Post by Choko on Nov 10, 2005 9:49:15 GMT -5
I'm going to translate some Korean interview articles.
Sorry for my poor English translation in advance. I'm not a journalist. LOL ;D
PEOPLE WHO CREATED THE IMMORTAL YI SOON-SHIN
Woman Times (September. 13, 2005)
The Immortal Yi Soon-shin (IYSS)[/i] was over. however, Yi Soon-shin came to have more vitality than before like the drama title shows. Woman Times interviewed with the director and the writer of IYSS who were in the epicenter of the vitality.
◀ Interview with director Yi Seong-joo (이성주)
"I should have described more primitive battles"
Q. Why did you determine to dramatize YSS?
"I wanted to show something meaningful. Something... to touch my heart. At first I made a plan to produce a new historical drama, but I couldn't come up with a good idea. After spending many days on thinking about what is needed in our times and what should be inspired through the TV, I made up my mind to dramatize Yi Soon-shin. I thought there would be no better choice. Many TV directors had the high ambition to dramatize YSS, but it was almost impossible in the past due to huge budget or technical matters. I knew by intuition that now is the suitable time to make it, and my feeling was turned out to be true. After determining what to make, I had to study how to make. I realized nothing could be more important than scenario. I wanted a new writer who was not accustomed to existing historical drama genre. Yes, IYSS is her first historical drama."
(* Choko's comment : the leading writer, Yun Seon-ju, is a woman)
Q. Did you cast all the actors/actresses in person?
"Yes. I wanted those who can devote all their energies only to IYSS."
Q. Why did you cast an unknown actor for Yi Soon-shin?
(* Choko's comment : Actor Kim Myoung-min was an obscure actor when he was cast for the part of YSS. According to some newspaper articles, there had been so many actors who ran for the role, including Song Il-guk who played Yeom-jang in "The Emperor of the Sea", but the director finally chose Kim Myoung-min. It was quite a surprise at that time.)
"I didn't like to cast a famous actor. I wanted a man who could be immersed in his role with passion. I met with Kim Myoung-min, and now I think it was a wise choice. During the shooting (for about 2 years) I had tried to remember that I was creating something meaningful. Such a feeling made me relaxed and freed from the oppression to care about audience ratings. I had been forced to choose something endlessly all through the series. I did my best not to regret. I'm really proud of my staff, actors/actresses, and other members who devoted themselves to this series.
Q. The drama writer said she wanted to describe YSS not as a saint hero but as a leader.
(* Choko's comment : Korean people call YSS not just a hero but a "saint hero" or "holy(divine) hero" to express their admiration. Some of them blindly admire YSS and feel uncomfortable when YSS is described as a man who has weaknesses as well as virtues. It looks like a cult to me. The IYSS staff had to fight with their protest throughout the series)
"I think the writer, Ms. Yun Seon-ju, depicted the leader image very well. I tried to describe YSS as a humane character but I failed to get a satisfactory result. At least, I did my best to show a man who struggles to make his world a better place to live on, with decent and humane feelings.
Q. What kind of drama do you want to produce from now on?
"I'd like to make something serious and meaningful. The more dramas I make, the harder they are for me. "Drama" talks about people, and is also made by people. That is too hard for me.
Q. The IYSS was over. What do you feel now? Joy, or regret?
"I have mixed feeling of regret and joy. It's like two sides of a coin. Many viewers were excited at the battle scenes, but actually, they are not what I wanted to show. The battles, at that time, must have been quite different from the modern warfares where rockets are shot and the enemy's ships are crushed. Let's imagine. Raging waves were surging, and some primitive forces were hidden under the waves. I wanted to express such primitive images, but it was beyond my capacity.
- To be continued -
The short interview with the writer will be posted tomorrow.
Sorry for my poor English translation in advance. I'm not a journalist. LOL ;D
PEOPLE WHO CREATED THE IMMORTAL YI SOON-SHIN
Woman Times (September. 13, 2005)
The Immortal Yi Soon-shin (IYSS)[/i] was over. however, Yi Soon-shin came to have more vitality than before like the drama title shows. Woman Times interviewed with the director and the writer of IYSS who were in the epicenter of the vitality.
◀ Interview with director Yi Seong-joo (이성주)
"I should have described more primitive battles"
Q. Why did you determine to dramatize YSS?
"I wanted to show something meaningful. Something... to touch my heart. At first I made a plan to produce a new historical drama, but I couldn't come up with a good idea. After spending many days on thinking about what is needed in our times and what should be inspired through the TV, I made up my mind to dramatize Yi Soon-shin. I thought there would be no better choice. Many TV directors had the high ambition to dramatize YSS, but it was almost impossible in the past due to huge budget or technical matters. I knew by intuition that now is the suitable time to make it, and my feeling was turned out to be true. After determining what to make, I had to study how to make. I realized nothing could be more important than scenario. I wanted a new writer who was not accustomed to existing historical drama genre. Yes, IYSS is her first historical drama."
(* Choko's comment : the leading writer, Yun Seon-ju, is a woman)
Q. Did you cast all the actors/actresses in person?
"Yes. I wanted those who can devote all their energies only to IYSS."
Q. Why did you cast an unknown actor for Yi Soon-shin?
(* Choko's comment : Actor Kim Myoung-min was an obscure actor when he was cast for the part of YSS. According to some newspaper articles, there had been so many actors who ran for the role, including Song Il-guk who played Yeom-jang in "The Emperor of the Sea", but the director finally chose Kim Myoung-min. It was quite a surprise at that time.)
"I didn't like to cast a famous actor. I wanted a man who could be immersed in his role with passion. I met with Kim Myoung-min, and now I think it was a wise choice. During the shooting (for about 2 years) I had tried to remember that I was creating something meaningful. Such a feeling made me relaxed and freed from the oppression to care about audience ratings. I had been forced to choose something endlessly all through the series. I did my best not to regret. I'm really proud of my staff, actors/actresses, and other members who devoted themselves to this series.
Q. The drama writer said she wanted to describe YSS not as a saint hero but as a leader.
(* Choko's comment : Korean people call YSS not just a hero but a "saint hero" or "holy(divine) hero" to express their admiration. Some of them blindly admire YSS and feel uncomfortable when YSS is described as a man who has weaknesses as well as virtues. It looks like a cult to me. The IYSS staff had to fight with their protest throughout the series)
"I think the writer, Ms. Yun Seon-ju, depicted the leader image very well. I tried to describe YSS as a humane character but I failed to get a satisfactory result. At least, I did my best to show a man who struggles to make his world a better place to live on, with decent and humane feelings.
Q. What kind of drama do you want to produce from now on?
"I'd like to make something serious and meaningful. The more dramas I make, the harder they are for me. "Drama" talks about people, and is also made by people. That is too hard for me.
Q. The IYSS was over. What do you feel now? Joy, or regret?
"I have mixed feeling of regret and joy. It's like two sides of a coin. Many viewers were excited at the battle scenes, but actually, they are not what I wanted to show. The battles, at that time, must have been quite different from the modern warfares where rockets are shot and the enemy's ships are crushed. Let's imagine. Raging waves were surging, and some primitive forces were hidden under the waves. I wanted to express such primitive images, but it was beyond my capacity.
- To be continued -
The short interview with the writer will be posted tomorrow.
