Heo Nam-jun Addresses 'Too Old' Controversy in 'A Hundred Years of Memory', Vows to Wear 'Beat' Style School Uniform Next Time

Actor Heo Nam-jun has spoken out about the 'too old' issue surrounding his portrayal of a high school student in the JTBC weekend drama 'A Hundred Years of Memory'.

In a recent interview following the drama's conclusion, Heo Nam-jun, who played the fateful first love Han Jae-pil, discussed his role and the viewer reactions.

'A Hundred Years of Memory' is a retro youth romance that depicts the vibrant friendship between 1980s bus conductors Go Young-re (Kim Da-mi) and Seo Jong-hee (Shin Ye-eun), and the tender first love surrounding Han Jae-pil (Heo Nam-jun), a man destined to be involved with both friends. The drama, which garnered a peak viewership rating of 7.5%, concluded on the 19th.

Heo Nam-jun portrayed Han Jae-pil, a seemingly wealthy but inwardly scarred character. His deep gaze and baritone voice effectively amplified the tenderness and excitement of first love, successfully driving the drama's romantic narrative. He shared his feelings about the finale: "It's hard to believe it's over after filming for about 8 months. I don't think I've ever been fully satisfied with my acting, but the things that needed to be expressed were conveyed. As a viewer, I enjoyed watching it and was satisfied."

However, the 32-year-old actor faced criticism for appearing 'too old' to convincingly play a high school student in uniform. He explained his perspective: "After the uniform fitting, I looked at a lot of reference materials, including my father's old photos, and thought that students back then looked quite mature, so I didn't think I'd seem too out of place. I'm regretful and sorry that some viewers perceived me as looking too old. If I have to wear a school uniform again, I'll aim for a look similar to the one in 'The Aggressors'." Heo Nam-jun also elaborated on his character preparation, stating that he focused more on his acting than his appearance, even adjusting his diet to achieve a sharper facial look, sacrificing his physique in the process.

Korean netizens reacted warmly to Heo Nam-jun's candid remarks, with comments like "Actor Heo Nam-jun is so cute," "I thought you looked mature rather than old!", and "Looking forward to seeing you in cooler roles next time," showing support for his sincerity and witty response.