Yonsei News

An Era When Stories Are Viewed

It is an era when "something to see" seems to dominate the world. With the emergence of various media platforms, various video content such as movies, dramas, and short-form videos are played everywhere in everyday life. Among these numerous contents, dramas of more diverse genres are pouring into the market. A fierce video content war is brewing to attract more people with a more engaging plot. After all, the core issue penetrating this "era of viewing" is a differentiated story. Yonsei University alumnus Song Jin-sun is a chief producer (CP) at "Studio Dragon," one of South Korea's representative drama studios. She is searching for groundbreaking stories through her unfamiliar perspective to create dramas alongside various creators.
 

There Are So Many Stories Lie in Law Books

When she was in her 20s, Song had a continuous flow of stories that she wanted to keep spitting out. There were too many stories that filled her mind. She constantly wanted to delve into these stories and unfold them rather than focus on her studies. She was a curious student who wondered about the world outside the campus. And it was thus outside of the campus where Song spent time exploring the origins of her stories. Naturally, this led to frequent breaks from university. Nevertheless, the "raw" stories she encountered through such experiences were far too fascinating.

"During my time at Yonsei, I spent much of my time outside the campus. I just had so many questions. Whenever I come across a story, I could not help but wonder about the origin from which it came, but it was something I couldn't figure out in the comfort of lecture halls. Each story would be distinguished through its individuality, but eventually, it was challenging to comprehend the underlying meanings between the lines without actually meeting and listening to the person's experiences and values. As such, this led to spending more and more time off campus."

Song, curious about the world and wanting to unfold her own stories, volunteered to pursue her passion by learning from professional scriptwriters and also working as a comic scriptwriter herself. Rather than writing some grandiose stories, her stories started small, which pertained to herself and her surroundings. Be it the correlation between eating and a romantic relationship, a romance with a professor who constantly makes typo errors in his text messages, Song wrote stories about a romance that an average woman might experience in her life, one of which includes the webtoon How Eves Love.

Surprisingly, however, she majored in law. She has completed her bachelor's degree and four semesters of the master's degree course. So, naturally, she is knowledgeable about the law.

"Everyone gets shocked when I tell them that I majored in law. But I think it's the perfect discipline to become a storyteller. As you know, there are many precedents in law. We can see the kaleidoscope of human emotions within numerous stories we encounter in these precedents. Law intervenes between all human beings at homes, offices, or anywhere across society. As I looked into and studied them, I think I was able to encounter these stories naturally. I believe I came across many fundamental concerns about human beings while studying law."

Being able to have a slightly different perspective from others while learning law was also a new opportunity for Song. It became a competitive edge in a new field that only she could do, rather than writing stories of similar materials or plots.

"It was a period when legal dramas were becoming a boom. In 2009, I participated in the drama Partner, the first K-drama depicting legal battles. Just like the recent hit Extraordinary Attorney Woo, dramas handling legal battles in court became common nowadays, but it was an unfamiliar genre back then. So, some people assumed that it would be a failure. Even the writers themselves were skeptical about it. However, having majored in law, there were distinctive roles I could play, and this gave me confidence with strengths in unique content. Studying law was a great opportunity for me, and I think it helped me become a professional in this content field."

Interesting stories of people in court cases were like a treasure trove of stories for Song. Above all, she was able to add depth and breadth as a storyteller by looking into human aspects of the lives of others. One of the stories she unraveled from such a distinguished point of view is a story about the last meal patients ate before dying in the hospice ward, called The Meal of Healing. This work led her to win the KBS drama script contest, but since she had already decided to become a producer instead of continuing her career as a writer, she was satisfied that it won the contest. Upon recommendation from a publisher, Song later published her work as an essay; this was her last work as a writer.
 

Enjoying the Most Out of Today as a Chief Producer

Song, through the early days of her career as a drama scriptwriter at various drama studios and SBS, is currently working as a CP at Studio Dragon, a renowned drama studio that presents Korean dramas across the globe. A chief producer plays a key role in content planning and development. It is an essential position, the responsibility of which includes discovering the content to be dramatized, confirming the message it conveys, and making a plan with which director and writer to make it so that a drama can be born. In a way, a CP might not be the director or writer who gets the spotlight, but from the birth of the drama to the broadcast of the first episode on air, it plays a key role in setting the direction with the creators and leading the overall project. This is why she is enjoying her life in her profession.

