'Sipsiilban' Author: "I Wanted to Portray the Greed of Various Human Figures"

MBC drama 'Sipsiilban' poster ahead of its first broadcast next month / Photo by MBC 'Sipsiilban' capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Choi Kyung, the writer of the upcoming MBC drama "Sipsiilban," which is set to premiere next month, revealed the intention behind the script.

Writer Choi explained, "'Sipsiilban' means that if ten people each contribute a spoonful, it can make enough for one person to eat," adding, "However, many people contributing a little can also lead to the worst outcome."

He continued, "This work poses the question of how one would act if placed in such a situation, and whether one can confidently say they are different from others," introducing the drama.

Regarding the background of writing, he said, "Greed, which was once portrayed only negatively, is now being newly defined as a natural human instinct," and explained, "I wanted to depict various human types of greed that are sometimes persistent and disgusting, but sometimes charmingly petty."

He added, "I wanted to capture raw human nature through the scenes of people facing the worst situations cooperating and sometimes conflicting with each other. Isn't human instinct most revealed when confronting the worst circumstances?" He said, "Although unintended, through the human figures caught up in unwanted incidents caused by their own actions, I wanted to convey that anyone can find themselves in such situations."

Also, he said, "While thinking about the theme of greed, I became curious whether greed is innate or cultivated. So, I wanted to look at it through the eyes of a young adult who has not yet been tainted by the world," explaining why the protagonist was set as an ordinary college student, Yu Bitna (played by Kim Hye-jun).

Finally, writer Choi encouraged viewers, saying, "As a mystery drama, it is fun to guess who the culprit is, but I hope you pay more attention to the situations each character faces in every episode," and asked, "Please watch how each character overcomes the crises and conflicts they encounter."

Meanwhile, "Sipsiilban" is a black comedy mystery drama depicting an intense battle of wits over the hundreds of billions worth of assets of a famous painter. It was selected as a finalist in the MBC script contest and has been attracting viewers' expectations even before its broadcast. The drama stars Kim Hye-jun, who delivered a passionate performance as the queen in the Netflix original series "Kingdom," and Oh Na-ra, who has played various roles in dramas such as "SKY Castle" and "My Mister."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.