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Twenty Five Twenty One: Episodes 5-6 Open Thread

Time is moving faster, and our characters are starting to grow up little by little. A painful separation is in store, but so is the satisfaction of seeing hard work and dedication finally pay off.

 
EPISODES 5-6 WEECAP

A big theme this week is about the importance of a strong support system. When Hee-do heads into the national team trials, she’s armed with both self-confidence rooted in her own hard work, and words of confidence from Yi-jin and Coach Yang.

The final match, which determines whether she makes the national team, is a psychological battle as much as a physical one. Hee-do’s opponent does her best to psych Hee-do out, and it almost works. But drawing on Yi-jin’s and Coach Yang’s words in place of her own wavering assurance, Hee-do ultimately wins the match, securing her spot on the team.

In stark contrast, after talking with her mother about her fencing plans the night before the competition, Hee-do has to do all the work to bolster her own confidence, as her mother has only criticism instead of encouragement to offer.

Hee-do is bursting to tell Yi-jin about her victory, but when she returns home, Yi-jin has packed up and vanished without a word to anyone. Hee-do is devastated – even more so when she finds he returned the sword she gave him, the inside of the handle painted blue (which she’d told him would be her choice of color) and “National Team Member Na Hee-do” written on the handle.

But life goes on, and she moves into the dorm at the national team’s training center, where (wouldn’t you know it) she and Yoo-rim are roommates.

In some ways, getting a spot on the national team turns out to have been the easy part. Once there, Hee-do throws her all into training, but the coach has a clear bias toward Yoo-rim. He constantly nags at Hee-do to accommodate Yoo-rim’s every need, and simultaneously puts intense pressure on Yoo-rim not to lose to Hee-do in actual competitions, as that would tarnish her reputation.

Naturally, all that pressure makes things worse between the two girls, who bicker and snipe at each other every chance they get, eventually getting into a full-on brawl in their dorm.

But what happened to Yi-jin? Backing up to the same day Hee-do makes the national team, Yi-jin hits a breaking point when creditors track down his younger brother, Yi-hyun, at school. After racing to Yi-hyun’s rescue, Yi-jin moves them both to a seaside village where their mother is living with their uncle. He also throws out both of their pagers, which is why Hee-do (and Yoo-rim) can’t contact him.

Yi-jin gets a job selling fish, and while he does a lot of good there (even helping his parents reconnect online), he’s just trudging through each day. To make matters worse, Yi-hyun seems ashamed of their current status, and pretends not to know Yi-jin when he and his new friends stop by the fish market. Yi-jin, kind soul that he is, plays along, though the pain is evident on his face.

He does, however, call Yi-hyun out on it later when they’re alone. In return, Yi-hyun points out that Yi-jin was the one who uprooted their lives and ran away – not for Yi-hyun’s sake as he keeps saying, but to escape his own failures and disappointments. Which, ouch, but he’s not wrong, and Yi-jin knows it.

Three months have passed since Hee-do and Yi-jin last saw each other, but they’ve continued gaining strength from each other all the same. Hee-do borrows some of Yi-jin’s old high school broadcast tapes to listen to at night, and Yi-jin breaks my heart by using a payphone to listen to the message Hee-do left on his pager over and over whenever he’s feeling beaten down.

Eventually, Yi-jin makes up his mind to go back to Seoul, and leaves Hee-do a message of her own, promising to return before the next edition of Full House comes out. Just as he did with her message, she listens to it again and again.

Five more months pass. Hee-do continues to excel, winning silver and bronze medals at multiple international competitions. Meanwhile, Yi-jin works as a reporter at the broadcast station where Hee-do’s mom is a news anchor.

He’s out reporting on a protest when he happens to spot her in the crowd, and runs to catch up with her. Just when it seems he’s lost her, she calls out to him, and the world around them slows. Their reunion is awkward and jubilant and sentimental all at the same time, and then she invites him to join her for lunch… with her boyfriend (cameo by Choi Tae-joon).

