Yoo Bo-ra explained

Yoo Bo-ra
Native Name Lang:ko
Birth Place:South Korea
Occupation:Screenwriter
Years Active:2017–present
Employer:Studio Dragon
Organization:Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA)
Notable Works:Reflection of You
Module:
Child:yes
Headercolor:transparent
Hangul:유보라
Hanja:!
Rr:Yoo Bo-ra
Mr:Yoo Pora

Yoo Bo-ra is a South Korean film and television screenwriter. Yoo debuted as screenwriter on terrestrial television with the KBS Drama Special in 2012. Yoo is best known for her work as scriptwriter of KBS television series Secret Love (2013), JTBC mini-series Rain or Shine (2017) and Reflection of You (2021), as well as her critically acclaim film Snowy Road (2017).

Before Yoo made her feature drama debut, she began her career as a one-act drama writer at KBS. Her stories focused on social issues. She wrote several KBS Drama Specials, including "A Spoonbill Flies Away," "Do You Know Taekwondo?," "Sangkwoni," "Yeonwoo's Summer," and "Youth."[1]

Early life and education

During her time as an undergraduate student, Yoo pursued a major in fiction within the creative writing department. Throughout her college years, she had the fortunate opportunity to make her literary debut at the Spring Festival. However, her subsequent endeavors did not yield favorable results, as she faced repeated failures in full-length novel contests. While grappling with these setbacks, she would examine award-winning works and wonder why hers did not achieve similar success. There were moments when she contemplated the reasons behind her failures, eventually leading to a realization after going through that challenging period.[2]

After completing her undergraduate studies, Yoo enrolled in Dongguk University's where she focused on screenwriting. Despite exploring directing, she concluded that it was not the right path for her. Consequently, she decided to condense the full-length screenplay she had written for her graduation and submitted it to a one-act play contest.

In 2008, Yoo collaborated with Park Jung-bum, a fellow alumnus of Dongguk University's Graduate School, on a short independent film script titled 125JEON Seung-chul. Directed by Park Jung-bum, the film served as an entry for the 34th Seoul Independent Film Festival in 2008. It depicts the story of Seung-cheol, a North Korean defector portrayed by Park Jung-bum, who has recently left Hanawon. Seung-cheol spends his days in a state of confusion and disorientation in an empty rental apartment. The detective in charge of Seung-cheol introduces him to a factory, but he faces rejection due to his status as a North Korean defector.[3] [4]

In 2011, Yoo won the Grand Prize in the KBS 24th TV One-act Drama Contest for her script, "A Spoonbill Flies Away." "A Spoonbill Flies Away" was evaluated as a delicate and lyrical expression of the process of a young man reflecting on his love through his father's pure love. KBS announced that a total of 2,943 works applied for the 2011 one-act play script contest, and there were many works with diverse perspectives, including works with strong topicality that criticized reality, human plays that allowed one to feel family love, and genre works based on unique ideas. The winning writers were set to work as KBS intern writers, and the winning works were set to be broadcast on KBS Drama Special in 2012.[5]

Career

Early career

The script written by Yoo was selected to get production support work in from the Korea Creative Content Agency for the one-act play category. It was helmed by Director Kim Young-gyun and developed into the KBS2 drama special "Do You Know Taekwondo?" The drama follows Do-hyeon (played by Lim Ji-gyu), an unknown action actor who unexpectedly becomes a taekwondo instructor at his alma mater. He takes charge of three problem children who have given up on school and three underachievers with little talent. The cast includes Lim Ji-gyu, Niel, Han Yeo-reum, Kim Hee-won, Kim So-young, Yoon Park, Ki Joo-bong, Lee Chae-eun, and Lee Dae-hoon. The drama was broadcast at 11:45 pm on October 7, 2012.[6]

Yoo's winning script, "A Spoonbill Flies Away," was adapted into a one-act drama as part of the lineup for the KBS 2012 Drama Special. The four winning works from the previous year's One-Act Play Script Contest were broadcast every Sunday at 11:15 pm for four consecutive weeks, starting from October 28, 2012. "A Spoonbill Flies Away," directed by Jeon San, was aired on the second Sunday in the first week of November.[7]

