Reply 1997 (2012)

BEST. DRAMA. EVER.

I wonder why it didn't hit much on popularity around here. But thank gawd, netizens loved it as much as I did!

I was recently browsing on some dramas and Reply 1997 didn't really catch my attention at first. It all looked pretty much school-themed to me at one glance and it seemed too typical of a genre. But then there weren't too many dramas with positive reviews airing at that time so I thought I'd give this one a chance.

And the hours finally paid off! The drama caught me off-guard. I never realized how deep each episode really was. It was unlike any other drama at all. The casting was great and it was inevitable to watch it because there's practically a cliff-hanger by the end of each episode.

The drama was enticing to watch because it revolved not only on one angle. It featured the story of other characters. It wasn't anything annoying at all because it didn't focus primarily on romance. I loved the fact that they balanced the whole series. We had enough of rom-com genre and Reply 1997 provided the face of what Kdramas nowadays lack. It was good to see the development on each character. As the storyline progresses, their characters, too, develop. It mad me appreciate even more the way their culture changed throughout the years. The actors embodied the usual personas people wanted them to have. And they (no doubt there) nailed it.

When it comes to the cast, it's perfect. THE ACTING WAS AWESOME. They weren't trying hard to be funny at all. Because they are! ;) haha

I was never really engrossed with KPop or what so reading swoons and praises (on the comments while watching) directed to the popstars acting out their roles were kind of intimidating. It led me to researching these actors one by one. I figured out in the end that each was particularly good in whatever field they excelled in. It was comforting not to know these actors at first hand so that I wouldn't be giving a biased review on the series. If it weren't for Reply 1997, I wouldn't have watched an authentic, raw and down-to-earth drama revolutionized by pure Korean talent. Kudos to the actors and actresses! Especially to the leads for excellently portraying the Busan accent and promoting the new and hip 'satoori' culture as they call it in Korea. :)

Great cinematography. No dragging moments. The way they showed the series was supposedly confusing since they shifted the scenarios from past to present and vice versa. Nevertheless, it didn't confuse me at all. While watching, I was silently praying it to actually have an ending that won't suck. (I'm a sucker for happy endings ;)) Reply 1997 exceeded my expectations, though. It was unlike any ending I've encountered. And frankly speaking, I don't know where to situate and compare this piece to any drama I've known. Truly, the drama's one of a kind.

Cable dramas are slowly taking the stage. I'm glad TvN's making a name. I recommend this drama to uhmm... anyone? Probably because I believe that anyone or everyone for that matter, will love it. Watching it is like taking a step backwards and admitting the loveliness of nostalgia. Reply 1997 took me back to my roots again HAHA!

Love, love love... SPREAD THE LOVE PEOPLE! HAHA! I highly recommend it! :D

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This drama is just awesome. There are so many great things about it:
-Many memorable scenes
-The retro feeling
-The 90s kpop
-The amazing cast
-Everyone had great chemistry with almost everyone.
-Amazing parents (this is a first for me after 30+ kdramas)
-Gay storyline in a kdrama that feels almost natural
-Good cinematography, especially outstanding for a slightly aged show
-Amazing ending

The biggest negatives for me were the mandatory love triangle and the older brother, despite the older brother's amazing flashback romance I just couldn't accept his predatory behavior as a teacher. Normally I don't care about age gaps at all, but this just irked me. Also they dragged on this semi dating bullshit for way too long.

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(HEART)

I knew this would be a favourite since episode 1. I don't know how to write this review because I finished watching the drama ten minutes ago, went downstairs to grab a cup of water and something to eat and now here I am, lying in bed, trying to organise my thoughts and feelings.
I guess I should start by explaining why I gave 10 stars to this drama and then I will //try// to describe what I'm feeling.



STORY: The whole concept of this series is just so good. Teenage years vs present. A lot happens in-between and one thing that I liked is that the viewers have to wait until the last episode to know what really happened. I don't want to include spoilers in this review but I just wanted to say that I KNEW IT WAS HIM I KNEW I KNEW I KNEW! Okay, sorry. The plot was so interesting and it was cool getting to watch the characters grow up and go through different things at different stages of their lives. There was one element in the story that I wasn't a big fan of though, but that didn't bother me that much since at the end everything gets resolved.
Every episode made me laugh out loud. Seriously, this is one of the funniest dramas I've ever watched. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and that's why I now it was good.

