Birthday Letter (2019 TV Movie)
Birthday Letter (Korean: 생일편지; RR: Saengil Pyeonji) is a two-episode South Korean television drama that aired on KBS2 in September 2019. Directed by Kim Jung-Kyu and written by Bae Soo-Young, the series is a historical drama that bridges the events of the Japanese colonial era with the present day.
Plot Synopsis
The narrative follows the lives of Kim Moo-Gil and Yeo Il-Ae, childhood friends and first loves from Hapcheon, South Korea. During the Japanese colonial period, both are forced to leave their hometown for Hiroshima, Japan, where they are eventually separated. Moo-Gil is subjected to forced labor, while Il-Ae works in a bar. Their paths cross again in the city, but their reunion is interrupted by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The story follows their desperate search for one another amidst the destruction of the city.
In 2019, the elderly Kim Moo-Gil receives a birthday letter from his long-lost first love, Il-Ae, prompting a reflection on their shared past.
Cast
The drama features two distinct timelines, with actors portraying the characters in their youth (1945) and in their later years (2019).
2019 Timeline
1945 Timeline
Reception
At the 2019 KBS Drama Awards, Jo Soo-Min received the award for Special Short Drama Actress for her performance in the series.