[Interview③] 'From Shinsegae' PD Jo Hyo-jin: "'Nyang' Trading App Production, Kai's House Remains"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Producers Jo Hyojin and Go Minseok revealed that they created a virtual financial transaction app for 'From the New World.'

In a video interview held on the 24th, producers Jo Hyojin and Go Minseok said, "The 'New Topia' app, where 'Nyang' is traded in the New World, is not CGI (special effects) but an actual app we made."

Netflix's 'From the New World' is a new-concept virtual simulation variety show that depicts unpredictable events, survival missions, competitions, and twists occurring in a utopia?a world everyone dreams of.

Lee Seunggi, Eun Ji-won, Park Narae, Kim Heechul, Jo Boah, and Kai (EXO) are invited to a virtual world where everyone's dreams come true, experiencing various events and twists.

In episodes 1 and 2 of 'From the New World,' released on the 20th, the members are shown trading 'Nyang,' the currency unit of the New World, through the app via account transfers and deposits. There was also a realistic scene where inserting a phone into a box accumulated an amount, sparking curiosity.

Regarding this, producer Jo Hyojin laughed and said, "It is an actual app. We spent a long time carefully making it."

Jo PD said, "You see money being deducted right in front of you, money leaving the bank, buying items at the mart. Also, in later real estate-related episodes, it is used even more. We thought seeing this flow in reality would prompt immediate reactions, so we spent quite some time producing it."

He continued, "It was not an easy task. The concept of 'Day' on the island was important, and voting through the app was also crucial, so we made that as well. Since voting had to be completed within one minute, we wanted to implement it realistically. The cast members actually felt it while doing it and responded positively," he said.

He also said, "After filming, people like Lee Seunggi, Eun Ji-won, and Kim Heechul, who have done many variety shows, all agreed that there was nothing forced. They liked being able to freely act as the situation unfolded. I felt proud that the platform we carefully made played that role," he said.

The set built like a village on Oedo Island, which realizes the New World, is also impressive. Members carry out missions in a virtual world reflecting reality, including Venus Garden, Bistro Oasis, New Times Square, Shadow Shop, and New Mart.

Producer Jo Hyojin said, "A lot of the production budget went into the sets. Jo Boah's house was originally used as accommodation, and all other spaces were newly created. During pre-interviews, we collected places the members wanted and tried to implement them exactly. We thought that would give the feeling of 'This is the New World.'"

Although filming has ended, some spaces remain on Oedo Island. Jo PD said, "Fortunately, the residents liked the sets, so except for some parts, many have been maintained. Kai's house is still there, and the nameplate remains. Park Narae's house was originally a cafe, so it is operating again, but the wallpaper and atmosphere have been preserved," he said.

Photo = Netflix

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