Writer Jang Hyun-sook drew inspiration from stories told by her seniors during her time as a salesperson, back when mobile phones were not yet commonplace, aiming to capture the warmth and resilience of people during difficult times.

Actress Keum Sae-rok was reportedly offered the female lead role and was considering it, but eventually stepped down due to scheduling conflicts; Kim Min-ha was then cast as her replacement.

Lee Jun-ho was reportedly in talks to star in the series as early as September 2024, with Lee and Kim Min-ha officially confirmed as leads on February 18, 2025.

Principal photography began on February 27, 2025, and wrapped on October 20, 2025, overlapping with the show's broadcast run.

All episode subtitles are inspired by the titles of popular South Korean television series from the 1990s.

A pre-released clip from the first episode shows the protagonist Tae-poong dancing to 'Nan' by Clon, one of the era's most popular Korean songs.

Lotte Chemical packaging appearing in episode 5 is a historical inaccuracy, since the company only adopted the name 'Lotte Chemical' in December 2012 (previously Honam Petrochemical), meaning the logo shown does not match the show's 1997 setting.

To promote the show, Lotte Wellfood collaborated with the production to launch four varieties of Kirin hotteok (a nostalgic bread snack associated with the protagonist's father) alongside giveaways during the drama's airing.

The production team emphasized historical accuracy by sourcing rare period items and interviewing people who lived through the 1997 Asian financial crisis, earning praise for its detailed recreation of 1990s South Korea including pagers, cassette tapes, and period TV captions.

The series debuted at No. 2 on Netflix South Korea and later took the top spot, while ranking in the global Top 10 (non-English category) and reaching the Top 10 overall in numerous countries during its run.