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The director (Shin Won-Ho) created a small gift for Reply 1997 fans by creating a special “Reply 1997 Director’s Cut OST CD” for viewers, which features hit songs from the 1990s and highlights from the drama. Not only does it contain OSTs but also a special recorded message from the director and main actors Seo In-Guk and Eun-Ji. Furthemore, the album cover resembles a video tape in order bring back memories of the 1990s.

A fan’s review and unpackaging of the CD can be seen here: https://dramacafe.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/answer-me-1997-directors-cut-ost/

Below is the list of songs that were on the CD:

1. All For You -서인국 ( Seo In Gook) and 정은지 (Jung Eun Ji)

Released: 2012

Curious to know more about various social climates represented in Reply 1997? Read our essays to dive deeper into the themes of this drama, including SNS/online interaction, LGBTQ issues, and family relations in South Korea.

1. Abstract: Reply 1997 is a drama series that follows the lives of six friends in Busan and is structured by extended flashblacks that move between 2012 and 1997. These six friends, who are part of the sinsedae, go though a lengthy process of growing up and finding out who they truly are. It is a coming-of-age drama filled with first loves, extreme fangirling, blowouts with parents, growing pains, and true friendship. By chronicling the high school lives of these six friends in the 1990s, the drama draws the audience into the world of the sinsedae by reflecting the values they embrace and the struggles that came with it. Employing examples from Reply 1997 and academic literature on Korea’s political and social development post-World War II, this paper argues that the sinsedae are characterized by valuing autonomy over deference to authority and having higher acceptance of alternative interests.

          Ashley Lee: Korea’s Democratization and the Emergence of the New Generation 

2. The motion of the Korean LGBTQ discourse is propagated by visual representations of LGBTQ in local popular media, such as K-pop and Korean television dramas. The astonishing worldwide success of Hallyu, or the Korean Wave, precipitate responses from international fans of all backgrounds to see more diverse narratives and characters that include LGBTQ bodies and the various social conditions that impact sexual minorities. On the other hand, the international success of Hallyu provokes the accommodation for non-Korean fans craving for more diversity in representation. The success of Hallyu not only reflects the power of Korean media contents disseminating at an unprecedented scale, but the influence to change popular television and musical narratives. Thus, LGBTQ representation in popular Korean media is capable of mobilizing a greater movement that advocates for the visibility of the LGBTQ community in contemporary South Korean society. Stigma, lies and misrepresentations about LGBTQ persons need to be erased from common conceptions to promote positive and successful social change. This paper will examine how popular culture is a site for negotiating and catalyzing social change for the LGBTQ community in South Korea.

Kelly: Catalyzing Social Change for LGBTQ Communities Through Popular Korean Media

3. As a versatile medium, drama has preserved itself as one of the many expressive medium in society and as the world veers towards the end of its next decade, the growth of technology becomes the common words for many; one of which is the medium of Korean dramas. Between the large screens in people’s homes to the ever-growing ones on the palms of each smartphone owner’s hand, drama becomes a medium that is not only versatile in nature, but also extremely easy to consume. As such, certain aspects of this medium can be exploited. Threaded through the actions and dialogue, many social issues can be derived from many dramatical pieces. As a result of such advancements, it is to no surprise that the popularity of Korean dramas has drastically risen due to the current phenomenon known as the Korean Wave (Hallyu). As a country that promotes the idea of unification and ‘one-ness’ (Jo and Cho 2007, 465) Korean dramas could be seen as a soft therapeutic release that speaks the words of others without being overly assertive in the message due to the entertaining nature of dramas themselves. In this way, many dramas have come out to reveal thought provoking messages that speak to the social, ethical and economic issues of today’s Korea while also being easy to digest albeit hard to swallow. Out of the many dramas that could accomplish this, the award-winning drama Reply 1997 (2012, tvN) stands to be a prominent example that covers a variety of prevalent social issues in modern Korean society. With comedic captivation, issues regarding homosexuality, sasaeng behaviour and Korea’s views on the academic success become themes explored within the show’s plot. As such, in this essay I will discuss the directorial decisions taken in the show’s execution and why they were designed to promote provocation of thought; adapting into further connotations to the issues that modern day Korea faces.

