In 1998, Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) is a member of the school fencing team at Seonjung Girls' High School, but due to the IMF crisis, the team is disbanded. To continue pursuing her passion, she transfers to Taeyang High School and later manages to become a member of the National Fencing Team. Baek Yi-jin's (Nam Joo-hyuk) family had gone from "riches to rags" and is separated due to the financial crisis. He is forced to take up several part-time jobs and later becomes a sports reporter.
In present day, Kim Min-chae (Choi Myung-bin), Na Hee-do's daughter, quits ballet and "runs away" to her grandma's house. During her stay, she comes across her mother's diary, through which the story is then told.
Cast
Note: names here are listed in the Korean protocol, with the family name first, followed by the given name.
A fencing prodigy, who has yet to reach her fullest potential. She idolizes Ko Yu-rim and transfers to her high school specifically to train with her.[8][9]
A hardworking young man whose chaebol family went bankrupt during the IMF crisis. As such, he moves out on his own in an attempt to rebuild his life despite debt collectors knocking on his door all the time.[9]
A high school fencing gold medalist who, at the start of the series, Hee-do idolizes, and who later becomes her rival. Despite their rivalry, she and Hee-do must work together.[9][10]
The class president and Moon Ji-woong's childhood best friend. She has an anonymous radio talk show in which she raises awareness on the problems of the youth while also giving guidance to fellow students.[9][12]
Supporting
People around Na Hee-do
Seo Jae-hee as Shin Jae-kyung (신재경)
Na Hee-do's mother, and the main anchor of the UBS Nine O'Clock News.[13]
Baek Seok-gwang as Na Seong-jin (나성진)
Na Hee-do's father. Primarily appearing in flashbacks, he is shown to be the key player in Na Hee-do's interest in fencing.
Na Hee-do's daughter. She is a ballet dancer who quit and ran away to her grandmother's home, later finding her mother's diary which chronicles her teenage years.[7] The identity of her father is left unknown throughout the show.
People around Baek Yi-jin
Park Yoon-hee as Baek Seong-hak (백성학)
Baek Yi-jin's father, who is in debt due to the IMF crisis.[15]
The coach of the fencing team who enjoyed many honors as a gold medalist in fencing. She once accepted bribes and still feels betrayed by her friend Shin Jae-kyung who covered the story as a field reporter.[22]
The episode begins during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when retired fencing athlete Na Hee-do's 15-year-old daughter Kim Min-chae gives up ballet and returns to her grandmother's house, where she chances upon her mother's diary written back in 1998. As Min-chae begins to read one of the diary entries, the time flashes back to 1998, when South Korea is grappling with the impact of the IMF financial crisis. At that point in time, high-school fencer Na Hee-do, then 18 years old, receives the shocking news that her school will permanently dissolve the fencing club due to financial difficulties caused by the IMF incident. As a result, Hee-do resolves to get herself transferred to Taeyang High, where her idol athlete and national gold medalist Ko Yu-rim is studying and training. During one of her attempts to execute her plan, Hee-do meets 22-year-old news vendor Baek Yi-jin.
On her first day at Taeyang High, Hee-do befriends two of her classmates—Ji Seung-wan and Moon Ji-woong—shortly before she finally gets to meet Yu-rim at the fencing club. On their first meeting however, Yu-rim displays a cold attitude which greatly offends and surprises Hee-do. Not only that, she accidentally eavesdrops on Yi-jin's confrontation with his father's debtors, who came to demand their pay and the whereabouts of Yi-jin's father after their chaebol family went bankrupt. Seeing this, Hee-do finds a way to cheer Yi-jin up, which helps forge a deeper bond between them.
Hee-do receives news during her training session that she is unexpectedly qualified to participate in the national team selection tournament, which motivates her to approach her coach Yang Chan-mi to give her extra training lessons. One night, when Yu-rim and Hee-do are staying late at school for training, they are unreasonably chided and taunted by an envious senior, who forces them to apologise; while Yu-rim does so, Hee-do refuses to apologise. Disappointed with Yu-rim's actions and her prior behaviour towards her, Hee-do puts away her mementos of Yu-rim's tournament feats and under the username "Ryder37", Hee-do chats with her online friend "Injeolmi" to let out her depressed feelings, and Injeolmi consoles her. Meanwhile, Yi-jin unexpectedly is visited by his father, who misses him and thus came back to visit him.