At first, Yi-jin is taken aback, but then he’s fighting not to die laughing at their constant, cringey aegyo. The relationship is only three days in at this point, and it only lasts a total of about two weeks. When Hee-do later explains to Yi-jin that she only dated the guy because she wanted to experience a breakup like so many songs talk about, he informs her you have to be in love for a breakup to hurt like that – and that stops her cold, her mind immediately flashing back to the night he vanished.

The next big international competition arrives, and as luck would have it, Yi-jin is assigned to cover it. Tensions are higher than ever before, the gold medal match coming down to Hee-do vs. Yoo-rim.

But just a few hours before the match is set to begin, Hee-do discovers that her equipment was mixed up with that of another athlete, who’s now 20 minutes away by train. Hee-do panics at the thought of competing with a sword that isn’t the one Yi-jin painted for her, and jumps on a train herself to get it back.

Meanwhile, Yi-jin interviews Yoo-rim, who’s not at all pleased he hasn’t contacted her before now. It’s such a striking difference from his reunion with Hee-do, whose only hope while he was gone was that he was doing whatever was best for himself.

Then Yi-jin learns that Hee-do’s train has been delayed, so he rushes to the station to meet her, calm her down, and heroically whisk her back to the competition. To ensure they make it on time, he talks their way through a police barrier, earning them a special police escort (since she’s a national team representative). Hee-do couldn’t be more touched or impressed, but there isn’t much time to dwell on it.

Finally, after dreaming about this moment for so many years, Hee-do steps out to face Yoo-rim as her rival.

 
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I’m still enjoying the pace of this show. But I did cry a lot in the last half of episode 5. Watching Yi-Jin struggle was difficult. My heart also broke when he listened to Hee-Do’s message on the pager. And I felt for both of our leads not having the other one to talk to for support during their time apart. This show reminds me of the angst of separation before pages and cell phones, and the joy of a reunion. It was a different time.

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idk if you have watched tliye but seeing yijin so downtrodden gave me war flashbacks to lee joon ha. very happy it turned around quickly for yijin in the very next episode. his small, sincere smiles are so precious and must be protected at all cost.

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Yes, I felt that similarity to TLIYE too! Also cos of the period setting. NJH just has such a soulful look 😍

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NJH is made for this kinda roles..those eyes 🥺

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OMG yes I was constantly reminded of him in that drama. One of my all time favourites. His character there and here are sooo precious.

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Yes! The Light in Her Eyes has caused me emotional damage and I was always go in to any Nam Joo Huyk Dramas with a bit of tension. I am hoping that this doesn't go the same route and he dies again. I need him to live. He keeps choosing dramas where he suffers.

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I appreciate that they are still keeping their relationship appropriate. They miss each, but I think only he is aware there is something more. I like that they are sharing both their stories too, even though her daughter is only reading her story. I also loved her 2 week relationship. The cutie pie and then the breaking up, lol. This episode is so much joy.

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This week’s episodes were both heartbreaking and hilarious.

The phone booth scenes were beautiful, each getting comfort from the other’s words.

I loved Hee-do’s belief in Yi-jin, that leaving must have been what he had to do.

LOL at Cutie Pie and Sweetie Pie and Yi-jin’s reaction to them. Hee-do is such a relatable teenage girl.

Poor Yi-jin having to facilitate a cringey chat between his parents: “Even if I end up dying from the heat, walking across that desert, I will be with you, my darling.” LOL. It’s sweet how much they love each other even if his mom is a bit overdramatic.

The rivals meet … Dun, dun, dun!

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Lol at the horror for Yijin being a middleman for the parents! And his mum is kinda immature..i loved his reaction when she asked him to buy the house in Apgujeong. Mum is lucky YJ is kind n mature otherwise the family would be in worse condition i think.

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Okay glad I am not the only one who felt the mom was a bit immature or least just overly emotional. I mean your son is really placing the burden on himself to take care of his brother...

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I'm quite enjoying this drama, which is something I haven't said much lately. I hope I didn't jinx it.

