This is the second drama that I finished after holiday officially started. This drama is sooooo good especially after the very underwhelming Dream High 2. This is the second Reply series that I watched, skipping Reply 1994. Nevertheless I can safely say that both installments are impressive and well-produced. Actually, I dare say that Reply 1988 is much more awesome than the already awesome Reply 1997! Let's get on with the review :)
First Impression :
Honestly, I had high expectations for Reply 1988 simply because I like Reply 1997 so much. Good thing it really did not disappoint me! The first episode is pretty much an introduction episode where all the crucial characters and what-to-expects are being shown. Nevertheless, I was quickly hooked to this drama because of the ambience set for the story. There is clear plot purposefully laid out to show the friendship in the gang, the family situation and even inter-house relationship. This is truly an appropriate family drama since everyone can relate :)
Flow and Plot :
The drama is really easy to follow because it is somewhat done in a chronological order. The time period were always labelled at the start of the episode so it's really hard to lose track of the story flow. Moreover, I really like how the story flows naturally. No relationship is forced or just suddenly appear out of the blue. The pacing is just right too despite the occasional time skip :) For every sub-plot (?), there is great build up of momentum too which keeps things exciting throughout. Having said that, the last few episodes feel a bit rushed. I mean, they could use one more episode to make it an even better drama!
tvN categorized Reply 1988 as a family comedy drama and I must say that the drama has truly lived up to that category :) Compared to Reply 1997, there are a lot more intra-family relationships shown. All of the Ssangmundong gang members have their fair share of the family air time which is great because all of their family are so different from each other! I also liked how the producer shows the tight friendship that the gang has, it's super heartwarming to see the scenes when they are together :) Oh! And the way they slip in the events that represented 1988 was great too, it was just so seamless. It's good that way because it helps the older generation reminisce their past while showcasing the trends that time to the younger generation which do not experience those moments. All of these elements, I think, pretty much explain why Reply 1988 is super well-received by the audiences :)
Characters :
Since there are so many important characters and I don't want to reveal too much, I will just go through the Ssangmundong gang here :)
1) Sung Duk Seon (Lee Hyeri)
The main heroine of this drama, Sung Duk Seon! She's the middle child being the younger sister of Sung Bo Ra and older sister to Sung No Eul. Besides that, she's just a typical teenage girl (but really quite pretty compared to friends her age) struggling with school and her desire to be loved or to be in love. She's the happy-go-lucky type which makes it hard not to love her as a person or as a friend!
At first, I doubted that she will be good. The reviews that I read on her acting were mostly negative so I was a bit on the fence before deciding to watch this drama. BUT, I was pleasantly surprised! Hyeri portrayed Duk Seon so perfectly that I can believe she actually acts like that in real life or may be she was someone like Duk Seon in her previous life :p
2) Sung Sun Woo (Go Kyungpyo)
First off, no, they are not siblings. Sun Woo and Duk Seon are simply neighbors who share the same last name. Sun Woo is easily the typical 엄친아 (the son of mom's friend). He's smart, kind, and loving towards his family. Any parents would loovveee to have this kind of child.
Go Kyungpyo is an unfamiliar face to me until I realized I briefly saw him in Naeil's Cantabile with a horrible hairstyle that made him almost unrecognizable. Anyways, he portrayed Sun Woo very well. His face is already super suited to be the typical kind guy and his acting convince me even further. It's easy to love his character in Reply 1988 by the way he presented Sun Woo :)
3) Kim Jung Hwan (Ryu Junyeol)
Simply said, Jung Hwan is a kind of tsundere (?). He acts cool and all when he actually cares a lot for his family and friends. Besides that, I can safely say that he is one with a lot of hesitations. Oh, he is really smart too!
Ryu Junyeol's fame sky-rocketed after he took up the role of Kim Jung Hwan. I must say it is easy to understand that. He IS a good actor. The feeling awkward expression, the secretly happy face and many other are properly conveyed by Ryu Junyeol. Honestly, he is not that visually attractive to me at first. But his acting won me over :) Totally looking forward to his next productions!
4) Choi Taek (Park Bogum)
Choi Taek is a Baduk (Go in Japanese) genius, he is the treasure of the Ssangmundong families. Even so, he is pretty much useless in other things. But that explains why everyone especially dotes on him :)
While Park Bogum has been garnering attention even before Reply 1988, his role as Choi Taek actually boosts his fame even further! He just suits Choi Taek character very very well I can't even understand. When I watch interview and BTS videos, I can totally understand why the production team casted him as Choi Taek. He's born to be Taek OMG. Totally going to watch his other productions when I have time because he's just that good (and adorable).
5) Yoo Dong Ryong (Lee Donghwi)
Dong Ryong is somewhat the male version of Duk Seon, especially in terms of academic capabilities. He's much more interested in singing and dancing (and x-rated movies omg) rather than studying. I can safely say he's longing for a family warmth which is why he is especially happy when the gang gathers.
I don't understand how the casting crew can be so good. The Lee Dong Hwi who is in his 30s can act out a whiny 18 year old very well, I can't even. I have nothing but praises for him and the way he portrays his character in the drama :)
Soundtracks :
I admit I actually has not familiarized myself with the soundtracks. But I know for sure that most of them are remade from 1988 songs. That is great because it helps create the '88 atmosphere and mood easier. There are heartwarming and heartbreaking songs, each catering to the need of the scenes. Do check them out in CJ E&M Youtube channel or below, they are actually pretty nice :)
Refrain from reading the comments before finish watching the series!
Overall Impression :
I highly recommend this drama to everyone! I love it to bits heheh. The amount of details is amazing, even the sound of clock ticking is appropriately used! The drama is totally a joy to watch and I wouldn't mind watching it for the second time :) The guess-the-husband concept also made me eyeball the details in the story even more. Having said that, it is good that finding the husband is not the only focus. There is balance with family issues and many other stuffs too!
Anyways, my words can never justify this amazing drama. Please do watch them if you have time. That's all for this review, I hope you will enjoy the drama as much as I do :)
P.S. I wanted to put in teaser video but I can't find a good one. Please refrain from watching related videos on Youtube, they are most likely spoilers! Just watch the drama first before watching any of those videos :)
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