The Submarine Chronicles

Twenty five Twenty one Review

Coming of age, Sports Drama

Let me begin by saying that this is my favourite drama of the year 2022, period. This blog post is just me ranting about it. Twenty-Five Twenty-One fans, this one’s for you.

The drama is told in retrospect; it’s like walking in the diaries of Naa Hee Do. Hee-do’s daughter, who is a ballet dancer, wants to quit ballet because she feels like she is nowhere near special. She runs away to her grandmother’s (Hee-do’s mom) house. She discovers Hee-do’s diary, and we get to know about her teenage life with her.

This is a coming-of-age drama that starts with the introduction of Naa Hee Do, an aspiring fencer who wants to be the rival of her favourite fencer, Ko Yurim. The drama is set during the IMF crisis. If we dissect the opening technically, the IMF is the beginning of the MCs’ problems.

Back Yi-Jin, 21 years old, is the son of a rich man who went bankrupt due to the IMF crisis. Back Yi-Jin faces a hard life; his dreams have been shattered due to the economic situation. His family is separated, and he drops out of college. He works part time to earn money.

Hee-do’s school removed the fencing club as there was no funding due to the IMF. But Hee-do was not ready to give up on her dreams. She asks her mother to transfer schools, but her mother refuses, stating that she has no talent for it. She takes the matter into her own hands. After failed attempts at forced expulsion, she approaches coach Yang Chan-mi to join her on the team. Hee-do is reckless; she is determined to do anything to achieve her dreams.

They are two people who are fighting to achieve their goals. Since this story is a flashback from Hee-do’s diary, we get to see her journey the most. Her thoughts, her wishes, and her perspectives

I am sure that everybody who watched this will be racking their brains because of the ending. Why didn’t Naa Hee-do wait for Back Yi-jin? Why was she too quick to make that decision? Why did Yi-jin accept it?

She was hurt because he wasn’t there for her, and she couldn’t be there for him. “We were lovers only in happy times” speaks volumes. We all wished that they could have given their relationship some time and care before cutting it so abruptly. Well, they didn’t. And I think it was because the longer they continued their relationship, the longer they were hurting and holding each other back. The abrupt snap must have made both of them fall into a pit of despair. It was for the best. She couldn’t force Yi-jin to quit his job as a reporter; she knew how hard he had worked for it. Likewise, she can’t give up on her dreams of becoming a champion fencer. She did not want to be in a relationship where she had to suffer in silence. It reminded her of the relationship with her mother, who was also a reporter and was largely absent from her life.
It hurts me to think about Yi-jin’s position; his dreams were not given as much importance as Hee-do’s. I kind of missed the fact that he is working so hard to reunite his family, which has mentally suffocated him. Also, he was suffering mentally due to the work pressures. My heart breaks for them, but I am sure they are in a better place. Their love definitely led them to a better place.

The recurring word “times” was a slight nudge to the idea that life is momentary. The times brought them together as well as separated them. It took away their opportunities and presented them with new ones. It is bizarre how life takes turns.

Their relationship was pure, healing, and wholesome. They rooted for each other when no one else was doing it. They met each other when they were struggling, and they became their strength. Even if their relationship did not end positively, the impact that they had on each other’s lives was exponential. They teach me that loving sometimes means letting go. In a nutshell, nothing in our lives is permanent.

Coach Yang Chan-mi is a wise woman whose experiences were presented as life lessons to Hee-do. Her character’s presence was most underappreciated. Her lessons for Hee-do were lessons for us too. Hee-do teaches me yet another thing: to not be afraid of asking for help. Among all the other fencers, she went up to the coach and asked for extra practice. Nothing in this world is presented on silver plates; it’s us who should ask for it.

