Key takeaways
- Kim You Jung stars as a pickpocket turned spy infiltrating the Japanese Government-General of Korea in tvN's "100 Days of Deception."
- Park Jinyoung from GOT7 plays Kim Tae Woong, an interpreter and adopted son of the second-highest-ranking colonial official, caught between cultural identity and institutional power.
- In the premiere preview, Lee Ga Kyeong steals Tae Woong's wallet during their first train encounter while maintaining her cover as a Japanese traveler.
- Director Yoo In Shik, known for "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" and "Dr. Romantic," helms the drama premiering October 10 on tvN for the network's 20th anniversary.
tvN is preparing a period spy romance for its 20th anniversary slate, set during one of Korea’s most turbulent historical periods. “100 Days of Deception” arrives October 10 at 9:10 p.m. KST with a narrative centered on espionage and survival during Korea’s Japanese occupation. The drama stars Kim You Jung as a pickpocket turned covert operative and GOT7’s Park Jinyoung as an interpreter caught between two worlds.
The Plot: Spy Among the Colonizers
From Thief to Undercover Agent
Lee Ga Kyeong earns her reputation as the most skilled pickpocket in Gyeongseong, the colonial-era designation for present-day Seoul. Her talents do not go unnoticed. The Korean independence movement identifies her potential and recruits her as a covert agent, tasking her with infiltrating the heart of Japanese colonial power. Her mission: embed herself within the Japanese Government-General of Korea and extract intelligence from the administration’s inner circles.
The Central Conflict
Once inside the colonial bureaucracy, Lee Ga Kyeong’s path crosses with Kim Tae Woong, an interpreter for the Japanese administration. Tae Woong operates under the Japanese name Sato Hideo and holds significant standing as the adopted son of the Inspector-General of Korea, the second-highest-ranking official in the entire occupation government. His position places him at the nexus of power, making him essential to Lee Ga Kyeong’s mission yet simultaneously a threat to her survival. The 100-day timeline of the drama’s title suggests the compressed, high-stakes window in which their entanglement unfolds.
The Preview: A Chance Encounter
An Awkward Beginning
According to Soompi’s preview coverage, Lee Ga Kyeong and Kim Tae Woong meet aboard a train in the opening episodes. Their collision triggers a series of linguistic miscalculations that reveal the underlying duplicity of both characters. They initially apologize in the other’s language before switching—Lee Ga Kyeong shifting to Korean while Tae Woong pivots to Japanese. This verbal dance masks deeper deceptions at play.
Lee Ga Kyeong seizes the moment to establish her cover, claiming Japanese nationality. When she questions whether Tae Woong is Korean and receives no reply, she recovers smoothly, apologizing in Japanese and explaining that his Korean language had caused her mistake. Tae Woong responds with courtesy, retrieving her fallen hat—a small gesture that conceals the power differential that will shape their relationship.
The Princess Misunderstanding
Tae Woong carries a young girl who views Lee Ga Kyeong with unmistakable coldness. When Lee Ga Kyeong offers practical guidance about which train exit is clear and passable, the child dismisses her help, insisting they leave immediately. Later, alone and frustrated, Lee Ga Kyeong speaks her irritation aloud in English, unaware that Tae Woong overhears. She wonders whether the girl imagines herself royalty, noting that the ceremonial scarf around the child’s neck—the formal dress of a princess—would handicap anyone’s movement.
Tae Woong returns and confronts her with a question of his own: has she not seen the princess in newspapers? He gestures toward the platform, where crowds assemble in ceremonial welcome. The revelation stuns Lee Ga Kyeong, triggering immediate apologies. Tae Woong then delivers the punchline: the girl is not the princess at all. Relief washes over Lee Ga Kyeong, though her embarrassment remains complete.
A Theft Concluded
After Tae Woong’s departure and the girl’s final act of defiance—sticking her tongue at Lee Ga Kyeong—the spy removes his wallet from her possession. The pickpocket has already struck during their encounter, securing her target’s property without detection. Whether she had identified him as a mark before boarding the train or whether her instincts simply activated remains unclear from the preview, but the message is unmistakable: Lee Ga Kyeong operates on two levels simultaneously, playing both the bumbling traveler and the dangerous operative.
Director Yoo In Shik and the Production
Director Yoo In Shik brings a track record of working across multiple genres while maintaining precise narrative control and emotional specificity. He directed “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” which built significant viewership, and has helmed multiple installments in the “Dr. Romantic” franchise. His experience with period narratives, complex character work, and the technical demands of historical dramas positions him well to navigate the tensions between personal connection and political survival that “100 Days of Deception” promises to explore throughout its run.
The Cast: Two Sides of Occupation
Kim You Jung carries the lead as Lee Ga Kyeong, the skilled pickpocket whose intelligence work forms the dramatic core of the narrative. Park Jinyoung, whose profile grew as a member of GOT7, undertakes a substantial acting role with “100 Days of Deception.” His character represents the complex position of someone caught between cultural identity and institutional power—an interpreter literally and symbolically.
The casting deliberately pairs two performers from different professional backgrounds, a choice that underscores the drama’s central exploration of divided allegiances and the challenge of maintaining authenticity while living a false identity.
Premiere and Accessibility
“100 Days of Deception” premieres October 10 at 9:10 p.m. KST on tvN as part of the network’s 20th anniversary programming. International viewers can access the series through Viki, which has carried other tvN content in previous releases.
Source: Soompi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the basic premise of "100 Days of Deception"?
The drama follows Lee Ga Kyeong, a skilled pickpocket who becomes an undercover spy for the Korean independence movement. She infiltrates the Japanese Government-General of Korea, where she becomes entangled with Kim Tae Woong, an interpreter and adopted son of the Inspector-General of Korea, the second-highest-ranking official in the colonial administration.
Who stars in "100 Days of Deception" and who directs it?
Kim You Jung stars as Lee Ga Kyeong, and Park Jinyoung of GOT7 plays Kim Tae Woong. Director Yoo In Shik, who previously directed "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" and the "Dr. Romantic" series, helms the drama.
When and where can viewers watch "100 Days of Deception"?
The drama premieres October 10 at 9:10 p.m. KST on tvN. International viewers can access the series through Viki, which has carried other tvN releases.