Yoo's one-act drama titled "Sangkwon," directed by Kim Jin-woo, was the 23rd work of KBS2's Drama Special Season 3. Lee Moon-sik played the lead role of Sang-kwon, a construction worker who has lost his family and struggles with memory loss when drunk. Lee Moon-sik's performance was praised. Due to the small production budget of the drama, he was willing to cut his fee by more than half. It aired on December 16, 2012, and achieved the highest viewership rating of all the drama specials in Season 3.[8]

In 2013, Yoo also wrote KBS drama special one-act play 'Yeonwoo's Summer'. The story follows Yeon-woo (Han Ye-ri), an indie band singer-songwriter who took over the family business after her father passed away, runs a home appliance repair shop, and works part-time at a cafe while going to work to replace her mother, Park Soon-im (Kim Hye-ok), a building sanitation worker who was hospitalized in a traffic accident. It begins. Yeonwoo meets her elementary school classmate Yoon Ji-wan (Lim Se-mi), who works as an announcer at this company, and sets up a blind date with Kim Yun-hwan (Han Joo-wan), the son of Ji-wan's father's friend, on Ji-wan's behalf.[9]

Mini-series debut

Yoo made her debut in the 2013 mini-series Secret Love, which she co-wrote with Choi Ho-cheol. It was a project planned by Director Lee Eung-bok since October 2012, while still working on School 2013. Director Lee was impressed by Choi Ho-cheol's award-winning script from the KBS Miniseries Script Contest in 2012. He had been preparing for nearly a year, holding frequent meetings with Choi Ho-cheol. Chief Producer Hwang Ui-kyung recommended Yoo to join the project.[10] The roles were well-defined, with writer Yoo Bo-ra responsible for infusing the emotional and feminine elements, while writer Choi Ho-cheol handled the mystery and thriller aspects.[11] Due to joining a pre-planned work, Yoo had to write the script in a hurry.[12]

Secret Love starred Hwang Jung-eum, Ji Sung, Bae Soo-bin, and Lee Da-hee in the lead roles. The 16-episode series aired on KBS2 from September 25 to November 14, 2013, with episodes broadcast on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 21:55.[13] Secret Love garnered positive reviews consistently for its well-structured portrayal of a passionate melodrama involving four characters intertwined with revenge and desire. It secured the top position among Wednesday-Thursday dramas, achieving a viewership rating of 16%. Additionally, it successfully held its ground in direct competition with writer Kim Eun-sook's The Heirs (SBS).[14]

The success of Secret Love was attributed to the combined talents of promising new writers and the planning skills of the production team. Hwang Eui-kyung, the Chief Producer of the KBS drama department, acknowledged that broadcasting companies traditionally hesitated to hire new writers, especially for mini-series, due to the financial implications and increased risk. However, in this case, they took a chance on a new writer who had demonstrated their capabilities in one-act plays and internal planning. This decision held significance as it was a single cohesive project that yielded positive results.[15]

After Secret Love, Yoo received love calls for her from several production companies, but she chose a one-act play that was her basic. Yoo wrote KBS 2TV Drama Special 2014: 18 Years Old.[16]

In early 2014, Yoo started planned Snowy Road with director Lee Na-jeong.[17] Set in 1944 at the end of the Japanese colonial period, Snow Road is a work depicting the reality that Jongbun (Kim Hyang-gi) and Young-ae (Kim Sae-ron) had to face as comfort women.[18] The actual filming period for Snowy Road lasted only 17 days.[19] [20] It was first premiered as a two-part television drama special on KBS1 in 2015, and then was re-edited for theatrical screening.[21] [22]

KBS initially planned the project as a film, bringing together broadcasting and film staff to collaborate on the production. The decision was influenced by the higher chances of film being screened in Japan, particularly at film festivals, including those with a focus on human rights. The primary goal was to increase viewership, raise awareness, and educate a wider audience about the issue through the film.[23] The theatrical cut was first showcased at the 16th Jeonju International Film Festival. The film version was eventually released nationwide on March 1, 2017, coinciding with South Korea's Independence Movement Day, which commemorates the 1919 March 1st Movement.[24] In 2016, Snowy Road won the Prix Italia Award in the TV Drama/TV Movie category at the 67th Prix Italia Awards.[25]

In 2014, Yoo collaborated again with Park Jung-bum after 4 years, on the independent film script Alive. Directed by Park Jung-bum, the film is a mystery thriller that portrays a dramatized version of a real-life murder case that took place at a raw fish restaurant in Gangwon-do. In 2015, the film received the JPM Best Feature Film Award at the 16th Jeonju International Film Festival.[26] [27]