Yurim was the nation’s sensation and Korea’s rising fencing star. She was adored by the public. Despite being all those things, her family suffered deeply because of financial trouble. She had to mature at a young age due to that. Fencing sorta became a way to earn money; she wanted to support her family through that. Her story also reflects how the nation failed to protect the athletes. Yu-rim chose to play for Russia because of the overflowing financial troubles; it seemed the only way out of the turmoil.

Ji-woong and Seung-wan displayed a strong friendship. They are childhood friends, and they knew each other very well. Seung-wan was a model student, topper in her class, but she felt her life was monotonous. Being with Ji-woong always brings her joy because he always invites weird and funny things in her life. Unlike other dramas, their friendship wasn’t ruined by catching romantic feelings for each other. Seung-wan showed great courage and individuality in the story; she stood up for what she believed.

Ji-woong’s attraction towards Yurim can be seen as superficial at first. You feel like there is no reason why he likes Yurim so much. It might seem shallow that he fell for her looks. His persistence in getting to know Yurim compelled her to open her heart to him as well. The more he knew, the more he liked her. Even when Yurim left Korea, he did not break up with her. He waited patiently, and they reunited at the end of the series. Ji-woong might be seen as a silly, pretty boy, but he is ambitious in his own way.

The seventh episode made a strong impression on me. I know the description of the story is haphazard; bear with me. Hee-do and Yurim are not the best of friends, not yet. Yurim hates Hee-do and looks down on her. Hee-do, who looked up to Yurim so much, was shattered by this revelation. Yurim was not a bad guy; she just did not like Hee-do. She was intimidated by her. They had a bout when they were young, and Hee-do defeated Yurim.
Both of them had grown a lot since. Hee-do and Yurim are facing each other in the Asian Games. Yurim does not want to give up her gold medal, and Hee-do definitely wants to win that gold. The match between them is so intense. People cheer for Yurim because she is a gold medalist. To the public, Hee-do is a nobody. During the match, Coach Yang’s support was loud. She bragged about Hee-do’s strength during the commentary; her voice was probably the loudest one that supported Hee-do. The last point caused serious controversy. It was a simultaneous touch, and Hee-do won the point. Yurim, as an athlete, asked for a review. She thought she was faster than Hee-do. Seeing the disappointed and angry emotions displayed by Yurim, the public started criticising Hee-do’s gold medal. They even called it a stolen gold medal, and she was accused of bribing the Refree. Hee-do felt that her gold medal had lost its worth. It was probably one of the most heartening things for an athlete to hear after working so hard for it. The scene in which she explains the simultaneous touch to Yi-jin was painfully real. Yi-jin interviewed the refree to clear the air around Naa Hee-do’s controversial gold medal. He reveals later that he wouldn’t have gone so far if it hadn’t been for Hee-do.

As heartbreaking as it is, this is definitely one of those stories that touches one’s heart. I highly recommend anyone to watch this series; you will learn a lot from it. This story is a perfect portrayal of dreams, love, friendship, heartbreak, and grief. I would love to speak a lot, but I implore you to watch and experience it. And for those who watched it, please share your thoughts on what this piece of art made you feel:)

Bronze skin lined with wrinkles, messily chopped white locks that dreamily dangle on her face, an unfitting blouse with an unmatching saree wrapped around a thin body I wonder who she is and how she looked when she was four, fourteen, twenty-four, and forty. I could see from her toothy smile that she would have been a good mother. Do good mothers wander the roads, repenting for their sacrifices? What if she was a bad mother? Would it be enough of a punishment?

I looked closely at her, and I could see the resemblance of a fallen princess. She radiated from the inside, which glorified her appearance. She would have played so many different roles—a daughter, sister, friend, wife, mother, worker, neighbour, colleague, boss—and now she is here, on the streets, finding yet another self of hers. Now it makes me think about how I would be when I get the oldest I can. Will my body preserve my sanity, or will my sanity preserve my body?

The world is a big, curious place with not many answers, reasons, or logic to explain why things are the way they are. In books, I search for reality, and in reality, I search for books. Maybe my mind isn’t open enough; maybe I haven’t searched hard enough; maybe it is pure coincidence.

