Title: A Hundred Memories (백번의 추억 / One Hundred Memories)
Genre: Coming-of-age / Romance / Youth Melodrama
Premiere: September 13, 2025
Network: JTBC (South Korea)
Schedule: Saturdays & Sundays at 22:40 KST
Episodes: 12 episodes (~70-80 minutes each)
International Streaming: Viki, Viu (select regions)
Production: SLL
Creative Team
- Writers: Yang Hee-seung & Kim Bo-ram
- Director: Kim Sang-ho
Key Cast
- Kim Da-mi as Go Young-rye
- Shin Ye-eun as Seo Jong-hee
- Heo Nam-jun as Han Jae-pil
Plot & Premise
Set in 1980s Seoul, A Hundred Memories follows the intertwined lives of Go Young-rye and Seo Jong-hee, two women who work as bus attendants on Bus No. 100 (Cheona Transportation).
Go Young-rye (Kim Da-mi): The protagonist. She works as a bus attendant despite suffering from motion sickness. Her work supports her mother and family. She has a dream: going to university.
Seo Jong-hee (Shin Ye-eun): Young-rye’s close friend and coworker. More outgoing, challenges in her background, dreams of escape from her circumstances.
Han Jae-pil (Heo Nam-jun): The son of a department store owner (chaebol connection). He enters both their lives in a way that stirs up romantic tension / first love for both. But he has his own emotional wounds.
The show explores: friendship, ambition, youthful dreams, class and social tension, first love, identity, and growing up in a rapidly changing 1980s Korea. The nostalgia is strong — not just aesthetics, but in how ordinary people lived, worked, hoped.
What’s Working
Strong Nostalgic Setting and Atmosphere
The show leans into the 1980s setting: uniforms, bus culture (bus conductors / attendants), fare tokens, daily city life before modern conveniences. Details and props are praised.
Well-Drawn Female Friendship
The dynamic between Young-rye and Jong-hee is a highlight. Their friendship feels central, not just as setup for the love triangle. Audiences seem invested in how the bond will hold up under pressure.
Lead Performances & Casting
Kim Da-mi is known for being strong in youth and emotional roles, and Shin Ye-eun is also bringing charm and expressiveness. Heo Nam-jun’s role as the shared love interest seems to work well in giving conflict without making him just a plot device.
Emotional Tone & Slice-of-life + Romance Mix
It’s not just about romance or love triangle; there’s ambition (Young-rye’s dream of university), family responsibility, class and social tension, personal growth. These give added depth.
Positive Audience Reception Initially
The first two episodes received favorable feedback, especially for their pacing, aesthetic, and emotional resonance. Ratings rose slightly from episode 1 to episode 2.
Production Values
The design, scenery, costume, sets all seem good; the retro vibe is being praised. Visuals help evoke nostalgia without feeling too overblown.
What’s Less Strong
Familiar Tropes / Love Triangle Predictability
The premise of two friends (often women), shared first love, class difference (chaebol vs working class) is well-worn territory in K-dramas. The challenge will be how fresh or nuanced this one makes it. If the love triangle or rivalry becomes melodramatic without depth, that may be a turn-off.
Authenticity / Historical Details
Some viewers have already pointed out that while the show aims for 1980s accuracy, certain styling (hair, makeup, speech, some props) may feel modern or anachronistic. These things can break immersion for people familiar with that era.
Pacing and Episode Length
70-80 minutes per episode is fairly long. With 12 episodes, there’s risk of some episodes dragging, or filler content, or emotional beats feeling stretched. If early episodes are heavy on setup, later ones will need to maintain momentum.
Balancing Character Development vs Romance
With two leads, a supporting cast, family issues, aspiration vs practical constraints, there’s always risk that some characters don’t get enough growth, are overshadowed, or feel one-dimensional. Also, whether Jae-pil is more than a romantic pivot but has his own arc will matter.
Emotional Tone: Heartbreak Risk
Viewers seem to agree there will be heartbreak, messy feelings. If you’re not into strong emotional peaks or bittersweet arcs, parts may feel emotionally heavy or frustrating.
Viewer Reception So Far
The ratings have been decent and promising, with episode 2 showing a bump from the premiere. There is buzz online, especially among fans of retro K-dramas and friendship/romance stories, praising the visuals, characters, and nostalgic tone.
Criticism is mild so far, mostly around casting choices (some think the leads look a bit older or more mature for the student / young youth roles) and wanting more authenticity in setting and details.
What to Watch Closely
Here are the things that could make A Hundred Memories either very memorable or just another “nice-but-not-exceptional” drama:
- Depth in Young-rye’s internal conflict: Motion sickness, supporting family, dreams vs obligation, the tension of wanting more. If the show digs into her challenges well, it may stand out.
- How Jong-hee’s backstory and her ambitions/escape narrative are handled — whether it’s just plot device or she gets as much emotional weight.
- The friendship vs romance conflict: How the show balances loyalty, jealousy, misunderstandings. Particularly, whether the show treats Jong-hee and Young-rye as full people, not just compared through the lens of who gets Jae-pil.
- How well the series uses its setting: Social norms, gender roles, economic struggles of the 80s, especially for working women, vs aspirational dreams. A strong period drama uses its time not just for visuals but for the social context.
- Supporting characters: Families, workplace colleagues, other love interests. They could enrich the story or dilute focus if handled poorly.
- Emotional pacing: Making sure heartbreak or tension is earned, not forced.
Verdict — Should You Watch?
Highly Recommended If You Like:
- Coming-of-age stories with a strong female lead
- Nostalgia, retro settings, stories set in past decades
- Romance that’s not just about “getting the guy,” but also exploring growth, rivalry, friendship losses and gains
- Visuals, atmosphere, slower emotional build
- Female friendship dynamics
Might Not Be For You If:
- You prefer fast-paced thrillers or plot twists
- Long episodes (70-80 minutes) feel too slow for you
- You’re tired of love triangle tropes
- You want highly authentic historical accuracy
Provisional Rating
★★★★☆ (3.5-4/5)
Strong start, good cast, a lot of potential. Might lose a little in mid episodes if pacing drags or romantic rivalry becomes cliché, but overall highly likely to be satisfying for its target audience.
Final Thoughts
A Hundred Memories is a beautifully crafted period piece that captures the essence of 1980s Seoul through the lens of two young women trying to navigate friendship, love, and ambition. The show’s greatest strength lies in its female friendship and the nostalgic atmosphere it creates.
While it may not reinvent the love triangle wheel, the emotional depth given to Young-rye and Jong-hee’s individual struggles elevates it beyond typical romantic melodrama. Kim Da-mi and Shin Ye-eun deliver compelling performances that ground the story in genuine emotion.
If you’re looking for a slower-paced, emotionally rich drama that prioritizes character development and atmosphere over plot twists, A Hundred Memories is worth your time. Just be prepared for some heartache along the way.