"When I started my career as a producer, there were not many roles that a CP used to take charge of. At a drama studio, I planned some works, such as Moon Embracing the Sun and Bridal Mask, and the responses were great. Soon after, broadcasting stations gained interest in the producers behind these works, which led me to join SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System). I think that was when I started being in a position where I could decide what content I wanted to produce. After all, viewers would remember the director, the scriptwriter, and the actors over time, but they don't remember the producers behind the dramas they love. Nonetheless, as the drama industry gradually became producer-centric in structure, it is gradually being proven how a producer can start planning a drama and become the beginning of inspiration. If directors and scriptwriters dig deep, producers have a relatively wider sphere of influence. They have to see the flow of the whole story. This is where the charm of being a producer lies."

Abandoning Familiarity to Pursue Unfamiliar Perspective with Strangers

Song Jin-sun's dramas, including What's Wrong with Secretary Kim, True Beauty, and Avengers Social Club, have been successive hits. So how can she find and create good content encompassing various genres?

"I once took care of about 17 famous scriptwriters at a drama studio by myself. It was really not an easy task, but it was through this experience that I got to observe and listen to how they think and how their stories begin and develop, which nurtured my ability to complete my vision for the story I wish to produce, even though the original work might not be perfect. I would look at the possibility of realizing this vision within the sphere of the original work. Then, when this vision could be drawn, I could decide to purchase the original work's license. Thanks to the privilege of being around excellent directors and scriptwriters throughout these years, it was possible. At this point, I think I reached the stage where I can sufficiently present my vision to the scriptwriters."

The "joy of work" that involves realizing the story's vision and the worldview it creates by producing works with various creators naturally leads to deeper involvement in the work. Song would spend a lot of time conversing with the creators who will materialize this vision for continuous enhancement to realize her vision. With Song usually working on three to six projects simultaneously, you can imagine how busy her daily life must be. Even so, with an everlasting thirst for new stories and new insights, Song's exploration continues.

"We don't watch things that are too "plain" these days. And we also don't see things that resemble what we watched before. Content these days seems to have two directions. A story that deeply embodies one's worldview or a story that makes familiar things unfamiliar. In fact, making something look unfamiliar could be a genre of its own, or it could be one's original story. I think there is a need to try different methods. That's why I don't succumb to familiarity and constantly look for content about what's new and what stimulates me. Actually, all the possible stories are similar. So, the determining factor that makes a drama popular is how it is recreated to become unfamiliar. Thus, this propels me to continue my search for something different. It is a constant search for things that excite me and those who could express that alongside me."
 

A New Attempt Beyond Boundaries

Song's search for unfamiliarity sometimes transcends national borders. With Connect, which will be released soon through Disney+, she has produced the first Korean drama directed by a Japanese director. Based on a webtoon of the same title, Connect is a brutal drama about a protagonist who was murdered with one eye stolen, mysteriously resurrects, and seeks revenge while connected to the person who had his eye transplanted. Upon coming across the original work, she thought of the Japanese master director Takashi Miike, which led to a proposal for a collaboration that was quickly accepted. Director Miike is considered a genius of thrillers that ask back the essence of human beings through elements of body mutilation and murder. Song, who has always kept an eye on his works, chose him as the best partner for conveying this work in an unfamiliar and fun way. Above all, she wanted to show the B-class imagination that broke away from the typical Korean drama formula.

