Memories of the Alhambra
An AR game blurs reality in Granada.
Memories of the Alhambra is a 2018 South Korean television series starring Hyun Bin and Park Shin-hye. The story follows a CEO and a hostel owner caught in mysterious events surrounding an augmented reality game inspired by the Alhambra Palace. It aired on tvN from December 2018 to January 2019 and is among the highest-rated Korean dramas on cable television.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Science fantasy
- Action
- Thriller
- Romance
- Creator
- Choi Jin-hee (Studio Dragon), Lee Myung-han (tvN)
- Writer
- Song Jae-jeong
- Director
- Ahn Gil-ho
- Starring
- Hyun Bin, Park Shin-hye
- Composer
- Jeong Se-rin
- Country
- South Korea
- Language
- Korean
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star (Little Prince) (별 (Little Prince)) | 3:02 |
| 2 | Daydream (백일몽) | 4:10 |
| 3 | Is You | 4:26 |
| 4 | Memories of the Alhambra (알함브라 궁전의 추억) | 3:05 |
| 5 | I'm Here | 3:46 |
| 6 | Maybe We (우린 어쩌면) | 4:54 |
| 7 | I'm Here (Guitar Solo Ver.) | 3:46 |
| 8 | Inevitable duel (피할 수 없는 결투) | 3:07 |
| 9 | The Beginning of Magic (마법의 시작) | 4:27 |
| 10 | Delusion and Truth (망상과 진실) | 3:00 |
| 11 | New Enemies Detected (새로운 적 발견) | 2:21 |
| 12 | Death in Granada | 2:15 |
| 13 | Unreal Reality (비현실 같은 현실) | 2:32 |
| 14 | The World of Mystery (신비의 세계) | 2:54 |
| 15 | Connection Error (접속 오류) | 2:23 |
| 16 | Accidental Encounter (우연한 만남) | 3:33 |
| 17 | Magical Reality Drawn In Front of the Eyes (눈앞에 그려진 마법 같은 현실) | 2:11 |
| 18 | Hostel Bonita (보니따 호스텔) | 2:15 |
| 19 | Embarrassing Incident (당황스러운 사건) | 1:38 |
| 20 | Victory Achieved (승리 달성) | 2:33 |
| 21 | Play Harder (게임 노가다) | 2:57 |
| 22 | Three Dimensional Space (3차원의 공간) | 2:21 |
| 23 | Beyond Limits Game (한계를 넘어선 게임) | 2:55 |
| 24 | Alliance Made (동맹을 맺었습니다) | 3:05 |
| 25 | Item He Left (그가 남긴 아이템) | 3:17 |
| 26 | Stories Started in Granada (그라나다에서 시작된 이야기) | 3:01 |
| 27 | Hola! | 2:31 |
| 28 | Bad Day (잘 안 풀리는 하루) | 2:40 |
| 29 | You're Kidding...? (농담이시죠...?) | 2:06 |
| 30 | The Master of Mind Game (밀당의 고수) | 1:29 |
| 31 | Complex Mind (복잡한 마음) | 2:28 |
| 32 | Anxious Time (불안한 시간) | 2:40 |
| 33 | Lost Se-ju (사라진 세주) | 3:44 |
| 34 | Dangerous Quest (위험한 퀘스트) | 2:33 |
| 35 | Virtual or Reality (가상 또는 현실) | 2:55 |
| 36 | Inner Conflict (내면의 갈등) | 2:10 |
| 37 | Jin-woo's Fear (진우의 두려움) | 2:57 |
| 38 | Endless Hallucinations (끝없는 환각) | 2:29 |
| 39 | New User (새로운 유저) | 2:29 |
| 40 | Save Me, Boss (살려주세요 대표님) | 2:37 |
| 41 | Mysterious Whereabouts (묘연한 행방) | 3:34 |
| 42 | Recuerdos de la Alhambra (by Francisco Tárrega) | 4:24 |
| Total length | 125:45 | |
Released on 2018-12-08
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Star (Little Prince) (별 (Little Prince)) | Loco, Kako, Curtis F, NATHAN | 3:02 |
| 2 | Star (Little Prince) (Inst.) | Kako, Curtis F, NATHAN | 3:02 |
| Total length | 6:04 | ||
Released on 2018-12-15
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daydream (백일몽) | Seo Dong-sung, Park Sung-il | 4:10 |
| 2 | Daydream (Inst.) | Park Sung-il | 4:10 |
| Total length | 8:20 | ||
Track listing from the source article.