In exchange for dancing lessons (required for her extra training), Hee-do agrees to Ji-woong's request to give a drink to Yu-rim, on whom Ji-woong has a crush; the errand does not give Yu-rim a better opinion of Hee-do. On the way home, Hee-do happens to come across a drunk Yi-jin sleeping outside the house of his landlord (who is also Seung-wan's mother). Earlier, Yi-jin went for a job interview but did not pass it, given that he has only a high school diploma and did not complete his university degree. Out of disappointment, he went out to drink. Seeing this, Hee-do covers Yi-jin with a blanket and puts up a sign for passers-by to not disturb his sleep. The later part of the episode focuses on the growing relationship between Yi-jin, Hee-do, Seung-wan, Yu-rim and Ji-woong (save for the bad blood between Yu-rim and Hee-do) at Seung-wan's house.
On the day of her qualifying tournament, Hee-do puts up a tremendous and exciting performance, beating a higher-rated fencer to win the final bout and qualify for a place on the Korean national team, which brings joy to her coach but chagrin to Yu-rim. Just when she is about to share the good news with Yi-jin, Hee-do discovers that he has gone missing, and her efforts to find him fail. It turns out that Yi-jin, in an attempt to hide from his father's creditors, fled, along with his brother, to the seaside town where his uncle lives, where he takes a job selling fish. This hiding lasts for a year. During his time away, Hee-do and Yi-jin find comfort in each other's payphone voice messages.
The days at the national team's training center does not help improve the bad relationship between Hee-do and Yu-rim, who begin to view each other as arch-rivals. Hee-do unexpectedly reunites with Yi-jin, who became a sports reporter after a successful interview. The day of the Gyeongju Asian Games' fencing finals arrives, but a few hours before the start of the tournament, Hee-do discovers that her fencing equipment (which Yi-jin gifted her) was mistakenly taken by a Japanese participant, and she has to rush to the train station, where she manages to retrieve her fencing bag right before the Japanese athlete's train departure. Even though she does not have enough time to go back to the stadium, Yi-jin manages to help avert the crisis and allows her to reach back on time.
After a tense battle at the Asian Games, Hee-do is awarded the final point on a call by the referee, defeating Yu-rim with a score of 15-14, and winning the gold medal. In the press conference following, Yu-rim complains that the referee made a bad call, and the media picks up the story, suggesting that the results were manipulated. This causes Hee-do to suffer backlash from the public. Her depression is further aggravated when her mother, the famous news anchor Shin Jae-kyung, labels her gold medal as "stolen" in her broadcast. Yi-jin is desperate to prove that Hee-do won the medal fairly and manages to convince the tournament's referee to give an interview just before he is about to leave for Australia. As Hee-do quietly runs away and eats at a restaurant, she chances upon Yi-jin's exclusive report and she releases her emotions and cries as a group of grandpas kindly console her and congratulate her on her victory. Rather than going home, Hee-do decides to spend the night in the makeshift clubhouse on the school's roof, but the janitor, unaware that she was there, locks the door from the outside, locking her inside.
Yi-jin, Seung-wan, and Ji-woong manage to rescue Hee-do after she is locked by mistake in the school's rooftop storeroom, but she is left confused and jealous over Yi-jin's recorded confession towards his ex-girlfriend. Yi-jin meets Yu-rim the next day at her mother's restaurant, where Yu-rim expresses her regret over the unexpected backlash on Hee-do, but it does not help amend the cracks in their relationship, as the two of them reluctantly help Ji-woong and Seung-wan to clean Yi-jin's rented room and move his belongings. Hee-do then begins noticing her growing feelings for Yi-jin as she starts getting flustered over everything he does for her. Meanwhile, back at Yu-rim's home, her mother is scammed of her money, which causes the poor financial situation of the family to get even worse. After receiving a three-month suspension from future tournaments and rejection of her pension application, Yu-rim secretly cries at the swimming pool and dives from the platform. Hee-do (who got the same penalty) can not help but pity her as she accidentally witnesses the sorry sight of Yu-rim. After exchanging words with her online friend "Injeolmi" about what she saw earlier and receiving Injeolmi's advice, Hee-do, without knowing that Injeolmi is actually Ko Yu-rim herself, agrees to Yu-rim's request to meet her at a park, each carrying a yellow rose to recognise each other.