"Connect is a work that I had a lot of concerns about. The concept was clear, but the story wasn't perfect either. As such, I had a lot of concerns about whether this could be made into a drama. But when I came across the original work, I could imagine its beginning and the end if it were to be made into one. That's how it all started, and I spent a year planning and developing the story with Director Miike. It was fun because it was a new attempt, but there was also difficulty in conveying the subtle nuances due to the language barrier. It's a tough job if you don't have a vision of how far you'll go with your character, and in the process, we would draw different worlds. Naturally, there were a lot of arguments and persuasions. Also, in the process of making the story, the director would bring up questions like, "Isn't it supposed to be like this for a Korean drama?" so I requested him not to get caught up in such thoughts so that he could tell what came to his mind without adding or subtracting anything. Working with a Japanese director was an unfamiliar experience, but as a producer, I was involved in many creative parts, and it was a lot of fun working on it."

Connect was invited to the Busan International Film Festival last October, and upon the release of the first two episodes, the drama received favorable reviews. The drama was officially made available on Disney+ on December 7, with all six episodes released at once. The story Song wants to convey through Connect is about "being different," and she wishes that the message will be conveyed to the viewers in an attractive way.

"Through Connect, I wanted to talk about "being different." If you think about the emotions that this notion of difference gives, sometimes there are stories in which protagonists express their abilities through rage, but there would certainly be loneliness that this difference brings. I wanted to create an Asian hero story that embodies the solitude and loneliness of a person with extraordinary abilities; so that viewers could realize that, in a way, living a normal life might be happiness in itself."
 

Constantly Watching New Things, Persistently Seeking the Essence

In order to constantly discover new content, one needs to be continuously inspired. After finishing an extensive project, a well-deserved refresh might seem to be in need. For Song, however, she would revert to the cycle of "continuously watching" things.

"I don't think I am taking breaks. (laughter) I would watch things non-stop. Regarding the act of watching, it does not restrict to video media. If you look at YouTube, there are so many genres: stories of architects, fashion shows, paintings, and music… In one way or another, I constantly digest things made in the form of a video and take notes, whether it's a fleeting image or an imagination I get from watching it. One needs to take complete breaks from time to time, but I think I'm a bit addicted, right? But I think it's too important to me. Otherwise, I can't start my work. (laughter)"

What she sees so constantly is unedited "raw" stuff. Even though these raw things might be considered trash by others, they become an image through someone and unfolds imaginary branches. Through exposure to countless content, Song would bring these things into herself and filter them into new stories by contemplating the essence. In her own way, she tells viewers new stories through new ideas that emerge from what was accumulated within.

However, in retrospect, what she has been stubbornly holding onto is the spirit of not losing the "essence."

"Sometimes I get jealous when I see works with fresh ideas. But in the end, I think a drama must contain a message that touches people about the essence that makes the viewers think. So, I think I'm trying to create that depth. Even if the things I've already created come from many things I was jealous of, I think there is a need to show the audience the depth and perspective exclusive to me for something to be conveyed. It has to be there not only in the way the story is told but also in the message. So I am thinking a lot about the essence of the message and making a lot of effort trying to convey it."

Toward a Deeper, Smaller Story in the World

The work for the recently released Connect has been completed, but Song Jin-sun is still busy as ever. There is a drama ready to start filming soon, and she is also preparing a new project in Japan with Director Miike, whom she collaborated with for Connect. There were many more things she wanted to do with Director Miike. By participating in the production as the only Korean staff in a Japanese drama team made up of only Japanese production crew, Song plans to dive into the sense of foreignness of a stranger that Director Miike felt in the previous work. Additionally, she wishes to look deeper into the world for the upcoming story.

"Recently, I enjoyed watching the drama Five Days at Memorial on Apple TV. It got me really excited. It is a story where humans are being put to the test in an uncontrollable disaster situation as they engage in whatever actions they can do. It was so much fun, and I wondered why we hadn't tried this kind of story in Korea. I think I might work on making such a story. There is also a movie called Nomadland that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It's the work of a Chinese female film director, and it's a story about a small, marginalized group of people. I also want to work on such a small story... Be it a story about an occupation not well known or seen by people in our society. If I were to continue creating new content ten years from now, I presume I would still be looking into something then as well."
 
Song Jin-sun has always looked into her own story and the world of others, filled with curiosity and excitement for all the stories available in this world. Even today, she is constantly watching something. The new stories she will come up with are expected to continue being exciting, never-ending stories for the future.