The beloved friends and families of Ssangmun-dong are officially coming back. The main cast of the classic Korean drama Reply 1988 will reunite for a special program to celebrate the show’s 10th anniversary. The reunion, confirmed by broadcaster tvN, is a three-episode special showing the actors on a group trip. For fans around the world, this is a major event for one of the most popular and nostalgic dramas of all time.
The special will air for the first time on Friday, December 19, 2025. In South Korea, it will be shown on the tvN channel at 8:40 p.m. KST. International viewers can watch the reunion on the Channel Fullmoon YouTube channel. The show will also be available on the Korean streaming service TVING. This reunion is a collaborative project between tvN and Channel Fullmoon, which is led by well-known variety show producer Na Yeong-seok.
The Full Cast List for the Ssangmun-dong Reunion
The reunion special brings together almost every key actor from the original 2015 drama. This includes the five main friends and the actors who played their parents.
The group of five friends will be represented by Lee Hye-ri (who played Sung Deok-sun), Park Bo-gum (Choi Taek), Go Kyung-pyo (Sung Sun-woo), and Lee Dong-hwi (Ryu Dong-ryong). There was early concern from fans when Ryu Jun-yeol (Kim Jung-hwan) did not appear in the initial teaser materials. However, tvN has confirmed that he is part of the special. Reports state that Ryu Jun-yeol filmed his segments separately because of other work commitments, ensuring his character is still included in the celebration.
The beloved parents of the neighborhood are also returning. The special will feature Sung Dong-il and Lee Il-hwa (Deok-sun’s parents), Ra Mi-ran and Kim Sung-kyun (Jung-hwan’s parents), and Choi Moo-sung and Kim Sun-young (Sun-woo’s parents). Other returning cast members include Ryu Hye-young (Sung Bo-ra), Ahn Jae-hong (Kim Jung-bong), and Yoo Jae-myung.
What to Expect from the Three-Episode Special
The anniversary special is structured as a three-episode variety show. The main activity is a two-day, one-night trip that the large cast takes together. The goal is to commemorate their time working on the drama and to celebrate the bond they formed a decade ago.
A short teaser video and poster were released on December 1, 2025, giving fans a first look at the reunion. The poster recreates the show’s iconic original group photo, featuring the cast standing in front of a banner that reads, โWe hear. We reply. Longing replies.โ. In the teaser video, the cast’s chemistry appears intact. Actor Ra Mi-ran is heard joking about the difficulty of coordinating everyone’s schedules, saying, โIt’s so hard to get everyone together,โ which brought laughter from the group.
The special is expected to feature emotional conversations, fun games, behind-the-scenes stories, and nostalgic moments as the actors remember filming the drama.
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The Lasting Impact of Reply 1988
Premiering in November 2015, Reply 1988 quickly became more than just a television show. It is the third installment in the “Reply” series, following Reply 1997 and Reply 1994, but it is widely considered the most successful and impactful of the three. The story focuses on five childhood friends and their families living in the same Seoul neighborhood in the year 1988. It is celebrated for its authentic portrayal of family love, friendship, and everyday life.
The drama was a major ratings success. Its final episode achieved a nationwide viewership rating of 18.8 percent, which was the highest rating for a cable drama at that time. Its popularity has only grown internationally since it became available on streaming platforms like Netflix, introducing it to a global audience. Major international media, like the BBC, have credited Reply 1988 with helping to spark the wider global boom in Korean drama popularity.
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