Reply 1988

Fun trip down memory lane. Watching Reply 1988 was a time machine to my childhood. You could tell that a lot of brainstorming and research went into the meticulous production of this series to achieve an effortless look and feel of the 1980s--- from the script and sound track to the set props and costume. All the details were just spot on! It reminded me of the joys of a simpler but meaningful life, with the right mix of innocence, awkwardness, energy and that undeniable 1980s swag.

Relationship goals. Reply 1988 is all about relationships. It's about how a father struggles to show his love to his children while managing his stress at work. It's about a wife's enduring loyalty to her husband amidst financial, emotional and health challenges. It's about the selfless love of a mother for her family. It's about children's dependence on and then later independence from their parents. It's about teenagers discovering the value of real and lasting friendships as they transition into adulthood. It's about good friends learning that love comes with sacrifice. It's about discovering romantic love through friendship. It's about a community coming together to support one another in the simplest or hardest of times. It's about just being there. Being home.

Touching and heartwarming. Reply 1988 is one of the most heartwarming and touching kdramas I have watched. It's a slow start kind of series. The first episode did not hold my attention well so I stopped and went with a different one. But since so many of my friends gave really good feedback, I decided to give it another go. I'm glad that I did.

The reason it's so heartwarming is because in this series, the goodness of people prevails. It tells us that generosity, humility, loyalty, simplicity, self-sacrifice, diligence and perseverance work and will never be outdated. With these values, even the most average person can live a full life.

Beautiful ensemble cast. I liked how the whole ensemble cast came together: 5 families with different backgrounds, 16 unique personalities--- parents, children, friends and neighbours. The characters were so relatable that I found myself getting attached to each of the them.The chemistry of the actors transcended to me. At the end of the series, I felt that I, too, was part of this unit. And like any good drama series, I did not want it to end just yet.