This drama treats itself as overly self-important, but the execution makes it hard to take seriously. The female lead is portrayed as if she’s the most crucial figure in South Korea’s survival, a diplomat so important that even the president personally interferes in her private life. In reality, ambassadors work behind closed doors, negotiating with careful words and securing national interests quietly, not being turned into celebrity-like figures with the president dictating whether they should divorce or accept minister positions. The idea that the president is heartbroken because she married his political rival, and that she alone can sway the nation’s future, feels like an inflated fantasy rather than political reality.
The attempt at political depth collapses further in the execution. The church scene was outright uncomfortable: the male lead secretly films a married woman, romantic music plays, and she knowingly stares into the camera as if inviting him. It doesn’t read as diplomacy or duty — it reads like an adultery drama in disguise, dressed up with diplomatic jargon that doesn’t mean much, because realistically, South Korea’s foreign policy is dependent on U.S. approval anyway.
The action sequence in the first episode is equally unconvincing. The male lead notices the soldier targeting the FL’s husband but doesn’t act, seemingly waiting for the husband to die so he can “save” her. The soldier miraculously spares everyone else but delays shooting the FL until the ML arrives, and then — conveniently — decides it’s time to pull the trigger. The directing makes it look intentional, as though the plot needed the husband to die for the romance to kick in. What’s worse is the framing: while the FL holds her dead husband and the ML holds the dead soldier, the camera lingers on their eye contact like we’re supposed to feel a budding romance in that tragic moment. It’s manipulative, disgusting, and undermines the seriousness of the setup.
Overall, instead of giving us a believable political drama, Tempest feels like a rebranded Red Swan — but now with diplomats and politicians instead of chaebols and business elites. The forced romance, especially with a married (later widow) FL, destroys any credibility the story could have had. What could’ve been a sharp, serious drama is reduced to another recycled melodrama with dirty, unrealistic romantic overtones.
What's with all the AI-generated reviews these days? Are they all bot accounts... ?
The opinions and views expressed in my reviews are entirely my own and personal. I write the content and ideas myself; I only use AI tools like ChatGPT to help with grammar and wording, not to generate opinions or interpretations.
It’s true that “friends caught in a love triangle” isn’t new. But the way A Hundred Memories treats it…
Sí, estoy de acuerdo contigo — en este drama el protagonista masculino es mucho más inocente en comparación con otras historias donde lo muestran persiguiendo activamente a otra chica mientras ya tiene pareja, o justificándose diciendo que fue “arrastrado por las emociones”. Aquí no ha sido influenciado ni ha buscado deliberadamente conectar con la mejor amiga de su novia para manipularla.
En otros dramas y películas de “alma gemela”, muchas veces es el chico quien realmente causa el daño, tomando decisiones intencionales y luego escondiéndose detrás de la excusa de los sentimientos. Por eso me resulta refrescante que en este caso no sea manipulador ni oculte una traición bajo la máscara de la inocencia.
Al igual que tú, también espero que se queden como amigos y no como amantes después de todo esto. Y como sabemos que la protagonista femenina regresará tras siete años, tengo muchas ganas de ver cómo su reaparición cambiará la dinámica en los próximos episodios.
So basically, you’re saying the director just clicked a button and turned our FL into a lifeless puppet. She drops all her fire, all her fight, and the entire weight of her family’s revenge in exchange for a three-inch stick of status in the palace? That’s tragic. The way you describe it, her family suddenly means nothing the moment she finds a man willing to add her as one more concubine in his collection of women he sleeps with. If that’s truly the case, then the drama was never about justice or revenge at all—it was only about her submission and slavery dressed up as romance.
Totally agree with your take. The main lead really does look like an old uncle, and the chemistry feels completely off—it gives more of a creepy, sugar-daddy dynamic than a romance. Zhao Lusi’s character here feels less like a genuine FL and more like a manipulative gold digger, playing into that pedo-adjacent vibe since she still carries a very school-girl, childlike aura even when styled as an “adult.” Instead of maturity, it comes across as someone seducing an elder for money and status, which makes the whole relationship not just unbelievable but downright uncomfortable to watch.
On top of the already awkward FL–ML pairing, Qiao Lin’s arc makes the drama even harder to stomach. The way she breaks off her marriage with Lin Tao is disturbing—just blocking him, running away, and keeping the bride money her family already spent, without even a shred of communication or closure. That’s not just irresponsible, it’s downright cruel.
And then within days, she’s swooning over her old college crush, as if her engagement to Lin Tao never mattered. Where are the emotions? Where’s the regret? She was about to take lifelong vows with this man, yet her behavior shows zero attachment, zero empathy, and zero respect. It honestly gives off a fickle, cheater-like vibe—like marriage was just a casual arrangement to her, something she could discard without a second thought the moment a new guy appeared.
Between Zhao Lusi’s childish gold-digger vibes and Qiao Lin’s disturbingly hollow behavior, the drama feels more like a showcase of toxic, unlikable characters than a love story.
It’s true that “friends caught in a love triangle” isn’t new. But the way A Hundred Memories treats it…
I agree with you, but I also have some reservations. As we approach the ending of episode 6, it feels like Kim Da Mi has somehow “claimed the guy” after telling her friend to run away. This creates a sense of betrayal and misunderstanding that could strain their friendship, even if the show’s overall tone emphasizes solidarity.