Yu-rim goes into hiding after she sees Hee-do, whom she realises was her online friend "Ryder37", and gives Yi-jin her yellow rose, which makes Hee-do mistake him as "Injeolmi" and gives her confidence to boldly confess her feelings for him. Yi-jin quickly clarifies to Hee-do that he is not Injeolmi and states it was a mistaken identity, and immediately, Hee-do becomes embarrassed and quickly leaves the park as Yu-rim watches while in hiding; Yu-rim is equally feeling shame and confusion due to her being reminded of her past treatment of Hee-do. The next day, Yu-rim begins to behave unusually towards Hee-do, who is confused over the sudden change of behaviour. When the school fencing team gathers for a meal at Yu-rim's mother's restaurant, Yu-rim's mother kindly consoles Hee-do for what she went through and praises her for her victory. Yi-jin arrives at Hee-do's school the next day with an assignment to film a sports documentary about Hee-do and Yu-rim; Hee-do's objections at this project causes Yu-rim to be more guilty towards Hee-do. Yi-jin confronts Hee-do who seems to have been avoiding him after the "Injeolmi" incident and she then confesses to him again that she likes him and these feelings she has for him have been consuming her for a while. Meanwhile, after enduring it for another day, Yu-rim finally comes clean to Hee-do about Injeolmi and apologises to her. Hee-do forgives her and the two start to become friends. Yi-jin spends the following days filming their training sessions and his relationship with Hee-do becomes closer.
Yi-jin struggles with his colleagues' disapproval of his academic background, and during a heart-to-heart conversation with his senior Seo Jung-hyuk, Yi-jin expresses his hope to prove that high school graduates can also succeed in their careers as reporters. His depressed feelings are later reassured by a phone call from his father. On that same night, Yu-rim and Ji-woong begin to grow closer as she confides to him her family's massive poverty, and both of them help Seung-wan move her belongings in the school. The next day, Yi-jin gets an approval from Chan-mi to bring both Yu-rim and Hee-do to the seaside under the pretext of filming. The trio are joined by Ji-woong and Seung-wan, and the five of them have a good time on the beach.
The day after the five friends return from their beach trip together, Hee-do finally asks Yu-rim why she disliked her from the start. Yu-rim reveals that she actually met Hee-do before in a children's fencing match and lost greatly to her, which made her feel resolved to become better than Hee-do, whom she considered her greatest rival from that day onwards (Hee-do has no memory of the event), so she felt disappointed at Hee-do for not achieving much by the time she met her again on Hee-do's first day at school. Hee-do and Yi-jin later go out together for dinner, and they grow closer and closer to each other. The following day starts with Hee-do promising to go with her mother to fix her late father's chairs, but Jae-kyung fails to keep the promise due to her workload. Hee-do seeks solace from Yi-jin over this incident and he comforts her, as she feels disappointed towards her mother, in addition to her resentment towards Jae-kyung because of her absence from her father's deathbed and her not talking about her father again after his passing, which led Hee-do to assume that her mother does not miss him at all. Meanwhile, Ji-woong feels disappointed that Yu-rim cannot be present at the school music festival to watch his performance, which gives Yi-jin an idea to bring Yu-rim and Hee-do away from their training center with an excuse. The episode ends with Jae-kyung finally bringing her daughter to her husband's grave, where she finally admits that she missed her husband all along and reconciles with Hee-do.
Seung-wan reports to the police after she witnesses an abusive teacher unreasonably subjecting Ji-woong to corporal punishment, which was legally banned in schools, but the police officers are nonchalant towards the teacher's acts, and Seung-wan exposes it to the public on her radio show. After the teacher demands Seung-wan to apologise or risk transferring to another school with a tainted record, Seung-wan decides to drop out of school and her mother unconditionally supports her, even going as far as to publicly condemning the teacher for his mistreatment of Ji-woong and Seung-wan. Hee-do's teammate Lee Ye-ji expresses her intention to quit fencing, but Chan-mi reprimands her and asks her to stay until she reaches the quarter-finals; Hee-do and Yu-rim help her to train in the following days and Ye-ji reaches the quarter-finals as Chan-mi hoped. Despite having reached the quarter-finals, Ye-ji bravely tells Chan-mi that she wants to quit in order to pursue a new passion, and it finally convinces Chan-mi to support her decision. Both Hee-do and Yu-rim help both Seung-wan and Ye-ji to celebrate the new beginnings of their lives. All the while, aside from his remarkable advancement in his career, Yi-jin and Hee-do are getting more and more drawn to each other as their relationship begins to take a new turn.
As Yi-jin's career takes a turn for the better, his relationship with Hee-do poses a greater risk to him because as a reporter, he is not allowed to have a personal relationship with the subject of his news reports, which may potentially bring harm to both Hee-do and himself in the future. This possibility makes him even more stressed and forces him to keep a distance from Hee-do. Hee-do herself is also not faring well emotionally, since on the first day of the new millennium she kissed Yi-jin and kept going to him to confess her feelings, but he kept pushing her away. Yi-jin later admits his own feelings and agrees to try the romantic love with Hee-do as he decides to forgo his determination to keep a distance from her.
