t stop myself from having a lump in my throat. I respect DS’s choice for choosing the guy who showed her his affections more openly and I respect that JH also realized when he lost his chance and stepped back gracefully…it’s just that I’m angry at him for having missed all those opportunities…cos I’m pretty sure he had more time in the initial episodes and if he had just been a bit more proactive…I wouldn’t have mind either of the guys ending up with her…but you spend so much time showing us his crush but not letting it show to the girl …while the other guy hardly has screentime to show his feelings…I felt all 3 characters in this loveline were robbed of their screentime…it is criminal to underutilize PBG you hear me? (LOL just my opinion)…I felt even his time with dad was shown so less…the fact that he made a huge impact in that limited time shows what an amazing actor he is…or it is my love for him…I will never know…
Sorry for the long rant. Just wanted to share my thoughts on what was rightly a highly appreciated series and why it received so much love here. I’m sorry if I brought back heartbreaking memories for some and happy if it’s the opposite.

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    I was surprised by how much I liked 1988! 1997 is still my favorite because 1988 was just TOO DANG LONG. Both in episode count and length! But I just adored the focus on family in 1988. 💖

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      Yeah but like I said some scenes were unnecessary…but loved all the families..they were too good to be true!

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    Told you that it AM88 was as good as 97!! I personally like 88 cuz it is a more complete show with many many interesting characters… but 97 is something that I will always re-watch..

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      I Guess it will be 97 only for me..because of SIG LOL! Liked 88 too but well my personal biases…

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        Ha! SIG is my personal bias too! And will remain forever.. But his IRY is already my Top favourite show so I can take the liberty to put 88 above 97 in my list 😛

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          Like IRY too…but just like how SIG is my first love R97 is my first drama love hehe…so for first loves it’ll still be at the top..

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    I don’t know if it’s because I watched R88 before R1997 or because of PBG (watched the drama for him) but it’s my favorite Reply series. I rooted for Taek from the beginning but I was also not happy with what they did to JungHwan.

    Also, you should have watched it when it aired. The fanwars this drama created was crazy. Lol

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    JBL pushed Because This is Our First Life to a very very very very very very close 2nd,and tied with R97 as my top kdrama

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      For me it’ll be BTIOFL and R97 followed very very very very closely by JBL hehe

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      R97 is still my #1 followed very very very closely by BTLIOF. After that I can’t possibly rank my favorite dramas because it causes me physical pains, but JBL is very high up there!

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    I guess it’s pretty obvious that 88 is my favorite of the 3. 😂 I watched all three in the order they were released and I was so amazed that even at the third installment, Answer Me still managed to really deliver well. 😊 I think it’s because of this installment’s focus on families that I wasn’t really bothered at all about the episode length. I just enjoyed watching the neighborhood spend all that time without mobile phones and easy access to internet.

    And the main OTP. Oh gosh. I loved Taekkie + DS at the onset. But my wounded heart from R94 was so scared to trust anything. When the show was being deliberate about not showing that much Taekkie in the initial episodes, I told myself I have to steer clear of Taekkie+DS ship. Otherwise it’ll be another Chilbongie heartbreak for me. And I’m not sure if I can still handle one more of those heartbreaks. 😂 But by episode 18 (I live watched it), I surrendered. I came to a point that I was rooting so much for DS that I just want her to be happy. I will ship her with whoever she wants, and I’ll celebrate with her. So imagine my bliss when the show actually gave me Taekkie+DS at the end. 😍♥️😍♥️

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      Yeah your username makes it pretty obvious hehe…
      Even I was fine with her choosing either of the guys . I’m actually happy she chose taek not only cos I like PBG but also it made more sense for her to choose the guy who actually showed her his feelings rather than the guy who didn’t. .

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    I agree SO SO much with what you said about Taek. That was exactly my problem with his character. I could never connect to him.

    And I agree with what you said about the different screen-times. And everything else 😁. Although I too, loved it, and have rewatched it a few times, but in my opinion they sacrificed good story-telling for needless secrecy.

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      Actually I did connect to him. ..He made very good use of whatever screen time was available to him. ..I just wish it was more. ..I think most of the people had that problem- they didn’t see his POV so that’s why they felt that the loveline was sudden..also I wanted to see more of their relationship once it did happen..

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        As I was spoilered and knew the ending I didn’t think it sudden. I was on the lookout for the tiniest bit of his storyline. But still I felt they kept him an enigma on purpose.

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