[TV Report = Song Si-hyun] JTBC’s “A Hundred Memories” concluded its nostalgic journey on October 19, conveying the beautiful power of memories. It marked the end of Kim Da-mi, Shin Ye-eun, and Heo Nam-jun’s retro youth melodrama journey. The final episode recorded a nationwide viewership rating of 8.1% and 7.8% in the metropolitan area, reaching a peak of 9.1%. This broke its own highest viewership record, ending on a high note (according to Nielsen Korea, based on paid households).
In the final episode, Go Young-rae (Kim Da-mi) tried to prevent misfortune from befalling her soulmate Seo Jong-hee (Shin Ye-eun). Just as she was about to congratulate Jong-hee on achieving her dream by winning Miss Korea, an unexpected incident occurred. Labor manager No Sang-sik (Park Ji-hwan), infuriated by the fact that Jong-hee’s foster mother, Mi-sook (Seo Jae-hee), had incited murder, rushed onto the stage. Young-rae, realizing Jong-hee’s suppressed feelings, wanted to prevent her friend from encountering misfortune but ended up getting stabbed and fell unconscious. Young-rae fell into a deep coma.
Jong-hee, tormented by guilt, learned of Mi-sook’s schemes, and Young-rae’s mother (Lee Jung-eun) reached out to Jong-hee. Han Jae-pil (Heo Nam-jun) played “Close to You,” a song full of memories, to the unconscious Young-rae, who miraculously woke up. A year later, Young-rae entered her dream college with a scholarship given up by Jong-hee. She received a proposal from Jae-pil at the wedding of Choi Jung-bun (Park Ye-ni) and Ma Sang-cheol (Lee Won-jung), where wedding bells rang.
Young-rae and Jong-hee recalled the past and laughed together at the seaside in Incheon. Like the narration from the first episode, “Though our youth was weary and shabby, it sparkled because we had each other,” the drama continued as a still-unfinished story. It concluded with a message of sharing both pain and joy in the future.
“A Hundred Memories” began with the cheerful playfulness of writer Yang Hee-seung. Young-rae and Jong-hee experienced youth while feeling responsible for their parents and siblings, portraying the complex emotions wrought by friendship and love. Kim Da-mi, Shin Ye-eun, and Heo Nam-jun vividly embodied these characters, seamlessly blending into their roles with great chemistry. They naturally depicted the struggles of youth and the growth found between love and friendship.
All characters came to life through the individual narratives – a signature of the writer – with mothers protecting love in different ways, siblings portraying cute and innocent romance, and lively friendships and conflicts adding vibrancy to the drama. This rich narrative and characters piqued curiosity about the never-ending story.
“A Hundred Memories” doesn’t simply evoke nostalgia for the 1980s. The shimmering, yet tough memories prompt Young-rae and Jong-hee to reflect on the true meaning of life. In the drama, Young-rae’s narration, “If I hadn’t had expectations, would all of this have been different?” reminisces the past. Nonetheless, the memories shared became the strength to live the present and future. This drama created nostalgia for youth with a resonant message crossing generations and eras.