Reply 1997 (2012)

Unique, hilarious and oh-so-refreshing.

That's the best way to describe this sitcom. I have to say though, after reading the synopsis and hearing there would be constant flashbacks in this story my expectations weren't too high but after completing it, I can finally say that it genuinely blew me away.

Let me start by saying the flashbacks were never annoying and I realized after a couple of episodes that I thoroughly enjoyed them and they were essentially the entire backbone of the story. There was just SO MUCH going on in this sitcom. It truly has every little good bit of every good drama I've seen. It's fun. It's witty....and a bit insane (lol). But don't let those crazy/slapstick comedy moments fool you. There is so much more to this story than that. It's a sitcom about the strength (and craziness) of family, the unbreakable bond between friends and the courage it takes to take a chance at love. I felt like each scene of this sitcom was a piece of a puzzle and as the story progressed the pieces that once seemed to never fit together, finally combine to make a simplistic yet beautiful picture of how an average family and an average group of friends handle both the expected and unexpected moments in life. The small moments the characters shared with each other created the biggest impact on me. I found those sweet and simple scenes to be the most captivating moments of the entire story.

The cast behind this sitcom is the absolute best. Really. You can't get much better than this. Every single one them managed to create their own story in their own unique, quirky way and it just worked. I laughed, I loved and I cried for all their troubles and woes. They made it seem so easy, pulling off the Busan dialect, acting like crazy loons and yet it all felt so real and genuine. As if I was watching a documentary about the lives of these people in Busan and not some Korean sitcom. The fact that it was so relate-able to so many generations of youths is another plus. You cannot go through this sitcom without ever saying the words, "Dude, I'm just like that!" or "Omg...I know someone who does the same thing!" It's just so relate-able and I think that's what makes this thing so popular. Yoon Hae and Shi Won's young, naive, and crazy love has truly left a deep impression on me. Seo In Guk was FANTASTIC in his role as Yoon Jae and not to go too much into the deep end here, but this guy really knows how to put emotion behind his words. He's angsty, passionate and not to mention hilarious (much like the rest of his crazy friends) and the best thing about it is that it NEVER gets too cheesy or overbearing. Eunji also blew me away with her acting skills. She truly is wise beyond her.... what is this....19 years?! She's only 19?! No way. I would never have guessed, with her flawless acting. One other thing to note here about the characters: THOSE PARENTS! In most drama/sitcoms I have a tendency to overlook these insignificant people, but Shi Won's parents were just so gosh darn lovable! The constant curses and arguing were just so entertaining to me. Some might find this a bit over the top, but I like the way the writers stuck to their gut with these characters and weren't afraid to make them loud and proud. They were such a hoot and I will continue to love them forever! :3

Ah, the music. Well, if you're the type to get so caught up in the story like I was, you most likely won't notice, BUT the music is just fantastic! As a sitcom with many flashbacks to the 90's, it is only appropriate to put in music from the 90's. YES, THAT'S RIGHT! Throwback songs from the 90's! Ah, how I wish I could go back to those times~

This also seems like the first show I've come across in a while, that I wouldn't mind coming back to again. It's just that good! I have a feeling I'll be missing this show and it's characters fairly soon. I don't think I'll see another drama/sitcom as genius and entertaining as this for a while. So it worth a re-watch? Uhhh...HECK YES! :D

Wow. This is by far one of the longest reviews I've written so far (which should tell you something about this sitcom *wink wink hint hint nudge nudge*). So if you've made it this far, I thank you for bearing with me. *highfive* :) This is the point where I should exit outta here with something fun, I guess....hmmmm.

*sheep baaahha* :D

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