There’s Still Hope For Our “Twenty Five Twenty One” OTP Baek Yi Jin And Na Hee Do—Here’s Proof That They’re Endgame

Don’t give up hope yet, BaekDo shippers!
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Tegan Sweeting
Tegan Sweeting

Spoiler Alert

This article reveals plot details of a current movie or series.

We’ve low-key been obsessed ever since tvN‘s K-Drama Twenty Five Twenty One first premiered. We’re not alone either. The drama has a massive fanbase, including BTS‘s Jungkook and Girls’ Generation‘s Sooyoung!

Nam Joo Hyuk as Baek Yi Jin (left) and Kim Tae Ri as Na Hee Do (right). | tvN & Netflix

Twenty Five Twenty One is already a timeless classic. It’s practically perfect as it contains visually-stunning cinematography, a touching and timeless yet timely storyline, many priceless comedic moments, and an all-star cast including Kim Tae Ri, Nam Joo Hyuk, Cosmic Girls‘ Bona, and Lee Joo Myung.

From left: Bona, Kim Tae Ri, Nam Joo Hyuk, Lee Joo Myung, and Choi Hyun Wook. | tvN & Netflix

If, for some reason, you haven’t seen the drama yet or are not caught up on the latest episode, let’s rewind…

Twenty Five Twenty One alternates between the present day and the past as it parallels the struggles of youth during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the IMF (the International Monetary Fund) crisis. However, it also focuses on the romantic lives of five characters in the ’90s, with the main focus being on female lead Na Hee Do, played by Kim Tae Ri, and male lead Baek Yi Jin (sometimes romanized as Back Yi Jin), played by Nam Joo Hyuk.

In a time when dreams seem out of reach, a teen fencer pursues big ambitions and meets a hardworking young man who seeks to rebuild his life.

— Netflix

The drama has never been one to shy away from serious content and themes. Still, until now, it maintained a relatively lighthearted vibe and included many comedic moments.

Yet, in Episode 14, the genre officially changed from “Romantic-Comedy” to “Melodrama,” as fans suspected after changes were made to the drama’s online description.

While the entire episode was considerably more melancholy than the rest, one moment stood out above all, and it was just the last two minutes.

| tvN & Netflix

At the end of Episode 13, fans were overjoyed when the main couple, Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do, finally made things official against all odds.

The start of Episode 14 immediately made fans feel concerned that perhaps these two aren’t endgame after all.

At the beginning of Episode 14, Na Hee Do’s daughter, Kim Min Chae, struggles to find the next journal of her mom’s to find out if she and Baek Yi Jin dated. Unable to find anything, she goes online to see if they ended up in a dating scandal, knowing they were both famous.

| @imzeroclock/Twitter

Instead, she finds an old news interview clip from 2009 in which Baek Yi Jin interviewed Na He Doo after a win in San Franciso. Despite a professional setting, the two caught up as they hadn’t spoken recently, causing viewers to fear they had grown apart.

| @2521exe/Twitter

Yet, the drama went back to the past of 2000 to unfold the events relating to Ko Yu Rim and their friends.

The K-Drama writers circled back in the last couple of minutes of the episode. Much to viewers’ surprise, Baek Yi Jin belatedly congratulates Na Hee Do on “her wedding” in the interview.

Naturally, fans were devastated…and confused.

| @kikabelle/Twitter

Despite the implications that Na Hee Do married someone else, tvN is giving us lots of cute couple content of Baek Yi Jin and Na Hee Do next episode. It may seem insensitive now, but…

Many fans are still holding out hope that Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin are endgame.

The most common theory is that the two, both public figures, hide their relationship from everyone else, knowing that it would result in a scandal.

| @akdlovre/Twitter

Others have even speculated that the upcoming episode will show the true origins of Kim Min Chae…

Still, there’s even more evidence to unfold that seems to support the “BaekDo” agenda.

Rewatching clips, even the infamous interview clip, there seem to be more positive inclinations than negative for the OTP. One viewer pointed out that the conversation between Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin was so emotionally driven.

Not only that but Kim Min Chae’s reaction to it was also quite suspicious. She looks delighted.

Speaking of Kim Min Chae, fans pointed out that a baby can be heard saying “Appa,” meaning “Dad.” Since the interview clip is from 2009 and Kim Min Chae is said to be born in 2007, it’s believed to be baby Min Chae’s reaction to seeing Baek Yi Jin.

The production team intentionally included it. Still, it isn’t easy to hear without maximum volume or headphones.