Raymond: Directorial decisions Reply 1997 employed to bring about social awareness to modern Korean issues

4. The South Korean government and its people have embraced the Internet with open arms, becoming the world leader in information and communication technology merely thirty years later its first connection. An increasing number of Korean youth and adults are now being labelled as “digital natives”, exposed and familiarized with technology from an early age. Though characters use Internet-based communication (IBC) to interact with one another, it is not depicted as a channel that creates relationships on its own. Using scenes from Reply 1997, academic findings and other popular media representations, this paper will assess the impact of the Internet on interpersonal relations in South Korea and argue that relationships formed first through the Internet are only seen as legitimate following a physical meeting.

Sean An: The Internet’s Impact on South Korean Society and its Interactions

5. Contemporary South Korea has received international acclaim with their achievements in rapid economic development known as the miracle of the Han river. Despite South Korea’s phenomenal achievements, economic distribution in South Korea were not fairly provided to all its regions, eliciting regionalism into politics and affecting its democratization. For the study, we define democracy as a state with social and economic equality including the fair representations of its people. Previous regimes and administrations in South Korea has utilized regionalism in their favor for political security and has been proven to be effective. However, due to various factors, whether political figures can continue to depend on regionalism like the past to garner political support need to be questioned. The following study argues that the importance of regionalism in contemporary South Korean politics is diminishing and that overcoming regionalism for the enhancement of regional cooperation is essential for the South Korea to become more democratic. To address the argument, a combination of various data including presidential electoral results and distribution of high ranking officials will be used. Also, various political protests will be used to describe the importance of overcoming regionalism for greater democracy. Lastly, various dramas and films will be addressed throughout to portray the media representation of this study.

Edward Kyoo-Hoon Kim: Regionalism is becoming less important in South Korea’s political system. Overcoming regionalism for cooperation among regions is essential for South Korea to achieve greater democracy.

6 What kind of dating conventions are considered normal to Koreans or K-dramas and why are they so strange to Canadians? If you are watching a Korean drama, and there is a big emphasis when the guy grabs the girl’s hand to “hold hands” why is this? What kind of expectations are these setting among Korean drama watchers and what impact is it having in the real life dating world. When viewing scenes like this unfold on TV it may be tempting to want this in reality, for young teens who watch and aspire to this kind of romance. Real world is a different story, and through our research and in field interviews we can see how Koreans really feel about these norms. These K-drama expectations vs reality are very different and what kind of impact does this have on people’s expectations? We shall explore these expectations and norms while showing real world interviews with Koreans and what they really think.

Alex Dunatov  https://blogs.ubc.ca/replyasia367/2017/12/05/essays/

7. Korean government’s attempt to popularize life in the countryside through popular media is contradicted by the Korean cultural values portrayed in Korean media which is leading the country to an agricultural crisis.

Although the Korean government has attempted to overcome the diminishing population of farmers, the population of residents within rural areas, including but not limited to farmers, have been steadily decreasing. In venture to gain attention from the younger generation, the Korean government has been using a diverse range of propaganda to appeal to the younger generation of living in rural areas. One of the main branch of advertising which the government utilizes to gain in touch with the younger generation includes the use of popular media in television which is comprised of dramas, variety shows, and reality television shows (Oh 2014, 2146). In this paper, I argue the Korean government’s attempt to popularize life in the countryside through popular media is contradicted by the Korean cultural values portrayed in Korean media which is leading the country to an agricultural crisis.

Dohee: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QsbBkRwBW1QZlh2O6u7q0VRL00aoCptBDcBMDGf5VuA/edit?usp=sharing

Recommendations!

