Reply 1988: Who’s the Husband?

Popular cult drama Reply 1988 has reached its halfway mark and the quest for the heroine, Duk Seon’s affections is starting to sizzle.

The husband mystery is the main plot line of the Reply series and the stakes are even higher in the series’ third installment.

As the finale draws near, Duk Seon’s quartet of blazing teenage boys are starting to let their hormone do the talking.

OH!Press takes a look at the candidates.

Warning: Spoilers may be present.

Jung Hwan
The front-runner who lets his actions do the talking. Jung Hwan initially posed as a bickering friend that Duk Seon felt awkward with. However, the tough boy later realised his gal pal was more than just a pig-like eater and fell for her charms. He’d always go to her when she calls, including the time when she needed money to eat Macca’s for the first time. He’s plotted clues for her, told her to “use her brain and go figure” and asked her not to go to on a blind date. Duk Seon starts to consider her feelings for this hunk but she is likely not to realise that he actually likes her until he confesses aloud. But the sad part is – Jung Hwan might let his feelings slip away for his friend. Jung Hwan appears to be the ‘bros over hoes’ kind of guy.

Here is why Jung Hwan is the top candidate:
1. His looks and personality are precisely the same as the adult husband.
2. He didn’t get given chocolates from Duk Seon.
3. He’s gotten the girl flustered as a potential love interest and not a friend.
4. He’s asked her on several ‘dates’.
5. He’s shared the same bed with her.
6. He indirectly confessed to the girl.

Taek
He’s the puppy-eyed Baduk genius of the bunch. Taek is treated like the town’s treasure and he’s a completely precious kid. To everyone’s surprise, he may not know how to button his shirt properly but he sure knows how to like a girl. He was the first one to openly confess to the boys that he likes Duk Seon. He’s the only one who smiles, hugs and feeds the girl like it’s nothing. Although Duk Seon and her parents have acknowledged him as a potential hubby and son-in-law, the girl predominately considers him like a teddy bear that she needs to care for. But he’s starting to show he’s a man not a little boy by being bold with his feelings for her. It’s not the end of Taek’s campaign yet.

Here is why Taek is the second candidate:
1. He smokes and so does the husband.
2. Duk Seon wears his pink gloves and not Jung Hwan’s.
3. He was the first to go watch a movie alone with her.
4. He did not receive the chocolates.
5. He went overseas with just her, marking her first ever trip.

Sun Woo
First love turned sister’s secret boyfriend. The kind-hearted Sun Woo is Duk Seon’s first crush that turned bitter. When Duk Seon realised his extra visits to her house was because he wanted to see her sister and not her, she has given her friend the cold shoulder ever since. However, Sun Woo has become Bo Ra’s secret bae and is too busy kissing her toes to get Duk Seon out of the friend-zone.

Here is why Sun Woo is the third candidate.
1. First loves are never forgotten.

Dong Ryong
The dark horse. Dong Ryong doesn’t get a lot of screen time and he seems like he’s just one of the mates. He also a rich boy like Jung Hwan but he is a lonely one because of his busy, career-driven parents. But the unknown factor that surrounds him may actually be the ultimate plot twist. There is every chance he could be observing the competition through those black-rimmed spectacles of his only to strike when the time is right. He may not acknowledge that Duk Seon is a woman and is getting prettier in her teens but one should not rule out him as a potential candidate.

Here is why Dong Ryong is the fourth candidate.
1. He has parted hair like the husband.
2. He has knowledge in girls and dating.
3. He does not show open affection to Duk Seon in their teens that may suggest he would have ‘many girlfriends’ before marriage like the husband.

Who do you think is the husband?