The cast of South Korea’s beloved cultural touchstone ‘Reply 1988’ are set to reunite for a three-episode 10th-anniversary special, premiering on December 19. According to a report from ABS-CBN, broadcaster tvN confirmed that veteran variety producer Na Young-seok and director Shin Gun-joon will lead the two-day, one-night trip, bringing together the ensemble behind what remains the most-watched cable drama in Korean television history.
All 16 principal cast members agreed to take part, including Hyeri and Ryu Jun-yeol, whose real-life relationship began years after filming and ended in late 2023. However, the network said Ryu recorded his appearances separately due to scheduling conflicts. He will feature in the opening segments but missed the overnight group trip, a detail that fuelled fan speculation after early promotional materials omitted him entirely.
Airing from November 2015 to January 2016, Reply 1988 shattered viewing records and marked a turning point for cable channels competing with Korea’s major broadcasters. Critics credit director Shin Won-ho and writer Lee Woo-jung’s painstakingly crafted storytelling for elevating the third instalment of the Reply series into a national drama.
The anniversary special will see the original ensemble, from veteran scene-stealers Sung Dong-il, Lee Il-hwa, Ra Mi-ran and Kim Sung-kyun to younger stars Hyeri, Park Bo-gum, Go Kyung-pyo and Ahn Jae-hong, revisit the show’s much-loved 1980s setting. With Na Young-seok at the helm, viewers can expect a blend of nostalgia, warmth and the gentle chaos that has become his trademark.