Hee-do and Yi-jin announce that they are dating to their friends. Yu-rim later becomes a Russian citizen in order to resolve her family's difficult financial situation, which was caused by her father's need to compensate the family of a pedestrian he accidentally hit with his truck, as well as the previous unpaid debts of her family. This is reported exclusively by Yi-jin, sparking nationwide outrage and condemnation much to Yi-jin's guilt. Misery lingers on the final days Yu-rim spends with her family and friends in South Korea. On the day of Yu-rim's flight, Ji-woong finally confesses to Yu-rim and tells her about his resolve to wait for her no matter how long they will be separated, which touches Yu-rim and they both embrace before Yu-rim's departure.
Hee-do and Yi-jin celebrate the new year together as they enter the ages of 21 and 25 years old respectively. They make time to go on dates as they both enjoy their romantic relationship and keep loving each other despite their busy schedules. Meanwhile, Hee-do and Yu-rim continue to contact each other, but they gradually stop doing so as the result of rumours and fake news that falsely painted the two friends as bitter rivals who clashed over Yu-rim's "traitorous" betrayal of her own country and people. The girls reunite in the finals of an intense international tournament, and despite Hee-do's victory, their sincere friendship attracts media attention and deeply touches the audiences. Yi-jin and Hee-do gradually drift apart from each other as a result of Yi-jin's increased workload and his task of reporting the September 11 attacks which slowly affects their relationship as he is no longer able to communicate with Hee-do. After initially traveling to New York to temporarily cover the attacks, Yi-jin applies for a permanent reporter position in the city.
Hee-do and Yi-jin painfully break up, as a result of Yi-jin's absences. They both make hateful comments while breaking up. They both immediately regret what they had said. While in the hospital after collapsing, Hee-do writes in her diary what she should have said to Yi-jin that day of their break-up. She loses the diary on the bus. The diary is sent to Yi-jin. The group eventually finds success in their respective pathways of life; Yi-jin is promoted to a news anchor, while Hee-do goes on to win two more gold medals before retiring in 2009. Yu-rim retires in 2007 and returns to South Korea and opens a fencing club. Seung-wan becomes a variety show producer after completing her university degree. At her father's funeral, Seung-wan meets Yi-hyun again and asks him for his phone number. Ji-woong becomes a fashion designer and marries Yu-rim. The timeline returns to 2021 where Min-chae is inspired by her mother's passion from her teenage years and tells Hee-do she decided to take up ballet again, and Hee-do, feeling impressed with her daughter's re-determination, begins to reminisce about her teenage years. Hee-do receives her lost diary twenty years late. The used bookstore owner had forgotten he had it. In the diary, Yi-jin had also written what he had wished he would have said during the break-up. In an epilogue scene shows an adult Yi-jin answering a password question about his first love; his answer was "Na Hee-do".
Production
Casting
On September 7, 2021, the main cast of the series was confirmed as Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Ji-yeon, Choi Hyun-wook, and Lee Joo-myung. It is Kim Tae-ri's first appearance on the small screen after a hiatus of three years. She last starred in Mr. Sunshine in 2018.[9]
On March 2, 2022, it was confirmed that actress Kim Tae-ri had been infected with COVID-19 since February 26, 2022, causing filming to be halted, with filming expected to resume after she recovers. The broadcast continued as usual.[35] On March 3, 2022, it was confirmed that actor Choi Hyun-wook had tested positive for COVID-19. Both Kim and Choi went into isolation in accordance with the guidelines of the Quarantine Authority.[36]
Release
The series premiered on February 12, 2022 and aired every Saturday and Sunday at 21:10 (KST) on the South Korean television network tvN.[37]
During the eight weeks of broadcast, Twenty-Five Twenty-One, Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk maintained the top spots in drama and actors popularity rankings conducted by Good Data Corporation.[43] The series also placed first in viewership ratings for all its 16 episodes, in both the Metropolitan Area and nationwide.[44] Additionally, it featured in Netflix's "Global Top 10" (non-English edition), a weekly list of the most-watched international Netflix shows, for 10 consecutive weeks (as of the week ending May 1, 2022).[45][46] The drama's success was attributed to its "retro-sentimental" vibe that was presented through the use of props, fashion, and locations that were able to invoke nostalgia to the generation that experienced the 1990s. It was also stated that it had succeeded in gaining the empathy and sympathy of viewers as it depicts the struggles of the IMF period in Korea, which viewers connected with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[47]
Pierce Conran, in his review for the South China Morning Post, stated that the show had "an appealing theme, a story that is well told, great acting and clever staging and editing".[48] Rhian Daly of NME described the drama as "a nostalgic dive into the memories of youth and the value of dreams."[49]
Cultural impact
