Director Ham Jun-ho of 'My Perfect Secretary' reflected on his past mistakes.
SBS weekend drama 'My Perfect Secretary' (directed by Ham Jun-ho and Kim Jae-hong, written by Ji Eun, produced by Studio S and ICON Content Group) concluded successfully with the term 'My Perfect Drama' attached to it. After the finale, the still enthusiastic reception from viewers was palpable, and Director Ham Jun-ho shared his heartfelt thoughts directly with the viewers who have given him warm love on the 26th.
In particular, Director Ham Jun-ho mentioned his past mistakes while revealing his thoughts after the finale. Previously, the director's criminal record was disclosed late through an online community, causing controversy. It was reported that former Director Ham caused a scene by splashing soju on a passerby in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and after engaging in indiscriminate assault, he fought with passersby and directed sexual insults at a female police officer in her 20s, receiving legal punishment.
In response, SBS stated to OSEN, "It is true that Director Ham Jun-ho was accused of assault and insult due to intoxication in early 2020. However, he sincerely apologized to all the victims and, after obtaining forgiveness and reconciliation, received legal punishment."
They also added, "The past criminal record mentioned in the report five years ago was a minor offense and is unrelated to this incident," stating, "As a result of this case, Director Ham Jun-ho received a suspension in accordance with company procedures and took three years for reflection and repentance before returning to directing. We ask for your generous understanding."
Regarding this, Director Ham Jun-ho opened up, saying, "I caused harm to the actors and staff who did their best to create the drama due to a serious error I committed in the past. I have regretted daily for the past five years and felt ashamed." He continued, "From the moment I began directing 'My Perfect Secretary' until its end, I only thought about doing my best in what I could do immediately. And as I saw this work receive much love, I have personally vowed not to forget my mistakes for a lifetime and to become a better person day by day."
Next is Director Ham Jun-ho's Q&A.
Q: I am curious about your thoughts on the finale of 'My Perfect Secretary.'
A: I only feel gratitude and remorse. I caused harm to the actors and staff who did their best to create the drama due to a serious error I committed in the past. I have regretted daily for the past five years and felt ashamed. From the moment I began directing 'My Perfect Secretary' until its end, I only thought about doing my best in what I could do immediately. And as I saw this work receive much love, I have personally vowed not to forget my mistakes for a lifetime and to work towards being a better person every day. I believe this is my duty to all the viewers who loved the drama and the actors and staff who have been with me. Once again, I would like to thank and apologize to all those who loved 'My Perfect Secretary.'
Q: What was your feeling when the casting of Han Ji-min and Lee Jun-hyuk was confirmed? I am also curious about how you viewed their acting.
A: The combination of actors Han Ji-min and Lee Jun-hyuk for the melodrama was a dream come true for a director. When that combination was completed, I had a strong thought that I had to shoot it 'most beautifully.' 'My Perfect Secretary' was a drama that could shine thanks to the ideas of the two actors. Both actors always knew exactly what points to emphasize on set and worked together to express those points in a non-obvious way. They truly were 'my perfect protagonists.'
Above all, both actors are very similar to their characters. Actress Han Ji-min is like 'Kang Ji-yoon,' confident but also fragile, a person of 'strong on the outside, weak on the inside.' Seeing her on set, I learned a lot personally beyond the director-actor relationship, and I felt an admiration-like emotion, thinking, 'I want to become that kind of person too.' Actor Lee Jun-hyuk is sensitive, considerate, extremely smart in his work, yet still retains a childlike innocence. Watching him carefully present a lively idea and balancing being serious while harboring a strong desire for comedy made me think that if 'Yoo Eun-ho' existed, he would look like this.
Q: Was there a particular point you focused on in directing to express the contrast between the cold Ji-yoon and the warm Eun-ho?
A: I made artistic efforts to express the contrast between Ji-yoon and Eun-ho. Ji-yoon's house was designed to exclude as much color as possible to create a cold and desolate feeling, while Eun-ho's house was filled with various colors to express a warm and noisy space. In the 'Peoples' office space where they live together, I set orange as a key point to express the feeling of Ji-yoon and Eun-ho permeating into each other. The fiery red of Ji-yoon mixed with the warm yellow of Eun-ho created an orange hue.
Q: The visual beauty received much praise as well.
A: The purpose of 'My Perfect Secretary' is, "I believe in the great miracles created by the small kindness of ordinary people." Therefore, I wanted to express stories that are like miracles of everyday life, depicting a melodrama that unfolds in familiar spaces that many can often encounter in their daily lives. As we filmed in areas easily accessible to many citizens, the staff and actors worked very hard. In the case of the 'Gwanghwamun kiss scene,' although the environment had many constraints, the two actors displayed remarkable focus. They had to express emotions amid the bustle of the city, and I often felt respect when I saw the two actors performing as if only Eun-ho and Ji-yoon existed in that space.
Q: What points did you focus on in directing the romance scenes between Ji-yoon and Eun-ho?
