"EXchange 4" predicted to be a landmark season in many ways.
On the morning of the 1st at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, TVING (TVING) original variety show EXchange 4 held a production press conference. Attending the press conference were PD Kim In-ha, Lee Yong-jin, Kim Ye-won and Yura.
EXchange 4 is a dating reality program in which couples who broke up for various reasons gather in one house, revisit past relationships and face new connections to find their own love. PD Kim In-ha, who directed the show, said, "For this season 4, we tried to capture more honest and bold friends and sincere stories."
He explained the newly introduced time room system this season, "If last season explored the theme through events, this time we are exploring the theme through time. The time room aims to express the initial residents' feelings about whether to reunite or not as time. It was newly introduced as a device that divides answers into percentages rather than a binary choice of reuniting or transferring."
Lee Yong-jin described this season's differentiating point: "As the seasons have progressed, the residents have come to reflect the environment and the program's intent more. In a way, you can feel more of their sincere selves living here without worrying about the cameras. Compared with other seasons, there are episodes that are so naturally immersive you might wonder if they even realize they're being filmed. Also, the pace is incredibly fast. That's a surprising point. You know how people talk about watching videos at 2x or 3x speed? It progresses that quickly. It's dynamic," he said.
Kim Ye-won said, "What I noticed most differently is the sense of speed. I worried about falling behind and disappearing because it felt so fast, and if you view the cast as characters, this time each has a more distinct charm. I think viewers will meet many really charming people," and Yura also said, "I was surprised at how fast the pace was, and the developments unfold in unexpected ways. Since this is season 4, we thought we could anticipate some things, but the story unfolded differently than we expected. Because the cast members have very different personalities, this season had a very chic vibe. I felt a very trendy, modern feeling. It was fun to watch, and there are many new devices, so I think it will be even more enjoyable to watch."
She said the difficulty of finding X is also on another level. Yura said, "Since it's season 4, I thought I'd be really good at it. But this time it was really difficult; some people guessed a few, and someone even shouted, 'These two?' It was unbelievable and unimaginable. From what I saw, the couples I mentioned probably wouldn't be guessed correctly by even a few percent of the entire nation. It's not easy," she said confidently. Kim Ye-won said, "Everyone will be surprised when it's revealed," and Lee Yong-jin said, "It's an episode that's exceptionally hard to deduce and narrow down. That makes it more fun."
He said, "We've run EXchange from season 1 through 4, and I apologize to previous season cast members, but this season's cast is the most full of charm. I think their charm has peaked. It's historic. It has dopamine, charm, everything," adding, "You can tell the production team put a lot of effort into it. You'll really feel the effort in the fun, the dopamine, the mystery and the many elements they carefully prepared."
When asked about the criteria and method for selecting such attractive cast members, PD Kim In-ha said, "The most important thing we consider is the narrative. We worry most about what narratives will resonate with the public, and while X couples are important, the birth of new couples is also important. We focus on individual charm, such as whether someone could be with another person or whether they fit the cast's ideal type," and he added, "I said last season we sent many DMs, and it's similar this time. You could say we reached out to almost everyone across the country. I think we met more than 1,000 people," describing the difficult selection process.
Asked whether he felt pressure from the success of previous seasons, he said, "There is pressure, to be honest. Still, many members of the production team worked hard and want to release it quickly," and explained, "Previous seasons were released on Fridays, which tied directly into the weekend, but we changed the release day to Wednesday so a wider range of weekday viewers could watch."
When asked about EXchange's unique strengths compared with other dating programs, Lee Yong-jin said, "There aren't many programs that give such immersion. I think it's unique. Also, it's a system easy to imagine yourself in that situation." Yura said, "EXchange's greatest strength is the time between the cast members. Usually, people meet and spend about three weeks getting to know each other. Of course X spent a long time together, but the weight and narrative that come from years are hard to find in other programs, so rather than empathizing with someone growing attached and crying over three weeks, the weight of seven years or 13 years is really significant. That narrative is EXchange's unbeatable big advantage," she said.
Kim Ye-won added, "The presence of exes is a format not found in other programs. It inevitably creates incomparable dopamine and leads to deep empathy. I think anyone who's been in love can empathize and laugh and cry with this format. When I first encountered it, I wondered if it could bring this kind of feeling. It's a place where exes and new people come together. It's beyond imagination, and that aspect hits deeply. Also, I treasure the panel's composition. I hope this member lineup remembers and stays forever. Our combination is an important element," she said.
PD Kim In-ha said about EXchange, "I think it could go up to season 10," and added, "To achieve that, we will work hard on every season and take responsibility in production so we can keep connecting them." When asked if they would stay until season 10, Yura replied, "Yes," and said directly, "Being able to preview is our weapon." Kim Ye-won and Lee Yong-jin agreed, saying they felt "catharsis" when seeing viewers' reactions who don't know the ending.
When asked whether her views on dating changed after participating in EXchange, Kim Ye-won said, "Rather than my values about love changing, it makes me think about those situations at the time. When you're in love, you can't see yourself from a third-party perspective. Watching the flow and mindset of the cast in that space, I wonder what I'd be like if I were in such a relationship, and I realize, 'Oh, that's how it felt when I met someone and fell in love before.' There are moments you realize what that detached perspective would have been like."
Yura said, "It feels like getting a lot of vicarious experience. People say you should date a lot before marriage, but it's hard to experience too many people. EXchange feels like indirect experience. You think, 'Oh, there's that style of dating,' 'Oh, that personality exists,' 'That person wouldn't suit me,' and you keep judging like that." Lee Yong-jin, who is married, added, "Couples' ways of fighting and reconciling tend to overlap. Then you think, 'Why did I do that?' and you try not to repeat those mistakes, so it serves as a guideline for couples as well."
Finally, PD Kim In-ha said, "We produced it with care and carefully assembled the OST lineup. It is a work featuring various artists including Yura, Suzy, NCT Doyoung, RIIZE Sohee, Boys Next Door, and MONSTA X's Shownu. Please give it a lot of love and attention," he said.
Lee Yong-jin said, "If you watch two episodes every Wednesday and then sleep, I think you'll sleep very well. I hope you have a great time with EXchange 4 on Wednesdays. Please watch over us," and Kim Ye-won urged, "It moves so fast you won't realize the time passing, so please go through it with us until the end." Yura added, "The pace is much faster than expected. Unlike Yong-jin oppa, I don't think I'll sleep well. It may be agonizing waiting a week because I'm so curious, but please be sure to wait and enjoy it until the next episode."
Meanwhile, EXchange 4 premieres today (the 1st) on TVING.<
[Photo] OSEN reporter Lee Dae-sun
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