The popularity of the series led to the elevated recognition for actress Kim Tae-ri, who was stated to have emerged as the new "Nation's First Love."[50]BTS' Jungkook shared that he watched it and recommended it to his fans.[51] Actor Gong Yoo also revealed that he watched the series Twenty-Five Twenty-One when he recommended his fans to watch My Liberation Notes.[52]
Following the drama's conclusion, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched a travel product (itineraries alongside various accommodation and rental vouchers) touring the filming locations of the series, which includes the Jeonju Hanok Village, locations surrounding the Seohakdong Art Village, and the Hanbyeokgul Tunnel where the drama was shot.[53] Retail company 7-Eleven reported that sales of its bakery brand Breadum had increased three-fold following the appearance of its pastry products on the show. The company then announced on April 7 that Breadum has launched two additional products in collaboration with the drama.[54][55]
Investment company Daehan Securities has credited the success and high topicality of Twenty-Five Twenty-One alongside the recovery of television commercials for the 12% sales growth of CJ ENM, the parent company of broadcast channel tvN, during the first quarter of 2022.[56] With 2022 marking the renewed popularity of retro style in South Korea, Twenty-Five Twenty-One was stated to have greatly contributed to the "retro craze".[57]
Following the appearance of the popular manhwa Full House in the show, its comic book set saw a sales growth of 1,044% in February 2022 (when the series started airing) which was followed by a 24.3% sales increase in March 2022 compared to the previous month.[57] In the Philippines, it was reported that the drama, with part of its plotline focused on fencing, led to an increased interest in the sport.[58] The show has also been credited for contributing to an increase in the number of female protagonists in Korean dramas.[59]
Criticism
Despite its popularity and commercial success, Twenty-Five Twenty-One became subject to a few controversies. Netizens debated about the series' main plot line which involves romance between a legal adult and a character that is initially introduced as a minor, although a poll conducted on website Nate came out with 77% of over 3,000 respondents stating that there is no problem with the drama's love line.[60] The drama also faced criticism for a scene in its 15th episode portraying a news coverage of the September 11 attacks, depicting the female lead smiling at her boyfriend giving live coverage of the incident, which some viewers deemed "inappropriate".[61][62]
In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
This drama aired on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC and EBS).
Accolades
Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
^Kang Da-yun (December 24, 2021). "김태리X남주혁 '스물다섯 스물하나', 내년 2월 12일 첫방 [공식]" [Kim Tae-ri X Nam Joo-hyuk 'Twenty-five Twenty One', first aired on February 12 next year [Official]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^ abJeon Ha-na (February 12, 2022). "'스물다섯 스물하나' 김소현, 발레 콩쿠르 포기한 딸 최명빈에 "1등 아니면 의미없어?"" ['Twenty-five Twenty One' Kim So-hyeon, daughter Choi Myung-bin who gave up ballet contest "Is it meaningless if it's 1st place?"]. Herald POP (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^Oh Myung-joo (September 7, 2021). "김태리X남주혁, 설레는 만남…'스물다섯 스물하나', 캐스팅 확정" [Tae-ri Kim X Joo-hyuk Nam, an exciting meeting... 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One' Casting Confirmed]. Dispatch (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^ abcdefLee Min-ji (September 7, 2021). "스물다섯 스물하나' 김태리-남주혁-보나-최현욱-이주명 출연확정(공식)" [Twenty-five Twenty One’ Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Bona, Choi Hyun-wook, and Lee Joo-myung confirmed to appear (official)]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^Park Soo-in (June 29, 2021). "우주소녀 보나 측 "'스물다섯 스물하나' 출연 확정" 펜싱선수 된다(공식입장)" [Cosmic Girls' Bona side "Appearance in 'Twenty-five Twenty-One' is confirmed" to become a fencer (official position)]. Newsen (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^Ha Ji-won (September 7, 2021). "최현욱, '라켓소년단'→'스물다섯 스물하나'까지...열일 행보ing" [Choi Hyun-wook, 'Racquet Boys' → 'Twenty-five Twenty One'...]. Export News (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^Kim Seon-hee (September 7, 2021). "배우 이주명, '스물다섯 스물하나' 캐스팅 [공식]" [Actor Lee Joo-myeong, cast for 'Twenty-five Twenty-One' [Official]]. Sports Trend (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^Kim Young-woong (January 7, 2022). "서재희, tvN '스물다섯 스물하나' 합류 [공식]" [Seo Jae-hee joins tvN's 'Twenty-Five Twenty One' [Official]]. Sports trend (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jeon Hyung-ju (April 4, 2022). "스물다섯' 나희도 남편 사진 공개…민채 데리고 유치원 갔다" [Twenty-five' Na Hee also revealed her husband's photo... I took Min-chae to kindergarten] (in Korean). Money Today. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^Son Bong-seok (February 4, 2022). "배우 박윤희, '스물다섯 스물하나' 남주혁 아버지역 출연" [Actor Park Yoon-hee to appear as Nam Joo-hyuk's father in 'Twenty-Five Twenty One] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ahn Byung-gil (March 11, 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 소희정-김영선, 엄마표 웃음도 빵빵" [‘Twenty-five Twenty One’ So Hee-jung and Kim Young-sun, Mom’s laughter is also full of laughter] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on March 11, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ahn Byung-gil (January 17, 2022). "박정표 '스물다섯 스물하나' 출연 확정 [공식]" [Park Jung-pyo confirmed to appear in 'Twenty-five Twenty One' [Official]] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Naver.
