New Sat-Sun K-dramas Off to Promising Starts as tvN Series Twenty Five, Twenty One Gets 6.370% and Forecasting Love and Weather Brings in 4.514% on jTBC

It’s important to preface that the two new Sat-Sun K-dramas are NOT directly competing with each other for eyeballs. For tvN drama Twenty Five, Twenty One, it airs at 9:10 pm, and over at jTBC the drama Forecasting Love and Weather comes on at 10:30 pm. That makes for what I love most, each drama really competing with itself, does it have the story/directing/acting to bring in viewers and more importantly keep the viewership as it continues on. Both dramas are off to decent starts, Twenty Five, Twenty One got 6.370% and Love and Weather garnered 4.515%. The early impressions are mostly positive for both dramas, and the perception is especially promising for Love and Weather as the previews and the perceptions were really hesitant for that pairing but reportedly it’s surprising good. The broad comments are: Nam Joo Hyuk is perfect and really suitable for this throwback 90’s male lead, Song Kang is like a human boy golden retriever and adorable, Kim Tae Ri is a tad too silly and immature to start but the character gets better, and Park Min Young really sells the hardworking, female professional role believably. Well there you have it!


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New Sat-Sun K-dramas Off to Promising Starts as tvN Series Twenty Five, Twenty One Gets 6.370% and Forecasting Love and Weather Brings in 4.514% on jTBC — 52 Comments

  1. Weather was surprisingly better than expected because my expectations were rock bottom. The weather parts were excellent as expected didn’t expect Yoon Park to be the cheating a*hole fiance. Even less did I expect Yura and Kang to be lovers. There was no chemistry there. Minyoung and Kang are most enjoyable when arguing about the weather and hopefully that stays at the core of the drama and not silly love triangles. Which is also my hope for 2521. No love triangles please. Taeri fangirling over Bona was the best part but she was a tad bit too high pitched. Joohyuk always has a first love vibe and his visuals were the best I’ve seen from him ever. He was a bit wooden in some scenes but his character is an improvement over his Startup character which coincidentally started out very geeky golden retriever-ish then became too alpha male. Anyways both dramas are going up without any competition since all the other dramas are on a break currently. We’ll see how the competition and ratings pan out once the timeslot fills up again.

    • If you removed the weather aspect the drama is another generic workplace noona romance. PMY and Yura had one standard expression the whole episode so not getting my hopes up on the acting front. 2521 is a spin off reply drama and nobody can convince me otherwise. It even has the who is the husband mystery set up from the 1st scene itself. NJH is a dream but KTR needs to tone it down but the drama is the KTR show for the entirety of the first episode even though she isn’t convincing as an 18 year old.

      • Then don’t watch if kdrama if you are not convince lol and why are you wasting your time commenting here if you are not satisfied for what you are watching? The thing is if you don’t like the actors and actress ileven if it’s a good drama you will never like it so nextime don’t waste your time commenting nonsense

      • @kim go on

        Lol. So, apparently, people can’t comment or expressing their opinions for something they watched? and we all should just comment for things we like? ?

        Your comment is exactly why fans always got branded as silly hardcore

      • @summeris

        The similarity with Reply might be coz one of the writer of 2521 is part of the writing team of Hospital playlist, hence part of the ShinLee team (Reply/PP/HP). Kinda like the writer of The Racket Boys co-wrote Prison Playbook with Lee writer of Reply. So, the vibe is similar-ish.

  2. Thank God for Netflix for showing both dramas. Will dive in tomorrow. Just finished watching Love and Leashes. It was hilarious in some scenes but overall quite tame. Both leads did a good job in their portrayals. Hub and I enjoyed it thoroughly more for the comedy. Now cue antis barging in barking no nude scenes no smoking no violence!

      • Agree,very well done. Young actors are setting the bar high good Job.I’m from latín América and loving Korean culture.

  3. I wasn’t impressed with the preview for either drama but thought the first episode of Twenty Five, Twenty One was quite good. Kim Tae-ri is loud but it works for her character. There were some very funny scenes. NJH was quite good though it was Kim Tae_ri’s episode, for sure.

    Forecasting Love and Weather wasn’t terrible but wasn’t good either. The thing I was worried about was PMY and SK’s chemistry, and I’m still worried. Still not impressed with SK’s acting, but if this was just a slice of life work drama, it could work. The thought of them kissing is still hard to picture. Hopefully, that changes going forward because the weather parts are enjoyable enough.

