JTBC will be premiering its newest period drama, A Hundred Memories, a womance story starring Kim Da-mi and Shin Ye-eun, questioning whether it will be able to bring on the same success its critically acclaimed show Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born had last year.
Released on September 13, A Hundred Memories is a tale of two women, Young-rye (Kim Da-mi) and Jong-hee (Shin Ye-eun), who are bus conductors in 1980s Korea.
Their friendship, which was as close as that between sisters, is disrupted when the two fall in love with Jaepil (Heo Nam-jun), their common first love.
Speaking at the press conference, Kim Da-mi had some words about the theme of the drama.
"The writer explained that first love in that era carried a unique weight. I wanted to portray those emotions in a way that feels true to the time," she said.
This is Kim Da-mi's first period drama and her comeback to JTBC after five years of Itaewon Class.
"I'm excited to greet viewers with such an engaging drama. I hope many people enjoy it and show their support," she added.
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The new series is following the lead of Jeongnyeon, which was telecast in 2024 and was about women trying to find careers in the male realm of gukgeuk (traditional Korean opera) in the 1950s.
Headlined by Kim Tae-ri, Jeongnyeon broke 16.5% in its peak rating and swept top awards, including the APAN Star Awards' Grand Prize.
Much of the acclaim for Jeongnyeon was credited to Kim Tae-ri's dedicated performance, which involved three years of vocal training. She went on to win Best Actress in the TV category at the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards.
Shin Ye-eun, who costarred in Jeongnyeon, was similarly acclaimed for her burgeoning talent, with critics noting the depth of her voice and drama.
She now acts alongside Kim Da-mi in a narrative centered on nostalgia, youthful camaraderie, and emotional authenticity.
While Reborn Rich by JTBC relied on fantasy and corporate drama to succeed, A Hundred Memories prefers simplicity and straight-from-the-heart storytelling.
With its big-name stars and unusual historical setting, anticipation is keen to find out if the womance formula will work twice in a row.
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