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However, as a parent who sat and watched many a fencing tournament for a kid who was, well, not likely to win, that her mother isn't there for a huge international tournament of that level boggles my mind.

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I know right! I was waiting to see a glimpse of the mother somewhere on the stands.

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I got a question, I seem to recall that in fencing it is considered bad manners to seem overly jubilant when winning. Is this me misremembering or is this the drama taking creative liberty? It's been irking me since the first episode...

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In the tournaments I've witnessed, there's been some really jubilant celebrations over a big win, but the ceremony of saluting and showing respect to your opponent and the ref have always been maintained, which is something that's missing in the drama and irks me.

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Additionally, the fencers yelling after each touch, totally like reality.

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The last 5 minutes of both these epusodes are wpnderful with beautiful cinematography and a haunting OST. And the writing is so assured and it never becomes cheesy or cliché while being poetic. And the direction is top notch. A case of having good writing , acting and direction IMO. "Fresh" is the word that always come to my mind while watching. The OST 'Your existence' by Wonstein has been playjng in my mind repeatedly since sunday. NJH is killing in this drama and I'm so happy for him while KTR is as usual at her best. Na Hee Do is really my favourite. And she seems a bit matured in these recent episodes. And glad to see the ratings go up as well. I really hope the drama continues to maintain its uniqueness until the end. And looking forward to reading all the other beanies comments insights and analysis.

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Trying to comment on this show is difficult because there is hardly a scene which is NOT memorable. From the telephone booth scenes to the water fountain one and from the protest rally scene to Yi-jin "persuading" the dogs, every scene is perfection.

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Lol, I forgot about the dogs, that was hilarious, I'm glad he made it just in time too.

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what makes that scene infinitely cuter is that the dog he's holding is his own!

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okay, i stand corrected. apparently, it was not his dog but it looked so much like his that he started calling it by his dog's name. 🥺

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Why did I start this show before all the episodes were released? I think I'm a glutton for punishment because the wait between episodes is the sweetest torture. This drama has yet to disappoint and I am continually swept off my feet. What a wonderful example of showing, not telling; you could see how Yi Jin and Hee Do really were best friends. Their closeness was made evident by the well-paced absence and the ways they were each other's support made me teary eyed.

I love that there is a strong foundation for the eventual romance because I am sure that they will understand each other. Hopefully noble idiocy can take a backseat in this drama, but I trust the writers to do well by us. While the phantom future Yi Jin gives me chills, I hope it's a misunderstanding and not death that separates them.

I'm so stinking proud of Hee Do!!! I don't think I've ever cheered on a female lead like I do for her because I need her to succeed. I need this tenacious, brave and compassionate woman to get everything good that is coming for her. More importantly, I believe that she will, she's capable, gifted and I know her dreams are within reach. I just get a bad feeling from the coach, I don't think he'll cheer for her victory. He's clearly partial to Yu Rim and people are their worst selves when money is involved. Show writers, PROTECT HEE DO!

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Same. Such strong writing. She is a wonderful heroine. I also like her school coach. The phantom future Yi Jin is making me nervous too.

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@kathystrobos I want the good coach to be exonerated! Or at the very least for the other National coach to go down, he's not very nice at all. 😑 I couldn't help but notice that had the roles been reversed and Yu Rim lost her sword, he would have sped to retrieve it. I don't like his treatment of Hee Do because it's so unwarranted. He's a teacher and should be impartial.

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I just love this show.

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No other words needed.

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Same, I get it.

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Same! All the heart eyes.

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This show has become my emotional support drama!! I don't wanna imagine the catastrophe that awaits me when it's over T.T

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I love, love, love this show. I honestly can’t express in words how much I’m loving it. It’s been a while since I’ve cared for a pair like I do for Hee-do and Yi-jin. God, that separation HURT.

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Since everyone has talked about how Yi-jin and Hee-do are being majestically beautiful here. Let me clear my heartache about this two characters that I seriously don't like.

