Kim Won-seok (writer) explained

Kim Won-seok
Native Name Lang:ko
Birth Date:7 September 1977
Birth Place:South Korea
Alma Mater:Seoul National University
Years Active:1999-present
Organization:Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA)
Module:
Child:yes
Hangul:김원석
Rr:Gim Won-seok
Mr:Kim Wŏn-sŏk

Kim Won-seok (; born September 7, 1977) is a South Korean film director and scriptwriter. Starting his career in the directing department of the film in 1999. Followed by assistant director for two Ryoo Seung-wan's film Die Bad and The City of Violence. In 2008, he made his debut as a writer with the script adaptation of the film . The following year, he co-wrote and co-directed the drama Friend, Our Legend with Kwak Kyung-taek. However, it was in 2013 that he truly established himself as a writer with the MBC drama The Queen's Classroom. After the success of The Queen's Classroom, Kim went on to co-write the immensely popular dramas Descendants of the Sun and Man to Man. His latest work is the screenplay for the drama Payback.

Early life and education

Kim Won-seok was born September 7, 1977. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Seoul National University.[1]

Career

Kim Won-seok initially entered the entertainment industry as a director before transitioning to become a writer. He started as part of directing department of the film in 1999.[2] Followed by assistant director for two Ryoo Seung-wan's film Die Bad and The City of Violence. In 2008, he made his debut as a writer with the script adaptation of the film .[3]

In 2009, Kim co-wrote and co-directed Kwak Kyung-taek's drama Friend, Our Legend. It is a remake / TV adaptation of Kwak Kyung-taek's own 2001 box-office hit film Friend.

In 2013, Kim made his debut as a television writer with the MBC drama The Queen's Classroom, which was an adaptation of a Japanese drama with the same name. It revolves around Ma Yeo-jin (played by Go Hyun-jung), a stern teacher who becomes the homeroom teacher of an elementary school class. The drama gained attention for its distinctive storyline, which places the children in difficult situations, forcing them to confront reality. It portrays the children's journey of personal growth and self-discovery as they navigate through a harsh teaching method that involves harsh words and extreme circumstances. Even after Ma Yeo-jin's departure, the students continue to reflect on her teachings and apply them, solidifying her status as a guiding hero for the children.

Kim Won-seok collaborated with writer Kim Eun-sook on the 2016 KBS2 drama Descendants of the Sun, which was based on Kim Won-seok's award-winning work Doctors Without Borders. The drama, set in an unfamiliar and challenging environment, depicted the struggles of young soldiers and doctors. While the romantic relationships in the series were captivating, the story also emphasized the sense of duty displayed by the main characters, portraying them as genuine heroes. Descendants of the Sun became a sensation in South Korea and China, attracting a wide audience due to its compelling storyline and exploration of life's value.[4] [5]

A year later, Kim returned with his new drama Man to Man, which made history as the first South Korean television series to be simulcast on both television and Netflix.[6] Man to Man tells the story of a mysterious agent who becomes a bodyguard for a famous Korean star and deals with secretive people around him. The drama presents the thrilling adventures of these secret agents in different exciting ways. The action scenes in the show are choreographed by Park Jung-ryul, who is well known for his work on the movie The Man from Nowhere. The project is led by director Lee Chang-min. First script reading took place on October 3, 2016.[7] Filming began on October 17, 2016, and ended on March 6, 2017,[8] taking place in Seoul, South Korea and Budapest, Hungary.[9]

Notably, the first episode featured a parody of a famous scene from Descendants of the Sun', and two actors from the drama, David Lee McInnis and Song Joong-ki, made cameo appearances. Director Kwak Kyung-taek also made cameo appearance. Director Lee Chang-min, known for shows like Birth of a Beauty and Remember: War of the Son, had actors Lee Si-eon and Namkoong Min, who respectively acted in those dramas, make cameos in Man to Man as well.[10]

Kim took a hiatus for several years before returning in 2023 with Payback, a revenge drama that revolves around the characters Eun-yong (played by Lee Sun-kyun), a skilled financial merchant, and Jun-kyung (Moon Chae-won), a legal expert. Together, they confront a formidable cartel. The drama has achieved a noteworthy viewership rating of approximately 10%.[5]

Filmography

Film

Year! colspan="2"
TitleDirectorCredited as
EnglishKoreanDirecting StaffScreenwriter
1999Dr. K닥터 KKwak Kyung-taek
2000Die Bad죽거나 혹은 나쁘거나Ryoo Seung-wanRyoo Seung-wan[11]
2006The City of Violence짝패[12]
2008Love is Beautiful대한이, 민국씨[13]

