[People Met Through Books] After Writing 'Misaeng,' Moments of 'Wansaeng' Increased

Not a Dream to Be a Writer from the Start
Amazing Pass Rate on Every Test
Confused by the "Misaeng" Craze, Asks "Why?"
Firm Thoughts Grow Strong Inner Strength

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] There are dramas that become social phenomena. In the 1990s, the drama Sandglass caused a frenzy that emptied the streets during its broadcast time, while in the 2000s, the drama Misaeng gathered viewers who returned home early in front of their TVs. The impact of the drama was deep and wide. Young workers sincerely cheered and found comfort in the struggles of the four new employees, and middle-aged office workers nodded in agreement with the harsh realities faced by Manager Oh and Deputy Manager Sun. The line “The company is a battlefield? Outside is hell” became an aphorism that was long remembered. Manager Cheon’s confession that, although he regretted relying on alcohol, it was alcohol that helped him endure office life, briefly granted an excuse for office workers’ drinking. Many husbands confessed to witnessing their wives’ loving gaze that seemed to understand them after a long time, and many smiled. Although it has been nine years since the drama ended, the vibrant lines of Misaeng are still unforgettable and have been published in a script book. On the 17th, we heard the story of the main writer Jeong Yoon-jung, who made a bold mark in an era.

- In the script book, you said, “I still cannot answer why I became a drama writer, how it happened, or what I want to write.”

▲ To put it simply, it became reality because I vaguely thought I would eventually go down that path rather than strongly wanting it. In fact, being a writer was not my dream. I had nothing I wanted to do, nothing I wanted to become, and nothing I could do. I entered society after graduating from university without any preparation. At that time, I was a severe print addict, reading every letter my 2.0 vision could see. One day, while reading a scrolling advertisement caption at the bottom of a TV commercial, I saw a recruitment ad for broadcasting writer trainees. That’s how I learned about the job of a scriptwriter. Strangely, I passed every exam I took. I couldn’t believe I passed the first test of writing a short skit script and the second test of writing a drama review on the first try, so I retook the test at another broadcasting station?and passed that too.

- Did you discover your talent then?

▲ At that time, I was learning “Charles Brackett’s Ten Commandments of Screenwriting” one per week. Although it was unfamiliar content, I understood everything. It was the first time since fourth grade that I felt that way. It was fun, and the results were good. I was the only student among forty who received the compliment from the teacher, “You are the student who made teaching worthwhile.” I also received thirty-nine positive reviews from thirty-nine viewers. However, at that time, I didn’t understand the meaning or value. I even wondered, “Why are they praising me when I just wrote what I learned?” I mistakenly changed the ‘direction’ I found with difficulty into ‘wandering’ and spent a long time in confusion.

- By wandering, do you mean you did not immediately pursue the path of a writer?

▲ I worked as a planner and copywriter at a small advertising agency. At first, I enjoyed working on corporate newsletters and print ads, but I quickly got tired. Could a person who couldn’t even distinguish products and brands due to indifference do PR planning or CI (Corporate Identity) production? I resigned after nine months. Later, at the recommendation of a senior I knew, I started working as a broadcasting scriptwriter. For fifteen years, I was busy handling four or five projects simultaneously. I did almost every kind of promotional video script work at that time, and I met many con artists who didn’t even know they were con artists.

- You said you had an inexplicable confidence about dramas.

▲ Strangely, whenever given the chance, I felt I could write a drama immediately. After fifteen years as a writer, I finally got the opportunity and just wrote, and it really came out well. The drama that was born was Joseon Scientific Investigation Team Byeolsungeom. As I said earlier, it wasn’t that I wanted it strongly, but the vague feeling that it would happen became reality, and I realized that life often sends signals. I try to catch signals like “This is it” or “Now is the time” well and move toward a better direction.

- It has already been nine years since the well-made drama Misaeng aired. Yet many still regard it as a “life drama” and cherish its lingering impact. However, you said you felt an inexplicable unhappiness during its airing and tried not to see, hear, or feel its great success.

