4.2 - Episode 2 of 25, 21

Today, we’ll be discussing Episode 2 of 25, 21, the hit K Drama on Netflix starring Kim Tae-ri as Na Hee-do and Nam Joo Hyuk as Baek Yi-jin. We discuss:

• The songs we feature in this episode: Very, Slowly by BIBI and Shining Man by Shin Min Yong
• The many encounters between Hee-do and Yi-jin in this episode
• The contrast between cheerful and emotional Hee-do and the stoic, sad and burdened Yi-jin
• How we learn more about Yi-jin’s life: how his family split up, his short stint in the military, his little brother, and how he’s been threatened by his dad’s creditors
• How Hee-do has achieved her dream of transferring to Yu-rim’s school and now, Yu-rim is cold and hostile towards her
• The encounter between Hee-do and Yu-rim from five years earlier, when Hee-do beat Yu-rim during a junior fencing competition
• How we get introduced to the other characters, including Ko Yu-rim, Moon Ji-woong and Ji Seung-wan
• The gold campaign and how it turns out that Hee-do’s mom did not turn in her wedding rings
• The K element we saw in this episode is triangles, potentially lots of them!
• Two other K Drama elements that we need to add to our list: 24) when two people turn out to have a connection from their past; and 25) the obligatory abs scene when a man’s amazing abs are displayed
• Our favorite lines from the show
• The song 25, 21 by Jaurim, which was played at the end of this episode, and how it maybe gives us a clue about how this show is going to end

References:

• Sad KDrama Instrumentals on Spotify
• Shin Min Yong on Spotify
• YouTube video with theory about the Jaurim song inspiring the show
• 25, 21 by Jaurim