Reply 1988 (응답하라 1988): Plot, Characters and Cast
Reply 1988 (응답하라 1988, Eungdaphara 1988) is a family, coming-of-age, comedy and romance drama that tvN aired from 2015 to 2016. It has 20 episodes, written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho. It was the highest-rated Korean cable drama at the time of its finale, with 18.8%. Here you have the plot, the characters, the cast and a playful Saju for each of the friends from the alley.
- Cast
- Lee Hye-ri, Park Bo-gum, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-pyo, Lee Dong-hwi
- tvN
- 2015–2016 · 20 episodes
Official video
Official video by CJ ENM Global on YouTube. It only loads if you press play.
Plot (no spoilers)
It's 1988 and Seoul is getting ready for the Olympic Games. In an alley in the Ssangmun-dong neighborhood, five teenage friends grow up door to door. Their families share food, money troubles and gossip as if they were one big household.
At the center is Sung Deok-sun, the middle child of her family, loud, warm and convinced nobody at home pays attention to her. Around her are Choi Taek, a baduk (the game of Go) prodigy who is a genius at the board and can't manage everyday life; Kim Jung-hwan, the gruff neighbor who quietly cares and hides what he feels; Sung Sun-woo, the model student, responsible and kind, raised by his widowed mother; and Ryu Dong-ryong, the funny, street-smart friend, an expert in gossip and dancing.
The series doesn't revolve around a big mystery but around everyday life: first loves, exams, family fights and small kindnesses between neighbors. Even so, it holds one riddle that keeps every viewer guessing: a storyline set in the present hints at which of the boys Deok-sun will marry.
Characters and their Saju
Sung Deok-sun 성덕선
Lee Hye-ri · Yang Fire · The Sun
Deok-sun is the middle child, loud, affectionate and with the constant feeling that her family overlooks her. She is the soul of the group of friends and has no filter when it comes to saying what she feels. Her energy fills every scene in the alley and rubs off on everyone who passes by.
If Deok-sun had a Saju card, it would be Yang Fire · The Sun: loud, warm and with a light that doesn't go out even on the worst days. Sometimes she feels nobody is looking at her, but it's impossible not to notice when the sun comes up.
Choi Taek 최택
Park Bo-gum · Yin Water · The Rain
Taek is a baduk prodigy, shy and a man of few words. At the board he is a genius, but in everyday life he doesn't seem to know how to manage on his own. That mix of enormous talent and day-to-day fragility makes him one of the most endearing characters in the series.
If Taek had a Saju card, it would be Yin Water · The Rain: silent, serene and with a focus that soaks in deep. Rain makes no noise, but in a game of baduk it knows exactly where to fall.
Kim Jung-hwan 김정환
Ryu Jun-yeol · Yang Earth · The Mountain
Jung-hwan is the neighbor of few words and gruff manners who cares about others without saying so. He hides his feelings behind a curt attitude, and what he leaves unsaid weighs as much as what he does. He's the character of silent gestures.
If Jung-hwan had a Saju card, it would be Yang Earth · The Mountain: firm, quiet and hard to read. He doesn't say what he feels; he holds it. His Saju lesson is that sometimes even a mountain has to let the wind pass through.
Sung Sun-woo 성선우
Go Kyung-pyo · Yang Wood · The Great Tree
Sun-woo is the best student in the group: responsible, kind and willing to do the right thing. He was raised by his widowed mother, and he carries the maturity of someone who learned early to look after his home. Among his friends, he is usually the voice of reason.
If Sun-woo had a Saju card, it would be Yang Wood · The Great Tree: upright, protective and with roots firmly planted in family. He grows upward without stepping on anyone and gives shade to whoever needs it, starting with his mother.
Ryu Dong-ryong 류동룡
Lee Dong-hwi · Yin Wood · The Climbing Vine
Dong-ryong is the group's funny friend, sharp and street-smart. He always knows the neighborhood's latest gossip and has a special talent for dancing. With him around, any get-together in the alley can end in belly laughs or an improvised dance routine.
If Dong-ryong had a Saju card, it would be Yin Wood · The Climbing Vine: nimble, witty and able to reach every corner of the alley. He hears about everything because he grows everywhere, and he always finds a way to get a smile out of someone.
And what would your Saju be? Find out free with your birth date.
Why so many people fell for it
Reply 1988 is pure neighborhood warmth: neighbors who look out for each other, imperfect families and friendships that feel real. More than a big conflict, it offers everyday life told with tenderness and humor. Peruvian outlet La República recommended it to Latin American audiences as a masterpiece of Korean drama. In Korea, it also helped fuel the "newtro" craze, that blend of new and retro that turned nostalgia into a trend.
Facts
- Written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho, in 20 episodes.
- Its finale, at 18.8%, made it the highest-rated Korean cable drama up to that point.
- It helped fuel the "newtro" (new + retro) trend in Korea.
Ending (spoilers)
Show the ending
Spoiler: the series' big question finally gets its answer. Deok-sun ends up marrying Choi Taek, the shy baduk genius. It's the resolution of the mystery that the storyline set in the present had been hinting at since the first episode.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Reply 1988 about?
It follows five teenage friends and their families in an alley in Seoul's Ssangmun-dong neighborhood in 1988. It mixes first loves, exams, family fights and the question of who Deok-sun will marry.
How many episodes does Reply 1988 have?
Reply 1988 has 20 episodes. tvN aired it from 2015 to 2016, written by Lee Woo-jung and directed by Shin Won-ho.
Who stars in Reply 1988?
Lee Hye-ri plays Sung Deok-sun. She is joined by Park Bo-gum as Choi Taek, Ryu Jun-yeol as Kim Jung-hwan, Go Kyung-pyo as Sung Sun-woo and Lee Dong-hwi as Ryu Dong-ryong.