Does "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" Have A Happy Ending?

Find out what went down in the final episode of "Twenty-Five Twenty-One".

Ishani Sarkar, Kpopmap Editor
4 min to read · Published : Apr 5, 2022

Does "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" Have A Happy Ending?

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One of the most beloved and highly-rated K-Dramas of 2022 so far, "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" (starring Kim TaeRi as Na HeeDo, Nam JooHyuk as Baek YiJin, WJSN's Bona as Ko YuRim, Choi HyunWook as Moon JiWoong and Lee JuMyoung as Ji SeungWan) aired its final episode on Sunday, April 3rd, leaving fans in a puddle of nostalgia as we said goodbye to the characters who became part of our lives, albeit for a brief moment in time.

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With the drama being complete, many viewers who had not tuned in while it was on air intend to binge all 16 episodes. Similarly, fans who missed the finale, can't wait to find out how their favourite characters bid farewell. As such, there's one question on everyone's mind: does "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" have a happy ending?

Now, while it may be counter-productive to know the ending before even starting a story, to some, it is comforting. If you're trying to figure out if your favourite drama got a happy ending, we're here to give you the answer: both short and long. Spoiler Alert!

Does "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" Have A Happy Ending?

Short Answer: No.

Long Answer: Let's get into it!

In the final episode of "Twenty-Five Twenty-One", we see the cracks forming in Baek YiJin and Na HeeDo's relationship. Time and distance take their toll on our leading couple and they're left with no choice but to face their fears alone. Baek YiJin is sent to New York for 2 months to cover the September 11 attacks, leaving a disappointed but unsurprised HeeDo behind.

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Those 2 months in New York absolutely tear YiJin apart, turning him into an emotionally exhausted husk of man while HeeDo relives her childhood trauma of feeling abandoned and alone. Her constant attempts at reaching Baek YiJin on a level deeper than the superficial are endlessly deferred, owing to his own coping mechanism of keeping HeeDo away from harm. What HeeDo perceives as YiJin pushing her away because her support is futile, YiJin sees as an expression of his selfless love. Perhaps, being selfish might have prevented what was to soon befall their fate.

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Despite their sacred promise to be there for each other, for better and for worse, YiJin's love for HeeDo far surpassed the attachment he had to their relationship. At the same time, HeeDo's biting heartache and loneliness wounded her soul beyond repair, especially after she found out from her mother that YiJin had applied for a position in New York.

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When all was said and done, Baek YiJin chose himself, and Na HeeDo followed his lead. What these two had was love, without a doubt, but not a future. Na HeeDo's definition of being lovers and her relationship with Baek YiJin were not one and the same anymore. Baek YiJin accepted his position in New York as a correspondent and Na HeeDo let go of her soulmate. This is why, in her true imaginary confession at the end of the episode, she tells YiJin to "go first".

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If this had been a long-distance relationship in any other time frame, Na HeeDo and Baek YiJin could probably have made it. However, once again, it was the time that took them away from each other. Thus, "Twenty-Five Twenty-One" comes full circle, from the very first episode to the very last moment.

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While our central couple might not have ended up with each other, they did get their own happy endings of sorts. Na HeeDo happily retired from fencing, got married, gave birth to a beautiful young girl, Kim MinChae (played by Choi MyungBin) and Baek YiJin successfully completed 7 years as a correspondent for UBS in New York before returning to South Korea as an announcer, by Shin JaeKyung's (played by Seo JaeHee) recommendation. She runs a quaint little carpentry shop and he bought a house for his parents. Dreams came true, just not together.

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Now, when it comes to quite literally every other character in the drama, they get overwhelmingly adorable happy endings. Ko YuRim returns to South Korea and opens up her own international fencing club; Moon JiWoong creates a hugely successful online shopping site and even establishes his own fashion brand; Ji SeungWan becomes a TV writer and Baek YiHyun (played by Choi MinYoung and later Kang Hoon) grew up to be a fine young man.

Ko YuRim and Moon JiWoong get engaged and YiHyun finds SeungWan, ready to take her up on her offer of "waiting for him". MinChae rediscovers her passion for ballet and prepares to write her own story. Unfortunately, we never find out who MinChae's father is. Suffice to know, our favourite characters found their place in the world and lived happily ever after. Goodbye, "Twenty-Five Twenty-One"!

What did you think of the ending to "Twenty-Five Twenty-One"? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments down below!