Sold Out Again Today director Ahn Jong-yeon confessed his special affection for the work and the actors, raising expectations.
The new SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama Sold Out Again Today (directed by Ahn Jong-yeon / written by Jin Seung-hee / produced by Studio S, Beyond J, Slingshot Studio), which premieres on Apr. 22, is a drama that tells a seasonally fresh romance of "busy-life sellers," about perfectionist farmer Matthew Lee (aka Mechuri) and sellout-obsessed home shopping host Dam Yejin who become entwined day and night.
Director Ahn Jong-yeon, who directed the series, defined Sold Out Again Today as healing and said, "A woman who ran forward like a racehorse meets a man from the countryside and learns to relax, and the country man likewise meets such a woman and, becoming closer, heals his own wounds. I hope viewers feel comfort while watching our characters' healing processes."
He also cited clarity as Sold Out Again Today's greatest charm and added, "When showing the protagonists' wounds, we tried to portray them seriously and deeply. Because of the genre traits of romantic comedy, I thought it shouldn't come across as frivolous. At the same time, when it's time to be funny, we made sure to be funny, and we increased the comedic portion bit by bit to the point of calling it comedy romance rather than romantic comedy."
In particular, director Ahn Jong-yeon, who won viewers' love for his cheerful yet warm comic direction through the drama Seoul Busters, has people curious about his comedy directing know-how. On this, Ahn Jong-yeon said, "I don't have a secret weapon, but I always make sure to create a comfortable environment. I think an actor must be truly comfortable to maximize their charm and easily get over the big mountain that is comedy. Necessary shots or editorial rhythm are, I dare say, the next matters," focusing on the atmosphere on set.
Saying the strength of the romantic comedy genre is that an actor's own charm can shine more, Ahn Jong-yeon said, "When you look at the many masterpieces that made viewers laugh and cry, what remains in memory are ultimately attractive and lovable characters. For that, I thought it essential to capture the actor's human charm."
He conveyed special affection for the actors who will work together on Sold Out Again Today — Ahn Hyo Seop (as Matthew Lee), Chae Won-bin (as Dam Yejin) and Kim Beom (as Seo Eric) — suggesting a warm atmosphere on set. "Our Sold Out Again Today has a character-to-actor sync rate of more than 90%. The direction I pursue is to bring out the actor as they are, and I think we succeeded in that regard," he said, expressing satisfaction and increasing curiosity.
About Ahn Hyo Seop, who has gained global popularity with K-pop Demon Hunters, he said, "I fell for Ahn Hyo Seop while working on this drama. He is a consummate person and, behind his serious side, has a lot of hidden comic talent. I hope viewers see many new charms of Ahn Hyo Seop as a prepared comic actor in our Sold Out Again Today," predicting a new transformation.
Finally, Ahn Jong-yeon said the viewing points of the work are "the cute and lovable protagonists and the cute, love-filled supporting characters — we made every character precious, so I hope viewers find each character adorable," and the first broadcast of Sold Out Again Today, featuring distinctive characters, is already being awaited.
The new SBS Wednesday-Thursday drama Sold Out Again Today, completed through director Ahn Jong-yeon's warm affection and effort, premieres at 9 p.m. on Apr. 22 (Fri).
[photo] SBS Sold Out Again Today
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