1. The National Coach: Yoo-rim got insecurities, everyone watching can clearly see it. But the Coach is applying chilli powder to it. Who in this world works hard just for recognition and reputation? We want to be successful but I don't call it Success if I'm not truly happy and content. I don't know if he is good at mentoring and training, but all that seems stale with his money-driven attitude.

2. Yoo-rim: Aigoo, she is such a cutie to everyone I've seen her with but Girl, what's exactly is your problem? I've seen a lot of people vouching for her and trying to underplay her behavior. You might be poor and can't afford things others have, but what about the things you have? The Joy that your family supports you and you have people all over your country rooting for you shouldn't have been underestimated. I have to say that I did fast forward her scenes because she looks insincere with herself. Even if Hee-do lose the match, she is a winner to me because she is willing to embrace her loss and work hard on herself. I can't wait to see how they'll become friends but She better apologize properly.

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The coach is most definitely not helping YR’s insecurities and inferiority complex, cos yep, that’s what she has. The fact that Hee Do was called a prodigy and in a better financial position probably fanned her jealousy too. But girl, you’re the gold-medalist national star, not HD.

The fight in their room was so satisfying, I absolutely loved the fact that HD called out YR for not studying her techniques simply cos she can’t accept that HD is actually rising. I’m also glad Show didn’t give them a love triangle on top of the rivalry.

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I feel you. Yu Rim is the walking definition of projection. I just want to shake her and tell her to stop scapegoating everyone else.

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The writers have been so good so far. I am confident that, given the photos of the hs crowd having fun at the beach together, the show will give Hee Do and Yoo Rim an appropriate moment when they become buddies. Remember that are secretly pen pals online without knowing it.

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Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin is so cute.

I laughed out loud with YiJin while witnessing Cutie Pie and Sweetie Pie in action. 🤣 the short relationship helped Hee Do grow and realize her feelings for our ML.

I miss the retro feels, payphones, the old flip phones, the cassettes, walkmans etc. It just adds wo why I like the show. It transport us back in time with MinChae.

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Same, that scene had me in hysterics. (And you could tell Choi Tae Joon was having the time of his life with the cameo.)

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So true. Its a really funny scene!

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I think I would still prefer it without the angle of seeing it from Min Chae's perspective... I'm just not convinced by the 'current day' timeline at all :(

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I agree with you. I'm worried about how the screenwriter is going to end this. I will be utterly heartbroken if Yi Jin and Hee Do don't live happily ever after. Right now, the fact that grown up HD is not played by Kim Tae Ri does not bode well -- it's not like the show will timeskip and have middle-aged Kim So Hyun get together with middle-aged whoever-plays-Yi-Jin! :(

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Please no!!

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I cried for Yi-jin three times today: one, when his uncle told him, "You're family. How could you be a burden? I'm glad you came. You've done enough." two, when he listened to Hee-do's supportive message over and over on the payphone, and three, when he told Yi-hyun it wasn't work that was hard but his little brother treating him like this. Yi-jin feels more like a developed character than Hee-do. We've met his aunt and uncle, while Hee-do and Min-chae's dads are still mysteries.

I was expecting a timeskip when Hee-do and Yi-jin lost contact because I was under the impression that they met at ages 18 and 22, then reunited at ages 21 and 25. If there wasn't going to be a timeskip, then they ought to have let us see Yi-jin pass his interview and get the job because after watching him fail again and again, we deserved to celebrate with him. Even if Hee-do's pager didn't work, he knew where she lived, so why didn't he look for her? And did she and Yoo-rim, who had the audacity to blame Hee-do, not catch reporter Baek Yi-jin's dog report?

When Hee-do introduced her boyfriend out of the blue to Yi-jin, I felt sorry for him because that meant she had moved on, but then when he laughed it off in the taxi and was perfectly fine afterwards, I was baffled, "Am I the only one invested in this romance?" Didn't they like each other before he left? Still, Hee-do's number is speed dial 3 on his cell phone.

