MANILA — After releasing several thrillers such as “The Silent Sea” and “All Of Us Are Dead,” Netflix is set to bring another South Korean series to its platform. This time, however, it’s a show that offers a heartwarming story of friendship during turbulent times.

On Saturday, the streaming giant will premiere “Twenty-Five Twenty-One,” which follows five youths who try to chase their dreams against the backdrop of the 1998 Asian financial crisis. The title refers to the ages of the two main characters, Na Hee-do and Baek Yi-jin.

“The five youths have their dreams taken away [because of the crisis] and they get together to find ways to move forward. Sometimes, they go through emotional times… this is a coming-of-age story,” director Jung Ji-hyun said at an online press conference on Wednesday.

Jung said he hoped the audience would be able to relate to the series, noting how the 1998 financial crisis and the current COVID-19 pandemic are both “challenging times.”

“Looking at how these young people go through life in 1998, that would actually give some messages that can resonate with the present-day audience,” he said.

The series also marks the small-screen comeback of actress Kim Tae-ri, whose last TV project was the historical drama “Mr. Sunshine” in 2018.

Kim, known for starring in the 2016 erotic-thriller film “The Handmaiden,” said she chose “Twenty-Five Twenty-One” as her TV comeback because of its “beautiful story” and her character.

“My character is full of energy too and this is a kind of character that I haven't portrayed before,” she said of Hee-do, a fencing prodigy.

Kim learned fencing for the show, training for months with co-star Kim Ji-yeon (or Bona from the girl group WJSN), who plays Hee-do’s rival.

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

Heartthrob Nam Joo-hyuk plays Baek Yi-jin, the eldest son of a family severely affected by the financial crisis.

Nam said he prepared for his role by looking at videos of the late 1990s and interviewing a sports journalist, his character’s occupation in the series.

Completing the main cast are Choi Hyun-wook as Moon Ji-woong, who aspires for internet popularity, and Lee Joo-myung as Ji Seung-wan, a top student with a rebellious side.