Reply 1994 rarely gets any love but I have to admit it was the series that resonated with me the most. Probably because I knew what it was like to be someone who's not really used to city life and to find long-lasting friendships because you just simply gravitated towards a certain group of people who were genuinely interested in getting to know you.

I've already seen Reply 88 and Reply 97 and was thinking about skipping Reply 94 but you've convinced me to watch it 🙂
I already watched (and loved) Sassy Go Go.
*I really should stop reading these* *my watch list keeps growing every time I read these articles 😂*

I watched all of the Answer Me series and I have to say the 97 one was the one I liked the most, probably because it showed the reality of being a die hard fangirls. Haha. As for the friendship, the 97 gang started from high school if I was not mistaken, the 94 gang met at the boarding house and the 88 gang lived in the same neighbourhood.
I totally can understand how you feel regarding not having a life-long friendship. I moved a lot when I was little so that alone was kinda a big reason for me not having life-long friends. As I grow older, and now a regular working ahjumma, I realized that what makes friendship works is vicinity and how often you contact each other. Weekly texting soon becomes monthly, and before I know it, the last time i heard from somebody was years ago. And just like that, the friendship drift apart..
And yes, I was in loved with all of the Answer Me series gangs and one of the reasons was because of the steadfast friendship. All hail answer me series🙌🙌

I’ve kept putting off watching “Sassy Go Go” but after hearing that it’s got a good friendship in it I might give it a go go

Giana, you wrote such a beautiful essay on friendship! I really enjoyed all the Reply series for the friendships they portrayed and how I wished that I could have long lasting friendships like those. I know it's never too late, but it's hard. Hopefully, I can make a better effort in the future. Friends just make things better.

"I wonder if it’s because of my own failure at maintaining friendships, or because it offers an aspect of wholesomeness that one just can’t find in the real world these day." Gotta say I'm the same to certain extent. I haven't seen either of the dramas you mentioned, but if there's recommended as a balm, then I must watch 'em!

Aw, I wrote about R94 too! I love your write-up about their friendship cos I felt the same way. R94 rarely gets mentioned as a fave of the series because of the (infamous?) husband plot that the friendship tends to get overlooked, but it is my absolute fave. They are my fave group and I've rewatched it a couple of times already

I think it's because all the friends have their own interesting story that was also focused well unlike the other ones. And the fact that they're in college and not high school made it seem more realistic and true-to-life for me ❤

Reply 1994 has always been my favourite of the Replys (though I love them all) and you managed to describe the beauty of their friendships so well! Time and proximity made them accept each other's quirks and weirdness and they grew close without ever losing what made them unqiue.

And Sassy Go Go is just a wonderful drama all over and it warms my heart whenever someone expresses their love for it! Thank you for this post! <3

Nice article.
I have been wanting to watch one of the Reply shows. I love shows with groups of friends or made families.
Been leaning towards the 97 because when I graduated.

This is a terrific essay! I think 1994 suffers from being the least liked of the series by most people but we don't stop to realize that we still do like it. For me it got bogged down in the Chilbongie-Trash part of the story and lost the thread of what made it sparkle most, the group friendship. When 1988 came along, I thought they learned from that mistake and concentrated on the group again to much better results.
I loved Sassy Go Go (oy, what a title) and was so relieved that they managed to pull out a friendship of three at the end.

In Sassy go go, I loved that Yeon-doo was even proud of being in the almost last position at school, and yet she managed to make the Number one fall for her! Why? Just because she was healthy and had a very very good self steem!
I love these kind of friendships where no one is envying nobody else; where echoing your article, people are just who they are, they are themselves. And there is something magical about loving yourself. You can only grow up better.
Each one of us have good qualities. It is not about showing off, or comparing with anybody else. Each person can contribute to the society, just by improving him/herself the best he/she can. Along the way, to find true friends, that is a treasure!!!

Well written. Thanks. As I was reading, I just remembered a scene where chil bongie was interviewed on TV and he called out his friends but they forgot his birthday....I don't know what it is about the scene but I loved it too...and how my heart broken for him at the end....
With sassy go go, I kinda liked the friendship between dong jae and yoon do than the three you mentioned but since you already apologised.....it is fine by me....

I enjoyed your ode to Reply 1994's friendships. I loved all the Replys and they each have their strengths. And I do think 1994's strength was the friendships. NaJung and Trash knew each other and Binggeure and Chil-bong are cousins, so the friendships are all newly developed and to know that they remained close friends for the next 15 years was heartwarming.

I really like the opening song by Roy Kim - Seol here, it really resonated with people that lived away from home and try to fit in the new environment, that exactly how I remember Reply 1994.

I think I really need to go back
This place doesn’t suit me
I maybe smiling inside the flashy temptations
But everything feels unfamiliar

After I’ve gotten used to the loneliness
Being alone is actually more comfortable
You might not understand this yet
Just like I don’t know you either

A decision is always one or the other
Either lovers or strangers
But the sadness of not being able to be either one
All you do is heartlessly look at me

I need to go back to the beginning
Though hardships are all the same for everyone
What I need is just a break
Sorry for showing you my weak side

I honestly love R1994, it gave me many actors I adore and also friends co-habitation, I like that trope no matter what is the relationship between the people, dynamics totally vary when two people have to see each other for 24/7 like at the worst phase of their day and still accept them.

I loved Answer Me 1994, despite the criticism (here in Dramabeans) that there were too many unnecessary scenes. I loved each drawn out scene since it added to the charm of a show being about our beloved memories of youth. Don't we all want to replay the best years of our lives down to the most mundane detail? Also, as someone who lived in a boarding house while I was away at university (although I stayed at an all-female one), I related with the life long friendships built and tested by years of watching TV shows, drinking, pulling all nighters, and just joking and laughing together. I shipped the wrong love team, mind you, but it didn't lessen my affection for this show.