The director and writer of "Boyfriend on Demand" directly responded to reactions surrounding the work.
On the 17th, the Netflix series "Boyfriend on Demand" released a written Q&A with director Kim Jeong-sik and writer Namgung Do-young.
"Boyfriend on Demand" has continued to draw intense interest day after day since its release. According to the Netflix Tudum TOP 10 website on the 11th, "Boyfriend on Demand" rose to No. 4 in the global TOP 10 non-English shows category just three days after its release. In addition, it stirred attention by appearing on the TOP 10 lists in 34 countries worldwide, including No. 1 in "Korea's top 10 series," Singapore, Hong Kong, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and Chile. Moreover, it earned a 96% on the Rotten Tomatoes popcorn index, ranked No. 1 in the first week of March for TV-OTT integrated drama buzz released by Good Data Corporation's Fundex, and ranked No. 1 (index) and No. 3 (Seo Inguk) in cast buzz, receiving praise at home and abroad.
Above all, "Boyfriend on Demand" has been praised for blending dopamine-filled virtual dating scenes with realistic romance stories, delivering both excitement and empathy. Rather than remaining only on the novel premise of a "virtual dating subscription service," the narrative of a character growing in love and relationships warmly touched many people's hearts.
Director Kim Jeong-sik said, "In 'Boyfriend on Demand' three characters use the same service but make different choices. Mirae (Jisoo) chose real-world love, writer Yoon-song (Gong Min-jung) chose love in the virtual world, and Ji-yeon (Ha-young) accepts both. Through the three characters I wanted to convey that there is no single correct way to love. I made it hoping viewers of 'Boyfriend on Demand' might once think, 'What kind of love would I choose?'" and explained the work's message.
Writer Namgung Do-young said, "'Boyfriend on Demand' started from the unique premise of romance in virtual reality, but ultimately I think it's the story of Mirae, an utterly ordinary person, overcoming daily loneliness and fear and finding the courage to love. The title of the final episode is taken from the novel of the same name, 'Such an ordinary Mirae.' It means the protagonist Seo Mirae is an ordinary person, and it expresses the wish that our futures outside the drama will be happy like Seo Mirae. I wanted viewers to gain courage and consolation through Mirae's growth while watching 'Boyfriend on Demand,'" describing the meaning he wanted to convey to viewers.
The following is the full written Q&A with director Kim Jeong-sik and writer Namgung Do-young.
Q. Are there any reviews from viewers or people around you that remain memorable?
Director Kim Jeong-sik: I read many reviews, and I remember reactions saying actor Jisoo and the character Mirae suit each other well. There were also comments like "Now I understand why the role of Gyeong-nam had to be played by Seo Inguk," and I feel very proud and thankful as a director because I think the actors made the characters convincing.
Writer Namgung Do-young: I remember a comment saying, "I didn't know my heart had so many pieces." I was also very grateful for reviews that said, "I felt Mirae's excitement and sadness along with her." When an acquaintance who hadn't dated in a long time contacted me personally and said, "After watching the drama I wanted to date," I somehow felt a sense of reward.
Q. What inspired the interesting premise of a "virtual dating subscription service"?
Writer Namgung Do-young: 'Boyfriend on Demand' began a few years ago when a PD suggested the idea of "subscribing to a boyfriend every month." It was intriguing, but at the time there was no "virtual romance" setting, so the idea of humans subscribing to humans didn't quite resonate and it was hard to write. While pondering, I considered, "What if the partner were AI?" I thought linking "AI," "virtual reality" and "romance" would create a very contemporary romantic drama. The production company liked that setting, and thus the "virtual dating subscription service" was born.
Q. 'Boyfriend on Demand' feels like Mirae's story of overcoming wounds. Why did you set the protagonist as the character 'Seo Mirae'?
Director Kim Jeong-sik: Personally, I wanted 'Boyfriend on Demand' not to end as merely a sensational premise but to be seen as a story in which someone hurt by love faces love again and heals those wounds. I remember discussing that a lot with the actors to express those parts.
Writer Namgung Do-young: I think I held onto the question "What kind of person would change most dramatically by using this service?" for a long time. Then I read Deborah Levy's essay "The Cost of Keeping House" and found this line: "To keep love at a distance means living a life without risk. What's the point of living such a life?" At that moment I became convinced this story should be "about a woman who fears the risks of a relationship with a human."
Q. The women in 'Boyfriend on Demand' use the service in various ways. Why did you set up three character types Mirae, Yoon-song and Ji-yeon?