Hee-do has always been the bigger person in her and Yoo-rim's rivalry. I wish she hadn't told Yoo-rim how she can read her every move because now it gives Yoo-rim the advantage to fix them and advised her to study Hee-do's fencing. Yoo-rim deserves to be beaten and taken down a peg. I hope Hee-do never finds out Injeolmi's identity and they never become friends. Can Ji-woong stop liking Yoo-rim since he can see how awful she treats Hee-do?

Does the tteokgalbi English guy have some purpose? Is he a fencing official or better yet, a NASA engineer who comes to recruit Yi-jin?

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"Am I the only one invested in this romance?"

idk why this made me laugh but it did 😂 rest assured there are thousands of us invested in this pairing but i don't think our leads are quite there yet. feelings have taken root of course, but they haven't bloomed yet. that makes what they share right now even more special imo, bc they're not operating within the confines or expectations of any predetermined social relationship. they're just two people who desperately root for each other. they're each other's comfort people. what they share transcends romantic love. things will obviously change when they get older. but for now, they're content with where they are.

having said all that, i definitely think yijin was a little affected when she introduced her "boyfriend". he looked confused and not immediately besotted with the idea, but then the "boyfriend" opened his mouth, and he could not take any of it seriously. i think it also went to further highlight the difference in their ages. he told her she is at the perfect age for her first love, and i don't think he was talking about himself. he is clearly very aware of her age, and i think he wants her to experience these things for herself. their age gap acts as a clear demarcation between them right now so neither is ready to face their feelings. on a related note, i really loved the way njh played this whole scene. he bounced from bewilderment to barely being able to hold his laughter in to finally letting his guard down very fluidly, and i felt each one of those emotions along with him.

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The way you just described their relationship and Yijin's reactions is just... PERFECT! A million thumbs up!!

Heedo and Yijin being each other's comfort people is so accurate. They're more than simple friends, but it's not necessarily romantic. They root for each other, inspire each other, and respect each other. So much that whenever they do get together, it's gonna be more than a little puppy love.

And yesss, I kept replaying that scene where Heedo introduced him to her boyfriend, just so I could catch every single emotion that flashed across Yijin's face - complete bewilderment, slight disappointment, and absolute amusement - ALL at the same time!! Nam Joo Hyuk, you beasted that scene!

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This show has turned my brain to mush so I'm just gonna ditto everyone else's articulate insights! The scene with Experimental Boyfriend was both laugh-out-loud funny as well as insightful in the way it showcased Yi Jin's maturity (agree, @dogemama, NJH nailed the progression of emotions so well).

The way this relationship is developing is utterly mesmerizing to watch. The show is doing such a great job developing the characters of the two leads. The depth of their respect and care for each other is beautiful.

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I noticed the speed dial too!!! It was so heartwarming that they pretty much picked up from where they left off. I honestly believe Yi Jin is infatuated with her on a subliminal level, but overtly considers Hee Do as dear a friend as she does him. It wouldn't surprise me if he falls first, he just seems more aware of his feelings. He has the advantage of maturity and looks to her with adoration as she experiences precious youth. It was thrilling to see him witness her talent up-close, like he saw just how cool she really is. He's confident in their friendship and the boyfriend was clearly never a threat lol Their 3-day fast-burn of a "relationship" wasn't even puppy love and more so an experiment for Hee Do. It was also clear that she never stopped thinking and waiting for him, @dogemama is right.

I think she was starting to understand her feelings a little when he mentioned that breakups hurt, but she's definitely not there yet. I'm going to love them falling in love though, I expect it will be beautiful and I'm right here rooting with you. 😊

Goodness, I facepalmed when Hee Do told Yu Rim to study her. I get that she wants a fair fight, but that's giving your rival the tool to beat you, and totally unnecessary since Yu Rim deserves to lose if she refuses to acknowledge Hee Do's prowess. She's also not a great sportsman and never congratulates Hee Do. I get that she's under a ton of pressure, but Hee Do has obstacles of her own, yet still manages to be a kinder person. Yu Rim has belittled Hee Do since they met and I'm not a fan of the cattiness. Their fight in the dorm was cathartic, I can only hope that that all the hard work and perseverance pays off for our female lead. The voiceover was super misleading and makes me think that Hee Do may win on a technicality? Those are my thoughts, it's always a pleasure hearing from you!