What do you think is the bridge between human heart and soul? Is it paved in solitude? Is it dark and lonely or is it a fun circus with bright lights? I think every human has a part of themselves that is extremely special and close to them, like a forbidden piece of art that is only visible to the artist. And have we ever wondered how different this mental space can be different for each one of us? For me, this space is like a city night with colourful lights and buzzing sounds or a small cottage by the forest where no soul breathes except mine.

I believe this part of us keeps us sane amidst all the chatter in life. If we can’t escape, we will be prisoners. If we dwell on the present which already became our past, we may never get to live the new present which is continuously changing. This world is crazy big but ours might seem small. Let us create bigger imaginary worlds for ourselves so we can run faster and farther. Let us move without knowing, think without understanding. Everything will somehow fit in because it is destined to workout. Let’s just breathe and wander.

Seems that you have found the right friend after all – if they had stayed, probably wondering whether what you were telling was actually the truth. They waver for a second, comprehending whether they are being just or completely stupid to trust a dragon. Now, not every one of you might be an herbivore and I understand the urge for you to snatch the prey under your eye. Keep it all in my pal, because you don’t eat friends. Use the step-one here, just smile widely looking into their eyes.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” you start the conversation. You go on about the weather, then about your favorite food (and if it is meat, don’t you dare mention anything)and about the beautiful forest or anything nice. You are making the field to sow the seeds, so remember to keep your preliminaries well within a few minutes. Keep your bloody mouth shut and let your friend speak. Be polite when you answer and be focused on what they are saying.

Now that you have talked and probably you have to leave for the day, End with a good bye and small wave. Tell them that you will see them soon and bring them loads of gifts. Who doesn’t like gifts, it will surely warm their hearts. Mind, you can’t buy your way to your friends heart materially, it’s just a gesture. My job as a guide ends here, I mean I got you the deal. I bet you must be waiting for my next guide on ‘How to keep friendship as dragons and Dinos’. I know, I know you must have loved my advice now that the pressure to write the next wonder is insurmountable. But bear with me, I will come there and share all of my wisdom. Until then follow my steps religiously, I believe making friends is easy if you have your heart at the right place.

the end

I, the greatest dragon of the century live behind this huge rocks. Is this my only house? No, I have properties all over. Do others fear me? Depends on how I treat them. But I don’t see any reason for them to be afraid, I am an herbivore so I don’t eat them. Very few know that, you see being a dragon gives me special treatments and thunder to my name. But you may say Jay, ”Doesn’t it make you lonely when everybody is afraid of you?”

For that, I have the guide of ‘Intimidated Friends 101-How dragons make friends’ penned by the wonderful me and that, I follow religiously.

Step 1: When you see a prospective friend, give a friendly noise like a howl. Be gentle and make an eye contact and smile. A smile can win anyone, especially who are really intimidated.

Step 2: Obviously the point 1 isn’t gonna work. Your prospective friend is already on their heels, far away from you. So you have to run towards them faster and if they are small, catch them in your paws.

Step 3: They will try to bite you or do something to harm you so you must be strong enough to hold on to pain. Just a bit until you are introduced, you don’t have to worry,remember that you are strong my pal. Now Call their name out slowly and tell them ‘Hi friend_name’

Pre-requisite: Stalk your prospective friend, learn about their likes and dislikes and most importantly their name. That’s the key to anyone’s heart.

Now that you have demanded the attention from your friend, tell them that you want to play with them. Just because you act all friendly doesn’t mean that they believe you. Now to bond, you are going to put them on your back and take them to one-of-the kind ride up above the sky. You will enjoy them clutching your horn for the fear of life. That gives them more confidence in you.

Don’t try to speak, they can’t hear. When you put them down, ask them whether they have enjoyed the ride. They surely would have, after all the pains you went through to make them happy. They ought to thank you for your friendship. And that’s how you make friend as a dragon.

