Ryu Jun Yeol has stated he will not be attending the 'Reply 1988' reunion trip.
The cast and crew of tvN's hit drama 'Reply 1988' are gathering to celebrate the show's 10th anniversary this year. However, actor Ryu Jun Yeol, beloved for his role as Kim Jung Hwan in the series, will not be attending.
According to the OSEN report on August 13, the 'Reply 1988' team will hold a group trip in Gangwon Province in early October. This gathering is both a continuation of the annual reunions they have held since the drama ended and a special event to mark the 10th anniversary.
It was reported that Ryu Jun Yeol is currently focused on filming the upcoming Netflix series 'The Rat' (Working title), making it difficult for him to attend. A production staff member explained, "Due to scheduling conflicts, Ryu Jun Yeol will not be able to join the gathering in Gangwon Province."
'Reply 1988' is a comedic slice-of-life family drama set in the alleyways of Ssangmun-dong, Dobong District, Seoul in 1988, portraying the noisy yet warm daily lives of five families. It was the third installment in the 'Reply' series, following 'Reply 1997' and 'Reply 1994,' and aired from November 6, 2015, to January 16, 2016, for a total of 20 episodes. The show reached a peak viewership rating of 18.8% (Nielsen Korea, paid households), the highest in the 'Reply' series.
A major factor in the drama’s popularity was the love triangle between Sung Deok Sun (Hyeri), genius baduk player Choi Taek (Park Bo Gum), and “second lead” Kim Jung Hwan (Ryu Jun Yeol), which sparked heated fan debates over the endings. Through the drama, Hyeri shed her “idol-turned-actress” image and became known as the “nation’s daughter,” while Park Bo Gum and Ryu Jun Yeol rose to top-star status.
Other standout cast members included Go Kyung Pyo and Lee Dong Hwi as Deok Sun’s close friends, Ryu Hye Young, Ahn Jae Hong, Choi Sung Won, and Lee Min Ji as part of the Ssangmun-dong crew, as well as Sung Dong Il and Lee Il Hwa, Ra Mi Ran and Kim Sung Kyun, Kim Sun Young and Choi Moo Sung, and Yoo Jae Myung in the parent roles. The Reply 1988 team has maintained close ties over the years, holding regular gatherings annually.
However, there’s a bittersweet note to this year’s 10th anniversary reunion. Ryu Jun Yeol and Hyeri, who began dating after the drama and were in a public relationship for about eight years, broke up in November last year. Ryu Jun Yeol was later swept up in dating rumors with actress Han So Hee, drawing public attention to all three individuals.
Hyeri will be attending the reunion. Given that the drama was told largely from Deok Sun’s perspective and she was the only female lead, her participation is seen as highly significant. The 'Reply 1988' 10th anniversary trip will be featured on the YouTube channel Channel Fullmoon, run by EggIsComing.
Meanwhile, 'The Rat,' which Ryu Jun Yeol is currently filming, is a thriller about Moon Jae, a novelist who once lived in seclusion under a pen name, but loses everything to a mysterious figure called “The Rat.” He teams up with No Ja, a loan shark who once pursued him, to take revenge. Ryu Jun Yeol plays Moon Jae, acting alongside Sol Kyung Gu. The series will be released on Netflix.
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