^Yoo Kyung-sang (April 4, 2022). "스물다섯' 남주혁 동생 강훈 특별출연, 이주명과 러브라인 [결정적장면]" [Twenty-five’ Nam Joo-hyuk’s younger brother Kang Hoon makes a special appearance, and a love line with Lee Joo-myeong [Decisive Scene]] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on September 21, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Soo-jung (February 18, 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 남주혁, 최민영 괴롭힌 학생들에 "죽인다" [종합]" [Twenty-five Twenty One' Nam Joo-hyuk, Choi Min-young "Kill" the students who bullied them [General]] (in Korean). Xports News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Soo-in (January 17, 2022). "소희정 '스물다섯 스물하나' 출연, 전교 1등 이주명 母 된다" [So Hee-jung appears in 'Twenty-five Twenty-one', and Lee Ju-myeong becomes the first place in the entire school] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. Retrieved January 17, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park So-young (March 23, 2022). "김태리 엄마→보나 엄마→이주명 엄마..'스물다섯 스물하나' 3色 모녀" [Kim Tae-ri's mother → Bona's mother → Lee Joo-myeong's mother..'Twenty-five Twenty One' mother and daughter in three colors] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Soo-in (January 11, 2022). "김혜은 '스물다섯 스물하나' 출연, 펜싱부 코치 된다" [Kim Hye-eun appears in 'Twenty-five Twenty One' and becomes a coach for the fencing team]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Ji-eun (March 21, 2022). "포기하는 것도 도전"...감동 선사한 주보영 (스물다섯 스물하나)" [Giving up is a challenge" ... Joo Bo-young, who impressed] (in Korean). Export News. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022 – via Naver.
^Ahn Byung-gil (February 21, 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 방은정, 포스 작렬" [Twenty-five Twenty One' Bang Eun-jung, Force Explosion] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022 – via Naver.
^"미안하다 희도야~ IMF 때문에 그랬어... 모질게 할 마음은 없었어시대가 그랬다고 생각해 주길" [I'm sorry Heedo~ It was because of the IMF... I didn't mean to be harsh. I hope the times are like that]. instagram (in Korean). February 12, 2022. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
^Ahn Byung-gil (February 13, 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 정유민, 특별출연 빛났다" [Twenty-five Twenty One' Jung Yu-min made a special appearance] (in Korean). Sports Kyunghyang. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Soo-jin (February 25, 2022). "최태준, '스물다섯 스물하나' 특별 출연 [공식]" [Choi Tae-Jun, Special Appearance in 'Twenty-Five Twenty One' [Official]]. Star News (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Naver.
^Lee Ji-hyun (March 14, 2022). "김태리vs윤태리" '딸바보' 윤주만 "욕 많이 먹어, 가족은 건들지 맙시다" [Tae-ri Kim vs. Tae-ri Yoon" Joo-man Yoon, 'Foolish Daughter', "You swear a lot, don't touch your family] (in Korean). Sports Chosun. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022 – via Naver.
^Jang Woo-young (March 24, 2022). "스물다섯 스물하나' 남주혁 "난 백이진, 쟨 오빠?"…김태리 질투 폭발" [Twenty-five Twenty One' Nam Joo-hyuk "I'm Baek I-jin, Jja-oppa?"... Kim Tae-ri Jealousy Explosion] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022 – via Naver.