Mind this is just the first lesson. You have taken the first obvious step but there is many. Keep reading to find out more :]

The roofs layered with green moss,  despair hanging around the village like silence. It was not that things were not good, it wasn’t good enough. The villagers may never notice, not even consider it but things looked dismal for the outsiders.

It was not a mile from my house. I strode, munching upon a bag of chips. The night seemed to impose on me the burden of dreadful silent. I prayed for a crowd, a bustling crowd so I could get lost effortlessly.

The villagers are proud of one thing, their exotic plants and the valor of the hunted ghost. The fact that the ghost had been hunted but not found seems a little odd. From what I heard, people hardly look out for ghosts. Here, it’s all different. From the unconscious elders to the rarely aware children, they all look for the brave soldier who died here, carrying a scroll.

The soldier’s last duty was to pass this scroll to the statesman. On his way, he was killed by a snake. The thick forests prevented any help he could get. The poison seemed to spread all over and he died near the brinjal plantation. Now, it was overriden by a rice mill.

For years, a series of mutterings and curses passed through their ears. It was first mistaken for messed up memories, but it’s common occurrence proved to be something else. Everytime the soldier murmured different things,  a soliloquy, a lullaby, a verse, a song, a dialogue and sometimes even a deep sigh and even a secret. And he doesn’t repeat things, just a small whimper. A sign of guilt, a sense of dissatisfaction that the deed was not done.

Tonight, a no moon day, the finest day I could have chosen to have an evening stroll. A bike roared passed me, the headlights screeched my eyes.

“oh dear, the statesmen will never knew his daughter was killed by her husband” a sorrow voice whispered.

Setting the alarm clock downwards, Sarah descended the stairs. The hallway was covered with time pieces, all different shapes and all different size. She made it her daily task to cover the large clock with a piece of cloth or put it face down when she woke up.She does not like to look at the clock when she was wasting her time. At 11:00pm sharp, her maid would come to erect the clock. It was then that she actually needed to look into the piece of machine. The act of the housemaid bustling around the house was a testimony that 11 is nearing.

Sarah would examine the antique piece, her eyes glittering with ecstasy. She would play with the minute hands and hour hands.

No one knew why she did that.

Eleven pm was when she actually starts to work, she hides behind the kitchen counter with dozens of expensive ingredients. Sarah placed the large silver bowl in front of her. She takes her own time to test all of the flavour. There were mini bite sized cranberry chocolate in the glass jar. The maid looked at it with longing, the brownish golden paper attracted her. She had never eaten a luxurious chocolate, her child had once eaten but that was ages ago.

When she made sure that there was no one there, she quickly slipped into the kitchen with her broom. She carefully swept each and every area, her boss would not like if there was dust on the floor. It was only her feet other than Sarah that tread upon the household. She opened the jar and took one of the chocolates.

“Should I take another for myself?” she thought. “Now that would be stealing” she said to herself. The one chocolate glowed in the tip of the sari it was knotted in.

Sarah entered the kitchen. Her eyes scanned for dirt.

“What is the white thing lying on the ground?” she asked gruffly.

The maid quickly swept it away.

“How many are there in your family?” Sarah asked unusually.

“Why mam, there is seven of us” the maid said, adjusting her saree.

Sarah nodded, “That means I have to give seven hundred rupees as a bonus. That would suffice right? It should” she answered it for herself.

The maid felt embarrassed at first but then satisfied. Working here for past 1 year, she had never got a note from Sarah except her earnings. Occasionally, she used to ask advance but that was all.

“thanks mam” she said.

“I want you to come here every morning during the christmas holiday to adjust the clock, I simply do no like wasting my time.”

“Yes mam” she mumbled.

“Now off you go” she told.

As she walked home, she examined the chocolate. A cute ribbon was tied on top. She tossed it down the gutter — despite any future regrets, it had to be as venomous as her boss.

