[Edaily Starin, Reporter YUN GI BACK ] “100 Days of Lies” has revealed the outline of its full-fledged narrative by bringing the characters’ intertwined relationships and hidden identities to the forefront. Going beyond a simple period drama or spy thriller, the series is expected to center on the process by which characters—each harboring false identities and different desires—deceive and trust one another.

Premiering on the 10th of next month, tvN’s 20th-anniversary special project “100 Days of Lies” depicts a 100-day espionage romance that unfolds when Lee Ga-kyung (played by Kim Yoo-jung)—Gyeongseong’s top pickpocket—infiltrates the Japanese Government-General of Korea as a spy planted by the independence army and crosses paths with elite interpreter Sato Hideo (played by Park Jin-young). By using the theme of interpretation, the series examines both the surface and the underlying meaning of words, and distinguishes itself from conventional period dramas through the premise of a “spy planted directly by the independence fighters.”
The character teaser released on the 18th hints that the relationships among the five main characters will not follow a simple good-versus-evil narrative. Sato Shinichi (played by Jin Seon-kyu), the Chief of Political Affairs at the Japanese Government-General of Korea, reveals himself as a ruthless man of power, while Korean-American correspondent Philip Yoo (played by Lee Mu-saeng) uses his status as a journalist as a weapon to uncover the truth behind the events. Yoo So-ran (played by Kim Hyun-joo), a sniper for the Save the Nation Corps, aims her gun at Sato Shinichi, driven by 13 years of seeking revenge.
The relationship between Hideo Sato and his father, Shinichi Sato, is also a central theme. Hideo’s desperation—“How can I become my father’s son?”—intersects with the image of Shinichi pointing a gun at his own son, illustrating how even family ties have been twisted by power and conviction.
The biggest wild card is Lee Ga-kyung’s dual identity. While she approaches Sato Hideo under the name “Geum Seo-hee,” her true identity is that of a pickpocket turned informant. It’s also noteworthy that she accepted the role of an informant—on the condition that she be allowed to go to the U.S.—to pursue her own dreams rather than for the grand cause of independence. A key point of interest in the series will likely be how a character driven more by personal desire than a heroic sense of mission changes as she collides with the weight of history.
Ultimately, “100 Days of Lies” is a story that follows not so much who is hiding what, but rather what genuine feelings are revealed amidst the lies. As espionage, romance, revenge, and family narratives are intricately woven together, attention is focused on how each character’s choices will shake up one another’s destinies.
“100 Days of Lies” is directed by Yoo In-sik and Kim Yoon-jin, with a screenplay by writer Ryu Bo-ri. Starring Kim Yoo-jung, Park Jin-young, Kim Hyun-joo, Lee Mu-saeng, and Jin Seon-kyu, the series premieres on October 10 at 9:10 p.m.