There’s Still Hope For Our “Twenty Five Twenty One” OTP Baek Yi Jin And Na Hee Do—Here’s Proof That They’re Endgame
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We’ve low-key been obsessed ever since tvN‘s K-Drama Twenty Five Twenty One first premiered. We’re not alone either. The drama has a massive fanbase, including BTS‘s Jungkook and Girls’ Generation‘s Sooyoung!
Twenty Five Twenty One is already a timeless classic. It’s practically perfect as it contains visually-stunning cinematography, a touching and timeless yet timely storyline, many priceless comedic moments, and an all-star cast including Kim Tae Ri, Nam Joo Hyuk, Cosmic Girls‘ Bona, and Lee Joo Myung.
If, for some reason, you haven’t seen the drama yet or are not caught up on the latest episode, let’s rewind…
Twenty Five Twenty One alternates between the present day and the past as it parallels the struggles of youth during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the IMF (the International Monetary Fund) crisis. However, it also focuses on the romantic lives of five characters in the ’90s, with the main focus being on female lead Na Hee Do, played by Kim Tae Ri, and male lead Baek Yi Jin (sometimes romanized as Back Yi Jin), played by Nam Joo Hyuk.
In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life.
— Netflix
The drama has never been one to shy away from serious content and themes. Still, until now, it maintained a relatively lighthearted vibe and included many comedic moments.
Yet, in Episode 14, the genre officially changed from “Romantic-Comedy” to “Melodrama,” as fans suspected after changes were made to the drama’s online description.
twenty-five twenty-one's genre changed from romcom to melodrama :'''D #TwentyFiveTwentyOne pic.twitter.com/34EzzK8S9M
— yuri (@kdeurama_) March 19, 2022
While the entire episode was considerably more melancholy than the rest, one moment stood out above all, and it was just the last two minutes.
At the end of Episode 13, fans were overjoyed when the main couple, Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do, finally made things official against all odds.
From "Let's put a distance between us" to "Let's try this kind of love, Heedo."
This scene was such a rollercoaster of emotions. So much heart here
#NamJooHyuk and #KimTaeRi is giving us everything
— zee base⁷ (@zygmaund) March 26, 2022
The start of Episode 14 immediately made fans feel concerned that perhaps these two aren’t endgame after all.
At the beginning of Episode 14, Na Hee Do’s daughter, Kim Min Chae, struggles to find the next journal of her mom’s to find out if she and Baek Yi Jin dated. Unable to find anything, she goes online to see if they ended up in a dating scandal, knowing they were both famous.
Instead, she finds an old news interview clip from 2009 in which Baek Yi Jin interviewed Na He Doo after a win in San Franciso. Despite a professional setting, the two caught up as they hadn’t spoken recently, causing viewers to fear they had grown apart.
Yet, the drama went back to the past of 2000 to unfold the events relating to Ko Yu Rim and their friends.
The K-Drama writers circled back in the last couple of minutes of the episode. Much to viewers’ surprise, Baek Yi Jin belatedly congratulates Na Hee Do on “her wedding” in the interview.
throwing such emotional remarks on national tv such as personally rooting for eo that's not even in behalf of the nation and an athlete publicly showing her unwavering support to an anchor she's supposed to have no business with .. are normalized ??? sus#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEP14 pic.twitter.com/geHiOaEPhQ
— 2521 ᵇᵘᵇ (@jjwohyuk) March 27, 2022
Naturally, fans were devastated…and confused.
"congratulations on your wedding, na hee do." – baek yijin
MKST NYA APA YHHHH TVN #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14 pic.twitter.com/xE3yONoaIx
—
(@hiiieva_) March 27, 2022
Despite the implications that Na Hee Do married someone else, tvN is giving us lots of cute couple content of Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do next episode. It may seem insensitive now, but…
TF ARE THESE ROMANTIC SCENES FOR IN THE NEXT EP.. AFTER THAT "CONGRATS ON UR MARRIAGE"?!
is my mental health a joke to u tvn?
#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14 #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp15pic.twitter.com/4QfXTOaVve
— Amy ???? ia (@amy_igot7) March 27, 2022
Many fans are still holding out hope that Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin are endgame.
IT'S NOT THAT HEEDO IS WITH ANOTHER MAN NOW THEY'RE JUST BEING LOWKEY ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES
BAEKDO ENDGAME YIJIN IS THE FATHER OF MINCHAE BAEKDO MARRIED BAEKDO HAPPY ENDING#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14
pic.twitter.com/DkF2GTXKW1— ria ²⁵²¹ (@vincensus) March 27, 2022
The most common theory is that the two, both public figures, hide their relationship from everyone else, knowing that it would result in a scandal.
friendly reminder from our Baekdo couple
#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14 #TwentyFiveTwentyOne pic.twitter.com/pvzlpD9znv
— cami ²⁵²¹ (@jjwogiyow) March 27, 2022
Others have even speculated that the upcoming episode will show the true origins of Kim Min Chae…
some knetz be saying this is the preview of how they got minchae, i-
#TwentyFiveTwentyOne #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp15 pic.twitter.com/WxeLEhd1uo
— 태리파이어²⁵²¹ (@taerifier) March 27, 2022
Still, there’s even more evidence to unfold that seems to support the “BaekDo” agenda.