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I love how we see the difference in Heedo and Yijin's emotional maturity levels with that "experimental boyfriend" situation, and how Yijin is very aware of their maturity gap as well.

Heedo has never experienced being in love before, and even if she is now, she has no clue how to identify or quantify it. But after experiencing the breakup with her boyfriend and comparing that to how she felt when Yijin left, little by little, she's starting to understand what it means to be in love with someone.

Anticipating the moment she realizes what true love is, or even better, that she's in love with Yijin! And I lowkey feel like that's what Yijin is waiting for too XD

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"Does the tteokgalbi English guy have some purpose?"
Same question. What was that scene about?! Was it just for humor or did it have some underlying message? It seemed really out of place in a show that is so careful to make each scene count.

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I’ve read a theory that says that English guy will be a way for Yijin to get recruited in the US, then he will die there during the 9/11. Sorry, I’m disappointed in this too. 😭

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Oh no. That's awful. I don't think it'll happen, but it is true that they will be 25 and 21 in 2001...

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>>Even if Hee-do's pager didn't work, he knew where she lived, so why didn't he look for her?

Hmm, yeah, that's true. Perhaps he knew she's training or competing elsewhere?

>>And did she and Yoo-rim, who had the audacity to blame Hee-do, not catch reporter Baek Yi-jin's dog report?

Kids don't watch news! Furthermore, they're busy athletes :)

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Thank you 25-21 for being my happy-pill & continuing to make my weekends so much fun! <3 I swear, the writer did magic with this one.... I love how Yi-Jin tells He-Doo at the end of ep 4 'you're the reason why I want to be better'... and we actually spend the entire ep 5 BEING SHOWN just how she's a ray of sunshine in his life! I love their bond so much, that I do not even mind them staying platonic best-buds forever.

Pohang's fish-market and the lighthouse was a lovely callback to Hometown Cha 3x (yes, Gongjin was just a made-up name for Pohang!).. man, the tourism is gonna be wild this spring! xD I'm fully convinced Yi-Jin's red sports-car is a character on its own that makes occasional cameos. [yep, a car WITH a personality!] :P
I suppose the mini-separation and the way the characters dealt with it in ep 5 & 6, is a good glimpse into how Hee-Do & Yi-Jin are at 2 different places even at present, and why Hee-Do never holds it against him. It's also Yi-Jin's assurance to Hee-Do in the car, that no matter what, he'll find his way back to her... convinces me we'll see a reunion in 2021! I can get behind the idea of a bond between two people who do not find the need to be in close physical proximity of each other to feel connected. And it would be wonderful if drama-land can give us that!

Whoever casted NJH as Yi-Jin, deserves a raise. Like Yi-Jin, the actor too strikes that sweet spot of awkward yet dreamy, appearing to be in constant need of a giant bear-hug; and so believable as the overgrown child, forced to grow up a lil' too quick! T_T
It sure was risky ditching the overdone sepia filters but who would have thought a fresh, saturated blue color-grading could still give us all the feels of the 90's :')

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Yi-Jin's mother was so disapointing. She cares only about her husband, who is a criminal. When we see her brother, we know she didn't live as a rich person in her whole life but she acts like was a naive woman who doesn't know the world... I'm happy that the uncle is a real adult for Yi-Jin and a real support.

It's sad that Yu-Rim and Hee-Do are not friends. I understand Yu-Rim, she has a lot of support but no one she can talk about her insecurities. Her coach is a jerk, her parents are poor and she doesn't want to add more concern. I hope she will understand that Hee-Do could be someone for her and not her rival.

Hee-Do is a great character. She's so lovely! I love her energy! I like she's still a teenager too.

If I loved how the scene of the different foutains was filmed, I found it a little bit weird in the story.