What I really don’t like is how, in many dramas, the male lead acts as the catalyst for these conflicts but is rarely held accountable for the emotional damage he causes to the friendship. It would be more realistic and compelling if the story explored that impact rather than just moving the romance forward.
When we talk about love triangles, we usually picture rivalry, jealousy, or even betrayal between two friends. That’s the cliché. But A Hundred Memories dares to flip the formula. Ko Yeong Rye is in love with Jae Pil, but Jae Pil is drawn to Seo Jong Hee. The twist? Yeong Rye and Jong Hee aren’t rivals—they’re best friends. That choice changes everything.
Isn't this repeated and repeated again again in soulmate series of movies and dramas, Kim da mi's last movie and many other sequal of same story
South Korea is only country where criminals have support from Law (defamation law protect criminals more it has been used to Silance anyone against them) And has public that is more interested in forgive and defending criminals then calling them out Particular if it's a woman, Weird pseudo Faminist society
It's total garbage. Angels look more like villains I started rooting for PHS to get his girl back from fat ass villain Ma Dong Seak and his old pervert friend
This drama treats itself as overly self-important, but the execution makes it hard to take seriously. The female lead is portrayed as if she’s the most crucial figure in South Korea’s survival, a diplomat so important that even the president personally interferes in her private life. In reality, ambassadors work behind closed doors, negotiating with careful words and securing national interests quietly, not being turned into celebrity-like figures with the president dictating whether they should divorce or accept minister positions. The idea that the president is heartbroken because she married his political rival, and that she alone can sway the nation’s future, feels like an inflated fantasy rather than political reality.
The attempt at political depth collapses further in the execution. The church scene was outright uncomfortable: the male lead secretly films a married woman, romantic music plays, and she knowingly stares into the camera as if inviting him. It doesn’t read as diplomacy or duty — it reads like an adultery drama in disguise, dressed up with diplomatic jargon that doesn’t mean much, because realistically, South Korea’s foreign policy is dependent on U.S. approval anyway.
The action sequence in the first episode is equally unconvincing. The male lead notices the soldier targeting the FL’s husband but doesn’t act, seemingly waiting for the husband to die so he can “save” her. The soldier miraculously spares everyone else but delays shooting the FL until the ML arrives, and then — conveniently — decides it’s time to pull the trigger. The directing makes it look intentional, as though the plot needed the husband to die for the romance to kick in. What’s worse is the framing: while the FL holds her dead husband and the ML holds the dead soldier, the camera lingers on their eye contact like we’re supposed to feel a budding romance in that tragic moment. It’s manipulative, disgusting, and undermines the seriousness of the setup.
Overall, instead of giving us a believable political drama, Tempest feels like a rebranded Red Swan — but now with diplomats and politicians instead of chaebols and business elites. The forced romance, especially with a married (later widow) FL, destroys any credibility the story could have had. What could’ve been a sharp, serious drama is reduced to another recycled melodrama with dirty, unrealistic romantic overtones.
En otros dramas y películas de “alma gemela”, muchas veces es el chico quien realmente causa el daño, tomando decisiones intencionales y luego escondiéndose detrás de la excusa de los sentimientos. Por eso me resulta refrescante que en este caso no sea manipulador ni oculte una traición bajo la máscara de la inocencia.
Al igual que tú, también espero que se queden como amigos y no como amantes después de todo esto. Y como sabemos que la protagonista femenina regresará tras siete años, tengo muchas ganas de ver cómo su reaparición cambiará la dinámica en los próximos episodios.
On top of the already awkward FL–ML pairing, Qiao Lin’s arc makes the drama even harder to stomach. The way she breaks off her marriage with Lin Tao is disturbing—just blocking him, running away, and keeping the bride money her family already spent, without even a shred of communication or closure. That’s not just irresponsible, it’s downright cruel.
And then within days, she’s swooning over her old college crush, as if her engagement to Lin Tao never mattered. Where are the emotions? Where’s the regret? She was about to take lifelong vows with this man, yet her behavior shows zero attachment, zero empathy, and zero respect. It honestly gives off a fickle, cheater-like vibe—like marriage was just a casual arrangement to her, something she could discard without a second thought the moment a new guy appeared.
Between Zhao Lusi’s childish gold-digger vibes and Qiao Lin’s disturbingly hollow behavior, the drama feels more like a showcase of toxic, unlikable characters than a love story.
What I really don’t like is how, in many dramas, the male lead acts as the catalyst for these conflicts but is rarely held accountable for the emotional damage he causes to the friendship. It would be more realistic and compelling if the story explored that impact rather than just moving the romance forward.
Isn't this repeated and repeated again again in soulmate series of movies and dramas,
Kim da mi's last movie and many other sequal of same story
original drama that started this love triangle concept of two girl besties falling for same guy
And has public that is more interested in forgive and defending criminals then calling them out
Particular if it's a woman,
Weird pseudo Faminist society
Ma dong seok...
I started rooting for PHS to get his girl back from fat ass villain Ma Dong Seak and his old pervert friend