Reply 1988 My thoughts.

 

REPLY 1988 REVIEW

 

"A time so warm and pure that it was painful. Can you hear me? If you can, Answer me. My 1988, the days of my youth" Deok Sun. 

 

This line tugs so much that when I think about this series, I still have this lump in my throat.

 

I know that I've watched this series 3 years after its airing. This series never seemed to appeal to me. Its poster does not seem to be that attractive. However, as I've been watching Park Bo Gum’s series lately, I convinced myself to watch just one episode of Reply 1988 series and that if Im not hooked after the 1^st episode, I would stop.

Alas, after the 1^st episode, I just could not stop.  I've spent three nights sleeping around 2am since I have work during daytime.

This series made me laugh and cry so hard all at the same time. The story line, the way the story was told, each character and the simple and relatable plot combined together to produce what I consider to date as my favorite Kdrama.

I love how the characters resolved conflict in a simple approach and talk about uncomfortable and awkward topics in a light manner.

I don’t know maybe because their characters are just 4 years older than me. I want to live in that kind neighborhood. I want a neighbor like Mr. Kim who is a very funny man yet deeply care and love his family.

I want to take care of Taek and teach him the ways of this world. Good thing there’s Deok sun to do that for him.

I want to play with Jin ju and make silly arguments with her.

I want to eat with all these families, taste the ramen of Jung Dong, cucumber kimchi of Sunwoo's Mom, the soybean stew of Deok Sun’s mom and the abalone porridge of Mrs. Kim and the galbi of Ryo.

My heart bleeds for Jeung Wan. I want to comfort him, I want to know if he is happy, if he found someone to love as he loved Deok Sun and for that woman to love him back as much. Yes, he lost several chances to pursue Deok sun, he is not good in expressing his feelings as he is often sarcastic towards Deok sun. Even if Taek took a step back (that was heartbreaking) so Jeung Wan can pursue Deok sun, he still failed to make a move.

Perhaps Taek needed someone like Deoksun in his life more than Jeung Wan. Taek, though a genius, does not know a lot about how to navigate this world. He needs being taken cared of considering how he fails to eat at times, how he has to take pills just so he can sleep, how he does not know how to park or even say no to the point of sometimes being a push over. Deoksun knows how to deal with all those things. And she has been taking care of Taek since their childhood. Hence, it is just right for them to end up together. No one knows better Taek than Deok Sun.

 

Jeung Wan on the other hand is very intelligent and a strong person. He knows how to go about this life. He also has strong EQ I think. And he still has both parents, unlike Taek whose mom died when he was young. Jeung Wan I think is resilient and is able to deal with this “rejection” well.

I need to justify the ending because I still feel bad for Jeung Wan and the foregoing reasons will help me somehow deal with this heartbreak.

Farewell to their youth. Farewell Reply 1988 characters. Farewell to my youth. Your memories is stored forever in my heart. I will never look and hear a goat's sound the same way ever again.