Writer Kim Eun-sook, who created the Netflix series 'The Glory', gave a Q&A containing her gratitude for her passionate love and her thoughts on the past few months.
'The Glory' recorded 413.05 million hours of cumulative viewing, ranking 6th in the all-time viewing time in the Netflix TV (non-English) category. It is an amazing achievement among domestic Netflix series, following ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Our School Now’. Part 1 of 'The Glory' has been in the TOP 10 list for 5 weeks, and Part 2 has maintained the top spot in the non-English language category for 3 consecutive weeks right after its release as of March 29 (today).
Writer Kim Eun-sook sent a question and answer to the hot syndrome pouring in from all over the world. 'The Glory' is a Netflix series that depicts the story of a woman whose soul was broken by violence in her childhood, who risks her entire life to carefully prepare for revenge, and of those who fall into the vortex.
Writer Kim Eun-sook first said, “I don’t think it will be enough to say thank you until I die. Viewers in Korea and viewers around the world~ I’m so excited right now!” he said, using a famous line he wrote to express his gratitude to viewers around the world. Regarding the relationship and future of Dong-eun and Yeo-jeong, for whom everyone is unanimously supporting, “Dong-eun and Yeo-jeong’s actions ultimately lead to revenge and destruction. In the process of revenge, they have already become perpetrators and are two people who do not know how to live other than heading to prison, another hell. However, since Dong-eun and Yeo-jung are together, they are heading towards hell just as they are towards heaven. “Truly crazy love,” he said, mentioning the future of the two people who have become each other’s paradise and glory.
Then, to Dong-eun’s character, “My beloved Dong-eun. It must have hurt a lot. I must have cried a lot. I would have wanted to die more. Still, thank you so much for coming this far. It may have been difficult, but I hope you know that the entire path you have walked has become a ‘map’ for someone. So, I hope it blooms in full bloom sometime in the spring, Dong-eun,” he said with affectionate final words.
A) I don’t think I can say thank you enough until I die. So, I'm going to use this space to make it short and sweet. “Viewers in Korea~ and viewers around the world~ I’m so excited right now!”
Q. How have you been between the releases of Part 1 and Part 2?
A) I thought about the fate of a drama writer. What I mean is, if it airs on a channel other than OTT, there are about 8 hours of hell from the end of the main broadcast until 7 a.m. the next morning when the viewership ratings are released. So this time I thought I could just enjoy it since it was OTT, but guess what? Between Part 1 and Part 2, over 100 days of hell awaited. (Laughs) It seems to be the fate of drama writers.
Q. Famous lines and scenes that you personally selected
A) There was no limit to the lines I could choose, so I selected them as scenes.
1. “You have to listen” in the police station scene. “Even though 18 years have passed.” The reason is because the acting of the police officer and Dong-eun was so good that I cried even though I knew everything about it.
2. A scene from the past between young Dong-eun and the villa owner’s grandmother, “Let’s die in spring, in spring.” As soon as teacher Son Sook said the line, I sobbed at the same timing as young Dong-eun.
3. The last scene of the last episode. The reason for “I love you” is that Yeo-kyung wants to live with Dong-eun as an excuse, and Dong-eun’s “I love you” is another expression of ‘I want to live.’
4. A ritual where Sohee is possessed. Everything was good. Dong-eun's acting, where you can feel the presence of So-hee who is punishing her without even a single line of dialogue, was overwhelming.
5. Yeojeong and Doyoung’s baduk scene. I liked the ‘origin point’ of the victims that Yeojeong talks about. That line is also the theme of 'The Glory', and I wanted to convey it through Jeong-yeon's mouth, but Lee Do-hyun conveyed it so perfectly, even down to the sound of his breathing.
6. Yeonjin and Chief Shin’s funeral scene. “That’s it!!! Yeonjin’s acting, “You’ll figure it out!!!” made my mouth drop.
Q. Dong-eun and Yeo-jeong’s present and future, will they be happy?
A) Dong-eun and Yeo-jeong’s actions ultimately lead to revenge and destruction. In the process of revenge, they too have already become perpetrators, and so they are two people who do not know how to live other than heading towards prison, another hell. However, since Yeo-jeong and Dong-eun are together, they are heading towards hell just as they are towards heaven. This is truly crazy love.
Q. A message you would like to convey to actors
A) We have had many opportunities to express our gratitude to adult actors through videos and in private. So, for this question, I would like to thank the other actors. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the child actors who played 'Dong Eun Oh Jeok', from Ye Sol to teacher Son Sook, to all the mothers who appeared in the play, and to all the other actors who filled every scene without a single empty space.
Q. Points to watch that you personally selected
A) You can watch it sparingly, all at once, or you can watch it at a very distant date. But please make sure to watch until the last episode. So, please be sure to support the victims' 'original point'.
Q.What I want to say to Dong-eun
A) My dear Dong-eun. It must have hurt a lot. I must have cried a lot. I probably wanted to die more. Still, thank you so much for coming this far. It may have been difficult, but I hope you know that the entire path you have walked has become a ‘map’ for someone. So I hope it blooms in full bloom sometime in spring, Dong-eun.
Taeyuna, Ten Asia Reporter youyou@tenasia.co.kr