The finale of JTBC’s weekend drama One hundred memories proved that few actresses can convey emotional depth like Kim Da-mi. Her character’s journey, meticulously constructed over ten episodes, culminated in a tender and transformative performance: the perfect conclusion to a story about love, loss and resilience.
In the final episode airing on October 12, Go Young-rye (Kim Da-mi) faces one of the biggest obstacles in her life. Unjustly fired from her job at a beauty salon on the orders of Mi-sook (Seo Jae-hee), the powerful chairwoman of the Daeyang Group, Young-rye finds herself betrayed by people she once trusted, including her close friend Seo Jong-hee (Shin Ye-eun).
Despite the heartbreak and confusion, Young-rye refuses to break down. With silent determination, he vows to start over, relying only on his own strength. Kim Da-mi’s nuanced acting, balancing pain with courage, brought authenticity to a woman rediscovering her dignity.
As Young-rye faces her own challenges, she also learns of Jung-hyun’s (Kim Jung-hyun) long-hidden affection for her. Known as her faithful “guardian angel,” Jung-hyun silently supported her through life’s storms. After realizing her feelings, Young-rye responds with compassion rather than rejection—an emotional maturity that Kim Da-mi portrays with exquisite restraint.
Even in moments of discomfort, her character’s empathy shines, demonstrating Kim’s mastery of expressing delicate, human emotions without excess.
The emotional peak comes when Han Jae-pil (Heo Nam-jun) confesses his love to Young-rye. The moment, full of sincerity, is not a sudden turning point but the reward of countless shared memories and unexpressed feelings.
Through tear-filled eyes, Young-rye listens as years of affection turn into words. Her tears shine not with surprise but with liberation, the culmination of a long-suppressed love. Kim Da-mi captures that stillness and catharsis with breathtaking precision, transforming a simple confession into an unforgettable dramatic crescendo.
Both viewers and critics praised Kim Da-mi for driving the emotional pace of the drama. Rather than portraying love as a sweet fantasy, he renders it as something complex characterized by desire, sacrifice, and growth. His subtle gestures and gaze transitions deepen the resonance of the story, allowing the audience to do so Touch rather than simply clock.
At its center, One hundred memories is a story about finding meaning in resistance, and Kim Da-mi’s portrayal anchors this theme. As Young-rye and Jae-pil’s hearts finally align, the scene feels earned, not orchestrated.
With this ending, Kim Da-mi demonstrates once again why she is among the most compelling actresses of her generation, capable of transforming silent pain into cinematic poetry.
Sources: naver
