If you don't count the ending, this is one of my favorite dramas of all time. It's such a well-rounded show that covers topics from all different aspects of life - personal growth, friendship, rivalry love, youth, family, and more. I found myself relating to a lot of the characters in many ways and felt motivated and inspired about my own dreams and life after finishing this drama. Every episode left me with a tear-stained face, whether it was from happiness, sadness, or anything in between.

OVERALL PLOT:
The plot was set up for every character to shine, fail, and grow. There were so many challenges that each character - even side or supporting roles - struggled with and overcame that only made them an even better character by the end of the drama (minus the last 2 episodes lol). Not every character gets their chance to go through that kind of progression all within 16 episodes, but the fact that 2521 made it possible is one of the reasons why I loved the show so much.

I enjoyed how romantic love was not an overly consuming theme in this drama. The main leads had a healthy, reciprocating relationship and aspirations in life that were equally as important. This made the plot more admirable and realistic in comparison to other dramas where couples would do literally anything for love. I found myself feeling inspired and motivated watching Hee Do and Yi Jin lift each other up during hard moments and wholly enjoy each other's presence during happy times; their love was so pure, selfless, and wholesome. Up until the last couple of episodes, I really believed that their relationship was what every couple should strive for. I also appreciated how the writers planted the couple's first kiss towards the end of the drama; it just further reinforced how pure their love was, and made the wait for watchers like me SO worth it. Man, that kiss had me shaking in my boots - the buildup to it was just *chef's kiss*.

The strong emphasis on friendship and fencing rivalry also presented more opportunities for character complexity and development. I loved watching Hee Do and Yu Rim go from enemies to the most supportive besties. Their Madrid fencing competition was one of my favorite scenes of the show.

Hee Do's relationship with her mom is one of the most realistic portrayals of what Asian families can be like. She wasn't just a naggy mom who would only lightly scold her child. She was straight up unsupportive, abusive, and unforgiving to her only child because she was struggling with her own trauma - and we saw how deeply it affected Hee Do. It's ugly, painful, but real.


ACTING:
I loved the cast's acting, but I especially want to express my love for Kim Tae Ri. This is my first time watching her acting and I was truly blown away. She embodied Hee Do's strong spirit, quirky and cute humor, and emotional outbursts so well. Because of her talent, Hee Do's character/personality was a shining point in this show. Young and naive, but full of life, strength, and grit to handle any challenges that come her way. This persona heavily contrasts the endless female leads in other shows who often start off strong and end up weak or dependent on a man again. This alone makes the drama quite rewatchable; I found myself rewinding to certain parts of the show during Hee Do's victories or happy moments because her smile and energy were really contagious! I can't think of any other actress who could've played this role as well as Kim Tae Ri.

OST:
I LOVED every single OST from this drama. Every song really embodied what the characters were feeling. I added all of them to my Spotify playlist. :')

ENDING:
I know a majority of watchers were accepting of the ending because it's "realistic." Not all couples make it, whether it be due to internal or external problems - I get that. But the entirety of the drama built up the characters to have fighting spirits, to never waver in support for one another, and to love each other through life's challenges.

I know the writers' wanted no one to be at fault for the breakup - but it still felt like it was Yi Jin's fault to me. He was stuck in a job that made him depressed and traumatized, and as a result, he started neglecting his relationship with Hee Do. Meanwhile, Hee Do was always so eager to see and talk to him and was always all ears to offer him support. Hee Do also kept pushing him to be honest with his feelings, but he chose not to be. So where's the character development here? Did he just stop growing after he became a reporter? Considering how caring and loving Yi Jin was throughout the entire drama, I felt like this was really out of character for him.

Their last argument really upset me. I felt like they gave up way too easily after yelling at each other, neither one of them wanting to have an open and honest discussion about their feelings. You'd expect that after 600+ days of being in a relationship with someone you claim to love so deeply, you'd have a good understanding of how to bring up problems and be candid with each other.

The ending really broke the characters' continuity and who they're supposed to be to the core. If the writers wanted to take a more "realistic" approach, perhaps just have Hee Do/Yi Jin go overseas like how Yu Rim did - but have them reconcile at the very last second for an open-ended ending. I'd much rather prefer that kind of wrap-up than whatever they decided on.

I don't think the ending completely ruined the drama for me because there were just too many good moments throughout the show that still made it worth watching - but I definitely feel like the writers could've made it the perfect drama had they taken a different approach.