ACTING/CAST/CHARACTERS: I'm in love with Busan's dialect. I made everything even better. The cast did an amazing job bringing these characters to life. Every single one of them was likeable and I was rooting for everyone, which proves that a plot doesn't need to have a villain to be a good plot. Even though I was little bit taken aback by some of Shiwon's attitudes, as well as her parents and Sungjae's- and, of course, Taewon's- I still liked all of them, which doesn't happen that often to me because I get easily irritated by the main characters. Shiwon was a //little// too much for me sometimes because she really was a hardcore fan of H.O.T; I also fangirl about my favourite groups but I guess not that extent haha. But at the end of the day I was satisfied because everyone gets a development and is essential to the story. I just love them so much it makes me sad because I CANT DEAL WITH LOVE. Okay, it's late, I'm tired, let's move on. (Oh and the friendships are so well portrayed like... agh my heart can't deal.) (JUNHEE I LOVE YOU BABY)

MUSIC: I got into Sechskies last year because they're literally THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE. And I've always had a soft spot for Jiwon so I loved seeing him in this drama and I was surprised by the fact that he is a good actor- HakChan is sooooo funny, I love him. I didn't know that much about H.O.T but I ended up falling in love with them because of Shiwon. The music is very appropriated because the soundtrack includes lots of old songs of that time (90's) and I'm definitely going to be listening to every song for the next four months (: maybe forever (: long live the 90's!!

REWATCH VALUE: I watched the whole thing in like... 3 days? I'm not sure. I do want to watch it at least 5 more times before I die, thank you very much. I'm also paling on starting Reply 1994 soon and then 1988.


CONCLUSION: I don't know why but I'm feeling so... nostalgic? right now. I'm missing the 90's so much. Which is weird because I was born in 2001 lol! The equipments they used to communicate, to listen to music, the way fans came together... I really wish I was born in South Korea and was 17 in 1997. Fun fact: I remember not being sure if I wanted to watch this because in 2016, when I first started watching dramas, I would hear about it everywhere and it just annoyed me because I had a different idea in my head of what it was like but I'm so glad I decided to give it a chance. I knew right away I would end up writing a review on how much I loved this drama even if I was only 5 minutes into the first episode, It will always have a special place in my heart.

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Family, Youth, Romance, Drama.

BEST SHOW EVER!
Let me just say I haven't watched Reply 1988 or 1994 yet but this is so far my favorite reply series!

Story: AMAZING! Yet it's so plain and realistic. It's about 6 friends becoming a group in high school and disconnecting 6 years later, still having the same dynamic they had years ago. Anybody in real life could have this story, that's how realistic it is! The main couple, ADORABLE! Shipped them from Episode 1 off the bat, I thought they lived together at first though lol. I also love how they added a LGBTQ+ character in the show! I absolutely ADORE Jun-hee <3 He's so cute! I also LOVED Sung-jae, the funniest one in the group besides Yoon Jae. Even though the romance is slow, like VERY SLOW. Slower than Fight For My Way, I still LOVED it!

Acting: Oh My Gosh. AMAZING! I really believed that the 6 friends are actually friends! I believed the main couples interest in each other, same with the second couple as well! The supposed "second male lead's" acting. GEEZ. Tae-woong's actor is AMAZING!! I LOVEEE Hak-chan's actor to the core! I actually beileved he was scared of girls and was addicted to p*rn. I first wanted to watch for Seo In Guk but NAH I could watch for EVERY actor in this show! They ALL did so well! If I ever see them in a new show, automictically putting it on my plan to watch and FAST.

Music: LOVVVEEE IT! The intro music is so bop! I could listen to it on repeat! The background music and also amazing the relaxing. I also loved the over used sound effects lol.

Re watch Value; Would DEFO re watch again! The six friend's adventures together and apart is both so heartwarming, fun and wholesome! Will re watch at least once a month till I remember every single scene in detail.

In total, this is one of the best comedy, youth, friendship, romance, drama EVER!! I consider you to watch this unless you hate what genres I just mentioned. Love this show to death man.

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All of the reviewers were right. This show really is that good.

Story: Awesome. One or two heart wrenching relationships mixed in with a ton of funny characters. Like most Kdramas the story is earnest but here it manages to also be quite cool. My only criticism is that its' a tad disjointed at times. And a few of the flashbacks and time-jumps didn't make total sense.