Did You Know?
- The series was broadcast on Netflix in Asia and English-speaking territories one hour after its Korean broadcast.
- In Japan, the drama aired on December 2, 2018.
- The title alludes to Francisco Tárrega's classical guitar piece Recuerdos de la Alhambra, which appears in the soundtrack.
Synopsis
Yoo Jin-woo, CEO of an investment company, travels to Granada after receiving an email about a groundbreaking augmented reality game set in the Alhambra. He meets Jung Hee-joo, a hostel owner and former guitarist, whose brother Jung Se-joo created the game and has gone missing. As Jin-woo and Hee-joo investigate, the boundary between the real world and the AR world begins to dissolve.
Cast
Hyun Bin plays Yoo Jin-woo, CEO of J One Holdings and a Doctor of Engineering who is fearless and cynical; his AR game ID is "zinu". Park Shin-hye portrays Jung Hee-joo, owner of Hostal Bonita and a former classic guitarist, as well as the NPC Emma. Lee Chae-yoon plays young Hee-joo. Park Chan-yeol is Jung Se-joo, Hee-joo's younger brother and a genius programmer who created the AR game; his ID is "master". Kim Jun-eui plays young Se-joo. Kim Yong-rim appears as grandmother Oh Young-shim. Lee Re plays Jung Min-joo, Hee-joo's younger sister; Park Chae-hee plays young Min-joo. Lee Hak-joo is Kim Sang-bum, a classic guitarist and international student. Park Hoon plays Cha Hyung-seok, CEO of Neword and Jin-woo's college friend turned rival; his ID is "Mr. Cha". Lee Seung-joon is Park Seon-ho, Business Strategy Director and co-founder of J One Holdings. Min Jin-woong plays secretary Seo Jung-hoon, killed by bug-created NPCs; his ID is "City Hunter". Cho Hyun-chul is Choi Yang-joo, Head of R&D Center Research Team. Lee Si-won plays Lee Soo-jin, Jin-woo's ex-wife and Hyung-seok's pregnant wife. Kim Eui-sung is Cha Byung-jun, a professor and Hyung-seok's father. Ryu Abel plays florist Lee Soo-kyung. Han Bo-reum appears as Ko Yoo-ra.
Production
The series was directed by Ahn Gil-ho and written by Song Jae-jeong. It was promoted as Korea's first augmented reality-gaming drama, inspired by Elon Musk and Pokémon Go. The first script reading took place in May 2018. Overseas filming occurred in Granada, Barcelona, Girona, and Terrassa in Spain, and later in Budapest, Hungary and Slovenia. The final script was completed on December 19, 2018, and filming ended on December 29, 2018 in South Korea. A preview screening was held on November 28, 2018.
Reception
The drama was a hit in its timeslot, leading cable ratings. Its augmented reality concept and high-quality visuals, cinematography, and quick pacing drew early praise, with critic Jeong Seok-hee calling it a potential standout. Later episodes faced criticism for confusing plot development and heavy product placement. In China, it gained popularity for the cast, cinematography, and fresh storyline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Memories of the Alhambra?
Memories of the Alhambra was created by Choi Jin-hee (Studio Dragon), Lee Myung-han (tvN).
How many episodes of Memories of the Alhambra are there?
Memories of the Alhambra has 16 episodes.
When did Memories of the Alhambra end?
Memories of the Alhambra last aired on 20 January 2019.
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