There has been debate, though, about why Kim Min Chae is unable to recognize old photos and footage of Baek Yi Jin if he is really her father. A TikToker (@kdramakeepsakes) reminded viewers that in K-Drama 18 Again, 37-year-old Dae Young ends up in his 18-year-old body and goes to high school with his daughter without her recognition of him.

@kdramakeepsakes

💀 #twentyfivetwentyone #2521theories #18againkdrama #kdramafyp #kdramatok #fyp

♬ Reading Rainbow Theme Song – Reading Rainbow

The other issue is why Min Chae does not have the same surname as Yi Jin if he’s her father. This plays into the theory that Baek Yi Jin was adopted, so he has an alternative name that he would later use again.

@idkidk579

#twentyfivetwentyone #baekyijin #naheedo #baekyijinandnaheedo #kdrama #trending

♬ 아주, 천천히 – 비비 (BIBI)

Others have pointed out that in posters for Twenty Five Twenty One, there is another name on the news article that Na Hee Do stands on. Although we know Baek Yi Jin covers fencing, the name credited is “Kim Do Hee.” So, fans suggest this is his pseudonym or real name. Knowing Min Chae is a Kim supports the theory that Yi Jin could be her father.

There’s also so much of Baek Yi Jin’s stuff in Na Hee Do’s childhood bedroom in the present day.

@kdramabride

ok but seriously, 25,21 watchers are detectives at this point💀 #twentyfivetwentyone #namjoohyuk #kimtaeri #kdramafyp #kdramatok #greenscreen

♬ 아주, 천천히 – 비비 (BIBI)

There’s also this beautiful color theory used to support it all too. Color is often thoughtfully used in production design for movies and dramas, and a fan (@pavanivsk4 on TikTok) believes that red and blue are used for Yi Jin and Hee Do while purple is for Min Chae, signifying their connection.

@pavanivsk4

There was so much purple today.. am I really onto something?! 😭 @pavanivsk4 @pavanivsk4 these are the theory vids! #twentyfivetwentyone #naheedo #baekyjin #koreandramas #kdramafans #dramaopinions #naheedoedit #baekyijinandnaheedo #viral #2521 #kdramanetflix

♬ Crazy – Patsy Cline

That’s not all, though. Korean netizens have found even more evidence to support Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin for the endgame couple.

Dramas often take inspiration from real-life stories. Another iconic Nam Joo Hyuk sports drama, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo, was inspired by the life of Olympic gold-medalist Jang Mi Ran. So, some fans believe that Twenty Five Twenty One is loosely based on Korean foil fencer Nam Hyun Hee.

Former Olympic fencer Nam Hyun Hee.

There seem to be parallels between Na Hee Do’s story and the real-life fencer. And if this theory proves true, Baek Yi Jin will be Na Hee Do’s husband.

| @KdramaAndKpop_/Twitter

Fans have also mentioned the significance of the July 10 dates…

| @KdramaAndKpop_/Twitter

July 10 is consistently used for important milestones in the characters’ lives, and July 10 is meaningful on its own.

| @KdramaAndKpop_/Twitter

Another great theory is that Episode 14 includes a moment that foreshadows what is to come. While the media is harassing Ko Yu Rim, Na Hee Do cleverly distracts them, allowing her friend to escape.

| @KdramaAndKpop_/Twitter

Finally, the scenes from Episode 13 in which Kim Min Chae interacts with both Na Hee Do and Baek Yi Jin also support a positive outcome for the two. She refers to both by their names rather than “Mom” or “Dad” since she’s been so invested in reading from Hee Do’s own perspective. Additionally, it’s curious that she knows of Yi Jin’s perspective too.

| @KdramaAndKpop_/Twitter

Last but certainly not least, Korean netizens recounted spotting Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Tae Ri filming at Cheongra Women’s Hospital, a maternity hospital in Incheon, causing one to believe that they were filming scenes of Kim Min Chae’s birth.

| @latespring31/Twitter

There’s a bunch of filming cars set up in front to Cheongra 1-dong Cheongra Good Hospital

Curious as to what they are filming..

— Original Post

| @latespring31/Twitter
  • My daughter called me on her way to school. She said it was for 25?21? I think? I’m not sure about the title. Ah, I searched it online and the main actors are Nam Joo Hyun and Kim Taeri.
  • Kim Taeri? Oh man I want to go there.
  • I saw filming cars on my way to work but the bus I was on went by so quickly I couldn’t see the words for what they were filming for.
  • Looks like it’s Nam Joo Hyuk and Kim Taeri …wow 

Nevertheless, we might still be going a bit nuts in anticipation of Min Chae’s father reveal…

But who can deny the resemblance?

So, don’t give up hope, BaekDo shippers! We surely have not.

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