▲ I am grateful, but it is both joyful and very frightening that my work becomes someone’s life drama. The drama Misaeng caused such a big reaction that it became a phenomenon, but I tried to stay outside that reaction somehow. I was consumed by an unknown anxiety. I only recently understood the reason: I thought it was not an achievement I made. I was very embarrassed and anxious about a great achievement I had never imagined. I lost a lot in that process. I ignored the value of the achievement I made and the sincerity of the public’s affection. I even questioned, “Why do they like it so much?” People were confused whether it was humility or hypocrisy.

- Have you changed since nine years ago?

▲ Yes. This publication work was truly meaningful. I found and looked through the abandoned scripts one by one from the beginning and for the first time felt that I was amazing. When I recall those struggling times, I feel sorry. I told myself, “You worked hard, well done, I’m sorry and thank you.”

- I understand a lot of effort went into adapting the webtoon into a drama.

▲ The hardest part of adapting a webtoon into a drama is how to convey the meaning between the lines of the original work. The world between the cuts in a webtoon belongs to the reader. There are as many different imaginations and interpretations as there are readers. Even if you include interpretations that gain majority support and sympathy, some will inevitably be dissatisfied, so I was cautious. The script also needed to expand all elements of the original to fill the grand narrative of 20 episodes. I deeply considered how not to distort or alter what the original intended to say.

- Was there a part you hesitated about as a writer?

▲ Jang Geu-rae. If I were to define the drama in one line, it would be “The protagonist overcomes difficult processes to achieve a goal.” For that, the protagonist’s goal and what he wants to do must be revealed early on so viewers can cheer and follow. The more intuitive and strong the goal, the more powerful the story progresses. But this part was difficult. Jang Geu-rae, who gave up Go and joined One International, didn’t show an active goal to carry 20 episodes. Eventually, it was narrowed down to enduring and surviving, but that was also problematic. If survival is the goal, you need to create a difficult environment to elicit viewers’ support. To continue 20 episodes, the protagonist had to be moved, which made the drama more intense and risked losing the original’s emotional tone.

- The drama Misaeng was praised for its characters with distinct personalities.

▲ I have a drawer in my heart. In that drawer, countless experiences I’ve had in life are sorted through reflection and value judgment. Over time, these mature and give birth to various kinds of people. At this point, characters become not “me” but “people I know (or should know),” and further, “people I want to become.” Then it sometimes crosses into the realm of fantasy. Representative characters are Jang Geu-rae and Deputy Manager Oh. They are extremely realistic yet fantastical. They are so realistic that you think, “Where is a boss like that? Where is a subordinate like that?” That’s why.

- The absence of romance, which was considered an essential formula for drama success, also drew attention.

▲ People say it succeeded without romance, but I think differently. Through the relationships between Jang Baek-gi and Deputy Kang, Ahn Young-i and Deputy Ha, and Jang Geu-rae and Deputy Manager Oh, even without romantic relationships between men and women, a sense of romance is embedded.

- Nine years have passed since Misaeng ended. What changes, developments, and twists have you experienced? Has writer Jeong Yoon-jung’s Misaeng (life not yet complete) come closer to completion?

▲ There have been many moments of completion. After Misaeng, works like Bride of the Water God 2017 and Idol - The Coup gave me the depth to firmly plant my thoughts as a writer. First, it became clear in my mind what kind of person I am. Although no follow-up work as great as Misaeng has come out, I have definite fans who like my writing. For whatever reason, many people trust me because I did not blindly follow Misaeng’s success, and I have the desire to meet their expectations. I feel my inner self has become stronger. (laughs) That doesn’t mean I want a big hit. One big hit in life is enough. Misaeng gave me that opportunity. Now, I write what I want with the support of many. My small wish is to push my inevitably lazy body to write a little harder. (laughs)

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