^Park Soo-in (March 28, 2022). "펜싱 국대 김준호 '2521' 특별출연 "김태리 도움으로 즐겁게 연기" [Fencing National University Kim Jun-ho's '2521' Special Appearance "Enjoyable acting with the help of Kim Tae-ri] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022 – via Naver.
^Kim Se-hoon (April 3, 2022). "김남희, '25 21' 특별 출연…나희도ㆍ백이진 커플 요금제 해지" [Kim Nam-hee to make a special appearance in '25 21'... Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin’s couple rate plan canceled]. BizEnter (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
^Jeong Tae-gun (September 7, 2021). "[공식]김태리X남주혁, '스물다섯 스물하나' 출연 확정" [[Official]Kim Tae-ri X Nam Joo-hyuk confirmed to appear in 'Twenty-five Twenty One']. Ten Asia (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
^Choi Jeong-gyu (March 13, 2022). "[관광도시 전주 플랫폼 전환해야] (상) 촬영지 인기" [[Tourist city Jeonju platform must be switched] (top) Popularity of filming locations]. Jeonbuk Ilbo (in Korean). Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
^Manga Room, Stone Stairs, Peeing Child Statue 'Twenty-five Twenty One' Filming Location Jeonju Popularity [One Pick! hot place] (March 3, 2022). "만화방·돌계단·오줌 누는 아이 동상 '스물다섯 스물하나' 촬영지 전주 인기몰이 [원픽! 핫플레이스]" [Manga Room, Stone Stairs, Peeing Child Statue 'Twenty-five Twenty One' Filming Location Jeonju Popularity [One Pick! hot place]]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.((cite news)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Jang Jin-ri (March 2, 2022). "김태리, 코로나19 확진…"'스물다섯 스물하나' 방송 지장 없다"[전문]" [Kim Tae-ri, Corona 19 confirmed... "There is no hindrance to broadcasting 'Twenty-five Twenty One [Full text]] (in Korean). SPOTV News. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang Hye-jin (March 3, 2022). "스물다섯' 김태리·최현욱 코로나 확진→남주혁·보나 음성, 방송 지장無(종합)" [Twenty-five’ Kim Tae-ri and Choi Hyeon-wook confirmed with Corona → Nam Joo-hyuk and Bona voice, no broadcasting disruption (comprehensive)] (in Korean). Newsen. Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022 – via Naver.
^Hwang Hye-jin (December 24, 2021). "김태리X남주혁, tvN '스물다섯 스물하나' 출연 확정…2월 12일 첫방" [Kim Tae-ri X Nam Joo-hyuk confirmed to appear in tvN's 'Twenty-five Twenty One'... First episode on February 12]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 24, 2021. Retrieved December 24, 2021 – via Naver.
^2022년 17주차 Album Chart [Week 17 of 2022 Album Chart] (in Korean). Korea Music Content Association. April 17–23, 2022. Archived from the original on April 28, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022 – via Gaon Chart.
^2022년 04월 Album Chart [April 2022 Album Chart]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
5: 2022년 10주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 10 of 2022]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). March 5, 2022. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
6: 2022년 11주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 11 of 2022]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). March 6–12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
4, 7, 8: 2022년 13주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 13 of 2022]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). March 20–26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
1, 3: 2022년 14주차 Digital Chart [Digital Chart – Week 14 of 2022]. Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). April 2, 2022. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
3: "Billboard K-pop 100". Billboard Korea (in Korean). March 20–26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
1, 5, 7: "Billboard K-Pop 100". Billboard Korea. April 2–9, 2022. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
4, 6, 8: "Billboard K-Pop 100". Billboard Korea. April 10–16, 2022. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
^Ji-yeon Moon (March 24, 2022). "[공식] '스물다섯 스물하나' 6주 연속 드라마 화제성 정상..남주혁·김태리 1-2위" [[Official] 'Twenty-five Twenty One' 6 weeks in a row Drama Topics Top...]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
^Kim Seong-hyun (March 6, 2022). "'스물다섯 스물하나' 7회 연속 동시간대 시청률 1위… 계속되는 인기" ['Twenty-five Twenty One' ranked first in viewer ratings for 7 consecutive times in the same time zone... continuing popularity]. YTN (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
^Kim Na-yeon (March 17, 2022). "'사내맞선'·'스물다섯 스물하나', 넷플릭스 글로벌 TOP 10..K-로맨스 저력" [‘Meet the Man’ · ‘Twenty-five Twenty One’, Netflix Global TOP 10..K-Romance Potential]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
^"获孔刘力推的疗愈剧 观众要和三姐弟一起出走" [Healing drama that was highly recommended by Gong Yoo - Audience to take journey together with three siblings in drama]. Lianhe Zaobao. April 30, 2022. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
^"대신증권 "CJ ENM '스물다섯 스물하나' 드라마 화제… 매수 추천"" [Daishin Securities “CJ ENM’s ‘Twenty-five Twenty One’ drama topic… Recommend to buy”]. FNTIMES (in Korean). April 15, 2022. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
^ ab"서점가도 레트로 열풍... 만화책 '풀하우스' 판매 1천% 증가" [Retro craze in bookstores... 1000% increase in sales of comic book 'Full House']. 뉴스핌 (in Korean). April 25, 2022. Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
^Jang Jin-ri (August 19, 2022). "2521' 김태리·남주혁 등 태양고 5인, 폭우 피해에 5000만원 동반 기부" [2521' Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, and 5 Taeyang High School students donated 50 million won to the damage caused by heavy rain] (in Korean). spoTV News. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022 – via Naver.
