Twenty Five Twenty One: A review

Twenty Five Twenty One is a kdrama released on Netflix set in the late 1990s to early 2000s following the characters Na Heedo and Baek Yijin’s lives. Na Heedo is an aspiring fencer in her last years of teenagehood when she meets Baek Yijin. Yijin is in his early 20s reeling from the financial crisis, and how he lost everything, including his family. Both of these characters are at a vulnerable point in their lives when they meet for the first time; this nudges them into an easy friendship. The story unfolds, narrating the next five years of their lives. It weaves a story of growing up, everlasting friendships, and first loves. 

Heedo herself is a human full of honesty and love. She only ever sees the positive in a situation and does everything in her power to be there for the people she loves. Her character is utterly inspirational and kind. She is an excellent protagonist to root for. 

The relationship between Heedo and Yijin is something of a rare, undefinable love. It is both platonic and romantic and takes its own shape while they are at different stages of their lives. They began by meeting in their shared neighborhood, spending some time in the knowing-of-each-other stage. Then an acquaintanceship forms where they learn about sides of each other not many people knew, and because of this, eventually become friends. Heedo challenges Yijin to pursue his own happiness and Yijin challenges Heedo to work hard on her dream of being a professional fencer. They uplift one another the entirety of the drama. Their relationship is true to its core, and because of it, it ends up saving both of them. 

There are other relationships such as the friendship between Heedo and Yurim, another fencer. They start out as rivals, but it blossoms into a caring friendship. They are able to understand one another when no one else can because of their profession as fencers. Another friendship is between Jiung and Seungwan. They had been friends since childhood and knew each other in an effortless way due to years and years between them. They watch one another have to go through tremendous change that shifts their axis, and instead of stopping each other, they support their decisions without judgment.  

This show stopped time for me. It was able to take me out of my own life and insert me in this new world full of laughter and heartache. When I was pulled out of it—because I had finished it— I was unsure of what to do with myself. In a very dramatic way of putting it, I had to mourn the loss of the story. This show is a genuine piece of art that consumed my mind, making me think about it for days after I finished it; and, to me, that is the purpose of art. 

Twenty Five Twenty One is the best K-drama I have ever seen. It is profoundly beautiful and poignantly truthful. It tells a breathtakingly honest story about how one person can touch your life so deeply and leave you a better, changed person.