Reply 1997 Bgm Playlist

It is interesting to see that our beloved actors were actually almost not cast for Reply 1997! According to program producer Shin Won Ho, it was revealed that while trying to find actors to cast for the show, he had found difficulties getting their interest in the first installment of the Reply series and had expressed that:

“It was really difficult finding actors to fill the leading roles. All the A-list stars turned the drama down. They all said the drama would be a flop”

But before long, Jung Eun-ji and Seo In-guk held their auditions which pleasantly surprised the producer as he revealed that:

“They both did very well. Honestly speaking, I didn’t intend to cast them because I was so hopeful to cast bigger names, but they both did so well that they left a good impression.”

As a result of them landing their roles, they got a chance to be a huge part of the hit drama series which we all know and love.

Orionight. ““Reply” PD Says Seo In Guk and Jung Eun Ji Were Almost Not Cast for “Reply 1997”.” Soompi. February 23, 2016. Accessed November 28, 2017. https://www.soompi.com/2016/02/22/reply-pd-says-seo-in-guk-and-jung-eun-ji-were-almost-not-casted-for-reply-1997/.

Two years ago, Hoya from Infinite (who played Jun-hee) made an appearance on 4-Things Show (4가지쇼). He briefly discussed about the treatment he received by peers after playing a gay character in Reply 1997.

“I was a bit traumatized at hearing I liked men. What was worse was that I heard even celebrities asked about my sexuality. It went as far as to traumatize me. It was like this for over a year after the drama’s finale.”

Hoya’s former bandmate, Dongwoo, reiterates,

“People around us asked if Hoya liked men. Broadcasting people were like that and even celebrities asked.”

The choice of words Hoya used to describe the speculations regarding his sexuality resulting from the drama is peculiar and insensitive. He is inferring that being homosexual is traumatizing for the self and others, and speculations about his sexuality were emotionally damaging. What does that mean for non-heterosexual individuals when people like Hoya say they are “traumatized” because people question their heterosexuality? He is reinforcing homophobia by implying that the notion that homosexuality/queerness does not belong in Korean society. In addition, he is implicating that his “traumatic” experience playing a gay character is equivalent to the everyday lives of gay individuals in Korea that are subjected to discrimination and hostility when coming out. Drawing false equivalences between the two only diminishes the already muffled voices of gay activists in South Korea. If he was truly worried about how people perceived him for playing a gay character, he should have never agreed to it in the beginning.

For our Korean readers, watch a snippet of the show below:

(Translated quotes from allkpop.com)

Alim17. “Hoya reveals he was asked about his sexuality after playing a gay character in ‘Reply 1997’.” Allkpop. February 10, 2015. Accessed October 31, 2017. https://www.allkpop.com/article/2015/02/hoya-reveals-he-was-asked-about-his-sexuality-after-playing-a-gay-character-in-reply-1997

Kelly  x

Watch from 1:20-2:50

In this part of the video Seo In-Gook says, “Eun Ji is 6 years younger than me. In the drama, 4 seasons pass by. It’s extremely hot, but we wear coats and sweat. When we film the drama, Eun Ji is exhausted and can’t find her sanity. As an older person, I felt sorry. So I sometimes made NGs purposely. For her to rest a bit.” He gives an example of how he would drag time by tying his shoelaces or asking his stylist to fix his outfit or hair. He continues on, saying that he goes to the same beauty shop and when Eun-Ji gets her makeup done, he noticed that she is always falling asleep. This made him feel really bad, so he wanted to allow her to get some rest. I feel like this part of the video shows similarity between the real life Seo In-Gook and Eun-Ji and the fictional drama Yoon-Jae and Si-Won. In the clip, Eun-Ji looks surprised to hear that Seo In-Gook dragged time for her, similar to Si-Won who was dull to Yoon-Jae’s simple actions of affection. Furthermore, while listening to Seo In-Gook confess that he extended his NG time, Eun-Ji has that same unsuspecting and confused expression that is commonly seen throughout the drama (esp. when Yoon-Jae expresses his feelings to Si-Won at the noraebang).

