Answer Me, 1997

I am currently obsessed with the adorable drama that is "Answer Me, 1997 (Reply, 1997)."

Here's a summary of the drama thanks to dramabeans. And for anyone interested, here's the link to the recaps.

The throwback drama features a group of teenagers who are all 18 years old in the year 1997, and while the story unfolds there, we get a How I Met Your Mother-esque flash-forward, where we meet them all again in 2012, as 33-year old adults. They gather for a small high school reunion dinner, and there, one couple will announce that they’re getting married. We just don’t know which pairing survives the 15-year gap. It’s a fantastic setup, especially for a drama that’s only 8 episodes long.

After the engagement announcement, it is revealed that a second couple has survived the 15-year gap. We just don't know who. But, my bets are on our main leads, Shi-won and Yoon-jae. Since I've been so obsessed with this drama, I've re-watched the episodes released at least 3 times. I've come to notice some details during the flash-forwards which just fuels my OTP love and reassures me that they will end up  together.

(The other contestant for Shi-won's love is Yoon-jae's brother, Tae-woong)

Something that I love about this drama is it's accuracy in re-creating the 90s. I love watching this and being able to point out "I REMEMBER THAT OLD THING!" Another is I am very familiar with the music by the 1997-idols. I grew up with some of them, thanks to my cousins, but they were inactive or broken up when I became their fan. (There's also the issue of just how much was accessible to international fans at that time[1]). Watching this drama allows me to live out something that I missed out on because I was too late and the opportunity just wasn't there. Essentially, it's like I'm living out an alternative version of my childhood.

Words cannot describe just how much I adore this drama. But one main reason is that I firmly believe this is a drama about best friends. The ones that have been with each other all there lives without realising just how compatible or perfect they are for one another. The ones that don't realise that they're halves of a whole. There's just something about best friends getting together that speaks to me. Maybe it's because I've always imagined my boyfriend being my best friend. Or it's because that's how my parents started out. Either way, I'm rooting for Shi-won and Yoon-jae as if my life depended on it.

I have considered what would happen if Shi-won ended up with Tae-woong. I'll probably grudgingly accept it, especially if it's narrative to that conclusion makes sense. But even so, I'll probably be off in my own happy land and pretend that my OTP ended up together and lived happily ever after. I've done it many times before, no reason why I can't do it again.

Below are the "evidence" I've found (or delusioned myself into believing) that suggests Shi-won and Yoon-jae being the end game.

The first three pictures show how Shi-won is eating and sitting next to her is Yoon-jae.
He sees that she's struggling to finish so he lifts the bowl up, making it easier for her.
This is just an example of how Yoon-jae is consistenly sitting by Shi-won's side
and always seen caring for her and watching over her.

The second part shows her friend returning an ultrasound sonogram to Shi-won's husband.
Both Yoon-jae and Tae-woong are putting something back into their pockets.
However, the 5th picture shows that Tae-woong is on the phone.
Which means, to me, he was putting his phone in his pocket.
And Yoon-jae was putting the sonogram away.
Hence, YOON-JAE IS THE HUSBAND!!
WOOT! MY OTP!!
:D

[1] Even now, there is still A LOT of information being kept away from international fans. However, speaking from experience, when something drastic occurs to a certain idol group, some information gets leaked out (i.e 2PM). In most cases, information will reach the international fans years after it was originally released (i.e. DBSK). Most of the time though, the information kept from from international fans is to protect the idol's image. When these idols do something very severe (read, piss fans off), the information may be leaked to further damage the idol. This is just one of the reasons why the relationship between fans and idols are so dysfunctional.