A: In fact, it is difficult to choose just one part because all the directors and staff gave their best to produce the best results. However, if I had to point out the areas that physically required the most time, it would be the music work. I wanted to express the cautious approach of Ji-yoon and Eun-ho drawing closer to each other without rushing, but not boringly, and for that dynamic balance, music was important. I requested the music director to provide a simpler tone of solo piano rather than the grandeur of an orchestra. They created many good pieces, and I always enjoyed working on it. The editing director, assistant directors, and OST team also provided much support for the music work, and I believe that the combined effort resulted in a convincing romance between Ji-yoon and Eun-ho.
Q: The direction of the 'eye kiss,' expressing emotions with hands or just by looking at each other without a word, was impressive.
A: When I first met them, I carefully observed their hands and imagined what it would feel like when their hands overlapped. I thought that when actress Han Ji-min's small hand was enveloped by actor Lee Jun-hyuk's large, somewhat rough but masculine hand, it would feel as if Eun-ho was hugging Ji-yoon. Thinking that 'hands are faster than eyes,' I wanted to express feelings of affection through gestures before exchanging glances, and the cinematographer beautifully captured the hands of Ji-yoon and Eun-ho with a thrilling feeling.
As many of you may know, actress Han Ji-min has a wonderful gaze. Her eyes change delicately according to the situation, and the degree of expression varies with emotion. I wanted to fully utilize that strength. If Ji-yoon is a character with autonomy in every aspect, Eun-ho is a character who fully embraces and nurtures Ji-yoon's emotions. Actor Lee Jun-hyuk was also well aware of this point and beautifully portrayed the nurturing of the intense emotional gaze expressed by Ji-yoon. The scenes were possible because the intense emotional gaze and the tender gaze met.
Q: Is there a particular scene that stood out personally or one that you poured your heart into directing?
A: I would like to mention the endpoint of episode 4, where sincere feelings surfaced under intoxication, and the piano performance scene in episode 7. During the filming of the fourth episode's ending, I didn't want to call for a cut because Ji-yoon and Eun-ho's expressions and atmosphere were so wonderful. The emotions expressed by the two actors and the atmosphere created by the entire team were so good that I dedicated a lot of effort to post-production. We spent a lot of time on editing, CG, effects, music, and color correction, and thanks to everyone's excellent results, this scene has a special place in my heart.
In the piano concert scene in episode 7, I had already thought of Chopin's music while working on the script with the writer. Chopin's Ballade No. 1 is one of my favorite classical pieces, and I believe it was the piece that could express Ji-yoon and Eun-ho's emotions most dramatically without dialogue. The script, acting, and editing aligned perfectly with the music, making it a scene I worked on with excitement.
Q: The performances of Kim Do-hoon, Kim Yoon-hye, Park Bo-kyung from 'Caraway', and the 'Peoples' employees Lee Sang-hee, Heo Dong-won, Ko Geon-han, Seo Hye-won, and Yoon Ga-i also shone brightly.
A: All the actors sometimes instinctively, sometimes with thorough calculation, engaged 200% into the drama. When I gathered seasoned individuals, there was no need for directorial input as an actor, and I felt that if I could provide an environment where they could freely express themselves, my role was complete. The 'Peoples' team—Kim Do-hoon, Lee Sang-hee, Heo Dong-won, Ko Geon-han, Seo Hye-won, and Yoon Ga-i—always displayed the best synergy, especially during the filming of the 'Peoples' company dinner scene in episode 4, where there were unexpectedly vibrant performances and ideas, leaving me feeling quite satisfied.
Actors Kim Do-hoon and Kim Yoon-hye also had wonderful chemistry, filling the set with positive energy every time we filmed their scenes. Despite possibly feeling disappointed and regrettable as actors, they expressed their characters brilliantly without showing any signs of dissatisfaction, which I am very grateful for. Park Bo-kyung, the only villain, likely had considerable pressure performing alone, worrying about standing out from the rest. It was a role that required much calculation and preparation, but Park Bo-kyung always presented appropriate tones for various situations, making it easier to shoot challenging scenes. I believe every single one of them was perfect. I sincerely want to express my deep gratitude to all the actors.
Q: Producer Na Young-seok's reaction in episode 4 garnered attention.
A: It was indeed the best. Especially after watching the preview that followed the ending of episode 4, when Producer Na Young-seok exclaimed, "You remember it all!" turning red in the face, I think I will not forget that reaction for a long time. While I was busy progressing through editing of later episodes, I started to feel tired, but seeing that reaction gave me the energy to push forward. I would like to thank actress Han Ji-min and Producer Na Young-seok for their genuinely passionate reactions.
Q: How would you like 'My Perfect Secretary' to be remembered?
A: I would appreciate it if you remember it as a piece like 'Miracle of Spring Days.' I hope you felt through our drama how precious and valuable the experience of loving and being loved is. I would like 'My Perfect Secretary' to be a drama that creates a miraculous happy day in the upcoming springtime of daily life. On behalf of all the production staff, I deeply thank everyone who cherished this project and will continue to strive to show good dramas with a humble attitude.
[Photo] Studio S and ICON Content Group