  4. Kim Tae Ri is good but she went slightly over the top in that crying scene. Also a more suitable color scheme for that era would have been nice, it still feels very much like a modern day drama.

  5. I visited qoo and the reviews of 25 21 were kind of mixed. People were again dragging Nam Joo Hyuk calling him wooden. And even ktr was criticised a bit saying she over acted and it’s the first time they aren’t liking her acting .
    Ofcourse there were people who enjoyed the drama too.
    I will wait for few more episodes to see whether it’s worth it or not

    • KTR is a great actress, but I did find her acting here a bit cringe and shouty. I think she’ll settle in quickly once her character ages.

    • Pls tell me how does the quoo feel about the first episode of my girl PMY and actor SK and their drama?
      I’m very worried about their chemistry and age gap between them that will cause netizens to dislike the drama and compare it to tvn’s drama.

      • For now theqoo doesn’t care about the PMY drama but after that super hot hook up scene I can foresee SK and his back muscles trending for a long time.

    • not surprised her screaming on top of her lungs isn’t coming off as cute, plus the contrast of the MLs character with her is not mixing properly well. They look like older sibling bickering with bratty younger sibling. I wonder how they’ll create chemistry in upcoming episodes but the overdose of overacting kim tae ri is too much to take

  6. I liked the first episode of 25 21, later there will have a jump in time, so KTR is pretty good as the bratty teenager. I think she will “tune down” when her character will be older.

    For Forecasting, the set-up is very similar to She Would Never Know with both FL being cheated by their boyfriend, the office setting and the noona romance. In this case, the ML is a genius… I wasn’t not expecting the love square… I’m not sure about the future couple for now.

  7. I am a fan of Kim Tae Ri. I watched Mr. Sunshine at least 20 times, but it’s painful to watch her here. I turned off TV after forcing myself to episode 2. Not many good dramas on Netflix these days.

  8. Just watched forecasting love. I liked the weather thing – kinda new & interesting. they really showed its importance. However all 4 leads’ character are meh. I was surprised how even pmy’s is not worth rooting for.

  9. Tbh, Kim Taeri went overboard with her acting in the first ep. She definitely looks the part, but she’s 31 after all so her impression of an 18 year old seems exaggerated. Her mannerisms were more like a 13 yo instead. Even then, she’s still absolutely adorable and full of youthful energy. She really stands out as a rare young actress who has the old school, homely vibes. I can foresee her popularity surging after the drama.

  10. Song Kang and Park Min Young have subzero chemistry so… can’t see that drama actually working out unless they subvert expectations and go the friendship route which *gasp* can exist between boys and girls!

  11. How are people praising kim tae ri’s acting in twenty five twenty one ? She’s down right annoying and looks like a screaming 13 year old on rant. She’s so loud and irritating, it’s hard to continue watching the show. Yet to start the other show, can’t we have leads interchanged ? Song kang can go to 2521 and NJH to Forecasting love, I don’t think i can continue watching with her horrid acting

      • feel people are letting off taeri too easily because of her debut when she’s so unwatchable here, while also have the same prejudices against NJH even though he is doing well. I hope he gets his due someday, he silently doing well amidst all the noice

  12. Cringe dialogues in 2521 and yeah, KTR’s overacting I’m not used to it… I agree with @Summeris it’s like a tryhard Reply spinoff lol a light watch though I will probably keep checking it out, just a bit long as usual

    • Just finished ep 2 of both series and loved it. Never seen KTR other dramas before, but find her acting very good in this drama. Korean high school girls tend to be very loud so I think her performance is credible. NJH is faring much better in this role than start up. Character is charming. As for weather forecasting drama – I take back what I said about PMY and SK being so bad and incompatible. The writing really helped bridge the gap of their respective roles and I am very surprised to be enjoying the brewing romance between them. This is exactly why more than actors, a good and interesting script is most important. Happy to finally have 2 series to spend my weekends with.

  13. I like both lead in 2521 but clearly I had more trust in KTR since she has always been good, but the whole time watching the first episode she was cringey, she overacted, portrayed her character as a 10 year old instead of 18 in part . The writer…omg the dialogues are childish too and she’s treating NJH as a 2nd lead, this drama is mainly KTR.

    One thing is she’s getting popularity since this kind of setting is liked by many. I’m sorry to the ppl who like this drama, but I’m so disappointed. I even agree with some knetz who slam the writer for plagiarism in her previous drama and now she did a collage of reply series and sport manga with a shoujo lead.

