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This review may contain spoilers
A Hundred Memories: What Doesn’t Return
Set in 1980s South Korea, A Hundred Memories is a slice-of-life drama where a backdrop filled with analog and nostalgic elements embraces both the pain and beauty of everyday life — like a wildflower blooming through concrete.
The beginning is slow and subtle, but as the minutes pass and life unfolds, what once seemed like coincidence gains weight, revealing itself as fate through the gentle lens of Ko Youngrye — the eldest daughter in a humble family of five. After her father’s death, she puts her dreams on hold to help her mother support the family by working as a bus fare collector at Cheong Ah Transport. On what appears to be an ordinary day, two meaningful encounters take place: her eyes meet those of Seo Jonghui, who would later become her coworker, and Han Jaepil, her first love. And so begins an emotional journey where young hearts must navigate new and conflicting feelings.
I’ll admit I have a bit of a bias against love triangles, so I started off wary, expecting the cliché of two best friends fighting over the same man to feel shallow. But A Hundred Memories made it work — at least in the beginning. I still remember the thrill of wondering who the final couple would be (good times).
After all the emotional weight and tension of the first part, the seven-year time skip changes everything. The relationships lose their grounding, and much is left to the viewer’s imagination.
YR’s feelings endure over time, and her bond with JP grows deeper and more intimate. Meanwhile, JH lives a life of appearances, feeding the ego of her adoptive mother who forbids her from reconnecting with her past. When that connection finally happens, it triggers an inner conflict — the past she remembers so fondly no longer exists. People have changed, matured, and she seems to be the only one who changed on the outside but remains the same confused JH inside, lost in a role she can’t escape.
Watching A Hundred Memories was a meaningful journey. Even now, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the series. The issue wasn’t with the main characters or the final couple — I quietly rooted for YR and JP, and I didn’t dislike the idea of JH and JP either. For me, either pairing could’ve worked as long as it made sense. Still, I wasn’t fully satisfied. After the rush of the ending faded, I was left with a bittersweet feeling and the sense that something was unresolved. Honestly, I missed a sincere and emotional reconciliation between the girls — they made a point of showing their downfall in the rain, so why not show the healing and forgiveness too?
That said, the supporting cast was delightful. I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between YR’s friend and JP’s friend — it was the breath of fresh air I needed after getting so annoyed with driver Kim. Oh, and I missed seeing more of YR’s brother — he definitely deserved more screen time!
The beginning is slow and subtle, but as the minutes pass and life unfolds, what once seemed like coincidence gains weight, revealing itself as fate through the gentle lens of Ko Youngrye — the eldest daughter in a humble family of five. After her father’s death, she puts her dreams on hold to help her mother support the family by working as a bus fare collector at Cheong Ah Transport. On what appears to be an ordinary day, two meaningful encounters take place: her eyes meet those of Seo Jonghui, who would later become her coworker, and Han Jaepil, her first love. And so begins an emotional journey where young hearts must navigate new and conflicting feelings.
I’ll admit I have a bit of a bias against love triangles, so I started off wary, expecting the cliché of two best friends fighting over the same man to feel shallow. But A Hundred Memories made it work — at least in the beginning. I still remember the thrill of wondering who the final couple would be (good times).
After all the emotional weight and tension of the first part, the seven-year time skip changes everything. The relationships lose their grounding, and much is left to the viewer’s imagination.
YR’s feelings endure over time, and her bond with JP grows deeper and more intimate. Meanwhile, JH lives a life of appearances, feeding the ego of her adoptive mother who forbids her from reconnecting with her past. When that connection finally happens, it triggers an inner conflict — the past she remembers so fondly no longer exists. People have changed, matured, and she seems to be the only one who changed on the outside but remains the same confused JH inside, lost in a role she can’t escape.
Watching A Hundred Memories was a meaningful journey. Even now, I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the series. The issue wasn’t with the main characters or the final couple — I quietly rooted for YR and JP, and I didn’t dislike the idea of JH and JP either. For me, either pairing could’ve worked as long as it made sense. Still, I wasn’t fully satisfied. After the rush of the ending faded, I was left with a bittersweet feeling and the sense that something was unresolved. Honestly, I missed a sincere and emotional reconciliation between the girls — they made a point of showing their downfall in the rain, so why not show the healing and forgiveness too?
That said, the supporting cast was delightful. I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between YR’s friend and JP’s friend — it was the breath of fresh air I needed after getting so annoyed with driver Kim. Oh, and I missed seeing more of YR’s brother — he definitely deserved more screen time!
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