In the first place, I was so excited about this drama through. Formerly
by the-big-hit Reply 1997 that successfully stole my heart. Then, Reply
1994 came with more bold first love story, even though there was a war
between trash-najeong and chilbongi-najeong shipper, but still made my
day because my shipper won hahaha :D.
Curiosity kills the cat, maybe it's the idiom who describe this drama. When this drama was airing, there were some spoilers flying. For example like PD-nim answer about similarity of Choi Taek and Chilbongi until the came up of wedding scene of the drama. It sucks when people already know the ending, so maybe the PDs decide to change the ending or whatever.
In the very beginning, there were many people talk about this drama, so it made the expectation of society was really high. If I'm not mistaken this drama confirmed in the middle of 2014 (?), so people were questioning who are the cast? What would it looked like? And so on. Honestly, I didn't put much expectation for this drama because the PD-nim would be burdened because of this and I believe those kind of things would destroy this drama because of high expectation.
I heard that production of this drama started in the mid of 2015 and would play in the end of 2015. This drama would different because more focus on family, how warm the neighborhood in Ssamun-dong even still love line among those children who lived there. Yes, the drama also uses back to back event like two series before, but
in this drama more focus in the past so, little bit clueless in future.
This drama would also answer the main question of reply series : Who is the lead female's husband?
Firstly, this drama portray the assumption of Sun Woo feelings for Duk Seon who made her liked Sun Woo too. Then, so many people claimed that he is the Duk Seon's husband in future. But, the development of Duk Seon- Sun Woo relationship was a PRANK! In fact, Sun Woo likes Sung Bo Ra, Duk Seon's older sister. Thanks to Mak Ok and Ja Hyun who made Duk Seon over-confident and she felt from the 10th layer of sky. She was totally broken heart.
In other hand, there was also a boy who likes Duk Seon in silent. He loves her without reasons and I feel that his feeling is sincere for the first place, his name is Kim Jung Hwan who lived up in the Duk Seon's house (I feel sad because Sung Do Il and Lee Il Hwa become poor in this series by living in half basement). It's nice seeing Jung Hwan who really care abou Duk Seon. How he waited for Duk Seon to go to school and pretend that they accidentally went to school together. How he couldn't even slept until Duk Seon went home safety. Aaah, so sweet.
But, in the middle of story, there's another boy who likes Duk Seon, the baduk boy, Choi Taek! Well, I see him love Duk Seon just the way she is. It's surprise the other boys when he said that he likes Duk Seon, especially for Jung Hwan who likes Duk Seon also. Then, shipper war was starting!
And who is my shipper? Honestly, I'm not really interested to shipper this time. I feel like both of the have same potential and I feel clueless. For example like future husband who looks like Jung Hwan form appearance and also his character. But also the habit of future husband like smoking and not wear the warm clothes in the middle of winter is really similar with Taek. So, who win this time? I think, PD-nim should give the detail explanation why the husband is Taek or Jung Hwan to make it reasonable because the clues for me are delusional. How can if Jung Hwan is her future husband can be use slight t-shirt in the middle of cold season when in the drama he always used warm clothes? Or how can Taek who is the silent guy suddenly fight with Du Seon whom Duk Seon gives much respect for him? Do people change easily? I don't think so.
In the episode 16 Choi Taek finally knows the Jung Hwan likes Duk Seon
by seeing Duk Seon and Jung Hwan photo in the Jung Hwan's wallet. So,
because of friendship, Taek takes back his feeling because of Jung Hwan.
That was what Jung Hwan did before. It hurts. Then, until the episode 18 when Jung Hwan tells his feeling to Duk Seon, but he said he was kidding, I feel the Jung Hwan feeling when he can't get his first love. I hate it when Jung Hwan making a joke about it. I mean, Duk Seon should know that.
But, in episode 19 and 20 is much about Taek-Duk Seon affection. But, where is Jung Hwan? Even I'm not shippering this time, but I feel this is cruel when suddenly delete the Jung Hwan side. I really want to know the Jung Hwan life, Dong Ryong also. But, in the end it tells the Bo Ra and Sun Woo wedding. Oh, God, please I feel like this drama just end in hurry. I feel like not all of the life of actors solve.
But, still I like this drama, even disappointing. This is like nostalgia before smartphones steal our lives. Honestly, at that time I haven't born, but I like those neighborhood relationship who clumsy, awkward, funny, and so on. I remember how Dong Ryong was thirsty of affection from parents because both of his parents were busy, so when he was sick he was happy. How Duk Seon's mom always loves her, even it was hard for her to went to college because of her score. She wasn't angry that Duk Seon failed go to college, she didn't want to give burden to Duk Seon. How Jung Hwan's dad who is strange but totally loves his family. Taek's dad who looks silent, but then he was really frustrate when hear the airplane fell in Japan that definitely Taek's plane. Sun Woo's mother who really loves her son then tried hard to earn much money for his tuition fee.
Bunch of love in this drama, even in love line makes netizen was angry before because there's no bold feature who is Duk Seon's husband. Even for the latest clues the husband is Taek. But, this drama doesn't fail about family and friendship. How their love leads them to make it happen.
And goodbye Ssangmung-Dong gang! Goodbye Reply 1988!
