tvN weekend drama 'Seocho-dong' (written by Lee Seung-hyun / directed by Park Seung-woo / planned by CJ ENM Studios / produced by Chorokbaem Media) recorded its highest viewer ratings on the 10th (Sunday), ending on a high note while capturing great interest. In response, director Park Seung-woo and writer Lee Seung-hyun directly confessed behind-the-scenes details, from the highlight scenes to their chemistry with the actors, adding more layers of meaning.
After successfully finishing the project, director Park Seung-woo said, "Whenever a project ends, I usually feel a bittersweet sentiment, but for some reason, this time, the feeling of loss is greater. Since it was a work I prepared for a long time and cherished a lot, my heart feels more sorrowful this time. I am only grateful to everyone who participated with us." Writer Lee Seung-hyun also shared, "Creating a work is like me speaking to the audience or viewers. I was glad that the viewers seemed to provide their own answers and I am grateful for the love received."
Throughout its run, 'Seocho-dong' captured the love of viewers with its story detailing the close friendship of the five members of the 'Eobyeonjeos' and the struggles of office workers, along with solid direction. Regarding the social issues highlighted, such as voice phishing and school bullying, writer Lee Seung-hyun explained, "I believe there are dramatic emotions we easily overlook even within stories that are close to reality. I wanted to show the small but warm hearts of those who are striving for better outcomes from their positions."
Additionally, director Park Seung-woo noted the chemistry of the actors as a reason for viewers to relate to the daily lives of the 'Eobyeonjeos.' "Thanks to the five actors genuinely becoming friends, there was no difficulty in portraying chemistry. As a result, the concerns and affections between the five characters were well expressed. I also felt an overwhelming affection while filming with them," he expressed.
With this momentum, the growth moments of the 'Eobyeonjeos' are still being discussed, especially as the romantic past scenes between Ahn Juhyung (played by Lee Jong-suk) and Kang Hee-ji (played by Mun Ka-young) received significant attention. In response, director Park Seung-woo and writer Lee Seung-hyun shared behind-the-scenes work related to the romance scenes. Writer Lee Seung-hyun said, "I wished Juhyung and Heeji would have an experience reminiscent of a midsummer night's dream in a completely different place from a long time ago. As they currently live their realities in Seocho-dong, I wanted to bring the power of contrast, making the memories of the past feel more beautiful and precious."
Director Park Seung-woo, who captured beautiful memories reminiscent of a midsummer night's dream, said, "I hoped that viewers could recall a scene from their memories or anticipate that such moments would come to them when watching the past of the two. Before filming, I carefully planned everything with the staff, including the delicate aspects, and worked hard to differentiate lighting methods and camera filters from the current tense scenes, allowing us to glimpse their passion."
Finally, director Park Seung-woo expressed, "After the last episode, I hoped that the main characters of 'Seocho-dong' would no longer be just the five members but include 'me' and become a group of six who laughed and cried together. I feel proud to introduce you to good friends. I wish that your daily lives would always be peaceful, just like our protagonists who live joyfully despite their troubles."
Writer Lee Seung-hyun stated, "I hope 'Seocho-dong' will remain a drama that viewers can recall whenever they need comfort and empathy. I want the choices of the 'Eobyeonjeos' to serve as solace and provide you with some courage. Thank you to everyone who watched and supported 'Seocho-dong.'"
The tvN weekend drama 'Seocho-dong,' enriched by the warm greetings from director Park Seung-woo and writer Lee Seung-hyun, concluded with a warm punctuation mark, cheering for a better tomorrow for everyone persevering through today.
▼ Below is an Q&A with director Park Seung-woo and writer Lee Seung-hyun
1. 'Seocho-dong,' which gathered much interest before its first broadcast, has finally come to an end. What are your thoughts on the successful conclusion?
Director Park Seung-woo: I always feel bittersweet at the end of each project, but this time, I feel a greater sense of loss for some reason. I think it's because I prepared for it for a long time and had a lot of affection for this work. I am only grateful to the production team and the viewers who supported us.
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: I feel grateful for the love received from many people. I think creating a work is like communicating with the audience or viewers. I was delighted that the viewers seemed to provide their own answers, and it felt like having a conversation with many viewers simultaneously through one work.
2. After the broadcast, it became a relatable drama reflecting the reality of office workers and received much love. What do you think is the reason behind 'Seocho-dong' being so well received? I am also curious if you anticipated such a response.