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It’s so GOOD! The week wait for 2 more episodes is rough. Every episode just runs me through the ringer hitting me with the full gamut of emotions. Laughing at random antics like our ML trying to keep the dogs from barking for 30 seconds for his first on air, acting as an intermediary for his parents through a chat room, or our FL introducing us to her boyfriend and acting all cutesy. Then cutting me to the bone with some brotherly conflict, long distance pining through pay phones, and wholesome uncle.

The cinematography and OST continues to impress, and you can tell it’s because a deft hand is behind everything. The writing, acting, music…all cylinders are firing. Can’t wait for next week.

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I'm scared by how much j love this show. I'ta been pretty dry for in kdrama land lately and this has been the show to rejuvenate me. The characters make me smile and cry and just FEEL! I haven't felt for so long. Sports dramas aren't usually my thing but I'm super invested in HDs career and success, she's showing such growth and what adds to it is her overall passion and love for the sport, something I feel YR didn't have I lost. YJ oh my sweet YJ, I'm in love and just want the world to be good to him. The scenes of him replaying the message are just so hard to watch, it's as though those were the only things getting him through the day. Not his brother or even his own mother. I just wanted to reach in and hug him.
Everything is so enjoyable that I'm in no rush to get to the romance romance.
Dear writers please don't mess this show up

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the anxiety of being a kdrama watcher is too real lol whenever we come across a good drama, particularly something really special like this one, we unconsciously start holding our breath in fear the writing will go to hell before the end. i really hope we can all let out a big sigh of relief, satisfaction, and contentedness at the end of twenty five, twenty one. 🤞🏽

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That scene on Hee-do trying to get back her sword before the competition - although, yes, it is special because it was given (back) to him by Yi-jin, I think more than that, no serious athlete will use a new/unfamiliar equipment for a very critical match. Of course, she would use the sword that she practiced with over and over again. So her panic was really called for. What is unbelievable is the national coach not caring about that.

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Yes! I could literally feel her panic and despair, and even after Yijin came to the rescue, she was still a little shell shocked that Yijin had to calm her down. She's worked so hard to get to this point, and she's just so inherently good and pure, I find myself mirroring Yijin's feelings - I want this girl to have everything in the world that she wants! She deserves it!

And yeah, it's obvious the coach has a bias for Yurim. Before seeing how the scene would play out, I was actually a little nervous that he had conspired to hide her sword or do something to put her at a disadvantage. I felt like that might make an interesting dilemma and redemption opportunity for Yurim if it had turned out that way. But it seems like it really was an accident, and I'm glad it could be resolved! If Heedo had to forfeit after all she the work she put in, I would've been all sorts of mad lol

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I'm so ready for Yoo-rim and Hee-do to make amends and become friends. I don't like the national coach at all, did he take bribes in the past and frame Coach Yang.

I felt for Yi-jin a lot in EP 5, it's unfair how much pressure his parents have put on him and I'm glad that with his family, he has started on a new journey.
I understand Hee-do's mother is trying to prove she is a top reporter but I don't understand why she isn't attending the qualifier match for the national team or the tournament. Or even say to the other reporter, that's my daughter!

The Sweetie pie and cutie pie scene was so funny, I lost when Yu-jin was in the taxi cab.

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I love how loving the families of the gang are. Baek Yi Jin's parents are obviously romantic to the point that they show more love to one another than the boys. The mother commented that just lets the boys grow up on their own (hey mum!) while she cries over not seeing her husband. As the mum described, the couple's love is based on respect. This certainly shapes the way Yi Jin treats his lover.
It's certainly interesting that Yi Jin cringes over the romantic prose her mother is spewing, yet he still faithfully types them out verbatim. Only later, he said those words so sincerely over lunch that he can hear Hee do’s voice through the noise and Hee do’s prayer gives him the strength to overcome his obstacles. As romantic as his parents, I guess it’s in the gene.
It’s a beautiful scene to see Yi Jin walks on the beach with his mother. The height difference! His mother persuades her son to settle in her hometown but give in readily when Yi Jin wants to go to Seoul.

