(Tone: Honest) As always- a supreme review; thank you for sharing!! 🙏 I must admit 응답하라 1988 (Reply ⬅️) is the only one that truly stuck with me and the only one I have watched more than once. (Tone: Reflective) I’d say that, for me it would fall into the BEST trilogy category because it doesn’t follow the same characters (subjective on my part); if it did the time gaps between the dramas could have created dissatisfaction like if you’re planning to meet a friend for coffee and their younger sibling shows up in their stead unplanned. If the “Reply Series” were released these days there are so many things that wouldn’t fly and social media/public opinion/ the backdrop of the times we’re living would have made the series unbearable; so it is also the BEST in that it can stand the test of time without creating too much outrage– just my two cents!
(Tone: Grateful) Thanks again for writing and for indulging my words! 💜🖤✌🏼
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments! There was so much going on in each of the series. What I really liked about them (esp. 1988) is how they evoked nostalgia for a time that I clearly lived through...but in a different country. For me, I have always wondered what my life would've been like if my family didn't immigrate to the U.S. And these shows give me a small
(fictionalized) depiction of what my life could have been, and also some of the reasons why my parents chose to leave their homeland.
I can't remember if I read a thread or if maybe it was a comedian. But he was talking about how his parents uprooted themselves and immigrated to provide a better life for him...but it's not something he thought he could ever do for his own kids. And I've thought that way, too. I can't even imagine how difficult it is for people to move to a country where you don't speak the language and have to start from the beginning. As an English speaker, I feel very fortunate that I would be catered to in many countries in a way that non-English speakers are not.
Anyhow, thanks for indulging my long-winded meandering... 😂
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you for such a lovely and engaging response! I’m always eager to hear more about your experiences & perspectives!🙏🤗 (Tone: Reflective) It’s touching that R’88 evoked nostalgic feelings for you and while I can’t relate in the same way it’s still similar for me. It’s one of the things I particularly liked about the drama– I could feel into the zeitgeist and was reminded of my early years through a beautiful and different lens!
(Tone: Sincere) Re: the thread/comedian and your takeaway- I 💯 agree! I can only wonder if I would be able to do the same, yet given how I grew up with multiple languages and cultures I believe I was gifted the tools to do so in an albeit different climate from my parents. Granted- I am aware that I’ve had opportunities that they didn’t, so I’m humbled & grateful every day. (As I don’t yet have children/family of my own all I can say is I’ll keep you posted!)
We are truly fortunate to communicate in a language that is accommodated almost everywhere! [Aside: I do have to say though that this is 1 of many reasons (perhaps stemming from my multicultural background) that I prefer learning the languages of the places I visit.]
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you again for your wonderful share & response; I truly appreciate the time you extend my way! 🙏🤗💜🖤✌🏼
This series resonates the family values that everyone should foster but most failed to accomplish. Reply 1988 teaches its audience about hope, generosity, unconditional love, gratefulness, friendship, hard work, perseverance, acceptance and a lot more."
Reply 1988 is one of my most favourite series ever. I know a lot of people who found the pace a little slow and the series a little boring, but I think it embodies what a slice-of-life drama should be.
I do have a question—is there an order to watching this? Should you watch it by year or does it even matter? (I haven't seen 1997 or 1994, so I'm wondering.)
Also—is there a reason why they chose to keep the names of the "parent" actors, like Sung Dong Il, Ra Mi Ran, etc.? I found it so fascinating and felt like it added a personal touch.
I watched them in the order they were released (1997, 1994, 1988). If you watch them out of order, you will see some spoilers (like who got married in previous shows). But it's not a big deal to watch them out of sequence. That's one of the beauties of the series.
To this date, Reply 1994 remains to be the only installment I've completed in the series hence my sentimental attachment to it. I might revisit the other two one of these days but 1988 was a hard watch for me for the first 4 episodes because I found Deok-sun really loud and annoying (apparently a common trait of the Reply FLs).
I almost stopped watching Reply 1988 after the first episode because I found it rather boring. But after the second, I was hooked! For me, 1994 was my least favorite. But, there's something for everybody!
I've only watched 1988 (even with that hair isn't Park BoGum just a doll? And I also love Choi MooSung in every thing I've seen him in), but just finished Trot Lovers with Jung EunJi and liked it a lot, so I'll definitely put the other two on my Plan to Watch list. I graduated high school in 1986, so that's why I chose to watch 88. While circumstances were different than growing up in the US, the little things made it so similar to my life at the time. Event TV, rotary phones, just walking into your neighbor's house, VCRs…
"that hair" - that got to me...I kept trying to visual the mom's faces without 'the hair'. They looked like wigs (and not very good ones at that). Was this really the style back in the day?
Those are wigs to make them look like stereotypical ahjummas of the 1980s. If you look up the actresses, you can see their real hair is nothing like that. 😂
i’ve only watched Reply 1988 so not reading all this yet due to the spoilers but i’m excited to learn that Reply 1997 was actually the first one of them!! i know what one i’ll start next now!!
Sorry for the delay in reply! But I completely understand! Yup, it was 97, 94, 88 (order of release). And my faves were 88, then 97 and 94 last. lol Enjoy!