Acting: THE BEST ACTING I'VE SEEN IN A KDRAMA. FULL STOP. PERIOD.
Seriously, the two mains in this are just so damn good. Their facials, their delivery, their chemistry. Everything was just perfect. All of the supporting cast were great as well. Shi Woon's parents were so damn funny.

Music: A great showcase of western and Korean music. This is probably the first show where I've gone out of my way to get the OST. There are just so many great tunes, and it all fits in so well with the mood.

Rewatch Value: This feels like The Wire of Kdrama for me. I just know that I'll be pulling it out every year to spend more time with all the funny and loveable characters.

Answer Me 1997 is a fabulous must watch show.

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What can I say?? I just love this drama. In fact it's my number 1.
The story is just so simple but then the writer and the director really did a good job on making it extraordinary. To be able to recall the year the 90's , with all those past gadgets, music, culture, etc. means they really put hard work on it. That feeling of nostalgic becomes refreshing is marvelous!!

I love that there's an element of mystery at every end of each episodes that I feel like wanting to not stop and continue to watch until my eyes get tired. It's just so addicting that even while I'm at work I'm still thinking about the drama and getting excited to watch more episodes of it.

And I develop a crush for Seon In Guk's character here. He's just so admirable!! A really feel for him, when he cried I felt the pain that I cried with him too. And when he's happy and in love, I've felt the joy within my heart.

This drama really have set a new standard for the upcoming Kdramas out there. Simple yet refreshing story that would melt your heart.. :))

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This drama was simply outstanding. I'll be honest here. OUTSTANDING.

I watched the first 2 episodes and really enjoyed them, but I sort of got caught up in other things so it took me about a month before I came back to finish it. And boy, did I finish it. 8 episodes one night, and 6 the next. This drama really knows how to hook the viewers, let me tell you. They use a really interesting plot device/way of making a majority of the cliffhangers, which is a school reunion taking place in 2013, while the rest of the drama takes place in various times in the 90's/early 2000's.


The Story: Besides the description, I'll share how they convey the plot. In a nutshell- really well. The story and episodes flow extremely well, and although some parts seem a bit random while you're watching them, as the episode progresses their purpose is revealed. Most of the episodes had some sort of underlying message that was relayed this way.


The Acting: I'd say it was pretty good. Most of the main characters were either fantastic, or at least did a pretty decent job. Some of the time the acting seemed to be a bit forced, or occasionally a BIT too much, but the way it came off just made the plot seem more real. That's something this drama did really well in general, to be honest- making the situations realistic.


The Music: If you weren't paying attention, the music may seem like a smaller part of this drama then it seems like it would be. But if you DO pay attention, you'll realize how well the music fits into this drama. Not even with the brilliant OST, (which used almost(?) all songs from the time period they were supposed to take place in) but the pop culture behind the music. The fandoms were a beautiful thing to see conveyed in a drama.


Rewatch Value: To be honest, I rewatch a large majority of the dramas I watch, so a '10' isn't exactly difficult for me to give out, but I feel like it deserves it anyhow. The story and characters were loveable enough that I would watch this again in a heartbeat.
Extra Notes: WOW The nostalgia of this drama. It reminds me of a manga in the way the storyline flows, and the storyline in general. A lot of family moments, family values, heart-stopping romance, strained friendships, and well-remembered school moments. (Those hit me the hardest- the fun times they had at school were wonderful. Then again, I'm a sucker for dramas like that.) I mean, this drama gave me nostalgia for a period of time that I was sucking my thumb during, and that is impressive. A particular example of this is at one point, when Kim Jong Kook's 'Loveable' comes on, even if just in the background- it made me so happy, I can't even explain it. The chemistry between the main couple (which I feel like is a spoiler to give away?) IS PHENOMENAL. They are seriously adorable. So adorable. While, I must admit, the other corner of the triangle. (And yes, there is a love triangle) made me a tad uncomfortable. Yes, see, in this drama, while their are two love lines, one of them is perfection, and the second is mildly unbelievable. But it still has it's moments, admittedly. If I were to say only one negative thing about this drama, it would be that it jumps around too much (and yes, I said that it flows well, but the jumping does get a BIT confusing) and, in the jumping, I feel like some loose ends are left untied. But that might just be my personal opinion, or perhaps the result of me not paying enough attention.
Ah well, nevertheless. I extremely enjoyed this drama. I highly, highly recommend it!