Rewatching clips, even the infamous interview clip, there seem to be more positive inclinations than negative for the OTP. One viewer pointed out that the conversation between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin was so emotionally driven.
throwing such emotional remarks on national tv such as personally rooting for eo that's not even in behalf of the nation and an athlete publicly showing her unwavering support to an anchor she's supposed to have no business with .. are normalized ??? sus#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEP14 pic.twitter.com/geHiOaEPhQ
— 2521 ᵇᵘᵇ (@jjwohyuk) March 27, 2022
Not only that but Kim Min Chae’s reaction to it was also quite suspicious. She looks delighted.
someone explain to me how is minchae a baekdo shipper just like all of us if her dad is a whole other man #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14 https://t.co/NaxPTjU20V
— sarah²⁵²¹ yijin brainrot (@sourahd) March 27, 2022
Speaking of Kim Min Chae, fans pointed out that a baby can be heard saying “Appa,” meaning “Dad.” Since the interview clip is from 2009 and Kim Min Chae is said to be born in 2007, it’s believed to be baby Min Chae’s reaction to seeing Baek Yi Jin.
A knetz says Minchae's voice can be heard in this clip, she was watching Yijin and calling him "Appa". #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14pic.twitter.com/zFLng1FD16
— 백이진²⁵²¹ (@njh_supremacy) March 28, 2022
The production team intentionally included it. Still, it isn’t easy to hear without maximum volume or headphones.
Btw, the video is not edited. I have rewatched the scene on Netflix and I can hear it there too.#BAEKDOENDGAME pic.twitter.com/cwkjd0DXNN
— 백이진²⁵²¹ (@njh_supremacy) March 28, 2022
There has been debate, though, about why Kim Min Chae is unable to recognize old photos and footage of Baek Yi Jin if he is really her father. A TikToker (@kdramakeepsakes) reminded viewers that in K-Drama 18 Again, 37-year-old Dae Young ends up in his 18-year-old body and goes to high school with his daughter without her recognition of him.
@kdramakeepsakes
The other issue is why Min Chae does not have the same surname as Yi Jin if he’s her father. This plays into the theory that Baek Yi Jin was adopted, so he has an alternative name that he would later use again.
@idkidk579#twentyfivetwentyone #baekyijin #naheedo #baekyijinandnaheedo #kdrama #trending
Others have pointed out that in posters for Twenty Five Twenty One, there is another name on the news article that Na Hee Do stands on. Although we know Baek Yi Jin covers fencing, the name credited is “Kim Do Hee.” So, fans suggest this is his pseudonym or real name. Knowing Min Chae is a Kim supports the theory that Yi Jin could be her father.
this is baek yijin’s pseudonym ???? pls
— ً (@lovebkyjn) March 27, 2022
Yes i think so too. Also yi jin said to his senior reporter that he can do ‘this’, I think by ‘this’ he means he still can be a reporter without hurting his relatives. Writernim wouldn’t want to write yi jin the same mistake like hee do’s mom right
— wildpeony11 (@chikkua_123) March 27, 2022
There’s also so much of Baek Yi Jin’s stuff in Na Hee Do’s childhood bedroom in the present day.
@kdramabrideok but seriously, 25,21 watchers are detectives at this point
There’s also this beautiful color theory used to support it all too. Color is often thoughtfully used in production design for movies and dramas, and a fan (@pavanivsk4 on TikTok) believes that red and blue are used for Yi Jin and Hee Do while purple is for Min Chae, signifying their connection.
@pavanivsk4There was so much purple today.. am I really onto something?!
That’s not all, though. Korean netizens have found even more evidence to support Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin for the endgame couple.
Dramas often take inspiration from real-life stories. Another iconic Nam Joo Hyuk sports drama, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, was inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi Ran. So, some fans believe that Twenty Five Twenty One is loosely based on Korean foil fencer Nam Hyun Hee.
There seem to be parallels between Na Hee Do’s story and the real-life fencer. And if this theory proves true, Baek Yi Jin will be Na Hee Do’s husband.
Fans have also mentioned the significance of the July 10 dates…
July 10 is consistently used for important milestones in the characters’ lives, and July 10 is meaningful on its own.
Another great theory is that Episode 14 includes a moment that foreshadows what is to come. While the media is harassing Ko Yu Rim, Na Hee Do cleverly distracts them, allowing her friend to escape.
Finally, the scenes from Episode 13 in which Kim Min Chae interacts with both Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin also support a positive outcome for the two. She refers to both by their names rather than “Mom” or “Dad” since she’s been so invested in reading from Hee Do’s own perspective. Additionally, it’s curious that she knows of Yi Jin’s perspective too.
Last but certainly not least, Korean netizens recounted spotting Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Tae Ri filming at Cheongra Women’s Hospital, a maternity hospital in Incheon, causing one to believe that they were filming scenes of Kim Min Chae’s birth.
There’s a bunch of filming cars set up in front to Cheongra 1-dong Cheongra Good Hospital
Curious as to what they are filming..
— Original Post
- My daughter called me on her way to school. She said it was for 25?21? I think? I’m not sure about the title. Ah, I searched it online and the main actors are Nam Joo Hyun and Kim Taeri.
- Kim Taeri? Oh man I want to go there.
- I saw filming cars on my way to work but the bus I was on went by so quickly I couldn’t see the words for what they were filming for.
- Looks like it’s Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Taeri …wow
Nevertheless, we might still be going a bit nuts in anticipation of Min Chae’s father reveal…
4 eps left, are we getting any clues or another overthinking? let's go bij #TwentyFiveTwentyOne #TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp13 pic.twitter.com/ByDN3GIXIA
— shin ²⁵²¹ (@kdramashin) March 26, 2022
i'm tired of this waiting game. Minchae just tell me who the hell is your father is-#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp13pic.twitter.com/dfHYWomo3b
— dimple❥ | 뽀잉's kid | (@uhmm_j) March 26, 2022
But who can deny the resemblance?
How can they not be your parents, Minchae?????#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp13#TwentyFiveTwentyOneEp14 pic.twitter.com/EQrCC8ghY7
— 주니야 | Na Heedo's Sabre ♡ (@fangirljuniya) March 27, 2022
So, don’t give up hope, BaekDo shippers! We surely have not.
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