    • KTR is a bit cringe… but I expect it to tone down after the time jump. It’s definitely her show so far with NJH peppered in occasionally.

      With the sports school setting and NJH, I’m getting Weightlifting Fairy and Sassy Go Go flashback. That’s a good thing for me since Weightlifting Fairy was one of my all-time favorites.

      Is the plot breaking new ground or edgy? Not a bit, but it’s like a favorite meal or cozy blanket. I’m appreciating it as an easy breezy spring watch.

  14. Kim tae ri is hands down the biggest korean actress from 90s gen onwards. Movie and dramas both. SHE Brought initial ratings. Thats is what star power is all about. Nam joo hyuk i wonder gonna get spotlight here or get overshadowed

  15. Some KTI fans are dissapointed cauz most viewers are frustrated by her acting which is considered always top-notch, but I found her cringy, unwatchable and childish here. She is regarded as monster rating actress but sorry for telling this, this role could be played by most average actresses. Lee Sung Kyung, Hyeri, Kim Ji won did this kind role before. Nothing new. I keep watching who knows maybe her acting is getting better. I hope her fans don’t attack to tell my opinion

    • Now that you say it, her character is similar to Hyeri’s character in reply88 as in the cheerful, loud and passionate…I don’t know what’s the difference but is the only character of hyeri that I’ve liked and here I am not liking a character by an actress I’ve liked so far ?

  16. I’m really enjoying both shows, Twenty Five Twenty One feels like a slice of life drama and while the actress does overact a bit it’s nothing that disturbs too much. I was most worried about Forecasting Weather and Love because of the meh promos and previews, but I’m liking it a lot more than I thought I would. The workplace is different and interesting and while I was worried that Park Min Young would be acting the same kind of character again I’m glad to see that’s not the case. This character is much more down to earth and insecure and doesn’t feel like a copy of the previous dramas. Also had some concerns about the chemistry between the leads, but I needn’t have worried. While Song Kang seems to have intentionally gone for a innocent brighteyed look to suit his sunny character he was anything but that during their makeout session LOL! They definitely have chemistry and I’m looking forward to their budding romance! I’m happy to have two dramas to look forward to during the Olympics while I wait for “Through the Darkness” to resume again and complete the trio of weekend dramas 😛

    • Exactly… kid brother or not. SK aces his intimate scenes. Thats why the chemistry is starting to spark. While she is definitely a lot older than him which the drama makes no attempt to hide, their union was understandable, being the rejected partners of the cheating ones. Its getting interesting cos the one night stand does draw them both closer as the boundaries were crossed so early on. Im liking it…

  17. Kim Tae Ri is shockingly inadequate? The screaming/crying/shouting and that scene where she firsts meet Baek Yijin, so embarrassing. Bona is relatively good and Nam Ji Hyuk is good as well. I think because she is a big actor, they gave her so much screen space, it is a pain watching her in the episodes. Anyway i hope it gets interesting. Didn’t watch the other drama, I’m not so sure about song kang, will wait for another week and see

  18. Watching for now, waiting for the end of Olympics to resume with ” through the darkness” . Just finished ” She would never know ” and the drama wasn’t bad at all . I think that i’m beginning to fall for Ro Woon !

  19. I was expecting so much from Kim Tae Ri. Thought she could pulled off playing a high schooler decently but then, she did what the other actresses did namely Kim Go Eun and Shin Hye Sun, all appeared super-cringey.

    I cant remember ever seeing a high schooler at that age, hopping constantly, grinning non stop the way her character did. Not to mention the voice and acting super aegyo which is really annoying. Gosh, these actresses all past the age of 18 and they cant remember how they were being 18?

    Nam Joo Hyuk in contrast, came out pretty decent.

    • I think the playing a high schooler part also really needs good writing and directing to portray how high schoolers act like

    • I agree. Having watched All of Us Are Dead and 2521, the cast of AOUAD are way better in portraying 17-18 year olds especially Park Ji Hu who’s a real high schooler herself (just graduated high school recently). She’s the most level-headed of the lot alongside 22 year old Cho Yi Hyun’s character. Don’t recall them ever being screamy, loud or cringy even when being relentlessly chased by zombies. The PD had extensive discussions with the young cast on how high schoolers behave currently as opposed to in their own era. The only actress who overacted was the oldest actress Lee Yoo Mi (27) who played Na-Yeon.