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I love every bits of this show!

The math exam scores with Jiwoong getting lower scores than Heedo and Yoorim! 😂😂

Please please please continue to be good!

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Yoo Rim's parents are supportive of their daughter and do not pressurise her. Her father is not worried that she may not continue the winning streak. He assured her that sustaining wins is not the norm. How comforting these words are to Yoo Rim.
Seung-wan’s mum is sharp and pragmatic but the way she girl-idolised the two national team players is so cute. It explains the cool vibes her daughter exudes. We have not seen Ji-woong's parents yet but since their mothers are best friends, his mother will be the off-hand mother who is really cool.
Hee-do’s mum may seem cold sometimes, but she is more the tiger mum who is soft-hearted. A little stubborn, why she never tells her daughter that she never donated her wedding ring may be the way she is: Never explain, Never complain.

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Literally every scene of this weekend's episodes packed a punch, I struggled for a bit to process everything (one of the reasons I prefer weekly watching over binging), so I gonna try to just pick one thing that stood out to me lol

The argument between Yijin and Yihyun and everything that led up to it was sooo powerful! You could see the pain on Yijin's face when his brother pretended not to know him. In Yijin's mind, he was literally doing all of this and working so hard to protect him, but then Yihyun threw it right back - was his little brother REALLY the reason, or was he just trying to run away, and "protecting little brother" was just the sturdiest excuse?

I love that we got to see Yihyun's perspective. Because while the harassment and bullying he faced was hard, he had no thoughts of running away from it, and he was focused on doing his best and making do with the situation. But then his brother unilaterally decides to uproot him and move to a countryside town where he knows nothing and no one. And also seeing how much his brother has changed, even picking up harmful habits like smoking. It must have hurt him, too. So I'm glad he had the courage to voice his feelings too, even though the whole scene was just heartbreaking.

Thankfully, these are all genuinely good people, who just became victims to disastrous circumstances, so it's gratifying to see them navigate all the trials and come out stronger than before.

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Even though separations are painful, they are great opportunities to reflect on oneself and one's relationships. I think we saw Yijin and Heedo both doing that in their own way while they were apart.

Heedo got to learn through Yijin's sudden disappearance and her boyfriend "test", that the more a person means to you, the sadder it is when they leave you, and even more heart-stopping when they come back to you.

Yijin got to learn that while romantic love may seem cringy and over-the-top, like his mother and father's melodramatics, or Heedo's "Sweetie Pie", real love is deeper than that. It's, as his mom mused, when you respect and inspire each other, even when you're apart.

Little by little, Yijin and Heedo are learning more and more just how deep their bond runs, and it's just so sweet and lovely to see that slow yet steady progression as time goes on - like a little stream that flows into a deep river.

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I've been wondering about this - how did Yijin manage to get the inside of yhe sword's handle blue? Did he paint it himself or send it to some shop for such service or something? But he didn't seem to have much time to do this. I was hoping to see a flashback on this, but there wasn't.

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This show is my weekend VITAMIN. Loving the pace of the show. I love how they focus on the growth of each character. The struggles, the fears, the little moments of happiness , the hopes and the disappointments all experienced by the respective age group.

I wont mind if Yi Jin and Hee Do isnt the end game, because i am in all for the character growth and how the story is told.

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I love this show so much ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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I binged the 6 episodes that are available and I kinda wish I didn't. So hard to wait!!!

Really appreciate Nam Joohyuk's eyes for projects. He always chooses good ones. Kim Taeri is always a treat to watch.

I love shows like this because it's inspiring and comforting. Just exactly what we, who were born during that time, need right now.

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Im really curious, when the Japanese athlete speaks in Japanese to Na Hee Do and she didnt understand, the athlete change her speech and Na Hee Do responded, what language were they speaking? i already tried translating it using Google Translate and another app but they can't recognise it. Thanksss

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She spoke French. 😁

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