The first time Kim Eun-hee tried to write a love story, the film flopped. “I realized that romance wasn’t working for me,” she said.
This is not surprising – the famous South Korean screenwriter for the historical zombie epic “Kingdom” has a pessimistic view on love.
“Doesn’t all love end in about three years? Does true love even exist? I think quite a bit,” she told CNN. “I don’t think I can write scripts that will shake people’s hearts.”
Now, more than 15 years after her foray into a romantic film, Kim’s job as a television writer is to offer her audience a kind of “catharsis.” But, she said, “I don’t want to give too much false hope that shows up in plays.”
She is talking about genres and tropes many Korean TV shows have traditionally been known for, romantic comedies and melodramas, which some say include unrealistic depictions of love.
Kim’s stories revolve around social issues including crime, class division and politics. “I like to write how blame is punished … poetic justice,” she explained.
His 2019 Netflix series “Kingdom” explored those themes with a 15th-century zombie twist. Against the backdrop of a zombie epidemic in South Korea’s Joseon Dynasty, “Kingdom” features the epic journey of the Crown Prince as he searches for the cause of the outbreak.
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According to its director Kim Song-hoon, stories like “Kingdom” have transformed Korean dramas, bringing the thriller genre into the mainstream.
Korean filmmaking has a long history of domestic success but has become increasingly popular with international audiences in recent years. In 2020, the film “Parasite” became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Oscars, and the growth of streaming services has provided a platform for Korean shows to make their way into living rooms around the world.
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Netflix brought in Kim Eun-hee to South Korea as one of its first creative partners, and the streaming service says it has invested nearly $500 million in Korean content in 2021 alone. “That’s the tip of the spear,” said Keo Lee, Netflix’s director of Korean original series. “What I admire most about him is his belief in the power of a good story.”
a “terrible fantasy”
Kim’s storytelling ability has long been recognized in South Korea and roles in her shows are coveted. Actor Jeon Suk-ho credits “Kingdom” as a turning point in his career. “That seems to be what the power of writing really is,” he told CNN.
That sentiment is also shared by popular actors Joo Ji-hoon and Gianna Joon—both prominent in the series “Kingdom,” as well as Kim’s latest drama, “Mount Jiri.”
Kim K shows often feature a group of characters with different stories, who combine to make their work complex and compelling. “Kim Eun-hee’s writing is very difficult to act as an actor,” Joo said. “Though his scripts are easy to read, the roles are not easy to play,” he said, as he has many layers.
Jun said that while she has always enjoyed watching Kim K shows, some of the “horror and brutal scenes” took her by surprise when she began working with Kim. “Whenever I see him, I think, Where could that horrifying fantasy come from?”
“Anyone Can Write a Script”
Released in October 2021, “Mount Jiri” depicts the lives of climbers and hikers on the second highest mountain in South Korea. While researching the script, Kim tries to climb the mountain to understand why people go there. It didn’t turn out as he had expected.
“I’m afraid of heights, afraid of insects, and my body is too weak, so I got into trouble in the middle of the mountain,” she recalled. “Finally, I spent a night at a nearby shelter. I had a really tough time, but watching the night sky full of stars gave me the confidence to write this script.”
Writer Kim Eun-hee attends the “Kingdom” premiere with the cast on January 21, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. Credit: Wooha Chow/Getty Images Asiapac/Getty Images for Netflix
For Kim, the dedication she puts into her work can be seen in the details, and while the work can be challenging at times, she feels rewarded when audiences praise her show. “That kind of feeling is so addictive.”
Despite her global success, Kim believes anyone can become a screenwriter. “I didn’t get good grades as a student, and my social skills weren’t that great either. I wasn’t really good at anything,” she said. “If you’re interested in people, whether you’re male or female, you can be a great screenwriter.”
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