      • Spoilers ahead. I observed pd killed off most older actors and actresses playing high school characters. Instead he retained the youngest age actor and actresses so they don’t age too quickly to anticipate season 2.

  20. kim taeri overacted the same way kim go run did in her high school role. i’m surprised. i honestly want to know why they portray their characters this way because when i was 18, i and my classmates as well as people our age from other schools were not jumping around acting overly cute with high-pitched voices. maybe 9-year-olds did lol.

  21. I’m surprised by the backlash over Kim Tae-ri’s acting. It makes me wonder if expectations were skewed based on the promo material, which emphasized a youthful, contemplative vibe without revealing much about the characters themselves.

    Na Hee-do’s shrill brashness can be hard to take at times, but I see it as a part of her youth and bravado rather than as downright immaturity. High school wasn’t that long ago for me, and KTR’s acting doesn’t strike me as cringey or obvious or completely unbefitting of a high schooler. Maybe I can tolerate overacting better after Vincenzo lol. But I think there’s something endearingly throwback about her character, a bit 90s shoujo-esque and reminiscent of heroines from a bygone era, especially those of the Reply series.

    I think what gets me is that KTR might act like a caricature of an energetic teenager here and there, but she’s so damn good in the quieter beats. Her expression says so much without her saying a word. I’m particularly impressed by the scene where Nam Joo-hyuk’s character gives her a talking-to when he catches her participating in something illegal. I feel like she elevates his acting in that scene because the look on her face says it all— it’s that look you get when an adult or authority figure scolds you, and you begrudgingly listen because deep down you know that they’re right.

  22. I don’t find Kim Tae Ri overacting here. Her character may be loud and hyper but she portrays it naturally, unlike the FL in Vincenzo who made it very obvious she was trying to be OTT but it looks very forced and cringey. After seeing that god-awful portrayal in Vincenzo, makes me appreciate actors/actresses who can act OTT naturally even more.

    • I didn’t like both of them. Taeri’s acting in here is outright terrible. I admit I did see some bts of that fl in Vincenzo where the director was telling her to be more crazy helped me finish the series but it was still terrible. Natural or not,this is not it and I have no time to praise mediocrity. I’ve seen both of their other works and they were good so I’m going to pretend these 2 shows don’t exist. I’ll still watch tho.

    • Atleast the FL in Vincenzo wasn’t screaming like a banshee and shouting on top of her lungs which is very hard to even continue watching. Maybe she’ll tone down a bit once her character matures and this is because she trying to overcompensate her not being 18 year old.

    • Except there’s nothing “natural” about KTR’s exaggerated wailing and temper tantrums. It’s a very superficial rendition of teenage brattiness. I have personally never seen an 18-year old acting out like this.

      At least JYB’s OTT acting in Vincenzo suited the character and show’s absurd humor. She toned it down quickly as the story went on, and perhaps it’ll be the same here with KTR.

      • It’s natural to me in that I see it’s the character that is OTT, whereas Vincenzo FL, it’s the actress being OTT and it’s super cringey to watch because she’s just not good in this type of role.

      • Na hee do is not OTT, she is a teenager who is loud. KTR made her a screaming crying mess who is fit to be 12 yr old than 18 yr old. Where as Chayoung is OTT, her character is theatrics, loudness and a drama queen. Hence the director pushing JYB to keep acting loud. Infact it is JYB’s nuanced acting that brought a streak of maturity to chayoung. If it was portrayed the way Na hee do is portrayed, she would be ended up the same way. It’s the duality, Na hee do can be childish and loud too but act like 18 yr old not a pre teen kid on rant

      • @Ume – We must be watching two different shows because Hong Cha-young is the definition of an OTT drama queen. Very debatable that JYB wasn’t good in the role given that HCY ended up being a huge fan favorite. It’s only credit to her that HCY didn’t stay 1-dimensional.

        Idk why you’re comparing Na Hee-do (a teen brat) to Hong Cha-young (an adult viper). A better comparison would be the 1988 FL or the Goblin FL, who were also bratty teens.

      • kara/Amaranth – I didn’t watch Goblin so no comment, I only referenced Vincenzo FL because some of the comments here talked about over acting. OTT, drama queen, loud, whatever you call it, she was bad at portraying it. I’m not the only one that feels that way since there were many people who complained about her atrocious acting in Vincenzo.

  23. Tbh. Taeri is having a mistreak of projects. The whole cast of space sweepers overacted but I expected better from taeri. Her acting was not doing it for me and she continued in 2521. I want to see her in indie films again.

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