The drama Just Between Lovers is a work based on the Sewol ferry accident, Sampoong Department Store collapse, and Seongsu Bridge collapse. It is a drama that provides comfort by depicting post-traumatic syndrome in Korea. A story has no choice but to reflect the times, whether consciously or unconsciously, and I like that this is always clearly felt in the author's writing.[28] [29] [30] [31]

Filmography

Film

Year! colspan="2"
TitleCredited asDirectorNotes
EnglishKoreanAdaptationOriginal script
2008125 Jeon Seung-cheol125 전승철Park Jung-bumShort film[32]
2015Alive산다[33]
2017Snowy Road눈길Lee Na-jeongRe-leased and re-edited version[34]

Television series

Year! colspan="2"
TitleNetworkCredited as
EnglishKoreanAdaptationOriginal ScriptCreator
2012KBS Drama Special - A Spoonbill Flies AwayKBS 드라마 스페셜 - 저어새 날아가다KBS2[35]
2012KBS Drama Special - Do You Know Taekwondo?KBS 드라마 스페셜 - 태권, 도를 아십니까[36]
2012KBS Drama Special - Sangkwoni (Business District)KBS 드라마 스페셜 - 상권이[37]
2013KBS Drama Special - Yeonwoo's SummerKBS 드라마 스페셜 - 연우의 여름[38]
2013 Secret Love비밀KBS2[39]
2014KBS Drama Special - YouthKBS 드라마 스페셜 - 18세[40] [41]
2015Snowy Road눈길KBS1
2017Rain or Shine그냥 사랑하는 사이JTBC[42]
2021Reflection of You너를 닮은 사람[43]
2024Hide하이드[44]

Web Series

Year! colspan="2"
TitleOTTCredited as
EnglishKoreanDirectorScriptwriterCreatorPlanner
2019Love Alarm좋아하면 울리는NetflixLee Na-jeongStudio Dragon[45]

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Award ceremony! scope="col"
YearCategoryRecipientResult
24th TV One-act Drama Contest2011Best PrizeA Spoonbill Flies Away
2nd Asia Rainbow TV Awards2014Outstanding Modern DramaSecret Love
67th Locarno International Film Festival2014Young Critics AwardAlive[46]
29th Mar del Plata International Film FestivalObra Cine Award for Best First or Second Feature
25th Singapore International Film FestivalSilver Screen Awards for Asian Feature Film
Special Mention
9th Asia Pacific Screen Awards2015Best Feature Film[47] [48]
Jury Grand Prize
3rd Wildflower Film Awards2016Grand Prize[49]
Best Screenplay