Television series

Year! colspan="2"
TitleNetworkCredited as
EnglishKoreanOriginal authorScriptwriterDirector
2009Friend, Our Legend친구, 우리들의 전설MBCKwak Kyung-taek[14]
2013The Queen's Classroom여왕의 교실Kazuhiko Yukawa[15]
2016Descendants of the Sun태양의 후예KBS2Lee Eung-bok
[16]
2017Man to Man맨투맨JTBCLee Chang-min[17]
2023Payback법쩐SBSLee Won-tae[18]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Award ceremony! scope="col"
YearCategoryNominee / WorkResult
52nd Baeksang Arts Awards2016Grand Prize (TV)Descendants of the Sun[19] [20]
Best Drama
Best Scriptwriter (TV)Descendants of the Sun
43rd Korean Broadcasting Grand PrizeBest DramaDescendants of the Sun[21]
11th Seoul International Drama AwardsExcellent Korean Drama[22]
5th APAN Star AwardsDrama of the Year[23] [24]
9th Korea Drama AwardsBest Drama[25]
Best Drama WriterDescendants of the Sun
Korean Advertisers Association AwardsBest DramaDescendants of the Sun[26]
21st Asian Television AwardsBest Drama Series[27]
30th KBS Drama AwardsBest ScreenwriterDescendants of the Sun[28]
Korea Communications Commission Broadcasting Awards2017Grand Prize for Excellence in ProductionDescendants of the Sun[29]
50th WorldFest-Houston International Film FestivalSpecial Jury Award (TV series)[30]

State honors

Country! scope="col"
Award CeremonyYearHonor
South KoreaKorean Content Story Awards2011Korea Creative Content Agency's Director Excellence Award
[31]
2023Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award