A  small  town, let it be,

For the people lived  ordinary,

‘C’ was not a revolutionary, 

Spent his days in a small factory.

Grease was his friend,

Grime was his hand,

He liked to pretend,

That nothing could offend.

A good position he was,

his old mother had a big nose;

To thrust into any place,

And he had two children with a mighty face.

Walking to the way home,

He noticed a Building’s first stones,

The thread was stretched wide and strong,

‘A rich’s mansion’ a thought shone.

Little did he knew that was a showroom,

A shoe showroom,

Near the children’s schoolroom.

Glittering shiny shoes those were,

no wonder who would wear,

He said ‘We people never like shoes, never’.

From a fully grown adult to a child,

Asked for the pride,

That those shoes provide,

His children cried.

A shoe showroom came,

It gave them fame,

It brought a busy train ;

Of corporate and multiple chains.

One thing he wishes he could have done,

Scream when he saw those shoes,

And told ghost resided in them,

For he hated to see a 

Salesman.

“pop” a balloon burst, the inflated figure shrunk at once into a flattened dough. The air inside breathed in, after so long they are free and their movements can no longer be constrained.

“Hurray” cried the tiny speck Spark, the joy enlightened its sharp eyes.

“I knew it, I knew it…Our freedom is near” cried another speck shrilly.

“But then what can contain us?” laughed Spark smugly.

“I long to feel the sea, the saltiness. Can we please go there” cried Pinky.

“Of course, I will escort you,” said Spark heroically.

“Guys, but what about our other friends,” asked Ramu.

“What about them?” scoffed Spark.

“Well…shouldn’t we help them,” said Tara.

“Let those fools find their own way” said Spark.

“But…” faltered Ramu.

“You better stay here” Spark advised with loads of sarcasm.

“You know what? I am staying here. Good Luck” Ramu emphasized the last two words.

“Doofus” muttered Spark.

It was a nice colourful day with a lot of rainbow colored and cartoon balloons flying all around, giving the scenery a festive look. Small boys and girls gathered around the strange large object waving notoriously in the air, almost hitting them with it’s huge figure.

It had bright eyes studded in red, a big moustache sat on it’s upper lip and a big round powder was smeared on its forehead. It had thick hands and legs which were hidden by purple cloth. A huge turban settled on it’s top, overall it was a clumsy looking man.

“Help me,Help me” were the only tiny whispers from the animate man but no one heard it. 

And the balloons started popping one by one mysteriously, all of the people looked at as if it was some kind of a mystery.

The balloon keeper tried to guard their colorful balloons but in vain. The air was not giving up, not now. The whole place was heavy with the wind spreading like gooey jam. 

And the place around the turban man felt heavy with damp, dirty and dry air. It pushed here and there; there was some air forming a blanket around the balloon. It prevented the human from entering into them.

“They have popped all of the balloons” cried Hilly.

“No matter, we still have this huge thing. We ain’t allowing them to touch it.” declared Boom, the balloon keeper.

“Pardon, I ain’t standing guard for this stupidity” retorted Meen.

“Try escaping, You will be squashed by our enemy” said Boom.

“Hump, I’d rather stay.” said Meen grudgingly.

“what….the….hell…is….happening.” cried Boom.

“Boss they are displacing our mustache man, they have a lot of troops”said Hill.

“Call our Butter Troops, immediately” commanded Boom.

“NO use, they are headed to the sea already…and then they will be freed by their friends” said Meen, looking at the huge man wavering in the air, beyond their grasp.

“Damn. Catch hold of the string, catch it catch it” cried Boom desperately.

The butter troops had arrived with their sucker machines, the air rushed pushing each other to mingle with the sea.

“We should have helped you guys,” said Spark.

“Wait, where are you going?.” she asked, stopping. None replied. The machine sucked her and Spark.

“Help,” they cried, but those who cared were not there.