The above picture is the picture of Tony from H.O.T house. The location is in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul South Korea. The specific address is: 서울특별시 종로구 평창동 479-1 (서울 종로구 평창30길 41)
http://koreandramaland.com/listings/pyeongchang-dong-mansion-no-479-1/

The above picture is the picture of Sung Si-Won’s house. The location like Tony’s house is located in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul South Korea. Different from what I expected the location to be as the fictional setting in the drama is in Gyeongsang-do. I wonder why they decided to film in Seoul, when they could have easily found another location in Gyeongsang-do? The specific address is: 서울특별시 종로구 종로구 평창동 458-2 (서울 종로구 평창31길10)
http://koreandramaland.com/listings/pyeongchang-dong-mansion-no-458-2/

The above picture is the picture of the high school in the drama. Again located in Seoul, despite the fictional drama setting being located in Gyeongsang-do. The specific address is: 서울특별시 강서구 가양2동 1468 (서울 강서구 허준로5길15)
http://koreandramaland.com/listings/yeongdeungpo-technical-high-school/

The above picture is the picture of the cafe where Sung Si-Won and Yun Yun-Je reunites after not seeing each other for a long time. The name of the cafe is CAFE DE TTOMA (드또마카페). Another drama that was filmed here is The Heirs. The location is in Hongdae, Seoul South Korea. The specific address is: 서울특별기 마포구 독마로7길40 (서울 마포구 서교동 404-29)
http://koreandramaland.com/listings/cafe-de-ttoma/

The above picture is the picture is where Yun Yun-Je works. It is named the Seoul Central District Court (서울장앙지방법원) both in the drama and in real life. It is the filming location of various legal dramas in Korea. The location is in Seocho-dong, Seoul South Korea. The specific address is: 서울특별시 서초구 서초중앙로 157 (서초동 1701-1)
http://koreandramaland.com/listings/seoul-central-district-court/

• The company’s trepidation over the role – Hoya’s company director and those close to Hoya were worried that this role would reflect badly upon him (and perhaps by extension the idol group that he belonged to at the time, Infinite). This reveals societal pressures and on a lesser note, an implication that K-pop is of course, most profitable when the public and the fans think positively of you, translating into profit.
• The creators’ intentions behind such a character – As the second question points out, homosexuality is still not accepted within Korean society(1). However, I find it interesting that the director wanted the character Jun-hui to stay within the boundaries. While his answer was formed in response to the specific question as to why “many people had no feelings of rejection toward” Jun-hui, I interpreted it at the same time as fear that going too far would alienate the character with the viewership.

Source interview: Jnkm. “Hoya Speaks About Role in “Answer Me 1997” in Interview.” Soompi. September 19, 2012. https://www.soompi.com/2012/09/19/hoya-speaks-about-role-in-answer-me-1997-in-interview/.

(1) Hu, Elise. “For South Korea’s LGBT Community, An Uphill Battle For Rights.” NPR. July 25, 2017. http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2017/07/25/538464851/for-south-koreas-lgbt-community-an-uphill-battle-for-rights.

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Wanna know more about the show? Visit our “interesting links” section to learn more about the filming and the aftermath of the show for our favourite actors.

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The episode opens with the ending scene of episode 15 where Shi-won’s parents are waiting outside the maternity ward as the doctor asks for Shi-won’s husband and both Tae-woong and Yoon-jae arrive. The episode flashes back to 2005 where Yoon-jae goes out for dinner and drinks with his coworkers and mentions that he likes it when a woman can drink. The scene cuts to Shi-won drinking beer with her coworkers and says that Yoon-jae doesn’t know about her excessive drinking while he was there right behind her. He says that he hates her drinking habit the most and mutters at Shi-won that if she drinks and sleeps at the station, she’s dead meat. When they reach her apartment, Yoon-jae tries to follow Shi-won to her apartment for coffee and gets denied. He then argues that they lived together their whole lives and Shi-win says its different now. He eventually unlocks her door and drinks coffee at her apartment. Shi-won tries to rush him out, but he desperately searches for ways to stall.

