Ep 3. Episode 3

In Reply 1988 Season 1 Episode 3, we continue to follow the lives of the five families living in the same neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea. The episode primarily focuses on one particular event – the wedding of Taek's father. Taek is one of the main characters in the series, a professional baduk (Korean chess) player.

The preparations for the wedding are the central theme of the episode. The members of the five families come together to write letters of congratulations for the newlyweds and prepare for the traditional Korean wedding ceremony. However, along the way, the episode also touches on various other elements of the characters' lives.

We see the parents of the families reminiscing about their own weddings. They laugh and cry at the memories and it is apparent that these moments are a thread that runs through the episode, bringing the group together.

The young adults, on the other hand, are more worried about their futures, including their schooling and future careers. In Episode 3, one of the characters, Sun-Woo, has trouble with a math problem, which he later gets help with. He also misses his curfew in a bid to study more.

Taek, the celebrated baduk player, is dealing with his own challenges. In the episode, he is preparing for a big tournament, and the pressure is starting to take a toll on him. We see his mentor pushing him hard, even going so far as to suggest that he visit a shaman for spiritual guidance.

The episode also shows glimpses of the brewing romance between two of the main characters, Jung-Hwan and Deok-Sun. Jung-Hwan is the boy next door and has had a crush on Deok-Sun for years. However, he's too shy to do anything about it. Deok-Sun, on the other hand, seems to be more interested in Sun-Woo, the math genius, despite Jung-Hwan being the first boy to dance with her at the wedding.

Overall, Episode 3 of Reply 1988 perfectly captures the struggles, hopes, and dreams of the characters. It shows us that life is not simple, but it's the small moments that bring us together as a community and make our lives worth living.