[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 김원석 : 네이버 통합검색 . 2024-01-03 . search.naver.com . ko.
  2. Web site: 2017-05-15 . [단독] 곽경택 감독, 남궁민-송중기 이어 '맨투맨' 카메오 합류 ]. [Exclusive] Director Kwak Kyung-taek, Namkoong Min, Song Joong-ki, 'Man-to-Man' cameo . 2024-01-03 . 스포츠동아 . ko.
  3. Web site: Jang . Su-jeong . [작가 리와인드(68)] '법쩐' 김원석 작가의 새로운 히어로들 ]. [Writer Rewind(68)] New Heroes of Writer Kim Won-seok, 'Payback' . 2024-01-03 . entertain.naver.com . ko.
  4. Web site: [스프] 대단치 않은 사람 이야기가 특별해진다 - '법쩐' 김원석 작가 ]. [Sup] The story of a not great person becomes special - 'Leop Tseng' writer Kim Won-seok . 2024-01-02 . 언론사 뷰.
  5. Web site: '태양의 후예' 김원석 작가 "송중기·송혜교·진구·김지원, 연기 너무 잘했다" . Writer Kim Won-seok of 'Descendant of the Sun' "Song Joong-ki, Song Hye-kyo, Jin-gu, and Kim Ji-won, you did a great job of acting" . 2024-01-02 . . ko.
  6. Web site: Netflix Simulcasts New Korean Original Series MAN x MAN by JTBC in Over 20 Languages Globally . February 21, 2021.
  7. Web site: '맨투맨' 대본리딩 현장, 박해진-김민정 첫만남 어땠나 . 'Man to Man' script reading scene, how was Park Hae-jin and Kim Min-jung's first meeting? . 2017-04-22 .
  8. Web site: ko:박해진 '맨투맨' 첫 촬영…각국 팬 응원 속 본격촬영 돌입 . http://tvdaily.asiae.co.kr/read.php3?aid=14769232591171752002 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143335/http://tvdaily.asiae.co.kr/read.php3?aid=14769232591171752002 . 2018-06-12 . 2017-04-22 . tvdaily.asiae.co.kr . ko.
  9. Web site: ko:죄수복도 심쿵…'맨투맨' 박해진, 헝가리 교도소까지? . The prison uniform is also heart-pounding... 'Man to Man' Park Hae-jin, even the Hungarian prison? . 2017-04-22 . TV리포트 . ko-KR.
  10. News: 2016-12-27 . '맨투맨', 전무후무 퀄리티+스케일…사전제작 묘미 살린다텐아시아 . ko-KR . 'Man to Man', the old quality + scale... Pre-production is the beauty of making use of Asia . 텐아시아 . dead . 2017-04-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180616180406/http://tenasia.hankyung.com/archives/1094565 . 2018-06-16.
  11. Web site: Die Bad (Jukkeona Hogeun Nappeugeona) . 2024-01-03 . . en.
  12. Web site: The City of Violence (Jjak-pae) . 2024-01-03 . . en.
  13. Web site: Love is Beautiful (Daehan-i, Minguk-ssi) . 2024-01-03 . . en.
  14. Web site: Friend, Our Legend . 2024-01-03 . www.imbc.com.
  15. Web site: 여왕의 교실 . 2024-01-03 . www.imbc.com.
  16. Web site: 태양의 후예 . 2024-01-03 . 태양의 후예 . ko.
  17. Web site: 맨투맨 프로그램 . 2024-01-03 . . ko.
  18. Web site: September 7, 2022 . Lee Sun-kyun and Moon Chae-won in "Beopjjeon" . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230628215409/https://www.hancinema.net/lee-sun-kyun-and-moon-chae-won-in-beopjjeon-163321.html . June 28, 2023 . November 5, 2022 . . Herald POP.
  19. Web site: June 4, 2016 . '52회 백상예술대상', '동주' '태양의 후예' 대상...'시그널' 3관왕(종합) . "Dongju" And "Descendants of the Sun" Take Home Grand Prizes At The 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards + Full List Of Winners . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20191213101858/http://news20.busan.com/controller/newsController.jsp?newsId=20160604000005 . December 13, 2019 . June 5, 2018 . . ko.
  20. Web site: June 6, 2016 . Director Lee takes top Baeksang honor . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180920123028/http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aId=3019614 . September 20, 2018 . June 5, 2018 . Korea JoongAng Daily.
  21. Web site: September 2, 2016 . '43th 한국방송대상' 알권리 충족 SBS 대상…황정음·하현우 개인상[종합] ]. Winners Of "43rd Korean Broadcasting Grand Prize" Awards Announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190308002917/http://isplus.live.joins.com/news/article/article.asp?total_id=20542613&cloc= . March 8, 2019 . June 5, 2018 . Joins . ko.
  22. Web site: September 29, 2016 . British-American TV series wins top prize in Seoul Drama Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200921202625/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20160908001117&ACE_SEARCH=1 . September 21, 2020 . June 5, 2018 . The Korea Herald.
  23. Web site: October 3, 2016 . Song Joong-ki wins grand prize at APAN awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180711195050/http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20161003000276&ACE_SEARCH=1 . July 11, 2018 . June 5, 2018 . The Korea Herald.
  24. Web site: Mattew . llin . September 27, 2016 . APAN Star Awards 2016: Complete nomination list; Descendants of the Sun earns 8 nods . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180719054445/https://www.ibtimes.co.in/apan-star-awards-2016-complete-nomination-list-descendants-sun-earns-8-nods-695476 . July 19, 2018 . June 5, 2018 . International Business Times.
  25. Web site: October 7, 2016 . 김소연, 데뷔 22년만에 첫 연기대상..2관왕 영예[2016 KDA 종합] ]. Winners Of The 2016 Korea Drama Awards Revealed . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180804201526/http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1110510342 . August 4, 2018 . June 5, 2018 . OSEN . ko.
  26. Web site: October 13, 2016 . '광고주가 뽑은 좋은 모델' 설현·김우빈 . Advertisers select Seolhyun and Kim Woo Bin as the best models . Yonhap.
  27. Web site: December 2, 2016 . Asian Television Awards: 'Descendants,' 'Green' Share Top Honors . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190307173738/https://variety.com/2016/tv/asia/asian-television-awards-descendants-a-touch-of-green-1201932614/ . March 7, 2019 . June 5, 2018 . Variety.
  28. Web site: January 1, 2017 . [2016KBS연기대상] 대상은 '태양의후예' 송중기·송혜교, 다관왕은 '구르미'(종합) ]. 2016 KBS Drama Awards Winners . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170825234938/http://enter.etoday.co.kr/view/news_view.php?varAtcId=92030 . August 25, 2017 . June 5, 2018 . eToday . ko.
  29. Web site: March 20, 2017 . 'Descendants of the Sun' wins grand prize from broadcasting watchdog . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170617002712/http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/kwave/2017/03/20/3001000000AEN20170320010700315.html . June 17, 2017 . June 5, 2018 . Yonhap.
  30. Web site: May 2, 2017 . KBS Wins 10 Awards at 50th WorldFest-Houston Int'l Film Festival . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20190308002920/http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Cu_detail.htm?No=127077 . March 8, 2019 . June 5, 2018 . KBS World.
  31. Web site: Kim . Jae-chang . 2016-03-29 . '태양의 후예' 인기 원동력은 'K-스토리' . The driving force for the popularity of 'Descends of the Sun' is 'K-Story' . 2024-01-03 . 비즈니스포스트.
  32. Web site: Kim . Ok-jo . 2023-11-14 . 내일의 'K-콘텐츠 스타' 발굴..대한민국콘텐츠대상 스토리부문 시상 . Tomorrow's 'K-Content Star' excavation.. Awarded in the story category of the Korea Content Awards . 2024-01-03 . KBC광주방송 . ko.