Listicles

Publisher! scope="col"
YearListiclePlacement
Cine21202322 Writers[50]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 작은 선의로 쌓아올린 세계, <너를 닮은 사람>의 유보라 작가 . A world built up with a little good will, <A person who looks like you> author Yu Bo-ra . 2024-01-14 . 한겨레21.
  2. Web site: 2015-04-06 . [trans × cross] 항상 엔딩을 생각하고 글을 쓴다 ]. [trans × cross] I always write with the ending in mind . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  3. Web site: 125전승철 . 2024-01-15 . 서울독립영화제 . ko-KR.
  4. Web site: 125JEON Seung-chul . 2024-01-15 . jiff.kr.
  5. Web site: Yoon . Go-eun . 2011-11-29 . KBS 단막극 극본공모 최우수작에 '저어새...' . In the best work of KBS's one-act drama script, 'The bastard...' . 2024-01-14 . . ko.
  6. Web site: 2012-10-04 . '태권, 도를 아십니까', 최민수-이대훈 등 화려한 카메오는? . 2024-01-14 . 독서신문 . ko.
  7. Web site: 윤 . 고은 . KBS드라마스페셜, 극본공모 당선작 4편 방송 . 2024-01-14 . entertain.naver.com . ko.
  8. Web site: 2012-12-18 . ‘상권이’ PD "이문식 출연료도 삭감..연기 열정 대단해" 감탄 . 2024-01-14 . tvdaily.co.kr.
  9. Web site: 2013-09-02 . 배우 한예리, KBS 단막극 `연우의 여름` 주연 . Actor Han Ye-ri, starring in KBS's one-act play 'Yeon-woo's Summer' . 2024-01-14 . 국제신문.
  10. Web site: 2013-10-30 . The story behind the production of ‘Secret’ "I liked it even before winning the PD contest, I prepared for a year" . Newsen.
  11. Web site: 2013-11-20 . 비밀 속 ‘퍼즐 맞추기’, 그래서 비밀은 특별하다 . 2024-01-14 . PD저널 . ko.
  12. Web site: ‘비밀’의 그 작가, 유보라 . 2024-01-14 . ‘비밀’의 그 작가, 유보라 . ko.
  13. Web site: 본방사수고뇌의 달, 박지은 김은숙 강은경 유보라 11월 대격돌 . The month of the anguish of the live broadcast, Park Ji-eun, Kim Eun-sook, Kang Eun-kyung, Yoo Bo-ra, November clash . 2024-01-14 . 언론사 뷰.
  14. Web site: 2013-11-06 . 단막극 신인 작가 미니시리즈로 영글다 . It's a one-act drama new writer mini-series. . 2024-01-14 . PD저널 . ko.
  15. Web site: 2013-11-06 . 단막극 신인 작가 미니시리즈로 영글다 . 2024-01-14 . PD저널 . ko.
  16. Web site: 2014-04-24 . 유보라 작가 "단막극으로 ‘비밀’ 집필 터전 닦았다" . Writer Yu Bora "I wiped the writing ground of 'secret' with a one-act play" . 2024-01-14 . . ko.
  17. Web site: 그렇게 삶은 계속된다 . That's how life goes on . 2024-01-14 . . ko.
  18. Web site: 2016-06-07 . "위안부 문제도, 힘든 현실도, 결국 연대만이 살길" . “The comfort women issue, the difficult reality, and in the end, only solidarity will live.” . 2024-01-14 . PD저널 . ko.
  19. Web site: [인터뷰] 이나정 감독·김새론 "마음 아프지만, 누군가는 해야할 이야기" ]. [Interview] Director Lee Na-jung, Kim Sae-ron "It hurts my heart, but someone has to tell a story" . 2024-01-14 . 언론사 뷰.
  20. Web site: 2017-03-09 . [people] 이나정 감독 ]. [people] Director Na-jung . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  21. Web site: 전주국제영화제 . Jeonju International Film Festival . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170222055037/http://www.jiff.or.kr/db/program/view.asp?idx=117 . 22 February 2017 . 17 January 2022 . www.jiff.or.kr.
  22. Web site: 2016-03-15 . Another 'comfort women' film to hit theaters . 2017-10-27 . The Korea Times.
  23. Web site: 2017-03-03 . [인터뷰] 이나정 감독 "'눈길'...약자들이 함께 나아가는 연대 영화" ]. [Interview] Director Lee Na-jung "'Snow Road'... A solidarity film where the weak go together" . 2024-01-14 . 싱글리스트 . ko.
  24. Web site: 2017-02-17 . Young girls live through horror together : 'Snowy Road' highlights the agony felt in the daily lives of teenage 'comfort women'-INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily . 2017-10-27 . Korea JoongAng Daily.
  25. Web site: 15 March 2018 . ko:[한국PD대상] 올해의PD상 총파업참여 PD들..눈물과 촌철살인 소감 [종합] . [Korea PD Awards] PDs participating in this year's PD award general strike.. The impression of tears and rustic murder [Comprehensive] . http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1110855638 . OSEN . ko.
  26. Web site: OSEN . 2015-05-04 . '땡중’ 1000만원 전주프로젝트마켓 극영화 1위 선정 . 2024-01-15 . m.osen.co.kr . ko.