(Tone: Honest) As always- a supreme review; thank you for sharing!! 🙏 I must admit 응답하라 1988 (Reply ⬅️) is the only one that truly stuck with me and the only one I have watched more than once. (Tone: Reflective) I’d say that, for me it would fall into the BEST trilogy category because it doesn’t follow the same characters (subjective on my part); if it did the time gaps between the dramas could have created dissatisfaction like if you’re planning to meet a friend for coffee and their younger sibling shows up in their stead unplanned. If the “Reply Series” were released these days there are so many things that wouldn’t fly and social media/public opinion/ the backdrop of the times we’re living would have made the series unbearable; so it is also the BEST in that it can stand the test of time without creating too much outrage– just my two cents!
(Tone: Grateful) Thanks again for writing and for indulging my words! 💜🖤✌🏼
Thank you for sharing your thoughtful comments! There was so much going on in each of the series. What I really liked about them (esp. 1988) is how they evoked nostalgia for a time that I clearly lived through...but in a different country. For me, I have always wondered what my life would've been like if my family didn't immigrate to the U.S. And these shows give me a small
(fictionalized) depiction of what my life could have been, and also some of the reasons why my parents chose to leave their homeland.
I can't remember if I read a thread or if maybe it was a comedian. But he was talking about how his parents uprooted themselves and immigrated to provide a better life for him...but it's not something he thought he could ever do for his own kids. And I've thought that way, too. I can't even imagine how difficult it is for people to move to a country where you don't speak the language and have to start from the beginning. As an English speaker, I feel very fortunate that I would be catered to in many countries in a way that non-English speakers are not.
Anyhow, thanks for indulging my long-winded meandering... 😂
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you for such a lovely and engaging response! I’m always eager to hear more about your experiences & perspectives!🙏🤗 (Tone: Reflective) It’s touching that R’88 evoked nostalgic feelings for you and while I can’t relate in the same way it’s still similar for me. It’s one of the things I particularly liked about the drama– I could feel into the zeitgeist and was reminded of my early years through a beautiful and different lens!
(Tone: Sincere) Re: the thread/comedian and your takeaway- I 💯 agree! I can only wonder if I would be able to do the same, yet given how I grew up with multiple languages and cultures I believe I was gifted the tools to do so in an albeit different climate from my parents. Granted- I am aware that I’ve had opportunities that they didn’t, so I’m humbled & grateful every day. (As I don’t yet have children/family of my own all I can say is I’ll keep you posted!)
We are truly fortunate to communicate in a language that is accommodated almost everywhere! [Aside: I do have to say though that this is 1 of many reasons (perhaps stemming from my multicultural background) that I prefer learning the languages of the places I visit.]
(Tone: Grateful) Thank you again for your wonderful share & response; I truly appreciate the time you extend my way! 🙏🤗💜🖤✌🏼
"Why was Reply 1988 so popular?
This series resonates the family values that everyone should foster but most failed to accomplish. Reply 1988 teaches its audience about hope, generosity, unconditional love, gratefulness, friendship, hard work, perseverance, acceptance and a lot more."
I found the above on https://m.imdb.com/title/tt5182866/reviews/ and in a nutshell, the quote encapsulates what I also saw & thought & felt while watching Reply 1988.
It's a classic that I rewatch every year or so...
Reply 1988 is one of my most favourite series ever. I know a lot of people who found the pace a little slow and the series a little boring, but I think it embodies what a slice-of-life drama should be.
I do have a question—is there an order to watching this? Should you watch it by year or does it even matter? (I haven't seen 1997 or 1994, so I'm wondering.)
Also—is there a reason why they chose to keep the names of the "parent" actors, like Sung Dong Il, Ra Mi Ran, etc.? I found it so fascinating and felt like it added a personal touch.
I don't know! I thought it was unique and fun though!
I watched them in the order they were released (1997, 1994, 1988). If you watch them out of order, you will see some spoilers (like who got married in previous shows). But it's not a big deal to watch them out of sequence. That's one of the beauties of the series.
To this date, Reply 1994 remains to be the only installment I've completed in the series hence my sentimental attachment to it. I might revisit the other two one of these days but 1988 was a hard watch for me for the first 4 episodes because I found Deok-sun really loud and annoying (apparently a common trait of the Reply FLs).
I almost stopped watching Reply 1988 after the first episode because I found it rather boring. But after the second, I was hooked! For me, 1994 was my least favorite. But, there's something for everybody!
I've only watched 1988 (even with that hair isn't Park BoGum just a doll? And I also love Choi MooSung in every thing I've seen him in), but just finished Trot Lovers with Jung EunJi and liked it a lot, so I'll definitely put the other two on my Plan to Watch list. I graduated high school in 1986, so that's why I chose to watch 88. While circumstances were different than growing up in the US, the little things made it so similar to my life at the time. Event TV, rotary phones, just walking into your neighbor's house, VCRs…
"that hair" - that got to me...I kept trying to visual the mom's faces without 'the hair'. They looked like wigs (and not very good ones at that). Was this really the style back in the day?
Those are wigs to make them look like stereotypical ahjummas of the 1980s. If you look up the actresses, you can see their real hair is nothing like that. 😂
I just saw your comment! The familial aspect of the friends (and the parents) drew me in. Such a great show!
i’ve only watched Reply 1988 so not reading all this yet due to the spoilers but i’m excited to learn that Reply 1997 was actually the first one of them!! i know what one i’ll start next now!!
Sorry for the delay in reply! But I completely understand! Yup, it was 97, 94, 88 (order of release). And my faves were 88, then 97 and 94 last. lol Enjoy!