Director Park Seung-woo: I think it's because there are characters that seem like people you might encounter in your life rather than fantasy characters living different lives from mine. The characters experience events that my family might experience and discuss the dialogues that my friends might have, resonating with the common struggles I continually face. While watching the 'Eobyeonjeos' and other characters, I wished for viewers to feel familiarity and empathy or at times hoped it would evoke some PTSD. Like all director and writer, I did not have the confidence that reactions would emerge as intended, but from the midpoint onward, I was thrilled to see the viewers immerse themselves in the characters' emotions, crying and laughing along.
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: While 'Seocho-dong' tells the story of lawyers, I did not want it to be a story that had to be about lawyers. I hoped it could be relatable regardless of the profession. While the legal world may appear somewhat unique, I believe there's a commonality in how people live everywhere. The peculiar comfort of discovering similarities in people from different worlds is what I think contributed to the audience's love. Therefore, I tried to fill the lawsuits our protagonists dealt with with events that are not far removed from daily life.
3. The reactions from overseas have also been explosive. What do you think captivated overseas viewers? I am curious if there are any particularly memorable reactions from viewers.
Director Park Seung-woo: I felt it was surreal to hear that the series ranked high in viewership from various countries from the beginning. However, I felt it more when I received news that our last broadcast was being watched collectively in Malaysia. I think the charm of our actors contributed significantly to this. I also feel that the global popularity of Korean dramas played a role in it. I believe the way people live is similar everywhere, and that's why viewers resonated with our drama 'Seocho-dong.' Although I did not anticipate such popularity, I knew it would air in various countries, so I made sure to express how office workers in Korea make a living by emphasizing food scenes and street views, which I am quite glad about.
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: While being a lawyer might seem like a global profession, it is actually quite local, varying by country due to differing laws and systems, making work styles and lifestyles different as well. Just because someone is a lawyer in one country does not mean they can be one in another. However, I believe that the dilemmas our protagonists faced and the emotions they felt were relatable regardless of borders. I think these aspects were well communicated to international viewers. Our drama especially includes many eating scenes. I believe there's no time as important and healing for office workers as lunchtime. I also wanted to bring the narrative closer to daily life, which is why I chose this concept. I recall responding to viewers who suggested we add more food scenes, mentioning their preciousness as a part of their feedback, which indicates that the viewers were truly immersed in our storytelling.
4. 'Seocho-dong' has received much acclaim for maximally expressing the emotional lines of the characters, especially the chemistry among the 'Eobyeonjeos.' I am curious if there are any directing secrets behind that maximization.
Director Park Seung-woo: Not only I, but the actors also shared the belief that the essence and strongest weapon of our drama lie in the chemistry among the five protagonists. Therefore, since the first reading, it was adorable to see the five shy individuals, resembling the characteristics of 'I,' trying their best to get closer. Thanks to the actors, who had genuinely become friends through that effort, there was no significant difficulty in directing chemistry. In fact, towards the latter part, it was an amusing memory to feel like a school teacher trying to control the spontaneous and playful ad-libs as the actors developed a real friendship. Not only the five 'Eobyeonjeos' but also the representatives and landlords were incredibly passionate and lovable actors, which made creating enjoyable discussions about new ideas and scripts memorable. Considering all that, if I could call my directing secret 'gathering good people,' I would say that's what it is. To allow those wonderful people to feel comfortable while acting on screen, I always focused on creating a pleasant and joyful atmosphere on set, which I believe translated into a natural viewing experience for the audience.
5. Storylines involving real-life issues like school bullying, workplace harassment, and rent lawsuits, combined with realistic dilemmas such as parental leave and visiting lawyers, received significant empathy. What was the reason for choosing these themes, and if you have any messages you wish to convey through these events, what would they be?
Director Park Seung-woo: Although I was told a lot that it's a calm and warm slice-of-life drama from the planning stage, if one closely examines the events within our drama, that is not truly the case. The story of two bereaved spouses having to battle in court due to an affair leading to a fatal car accident, a poor student on the brink of eviction due to a rental scam, a grandmother forced to kill her sibling after long-term care, and a victim pushed to the brink due to school bullying, as well as Ms. Domikyeong who faces imprisonment due to voice phishing—if one encounters such incidents or characters in their surroundings, the pain is undoubtedly immeasurable. I hope that these episodes and the characters within them are not merely consumed as dopamine-inducing materials. I wish for those who have experienced or are experiencing similar situations to receive warm comfort rather than being re-traumatized while watching this drama. This was one aspect I paid great attention to while directing 'Seocho-dong.'