The episode takes the audience back to the hospital where Yoon-jae reveals that he is Shi-won’s husband! Inside the delivery room, things went exactly as Shi-won’s mom predicted. Shi-won spends most of energy yanking out Yoon-jae’s hair and screaming that its all his fault. Back to the reunion in 2012, Yoon-jae is a judge in Daejeon, and he meets up with Shi-won on the weekends which their friends tease them about when how did they find the time to make another baby. Their friends also wonder what they were like when they were dating, and Shi-won says that they were like any other couple where Yoon-jae has a contradicting memory. Back to 2005, Shi-won visits Yoon-jae’s apartment where Yoon-jae indirectly proposes her. After the dinner date by Tae-woong, Joon-hee marvels at Tae-woong being honest about his feelings for Shi-won and Yoon-jae admits that he knows Hung better than him. Before leaving the apartment, Joon-hee and Yoon-jae have a bittersweet moment where Yoon-jae backhugs Joon-hee. Later in the episode, Tae-woong drives a group of his students a concert. His students hand him a pair of tickets and ask him to be the contact of a fanclub member which turns out to be the doctor (later his wife).

Back in the reunion Yoon-jae complains that Shi-won lost her wedding band almost a month after the marriage. Their daughter comes to the reunion with Shi-won’s parents. Shi-won tells her parents that its past her bedtime, but her mom says that her daughter is glued to the TV, watching her favourite idol and she’ll marry him. Dong-il tells Shi-won that this is payment for the hell she put him through. Shi-won’s mom still wishes him to be her son-in-law. Dong-il smiles at the news of Hak-chan and Yoo-jung’s marriage and asks if they are getting married after accidental pregnancy like Shi-won and Yoon-jae (who took over Tae-woong’s wedding plans because of the pregnancy). Dong-il remembers his time with Tae-woong’s dad and tells them to make good memories.

The reunion ends, and everyone head out of the restaurant into the rain. Hak-chan and Yoo-jung talk about their honeymoon plans and Yoon-jung invites Sung-jae along on their honeymoon. Yoo-jung says that Hak-chan wasn’t her first love and Hak-chan pulls one of her tricks of breaking up. She glosses over it and says it doesn’t matter and they walk off arm in arm. Shi-won offers Joon-hee to drop him off on their way. He says someone’s coming to pick him up. The auidence don’t see who picks him up, but Joon-hee smiles as he gets in the car. While Shi-won is driving, Tae-woong reveals that his wife is attending a DBSK concert and, she is the fanclub’s president and Shi-won says that their family finally has someone important. As Shi-won and Yoon-jae quarrel in the car we see the license plate on the car that says Live forever 1997.

The final flashback to 1997 shows the group has gathered for a photo in the park. Hak-chan sets up the camera, and Shi-won blames Yoon-jae for ruining her signed t-shirt from Tony. Just before the shutter goes, Shi-won opens her hand and Yoon-jae jumps back and gets terrified of the frog sitting in her palm. He says that he broke his arm and that’s how he was admitted to the hospital in the earlier episodes.

응답하라 1997 gives the audience insight into the first K-pop wave, fan culture, family and regional identity, teenage love and friendship in Korea, etc. This is a well written drama where the cast were both convincing and engaging and attention to the details of the Korean culture made it relatable and educational. What was the overall impact of this drama?

One of the real issues that were portrayed in the drama included regional identity. There is the idea that all academically scholar people and the best go to Seoul (Yoon-jae and Joon-hee study there, Shi-won blames the city she was born in since she couldn’t become a fanclub president, etc.). Most of Shi-won’s friends adopt respected Seoul accent. In what way does this matter and the tension in identity display an aspect of contemporary Korean culture?

The drama depicts some of the K-pop fan culture aspects. Shi-won becomes a member of H.O.T fanclub by writing a letter with her blood. Why are fans desperate to become a member and what are some of the privileges that fanclub members receive? Shi-won is honoured and proud when Tae-woong’s wife becomes the fanclub president. How significant is this? Is there any politics involved?

The drama touches on the topic of pre-marital sex (Shi-won getting pregnant before marriage). We can see Dong-il bringing up the issue when he hears about Yoo-jung’s marriage announcement and tells her to not be like his daughter. What is the extent of acceptance of pre-marital sex in South Korea? Is it still frowned upon in modern days?

Navneet Aulakh