'Reply 1988' draws big response

A scene from the third episode of "Reply 1988" / Courtesy of tvN

By Kwon Ji-youn

They say a sequel is never as good as the original, but "Reply 1988" is once again the talk of the town.

The fourth episode of tvN's Friday-Saturday drama series recorded an all-time high viewership of 8.7 percent, peaking at 10 percent Saturday. It put a lid on worries that the spin-off, the third in the "Reply" series, would not fulfill expectations and that Girl's Day member Hye-ri, making her lead-role debut, would not deliver.

Hye-ri plays the role of Seong Deok-seon who lives in Ssangmun-dong, where she and four male friends grow up together before she marries one of them. Singling out the husband, whose identity is still under wraps, has been a central part of each of the "Reply" series.

Hye-ri is a convincing Deok-seon, second daughter of Seong Dong-il, a banker with a huge debt, and Lee Il-hwa, a loquacious housewife. Her ill-tempered older sister is a student at Seoul National University, and the two can't stand each other. Deok-seon's younger brother is the only son.

The props, setting and narrative take audiences back to 1988, when momentous events like the Seoul Summer Olympics took place. Families gather around old dial televisions to watch the historic opening ceremony, and cover bowls of rice under blankets to keep them warm. Families send their children to neighbors' homes to share food, and with no Internet access or cellular phones the children go wild over Joey Wong, Sophie Marceau, Tom Cruise and the Hong Kong crime film "A Better Tomorrow."

The producers of the "Reply" series have given this version a familial spin, making it more identifiable to audiences of all ages. If the last two series put family and all related troubles on the back burner, this one brings them right to the firing line -- the arguments over money, the grief of being the second daughter and the sacrifices the parents make to raise three children. Deok-seon's parents play as large a role in "Reply 1988" as Deok-seon, her four friends and their parents.

"Reply 1988" is about the brighter side of life in 1988, choosing not to focus on the darker aspects of society. Instead, it relives the joys and sorrows of the average working-class family, the innocence of the neighborhood friendships and first loves.

The "Reply" series has always attracted a large fan base for its stories about young love. The male protagonists, portrayed by Ryu Jun-yeol and Ko Kyung-pyo, have already become entangled in a love triangle with Deok-seon. Their other friends have stories equally as intriguing to tell, including Park Bo-gum in the role of Taek, a brilliant but quiet professional Go player with few friends and a sad past.

The fifth episode of "Reply 1988" will air on Friday night at 7:50 p.m.

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