‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’ has been spreading far and wide for its superb storyline, which contains a wholesome slice of life concept, friendship, romance, and an inspirational vibe, and we just can’t get enough of it! If you loved the series, here we brought you some k-dramas to watch if you like ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’. The series takes place in 1998 and tells the story of some young people who find new ways to live their dreams after their dreams are ripped from them. It shows the story of Na Hee Do, a member of the high school fencing team. But even after the financial crisis in South Korea, she doesn’t lose hope and tries everything to do fencing again.
Along with her, Baek Yi Jin also faces problems as his family goes bankrupt. This turns his life upside down, and he too tries to make ends meet by working various part-time jobs like working in a comic book shop and delivering newspapers. Later, he becomes a sports reporter for a broadcasting network. Every character of the series has their own stories, and they have been portrayed beautifully and have been given adequate attention, which further enhances the storyline of the series.
This series tells how we can choose our paths if we keep an optimistic view and just follow our passion. It gives a feel as if your soul is being embraced by warmth, as if your heart is filled up with passion, to know that even though things are not going well, it is not the end. Because people don’t make progress continuously, but they do it in steps, and maybe you are stuck on one step but do not lose hope as there will come a time when you will hop that difficult big step too! That is the vibe we all get from this series and why this series is growing onto everyone and touching their hearts and soul!
Also Read: 6 K-Dramas Releasing In March 2022 That You Should Add To Your List!
1. Weightlifting Fairy Kim bok Joo
Weightlifting Fairy Kim bok Joo is very similar to ‘Twenty-five Twenty-one’. This series too has Nam Joo Hyuk, but that’s not it, guys. It also has the cool friend squad we never thought we wanted, but we did. The friendship bonds shown here will fill your hearts with warmth. Along with this, the romance is a slow burn, and the chemistry is just what you want in your real life too! Not just this, Nam Joo Hyuk, the k-drama cliché breaker, can never be forgotten.
Just like he converted the piggyback ride into three-legged walking in ‘Twenty-five Twenty-one,’ here too, he has a LEGENDARY scene where he pulls Kim Bok Joo in front of her to save himself from the water splashed from a car. Similarly, he carried her in a shopping cart, which again was a hilarious scene. This series is a great coming-of-age story about a group of college athletes battling for their dreams, facing intense completion, finding love along the way, and thus, growing as individuals.
2. Extraordinary You
Need another motivating, comic, and emotional drama like ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’? Well, here is the answer- ‘Extraordinary You’ is just the right series! The story kicks off when Eun Dan Oh, a high school student, finds out that the world she is living in is, in fact, the world inside a comic. To increase this confusion, she even finds out that she is just an ‘extra’ character for the story.
But the series is a journey where she sets out to change her fate along with Haru and other friends. The friendship they all share, too, is so cheerful that you can’t help but smile throughout the series. This series will definitely give you a rollercoaster of emotions, but to top it off, it also gives off the message that you can do ANYTHING if you put your mind to it, just like Na Hee Do did wonders with her fencing.
3. Hospital Playlist
The story is about five surgeons in their 40s who are also very close friends and have been together since their days in medical school. Thus, they share a long and deep bond with each other. It’s always a team effort to cheer one another up during patient checkups and surgeries. They all are definitely professionals when it comes to their jobs, but even in the middle of their busy lives, they still find time for relaxing through music performances on nights when they are not so busy.
The drama shows the perfect Friendship Goals and will remind you of all your friends and make you feel gratitude towards them. It will fill your heart with comfort and warmth, send you to a tranquil place and remind you that life is all about the joy through small things, and we should do our best to appreciate it!
4. Rookie Cops
Rookie Cops portrays college life, where youths born in the 2000s make their way through one of Korea’s most conservative universities in their own unapologetic fashion. In a police university, the youth of Korea explores their dreams, loves, and difficulties. This drama will explore the struggles of students who try their best to stand out between 2,000 students, that too, in a campus that is one of the most exclusive and conservative in the country.
The drama consists of amazing and courageous characters, who stand up for the cruelty or wrongdoings, and fight against them. Their struggles are difficult, but they try their best to overcome them with each other’s help and support. This amazing drama is a HIDDEN GEM, and it is definitely worth the watch if you want to see a strong character like Naa Hee Do and similar friendship bonds like ‘Twenty-Five Twenty-One’.
5. Itaewon Class
Since we are talking about a motivating, warm series that screams through your screen saying “HWAIGHTING”, how can we not include Itaewon Class! A legendary series, which will always make you wonder- ‘now they won’t be able to overcome this,’ but then they do overcome all the barriers, all their cruel difficulties and pave their way to reach success!
This excellent series is about how Par Saeroyi’s life turns upside down when he punches his bully and gets expelled from school. Then he gets accused of assaulting the man who killed his father and ends up in prison for two years.
But he does not lose hope and is determined to be the CEO of the biggest food company of South Korea and take revenge on the people who brought his family down. On this journey, he starts Danbam and hires employees who become amazing friends in spite of their varied differences, along with giving a wholesome vibe. We are sure that this series will definitely make you say ‘This is something different’.
6. Start-Up
The story begins with Seo Dal Mi (Bae Suzy), who desires to become a successful entrepreneur. During her childhood, her family broke up, so she grew up to be a hardworking woman, despite the fact that she did not even have much. Meanwhile, Han Ji Pyeong was her pen pal in her childhood, but under the name ‘Nam Do San’. When they grew up, she met the real Nam Do San and Han Ji Pyeong again.
The story continues with a series of competitions, success, failures, lovable friendship, romance, and the most charming BROMANCE! This series again gives us the hope that everyone has the right to dream big, and those dreams can be fulfilled through passion, hard work, and the support of your friends and family. You will fall in love with every character, every scene, and all the OSTs, and so, this is definitely a K-drama you should not miss.
7. Our Beloved Summer
The story is about two high schoolers who filmed a documentary together. Ten years later, it goes viral, and then they are forced to film another documentary together. But it is not as simple as it seems because they had been a couple a few years back (bickering couple), and now they have to face the awkwardness to film for the documentary. Their relationship gradually grows, and they keep growing in their professional lives too.
But fear not, as this series is not at all awkward, but it deserves all the appreciation as OSTs, storyline, direction, friendships, aesthetics, romance, and their acting, are all good. Every single aspect was top-notch, and we cannot complain about this series which is a wonderful celebration of all the emotions and different characters. We can’t exactly pinpoint how it is similar to Twenty-Five Twenty-One, but we can assure you that the WHOLE VIBE of this series is just what you need if you loved the series.
Also Read: Top 5 Nam Joo Hyuk K-Dramas To Watch!
