Twenty Five Twenty One
Twenty Five Twenty One
Now Showing

Twenty Five Twenty One

"When we were 18, we first called each other by name. At 21, we fell in love."

8.5
Yr 2022
Rt 75m
Status Ended
Your Verdict

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Series Brief

Overview

In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 78 /100

Twenty Five Twenty One is widely praised as a refreshing, nostalgic coming-of-age series that avoids many common K-drama cliches in favor of an intimate, sprawling narrative. Critics celebrate the show's focus on friendship, the determination of its female leads, and its grounded depiction of the turbulent transition from adolescence to adulthood. The performances and musical score received high acclaim, contributing to an emotionally resonant viewing experience.

However, critical response is polarized regarding the conclusion. While some viewers appreciated the show’s realistic, albeit bittersweet, ending and the life lessons it imparted, others found the finale to be forced or disappointing. Additionally, some reviewers noted that the series occasionally struggles to balance its narrative, sometimes feeling overcrowded with emotion and plot developments.

“Bubbly, spirited, youthful, Twenty Five Twenty One asks how people can follow their youthful dreams when the world has other plans.”

“It defies most of the clichés we see in romantic K-dramas and sets up a series with an expansive but very intimate storyline.”

“There are few negatives to Twenty Five Twenty One, but it does often feel like the show is trying to cram too much into each installment.”

“This show does a great job creating a sweet coming-of-age story.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Netflix
US • CA • UK
Netflix Standard with Ads
US • CA • UK
Why fans love it

The 1990s setting provides a specific texture to this story about competing ambitions. As a teen fencer, the lead character played by Kim Tae-ri navigates intense athletic pressure while building a life alongside a young man preoccupied with his own professional recovery. Their dynamic shifts from cautious distance to a close friendship that defies the typical boundaries of childhood rivals.

The series balances the weight of personal struggle with the idealism of coming of age. The drama finds intimacy in small, shared moments whether the characters are training for a sword fight or simply occupying the same room. It portrays the collision of a workaholic mindset with the instability of early adulthood through a grounded perspective on family and expectations. Everything feels earned rather than forced by the circumstances of the era.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 20
Longest run 16 eps
Show 67 more
Choi Min-yeong as Baek Yi-hyun 16 episodes Kim So-hyun as Adult Na Hee-do 16 episodes Park Yoon-hee as Baek Sung-hak 16 episodes Kim Young-sun as Yi-jin's Mother 16 episodes So Hee-jung as Seung-wan's Mother 16 episodes Choi Tae-joon as Jung Ho-jin 2 episodes Seo Jae-hee as Shin Jae-kyung 16 episodes Lee Ye-jin as Park Han-sol 16 episodes Heo Ji-na as Yu-rim's Mother 16 episodes Kim Dong-gyun as Yu-rim's Father 16 episodes Lee Chan-jong as Seo Joong-hyuk 16 episodes Choi Sia as Baek Su-yeong 16 episodes Baek Suk-kwang as Na Sung-jin 2 episodes Kang Hoon as Baek Yi-hyun (adult) 1 episode Park Jin-soo as Seo Hye-jin 1 episode Jung Yoo-min as Hwang Bo-mi 1 episode Kim Tae-yoo as Kim Yoo-jin 1 episode Lee Ki-bbeum as Bo-mi's friend 1 episode Song Young-joo as Bo-mi's friend 1 episode Yu Bee as Yi-jin's friend 1 episode Jang Yeon-woo as Yi-jin's friend 1 episode Jung Yong-ju as Delinquent boy 2 episodes Lee Ha-joo as Fencing team player 1 episode Lee Joong-ok as Fencing club coach 2 episodes Ri Min as Chinese restaurant owner 2 episodes Shin Ga-eun as Jang Chae-hee 1 episode Lim Yong-soon as Security guard 1 episode Moon Woo-bin as Kang Ji-soo 3 episodes Bang Eun-jeong as Lee Da-seul 3 episodes Ok Joo-ri as Ahyeon Supermarket owner 5 episodes Jung Chung-gu as Myeongjin Book Rentals owner 3 episodes Bae Seong-il as Mr. Baek's ex-employee 2 episodes Ok Ye-rin as Na Hee-do (young) 3 episodes Kyung Da-eun as Ko Yu-rim (young) 2 episodes Kim Bum-joon as Ji-woong's friend 3 episodes Jo Nam-hee as Taeyang High School headmaster 2 episodes Seo Jeong-bin as Kim Jong-chan 2 episodes Yeon Seung-bin as Choi Won-hwan 2 episodes Kim Ha-ru as National team fencer 3 episodes Lee Seon-gu as National fencing team coach 4 episodes Jeon Yeong as Yogurt lady 2 episodes Lee Kyung-oh as UBS Network director 2 episodes Lee Dong-kyu as UBS Network Sports anchor 3 episodes Park Jung-pyo as Yi-jin's maternal uncle 4 episodes Jung Hyung-suk as Kim Hak-gyu 8 episodes Han Gyu-hyuk as Kang Hak-rae 2 episodes Garrison Farquharson-Keener as Alan Smith 2 episodes Park Yoon as Jung Da-yeong 5 episodes Cho Min-wook as Kwon Dung-uk 5 episodes Shin Yeon-sook as Hee-do's grandmother 2 episodes Kim Joon-hyung as Sanga University coach 2 episodes Yoon Ju-man as PD Park 2 episodes Lee Si-hoo as UBS Network cameraman 2 episodes Park Ji-ho as UBS Network documentary staff 2 episodes Yoon Se-woong as Seo Yeong-seong 4 episodes Oh Choong-geun as UBS Network staff 2 episodes Kim Tae-moon as UBS Network cameraman 2 episodes Jeong Young-do as UBS anchorman 2 episodes Ji Hyun-woo as Jungle Prince bassist 2 episodes Kang Sung-hwa as Jungle Prince guitarist 2 episodes Im Woo-chan as Jungle Prince drummer 2 episodes Kang Seong-jin as Jungle Prince keyboardist 2 episodes Shin Hee-cheol as Detective Kim 2 episodes Park Ki-deok as Lee Gi-hun 2 episodes Kwon Dan-a as National team fencer 2 episodes Ji Yun-seong as Reporter 2 episodes Yoon Tae-yi as Seon Jung Girls' High School Fencing Team Player 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Executive Producer
Director
Music
Writer
Theme Song Performance
Co-Director
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Twenty Five Twenty One overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

competition workaholic fencing friendship sword fight romance flashback coming of age family financial crisis inspiring 1990s broken promise athlete inspirational intimate enemies to friends romantic drama
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
February 12, 2022
Status
Ended
Episode Runtime
75 minutes
Origin
KR
TMDB Votes
351