The Real Winner of Reply 1988

No one gives Jung Bong enough credit.

Taek is a cutie, pero marunong ba siyang magsaing? Taek couldn’t even boil up some ramen. Or be bothered to get his own damn water.

Jung Hwan’s charm has its merits but that cold façade can get too tiring. Soft bois, are just not worth the emotional investment

(Which probably explains why things ended the way they did with Duk Seon).

But you know who among the Ssangmundong boys was consistently jowa material?

DAZZ RIGHT, MY BOI JUNG BONG.

Who willingly took on the housewife duties when Mama Cheetah was on the verge of Menopause?

DOMESTICATED PRINCE, JUNG BONG.

When he liked Man Ok, he never pushed her to uncomfortable limits. He stayed from a distance until Man Ok settled her family issues. While still assuring Man Ok that his feelings are true.

JUNG BONG, KING OF RESPECTFUL BOUNDARIES.

When Mama Cheetah went away for 2 days, who went around fixing household troubles?

TRUSTY AND HANDY JUNG BONG.

Jung Bong also happily takes Jin Joo in when the ahjummas are up to something. Even feeding her the food he supposedly fixed for himself.

JUNG BONG, HUSBAND MATERIAL SINCE 1988.

Should we even get started on how he was worrying about everyone else even after his surgery? Take it from Jung Hwan who bawled his eyes out in the hospital.

WE STAN AN UNSELFISH KING.

He returned to Man Ok even after 6 long years of breaking up. Ya’ll, no guy could ever —

JUNG BONG SETTING OUR STANDARDS FOR LOYALTY UNIMAGINABLY HIGH.

And can we just talk about how Jung Bong is among the few people Bora is nice to? Her wrath doesn’t even spare Sun Woo, her own jowa.

BECAUSE JUNG BONG IS ENDEARING, THAT’S WHY.

I guess no one paid enough attention to Jung Bong because he was painted as a comic relief. And he was clad with flaws. Having a hard time getting into college being one of them.

But in retrospect, Jung Bong is one of the best guys in Ssangmundong.

He took care of everyone, and loved everyone with every bit of his pure, honest, and mechanically-beating heart.

And those were more than enough to fill the parts where he was supposedly lacking.

A Jung Hwan or Taek is nice to have for that thrilling ride of young infatuation. They will sweep you off your feet and have you falling fast and hard. Making you feel every emotion possible.

But all those mind games are only good to play with if you have the emotional stamina. Or a really cloudy preference in men.

If you ask me, I’ll choose a Jung Bong.

A Jung Bong will give you steady grounds. Nothing too exciting (his heart won’t handle it), just harmonious passion coupled with a huge pan of Kimchi Bokkeumbap. And the occasional bouquet of roses on a typical coffee date (given that he doesn’t get lost going there).

More importantly, a Jung Bong will spare no expense in letting you know how he feels.

He will not wait 6 damn years for his shot at a confession with the excuse of respecting the bro code. He will show up on your hospital door in a suit the moment he realizes how he feels for you.

Having said all of this, I think we all know who the real winner of Reply 1988 is.