# Reply 1988 (2015)

> A nostalgic ensemble coming-of-age drama following five families and their teenage children in a small 1988 Seoul neighborhood.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/56707

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 20
- Episode runtime: 90 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy, drama, romance
- Created by: Shin Won-ho, Lee Woo-jung
- Network: tvN
- Cast: Lee Hye-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Park Bo-gum, Go Kyung-pyo, Lee Dong-hwi, Ryu Hye-young, Choi Seong-won, Ahn Jae-hong
- TMDB rating: 9.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5182866/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: nostalgic, heartfelt, warm, playful, wistful

## What critics say

Audiences broadly acclaim the series for its nostalgic warmth, ensemble cast chemistry and heartfelt portrayal of 1980s neighbourhood life.

## Synopsis

Reply 1988 (2015-2016) is a South Korean coming-of-age dramedy created by Shin Won-ho and Lee Woo-jung for tvN, a single-season run of twenty ninety-minute episodes. Set in a small neighbourhood in Seoul in the late 1980s, it follows five families and their five teenage kids sharing a crowded alley, with Sung Deok-sun (Lee Hye-ri), Kim Jung-hwan (Ryu Jun-yeol), Choi Taek (Park Bo-gum) and Sung Sun-woo (Go Kyung-pyo) at the center of the story. The engine is the ordinary push and pull of growing up: crushes that shift from one friend to another, rivalries over who will be chosen, and the scramble to get through school and family expectations in a time of modest means. Each episode is built from dinners, neighborhood quarrels, school days and small celebrations, so the emotional stakes come from everyday moments rather than a single plot machine. Its tone is warm, funny and wistful, with a strong sense of communal affection and period texture. The show rewards viewers who enjoy the ensemble heart of The Wonder Years and the nostalgic family rhythms of Reply 1994, and it appeals to anyone who loves a heartfelt Korean romcom with a bittersweet glow.

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- [You Drive Me Crazy (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/68285)

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