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Be still my fangirl heart.

I love this drama, I love it so much that I recommend this to everyone I meet, you don't really like campus dramas? That's okay you'll still love this one. You prefer action/ thrillers? That's fine you won't even miss it. Dramas aren't really your thing? Well you're on the wrong site then, but you still will probably love this.

The format of the show what with its time skips and non-linear timeline may seem hard to pull off but the show does it beautifully, the attention to detail from hair and costumes, to props and sets to BGM you can not fault the show for staying authentic. It managed to encapsulate the fangirl struggle and make me strangely nostalgic and full of yearning for a time I have never known.

The cast is wonderful, and the exploration of relationships of families, friendship and love is very heartfelt and incredibly sweet. Jung Eun-Ji's (Apink) acting debut is perfectly done she is a hilarious Shi-Won whose ardent love for her Idol 'Oppa' (Tony An of H.O.T) speaks to my inner fangirl with endearing honesty. Seo In-Guk is equally wonderful as the ever cool yet bumbling Yoon-Jae whose gruff and oblivious outer shell gives way to his utterly adorable and selfless inner puppy. Infinite's Hoya is also superb as the level-headed best friend of the ever fighting main duo. He is kind, endearing and the best friend you could want yet he the most mysterious of the group and as such for me the character that stayed with me the longest. There isn't a single character I could bring myself to dislike in the show each one is quirky and a little bit off which makes them all the more relatable to the teenage experience. The various cameos bring a whole load of random characters who you'll remember for no reason barring their random one liners.

Warning: there are constant fakeouts, time skips, overly noble characters and random bouts of mysteries revealed. However this is all part of the reply experience so sit back and enjoy, you won't regret it!

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The synopsis for this drama doesn't really tell what it is about. It isn't just about a girl that is a fan of H.O.T. It is about love, family, friendship, and life. It does go back and forth in time and at first I was trying to keep up, but realized that you can ignore all of that and still understand the story.

The story is really sweet and heart warming. I don't think that I have watched anything like it. There are no mean ex-girlfriends or hateful moms. It is refreshingly simple and strong. At first I thought that Shi Won was really stupid, but later you realize that she is just innocent and has been somewhat sheltered. All of the characters are unique. The family dynamics and the bonds of friendship is really well portrayed. There is also a little mystery until the end. I think like me that you will all figure it out before it is over, but still it is there.

The actors are really good. Seo In Guk was excellent in his portrayal of Yoon Jae. He played a role in Love Rain and was good in that too. The characters are way different and I think he will be a great actor and hope to see more of him in the future. I also thought Jung Eun Ji did a good job as Shi Won. I think she is new and you can kind of tell, but she is very promising. Ho Ya also did well playing Joon Hee. I loved his character the most. I think with some experience all of these new actors are going to be really good. I won't go through the list of actors, but they were all good.

The music is awesome in this drama. I love to be able to sing along.

I probably won't rewatch this drama. I do recommend it as a good watch. It leaves you with a good feeling.

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I admit that I gave this a 9 when I finished watching it , because well it one a few drama that I watched without fast-forwarding this year. I would not called it a masterpiece either, but I would still say that it was a nicely constructed drama.

Story: Well it's was not the most original story out there, it still kind of revolved around the "time travel" mania that 2012 dramas seems to share, but I personally believe that these writers got it right, because they brought us back in time without the nonsense of physical travel that could cause serious repercussions on the future. It was superposed nicely too that you actually understood what the characters were going through while traveling and reliving your own experiences of the 90's without loosing track of where the character where in the present. And I found that they really nicely kept the who did the lead actress got married up until, the moment we met her husband you can only ask yourself "who did she choose?'

Well the acting was good considering who each and everyone of them had to play, and I found they choice in casting really hilarious considering that one of the lead was actually part of one the boys band that they mentioned.

Music: well the music was really wisely suited to the scenes they accompanied ,and it made the viewers really were aware of what kind of obsession they may have had for themselves if they are also part of the 90's generation.


I would definitely recommend this drama , if you just want to take a nice, simple and funny walk down memory lane.

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