  27. Web site: Conran . Pierce . 2 December 2014 . Best Actor for ALIVE's PARK Jung-bum in Mar Del Plat . 2016-08-03 . Korean Film Biz Zone.
  28. Web site: 2023-03-13 . ‘너를 닮은 사람’ ‘눈길’ 유보라 작가 [22 WRITERS⑦] ]. 'A person who looks like you' and 'snow' writer Yu Bora [22 WRITERS⑦] . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  29. Web site: 2023-03-13 . [인터뷰] ‘너를 닮은 사람’ 유보라 작가, "시청자들은 사적 복수에 대한 열망이 커진 것 같다" ]. [Interview] 'A person who looks like you' writer Yu Bora, "Viewers seem to have a growing desire for private revenge" . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  30. Web site: 2023-03-13 . [인터뷰] ‘눈길‘ 유보라 작가, "사회가 희망을 가지려면 잘못에는 제대로 책임지는 자세가 필요하다" ]. [Interview] 'Snow Road' writer Yu Bo-ra, "If society wants to have hope, it is necessary to take proper responsibility for mistakes" . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  31. Web site: 2023-03-13 . [인터뷰] ‘너를 닮은 사람’ 유보라 작가, "다음 작품은 인구절벽에 대한 이야기를 쓰고 있다" ]. [Interview] 'A person who looks like you' by Yu Bora, "The next work is writing a story about a population cliff" . 2024-01-14 . 씨네21 . ko.
  32. Web site: KMDb - 125 JEON Seung-chul . 2024-01-14 . . en.
  33. Web site: Alive (San-da) . 2024-01-14 . . en.
  34. Web site: KMDb - Snowy Road (Nun-gil) . 2024-01-14 . . en.
  35. Web site: 2011-11-29 . KBS 단막극 극본공모 최우수작 ‘저어새, 날아가다’ . KBS single-act drama script, the best work 'The Bird, Fly' . 2024-01-14 . 헤럴드경제 . ko.
  36. Web site: Choi. Ji-eun. ko:<태권, 도를 아십니까>, 삶을 살리는 싸움의 기술. http://tenasia.hankyung.com/archives/15549. TenAsia. ko. 15 November 2014. 8 October 2012. 24 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161224095413/http://tenasia.hankyung.com/archives/15549. dead.
  37. Web site: 손 . 봉석 . 2023-07-06 . ‘추적 60분’ 스타 드라마 작가 유보라와 콜라보 . 2024-01-14 . sports.khan.co.kr . ko.
  38. Web site: KBS Drama Special - Yeonwoo's Summer (KBS deurama seupesyeol - yeonuui yeoreum). 2024-01-14 . . en.
  39. Web site: Ji Sung plays a cold and cruel man who Hwang Jung-eum falls for!. KBS Global. 2013-08-13. 8 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131014173407/http://english.kbs.co.kr/news/entertainment_news_view.html?No=8558. 14 October 2013. dead.
  40. Web site: 2015-01-07 . '비밀' 유보라 작가, 3.1절 단막극으로 돌아온다 . 2024-01-14 . tvdaily.co.kr.
  41. Web site: 김 . 양수 . 2014-04-22 . '감격시대' 엄태구, 4년 연속 단막극 나들이...'18세' 합류 . 2024-01-14 . 아이뉴스24 . ko.
  42. Web site: 2017-08-21 . JTBC 새 드라마 "그냥 사랑하는 사이", 파격 캐스팅 눈길 . JTBC's new drama "Just in Love", shocking casting eyes . 2024-01-14 . JTBC 새 드라마 "그냥 사랑하는 사이", 파격 캐스팅 눈길 스포츠월드 . ko.
  43. News: 고현정의 귀환 '너를 닮은 사람', 10월 첫 방송 확정 [공식] ]. Go Hyun-jung's Return 'People Like You' Confirmed for First Broadcast in October [Official] . Lee Kyung-ho . Star News . . August 25, 2021 . August 25, 2021 . ko . August 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210825092301/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/article/108/0002983296 . live .
  44. Web site: 이보영·이무생→이청아, '하이드' 출연 확정…"내년 공개". Yoo. Jung-min. October 19, 2023. MBC Entertainment. ko. February 12, 2024. Naver.
  45. Web site: September 4, 2018 . Netflix to bring romance series Love Alarm . February 24, 2021 . Netflix Media Centre.
  46. Web site: Conran . Pierce . 19 August 2014 . Korean Films Recognized in Locarno and Toronto . 2016-08-03 . Korean Film Biz Zone.
  47. Web site: 2015-10-22 . NOMINEES ANNOUNCED IN 9TH ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS . 2016-08-03 . Asiapacificscreenacademy.com.
  48. Web site: 2015-11-26 . WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN 9TH ASIA PACIFIC SCREEN AWARDS . 2016-08-03 . Asiapacificscreenacademy.com.
  49. Web site: Conran . Pierce . 11 April 2016 . ALIVE Takes Grand Prize at 3rd Wildflower Film Awards . 2016-08-03 . Korean Film Biz Zone.
  50. Web site: ‘21’도 드라마다 . '21' is also a drama. . 2024-01-14 . 한겨레21.