Trauma, 9/11 & Broken Promises
Episode 15 of Twenty Five Twenty One begins with Yi-Jin urging Yu-Rim to open up and tell the press just why she’s changing her nationality. She refuses, begging him not to mention her parents. Unfortunately, Yi-Jin agrees. ..
In the previous episode, we followed Hee-Do as she cried and kneeled next to Yu-Rim. Now, we see Hee-Do show her emotion to Yu-Rim. This links back to episode 1 and 2 where Hee-Do openly showed her emotion to him.
Yi-jin is overcome with guilt, prompting Hee-Do to jump in and comfort him. She understands the dynamic between the two, and the complexities of this fencer/reporter relationship. She also apologizes to him for her hurtful words before. This gives Yi-Jin the courage to head back to work and decide he’s going to transfer to the local news, away from sports and where he may potentially hurt his friends.
Yu-Rim and Hee-Do continue to email each other, discussing their training and how busy Yi-Jin has been now that he’s working. However, they’re sacrificing sleep to see each other. They still manage to spend New Year’s together, with Yi-Jin finishing his broadcast and then spending time with Yi-Jin as they see the New Year in together. With the New Year though, that also brings a match with Yu-Rim in Madrid. ..
Yu-Rim is struggling to adjust to the new language and weather. She struggles to read the emails Hee-Do is sending, including those confirming that Ji-Woong is contemplating starting his own webpage and showing off his fashion sense online. Seung-Wan is still good friends with him, but she has managed to get into the college she was after.
Hee-Do is confident that her upcoming match with Yu-Rim will be a classic, but she doesn’t want to see her before the big match. ..
Hee-Do and Yi-Rim both win their semi-finals, going on to face each other in the final. The final is fraught with emotion and tension, as we see both Yu-Rim’s and Hee-Do’s journey to this point and their confliction emotions going into this fight. It’s absolutely fascinating to watch, especially when Hee-Do starts arguing with the referee - a throwback to Yu-Rim doing the same thing all those episodes ago. Coach Yang calls for calm. ..
The match ends with Hee-Do winning but it’s a bittersweet victory. The two best friends hug it out afterwards. Although Hee-Do is now a gold medallist, the pair are overcome by emotion. All the heartache and drama is too much for them as they continue to hug, unmoving from the middle of the arena. This becomes a symbol of sorts, as the press run with the story “friendship before borders.”
In the present, Hee-Do knows that her daughter is reading her diary and is absolutely fine with it. This is the time where friendship and love is all that mattered to her. It seems like there are no more entries after the Yu-Rim duel though, which she claims she has actually lost.
Technology has quickly advanced, and we’re going from phones with an aerial across to early Samsung flip phones. Hee-Do has just won her gold medal and Yi-Jin shows up at 1am that morning to remind her of their 600 year anniversary. And the date of that? September 12th 2001. And what happens a day earlier? Yeah, this isn’t going to go well is it?
Hee-Do waits for Yi-Jin at the airport as news comes in about the planes hitting the World Trade Center. Yi-Jin is there to broadcast on what’s happened, meaning that Hee-Do needs to head back home empty-handed. “Thank you, sorry and I love you,” Yi-Jin says in the letter back home. It’s that word again - sorry. ..
Yi-Jin is traveling out to New York to report on what’s happened, as Hee-Do turns on the news and sees the towers fall for herself. She’s shocked, as Yi-Jin makes it to New York.
The representative at the Korean consulate in America confirms that there are 21 missing Koreans. The representative’s job is to interview the survivors. In the middle of this horrific ordeal, Yi-Jin tries to compose himself as one of the women there speaks of her ordeal, urging the public to help. Because of what’s happened, Yi-Jin is to stay in America for at least another month. That eventually leads to Yi-Jin reporting on the war in Afghanistan.
Yi-Jin has been struggling with the war and his job. He’s lost the same enthusiasm he once had for life. He’s taking medication to help him sleep and smoking too. Yi-Jin is clearly suffering from nightmares about the company building being bombed.
Hee-Do tries to encourage Yi-Jin when he tells her he’s feeling down about his job prospects. She knows it’s a difficult time for him, but she also understands that it’s part of his growth process. Yi-Jin doesn’t seem to appreciate her support, and Hee-Do’s mother confirms that Yi-Jin has applied for the New York office position. With the New Year coming, Hee-Do is all alone. ..
The Episode Review
The episode was so well-done that I’m not sure what to say about it. It’s like the story is telling itself, with a lot of back and forth between characters and a lot of payoff at the end. There are some really great moments in this episode, and I’m curious to see where the next one takes us.
In the first half of this episode, Yu-Rim and Hee-Do are competing in a match. The drama involving them is intense, but their silence is something they both share. Eventually, they compete in the match and all the emotion comes pouring out through some absolutely stunning montages that feel so fitting. And when they hug at the end of the match, wow. What a beautifully symbolic way to show how much this match meant to them both. ..
Yi-Jin leaves Hee-Do to go to New York on September 12th, leaving her behind. This creates a rift between the two, as Hee-Do tries to cope with the idea of her partner not being there for her. Meanwhile, Yi-Jin’s world is turned upside down as she realizes how much she depends on Hee-Do.
The episode begins with the discovery of a mass shooting at the office, and quickly becomes clear that everyone in the building has been affected. The main character, a journalist on the frontlines, is particularly affected by PTSD.
Yi-Jin, a paperboy in South Korea, has turned to drugs and alcohol to cope with the emotional trauma he experienced after his best friend died. ..
Everyone else noticed how that picture of Hee-Do was propped up by two bottles of alcohol behind it? It’s a horrible juxtaposition of innocence and a darker need to push away those dark thoughts. Eventually it ends with Hee-Do realizing that she and Yi-Jin are drifting apart after the all important – ”Congrats on turning 25, Yi-jin.” “Congrats on turning 21, Hee-do.” which is a pivotal moment for this show’s title and for the direction these two are going in life.
The choice of playing JAURIM’s song in full at the end, alongside the masterful editing and handling of trauma from 9/11, was both outstanding and I just hope all of this hard work from the team will be rewarded with an outstanding finale tomorrow. ..
