[Interview] Director Kim Jin-min: "Netflix, Please Invest in Diverse Korean Content"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Director Kim Jin-min of ‘My Name,’ a latecomer following the global hit ‘Squid Game,’ which was watched by 111 million households worldwide, expressed both the pressure and expectations by saying, “A great path has opened for Korean content to be respected.” As a director, he also did not forget to ask for “investment in diverse works.”

In a non-face-to-face interview on the morning of the 18th for the Netflix original series ‘My Name,’ Director Kim Jin-min said, “There was considerable pressure releasing this after ‘Squid Game,’” and added, “Please evaluate it based on the work itself.”

‘My Name,’ released on the online video service (OTT) Netflix on the 15th, is a series depicting Ji-woo (played by Han So-hee), who infiltrates the police under a new name after joining an organization to find the person who killed her father, facing harsh truths and revenge. The cast includes Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kim Sang-ho, Lee Hak-joo, and Jang Ryul.

Director Kim Jin-min, who has directed dramas such as ‘Time Between Dog and Wolf’ (2007), ‘Road Number One’ (2010), and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (2014) at MBC, is presenting his second series on Netflix after ‘Extracurricular’ (2020).

This year, ‘D.P.’ and ‘Squid Game’ were released on Netflix and received a hot response. Especially, ‘Squid Game’ is gaining popularity by recording the highest number of viewers ever for an original. More than half of the global subscriber households watched it, creating a craze-like popularity that led to increased interest in K-content. Director Kim, presenting ‘My Name’ as a latecomer, had a unique determination.

He confessed, “It would be a lie to say I don’t feel pressure,” adding, “After ‘D.P.’ was released, I felt that the perspective on K-content was changing, and I feel the pressure from the popularity of ‘Squid Game.’” At the same time, he said, “I am grateful that Korean content is being recognized worldwide. Previously, good content was not so well respected, but I think it will be rewarded in the future. Just the fact that a big path has opened makes me happy. I ask for encouragement so that domestic creators can expand into the wider world through more interesting works.”

Perhaps thanks to the anticipation, ‘My Name’ has ranked 4th worldwide and 6th in the U.S. after its release, attracting attention. Director Kim self-assessed that the fact it is an action piece and its narrative of justice prevailing over evil were effective. “Action has broad popular appeal across cultures worldwide. People want to see injustice trampled by justice,” he said. “The actors worked hard. There is freshness in actors who are not usually associated with action challenging themselves. Above all, Han So-hee’s new charm is appealing.”

Han So-hee plays Ji-woo, who abandons her own name and infiltrates the police under the name Oh Hye-jin to find the person who killed her father, showing a resolute gaze and determination unlike anything seen before. Director Kim recalled, “She said she wanted to do it without hesitation at our first meeting.”

He laughed, saying, “If it becomes a new stepping stone for Han So-hee, she can lightly step on it and move forward.” He added, “She worked hard without holding back. As she gains attention as an actor, she will likely have deeper thoughts about her roles, and I hope she overcomes that well.”

Contrary to the director’s strong trust, reactions to Han So-hee’s acting were mixed. Some pointed out that her action scenes in the early episodes were somewhat awkward. Director Kim said, “The action mainly involved physical clashes and hits. The actors trained at an action school and coordinated with the martial arts director,” adding, “Filming was done almost in sequence. In the beginning, there was tension and a lot of training, so the energy was intense, but it softened as filming progressed. Because of consistent training, filming was completed without major injuries.”

Director Kim praised Park Hee-soon, who plays Moo-jin, the character who accepts Ji-woo as a member of the organization and sends her undercover into the police. “We have known each other since his theater days but never had the chance to work together. I was happy and grateful that he said he wanted to work on ‘My Name.’ Working together, I felt his depth. I was surprised by his concentration and strength in front of the camera.”

The actors showed passion by performing most of the action scenes without doubles, except for some unavoidable scenes. However, some expressed disappointment, saying the series had clich?d elements no different from existing undercover genre works. When this was mentioned, Director Kim calmly said, “I expected that, of course.”

“Undercover-themed works often have forced variables, and even if you remove them, it’s hard to look fresh. Instead, I focused on classic elements. But the basic structure was faithful. The crises after the identity is revealed and the choices afterward were well followed. Whether it feels clich?d depends on how it is used, and ‘My Name’ has the advantage that the actors each have their own story. All the characters created by the writer play their roles, so I think there is distinctiveness.”

It is a difficult path. Having directed two controversial works consecutively, Director Kim Jin-min laughed, saying, “I want to direct romantic comedies too.” He continued, “By chance, I ended up directing works that others avoid one after another, but those works have a lot of energy. Maybe if they are well made, they become controversial works,” adding, “Sometimes I have failed to achieve my goals. My strength and weakness might be that I pick up such works fearlessly.”

‘My Name’ screened episodes 1 to 3 at the 26th Busan International Film Festival held from the 6th to the 15th. Having worked as a drama PD for years, Director Kim Jin-min experienced watching his work with an audience in a movie theater for the first time. “About ten years ago, the last episode of ‘Time Between Dog and Wolf’ was specially screened in a theater at fans’ request, so it was a special case. Since I am not a film director, this was the first time my work was screened in a theater. I had always been a spectator at the Busan Film Festival but participated for the first time. Although the time was short, I was surprised by the audience’s questions. There were various questions from industry to actors. There is a reason why Korea’s content industry is developing. I realized that the audience contributes greatly to this growth.”

Director Kim Jin-min has been working with Netflix consecutively with the controversial ‘Extracurricular’ last year and ‘My Name’ this year. He said, “I feel a big difference in the working process.” “Unlike dramas, the script is fully completed before filming starts. This process creates synergy with the staff. As a director, I feel more responsibility. I think this is why Netflix leads to good results. I hope Netflix trusts Korean content and invests boldly, and invests a lot behind the scenes for diverse content.”

As he directed series consecutively, curiosity about season 2 also arose. Asked about the possibility of sequels following last year’s open-ended ‘Extracurricular’ and ‘My Name,’ he gave an unexpectedly firm answer. Regarding ‘My Name,’ he said, “My role ends here,” and “Even if season 2 comes out, I have no plans to direct it.” About ‘Extracurricular,’ he said, “Unlike Director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who directly produced ‘Squid Game,’ I am not in a position to talk about season 2. Ask Netflix,” adding, “Writer Jin Han-sae doesn’t seem to have no thoughts about season 2 either. Whether it happens or not depends on writer Jin and Netflix.”

Director Kim Jin-min married actress Kim Yeo-jin in 2004. He said he seeks advice from his wife, who is a colleague in the industry before being a spouse. “I ask a lot to understand actors. I don’t say this or that about what the writer wrote. When I don’t know what might be hard for actors as a director, I ask my wife and understand. I have a reputation for being very harsh on set, so I’m not very kind (laughs). My wife’s advice helps.”

Photo = Netflix

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