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: While there are dramatic emotions and thrills felt in fantastical stories, I also believe there are dramatic emotions that we miss and overlook even in stories that are closely connected to reality. I wanted to capture and express those emotions. I didn't necessarily want to center on social issues but rather wanted to shed light on dilemmas that can happen around us. However, the emotion I wanted to convey was that while the protagonists of 'Seocho-dong' are not heroes breaking through unfair structures, they are trying their best for better outcomes from their respective positions, displaying small but warm hearts.
6. Among various scenes, the scene in Hong Kong between Juhyung and Heeji received much attention. What was the reason for setting their romantic beginning in an old travel destination?
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: 'Seocho-dong' can be seen as a story about societal individuals worn out by work. It speaks about the people living right here, right now. I hoped Juhyung and Heeji shared a midsummer night's dream-like experience in a completely different place when they were in a pure state, unmarred by any scars and filled with dreams. I believe they may not have realized how beautiful that moment was back then. Given the current realities Juhyung and Heeji face in Seocho-dong now, the memories of that trip 10 years ago likely feel more beautiful and precious. I wanted to harness the power of that contrast.
7. The scenes in Hong Kong received much praise for their beautiful visuals. I am curious if there were specific directing considerations to enhance the romantic tension between Juhyung and Heeji.
Director Park Seung-woo: Due to the overseas filming, there were inevitably constraints on the schedule and location compared to domestic shoots. Therefore, leading up to the main shoot, I invested significant effort in collaborating with the cinematographer and crew to meticulously finalize every detail. The location was different, but since we had to portray 10 years ago, we strove to distinguish camera filters and lighting techniques from those used in the current tense scenes to express the excitement of 'first love' and the freshness of youth, which I believe are in all of our memories. I hoped, while watching Juhyung and Heeji's Hong Kong scenes, viewers would recall scenes from their own memories with a smile or spark a wish in young viewers for such moments in their future. The kissing scene was filmed next to the Mid-Levels Escalator in Hong Kong. While searching for locations, the cinematographer unexpectedly captured the street view through the pillars of the escalator, and at that moment, I was certain that this moving shot would become one of our main cuts. I also remember the scene where Juhyung misinterprets Heeji's words at the Seoguryong Park; though the wind made filming challenging, it actually helped express the shy and fresh appearances of the two youths well. That two-shot became one of my personal favorites.
8. There's been much response that the performance of the five actors playing the 'Eobyeonjeos' stood out. If you could share your thoughts on the acting chemistry developed among the five actors who created the growth journey for the attorneys of Seocho-dong?
Director Park Seung-woo: It is common for actors to like their characters, but it's rare for them to express affection for each other's characters. The five protagonists have immersed themselves enough to feel grateful for their characters, and thanks to that, the warmth, concern, and affection between the characters were eloquently expressed. Therefore, I also felt immense affection while filming them, and I believe viewers felt the same.
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: After the entire script reading session, I told the actors that I hoped the five actors would become the kind of friends who could share meals and coffee, as the characters did as 'Eobyeonjeos,' by the end of the drama. It seems that the actors quickly bonded with each other. I believe this chemistry was vividly expressed in the scenes as well, and I felt thrilled to see the actors embodying their characters so authentically.
9. What kind of drama do you hope 'Seocho-dong' will be remembered as by you and what do you wish for the viewers to take away from it?
Director Park Seung-woo: To reiterate what I mentioned during the script reading, after the drama ends, I hope the audiences will be curious and concerned about how our characters are living somewhere, and wish them well. After the final episode ends, I hope the protagonists of 'Seocho-dong' will include not just the five, but also 'me,' transforming into a group of six who laughed and cried together. I feel proud to introduce good friends to you all, and I also feel happy to have made good attorney friends who live somewhere in 'Seocho-dong.'
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: I hope it remains a drama that viewers can revisit whenever they need comfort or empathy. For both the viewers and me.
10. Finally, please share your closing remarks for the viewers who watched 'Seocho-dong.'
Director Park Seung-woo: I tend to actively search for viewers' reactions, and your warm support has always been a great strength. I wish that, just like our protagonists who live joyfully despite their concerns, your daily lives will always be peaceful. Thank you.
Writer Lee Seung-hyun: Thank you for watching and loving 'Seocho-dong.' While our drama ended with 12 episodes, I hope that each viewer can imagine their own episode 13 or 14 involving the 'Eobyeonjeos.' I hope the choices of the 'Eobyeonjeos' serve as solace and provide some courage to you.
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