Reply 1988

What am I going to do now that I have finished Reply 1988? I already miss all the show’s characters – they feel like family to me.

I thought that I would love Reply 1988 and, for some reason, saved it for a “special” watch. Time went by and I began to wonder why exactly I was saving this show. As a result, starting this drama felt exciting and also a little overwhelming – my expectations were high because this is such a beloved show… and it is also quite the time commitment.

At the start, I have to confess that I was a little startled by all the noise and I found the animal sounds a little jarring. However, very quickly, I was in… I was all in.

Over the course of the 20 episodes, I laughed (a lot) and I was also moved to tears (which is unlike me). I thought about youth and the passage of time. I was reminded about the value of family and friendship. In addition to its universal themes, Reply 1988 is also fascinating in terms of its historical and cultural themes.

Using a flash forward narrative technique, the show also explores the mystery of Deok Sun's future husband. No spoilers here, but I was happy with her eventual choice, despite feeling heartbroken for the character who realised too late that good timing needs timely action.

However, I do have to admit that, as much as I loved it, the love triangle was a little distracting in a show that was about far more than one romance. I was also not a fan of the rather obvious husband manipulation in the scenes set in the “future”. However, this did not diminish my love for Reply 1988. Not one bit.

This show now lives rent free in my heart and I can see myself revisiting it again and again…