"Ep.1". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 13, 2022. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
"Ep.2". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 14, 2022. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 14, 2022.
"Ep.3". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 19, 2022. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
"Ep.4". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 21, 2022. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
"Ep.5". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
"Ep.6". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). February 27, 2022. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
"Ep.7". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 6, 2022. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
"Ep.8". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 7, 2022. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
"Ep.9". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 12, 2022. Archived from the original on March 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
"Ep.10". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 13, 2022. Archived from the original on March 13, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
"Ep.11". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 20, 2022. Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
"Ep.12". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 21, 2022. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
"Ep.13". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 26, 2022. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
"Ep.14". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). March 28, 2022. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
"Ep.15". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). April 3, 2022. Archived from the original on April 9, 2022. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
"Ep.16". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). April 4, 2022. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
^"스물다섯 스물하나: 시청률" [Twenty-Five Twenty-One: ratings]. Naver. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
^Kim, Won-gyeom (August 31, 2022). "'에이판 스타 어워즈' 송중기·손석구·김수현·김태리·박은빈 등 역대 최다 노미네이트" ['APAN Star Awards', including Song Joong-ki, Son Seok-gu, Kim Su-hyeon, Kim Tae-ri, Park Eun-bin, etc.] (in Korean). SpoTV News. Archived from the original on August 31, 2022. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
^Han Hae-seon (September 6, 2022). "'2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' 인기상·베커상·OST상 투표 시작" [Voting begins for '2022 APAN STAR AWARDS' Popularity Award, Becker Award, OST Award]. Star News (in Korean). naver. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
^ ab"제 58회 백상예술대상" [58 Nominees · Works]. Baeksang Arts Awards (in Korean). April 11, 2022. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^Ahn Byung-gil (April 11, 2022). "58회 백상예술대상 후보 공개…영광의 주인공은?" [58th Baeksang Arts Awards nominations revealed... Who is the hero of glory?]. Sports Kyunghyang (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
^Kim Kyung-hee (May 6, 2022). "'백상' 김태리 TV부문 여자 최우수연기상 수상 "나희도에게 많이 훔쳐먹었다"" ['Baeksang' Kim Tae-ri wins Best Actress in TV category "I stole a lot from Na Hee-do"]. MBC Entertainment (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on May 6, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
^Lee Ye-seul (May 6, 2022). "이준호x김태리, 인기상 수상 "투표 전쟁이었다고···팬들에 감사" [제58회 백상예술대상]" [Junho Lee x Taeri Kim, Popularity Award "Thanks to the fans that it was a voting war" [58th Baeksang Arts Awards]]. OSEN (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
^ abKim, Ji-Woo (December 21, 2022). "뜨거웠다' 박해일, 박은빈 그리고 손석구" [It was hot’ Park Hae-il, Park Eun-bin and Son Seok-gu] (in Korean). Sport kyunghyang. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2023 – via Naver.
^Kim, Dong-soo (October 8, 2022). "진주에서 열리는 '코리아드라마페스티벌' …3년 만에 팡파레" [‘Korea Drama Festival’ held in Jinju… Fanfare after 3 years] (in Korean). Pressian. Archived from the original on December 1, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via Naver.
^"2022 코리아 드라마 페스티벌 (8일, 오후 5시~)" [2022 Korea Drama Festival (8th, 5pm~)] (in Korean). October 8, 2022. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022 – via YouTube.
^Song Il-seob (November 30, 2022). "우주소녀 보나, '트로피 들고 미모 반짝' [MD포토]" [WJSN's Bona, 'Sparkling beauty with a trophy' [MD Photo]] (in Korean). My Daily. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022 – via Naver.