Writer Namgung Do-young: Mirae, Ji-yeon and Yoon-song represent three positions women can find themselves in within romantic relationships. They are respectively "a woman who doesn't date voluntarily," "a woman who dates passionately," and "a woman who wants to date but cannot." Although the protagonist is Mirae, I wanted to show other perspectives viewers could empathize with beyond Mirae's story. I hoped the spectrum of female characters in 'Boyfriend on Demand' would be wide. So by showing how the three use the "Boyfriend on Demand service" in different ways, we aimed to express women's diverse personalities and desires.
Q. Why did you create an ending in which Mirae chooses "real-world romance"?
Director Kim Jeong-sik: I believed the story's ending should ultimately connect to reality. In virtual romance the partner can be someone tailored to me, but I think real love is not like that. Love's essence is not someone being perfectly matched to me but both people adjusting to each other little by little and building a relationship through genuine emotional exchange. So I wanted Mirae to choose a relationship in reality instead of virtual romance. Ultimately, I think what this work wants to tell is about real feelings created between people.
Q. About the Park Gyeong-nam and Koo Young-il characters completed by actor Seo Inguk
Director Kim Jeong-sik: In the latter part, when Koo Young-il appears and Seo Inguk plays two roles, we deliberated a lot so the charms of the two characters would be naturally distinct. Most of Gyeong-nam's scenes in reality were filmed in winter, and Young-il was filmed overseas with a summer setting. Also, to make the textures of the two characters clearer, Young-il's lines were re-recorded entirely in post-production. Due to scheduling we had to switch between Gyeong-nam and Young-il during filming, and Seo Inguk adjusted those parts meticulously. Thanks to his capturing and expressing even the subtlest feelings Gyeong-nam has toward Mirae, the character feels three-dimensional and complete.
Q. What message did you want to convey to viewers through 'Boyfriend on Demand'?
Director Kim Jeong-sik: In 'Boyfriend on Demand' three characters use the same service but make different choices. Mirae chose real-world love, writer Yoon-song chose love in the virtual world, and Ji-yeon accepted both. Through the three characters I wanted to convey that there is no single correct way to love. I think the way people choose love can differ depending on their situations and feelings. I made the work hoping viewers of 'Boyfriend on Demand' might once think, "What kind of love would I choose?"
Writer Namgung Do-young: 'Boyfriend on Demand' started from the unique premise of romance in virtual reality, but ultimately I think it's the story of Mirae, an utterly ordinary person, overcoming daily loneliness and fear and finding the courage to love. The title of the final episode is taken from the novel of the same name, "Such an ordinary Mirae." I really wanted to use the expression "ordinary Mirae," and thankfully writer Kim Yeon-su allowed it. It means the protagonist Seo Mirae is an ordinary person, and it also expresses the wish that our futures outside the drama will be happy like Seo Mirae. I sincerely hoped viewers watching 'Boyfriend on Demand' would gain courage and consolation through Mirae's growth.
Q. The scene and line in 'Boyfriend on Demand' you hold dearest
Director Kim Jeong-sik: There is a scene where Mirae and Gyeong-nam confirm their feelings and kiss on a snowy day. It's the moment when the protagonist who feared love begins to love for the first time, so it was a very important scene in the work. We discussed it a lot with the actors, and we reshot it once in very cold weather; as a result, the scene turned out better than the first shoot, so I personally feel very fond of it.
Writer Namgung Do-young: Everything about Mirae and Se-jun's breakup scene is so sad. Mirae's farewell as she says "Live well" to send Se-jun off always chokes me up. Another I would pick is in episode 6 when Gyeong-nam says to the awkward Mirae, "I know I'm uncomfortable for you... don't show it so openly. It upsets me too." A man who drops his pride completely and honestly says "I'm upset" to the woman he likes is so pitiable, but I found it handsome. After writing that line I came to like Gyeong-nam even more.
Q. Viewing points of 'Boyfriend on Demand' and the message to viewers
Director Kim Jeong-sik: 'Boyfriend on Demand' starts from the intriguing imagination of "what if you could subscribe to romance." Within the unique setting of a service where you can meet a perfect boyfriend in virtual reality, watching how each character accepts and chooses love could be an enjoyable viewing point. I hope it becomes a work that makes viewers laugh lightly while also prompting them to once consider, "What kind of love would I choose?" If you haven't watched 'Boyfriend on Demand' yet, I hope you enjoy it comfortably and have fun.
Writer Namgung Do-young: If you're looking for a cheerful story to help you forget the harsh reality, I think you should watch 'Boyfriend on Demand.' It's a pleasant, bittersweet but also sweet-and-sour drama. And for those who have already watched it, rewatching to find clues to Gyeong-nam's one-sided love may offer a different kind of fun. Above all, I hope viewers have an enjoyable time watching 'Boyfriend on Demand.'
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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