Behind the K-Drama Scenes

by javabeans

So I was thinking about the ending of Witch Amusement, and of how much more I enjoyed the director’s prior two series, 2005’s Delightful Girl Choon Hyang and 2006’s My Girl. And since both of those were written by the Hong sisters screenwriting team, Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran, I naturally thought to their first series after My Girl: Fantasy Couple (환상의커플) (aka Couple or Trouble), which ended its run in December 2006.

It also reminded me of an interview with Fantasy Couple’s PD, Kim Sang Ho, which I’d read months ago and found endlessly fascinating, regarding the process of actually producing these dramas. It also shed some light on the behind-the-scenes issues that explained some of the choices they made in the drama’s storyline. It was so interesting (to me) I’d posted up the translation on soompi, so I’m reposting it here behind the cut.

SONG OF THE DAY

Fantasy Couple OST – “Want U” by Ji Young Sun [ Download ]

Where Witch Amusement is an example of good directing style bogged down by weak writing, I consider Fantasy Couple the opposite — mostly solid, funny writing hampered by goofy directing choices. It’s no wonder PD Jeon Ki Sang and the Hong sisters work best together.

I was surprised, reading the article, at exactly how pressed for time these productions are. Generally, I knew they start shooting about a month before the first air date, but as the drama progresses, they inevitably fall behind — so they write, film, and edit the episodes while they’re still airing. Fantasy Couple seems a bit extreme in how far it ran behind schedule, and the PD does in fact sound very slightly delusional, but I wondered if the same circumstances could apply to Witch Amusement.

That’s not an excuse for sucky storytelling, because many other dramas operate under the same circumstances and produce adequate, sometimes wonderful, results. But it does help explain the nonsense that occurs — if the production is hurtling along in real time, there’s very little room for error, and little time to stop and reorganize. You’ve just got to go with what you’re doing, and pray for the best.

For the uninitiated, here’s a brief Fantasy Couple background:

STORY: Based on the Goldie Hawn movie Overboard, a rich, horribly snooty heiress Anna (Han Ye Seul) loses her memory in an accident. Her beleaguered husband Billy (Kim Sung Min), on the verge of divorcing her, takes her disappearance as a boon and rejoices. Anna washes up with no clue as to her identity — and in order to get revenge for indignities inflicted upon him by Anna, the hard-working everyman Chul Soo (Oh Ji Ho) decides to pretend Anna is his girlfriend and takes her home to be his housekeeper and nanny for his three orphaned nephews. Hilarity ensues.

Here’s the article (pics not from the original article):

Fantasy Couple Special Edition Spectacular!
How did this unique fantasy romance come to life?

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Inside the offices of MBC’s drama department, PD Kim Sang Ho sits across the table from me after the airing of Fantasy Couple. We chat for about an hour, when the head of MBC’s drama department, Jung Woon Hyun, tosses out a joke as he retreats: “Why don’t you do the interview inside the director’s office? Isn’t it embarrassing to do it out here in the common area?” To which Kim Sang Ho replies, “Hey, what do you take Na Sang Shil for?” In the interview, he revealed that Na Sang Shil is his own persona, and the expression on his face overlapped with upraised eyes like Sang Shil’s to show: the male Na Sang Shil!

Here is the full interview with Kim Sang Ho, PD of Fantasy Couple.

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INTERVIEWER: Although the program’s ratings weren’t exceptionally high, the internet reaction was considerable. There was a tremendous amount written in the Fantasy Couple gallery of DC Inside, did you see?

DIR. KIM SANG HO: I even chatted there. I went in with a nickname, and people didn’t believe me and were asking for verification (from site staff or actors whose identities had been officially confirmed), so I made a note on cyworld. Those people asked for spoilers not to be released, but there were slight hints like “It will probably snow in Namhae, right?” (Laughs)

Were you in Namhae for all of the drama’s filming? It couldn’t have been easy to edit while filming.

For the last four weeks, on Sundays I came back up [to Seoul]. I took the morning plane up, and then the redeye/morning flight back down to Namhae. Originally, I wanted to set up an editing office in Namhae, but that didn’t work out as I’d wanted. Instead, I would do some preliminary editing on what we shot, and send the tapes along with extras or staff members going up to Seoul. If those got the okay, I’d look at the capture board which would be uploaded to an online site, and I’d make the final editing decisions via phone call. Because Sunday (the 16th episode) was practically done in real time, I arrived at 10am and went to the editing room myself. For Saturday’s broadcast I wasn’t there so a lot got cut. Personally, I feel the most disappointed with the 15th and 5th episodes.

In the director’s cut of the DVD, do you plan to include additional portions for those that got cut?

Yes. I plan to, for scenes that were cut, and also scenes where the wrong music was used. In the 15th episode, in the scene intercutting Anna (Han Ye Seul) looking for the cell phone Chul Soo (Oh Ji Ho) bought her, and Chul Soo remembering Anna while touching the dial on the electric heating pad, the music used was a complete mistake. Of all the 16 episodes, that wrongly used music is the top example. Eventually, if you see that scene properly, it should have double the emotional impact… (Laughs)

In that scene, the sound of the phone flipping open and the heating pad dial turning was so similar, it was really funny.

In that scene, sad music should have been quietly laid in the background, but the song was light-hearted and strange. Watching it on a small monitor on set, I was incredibly upset.

Still, it seems on the whole, there was a lot of consideration put into the music. The music selection was also good in “Secret Lovers” [비밀남녀]. When Choi Do Kyung (Kwon Oh Joong) has failed to embezzle 3 billion and is sitting, stooped over, “Creep” played softly, and in the scene where Kim Joon Woo (Kim Seok Hoon) dances at the art center, “I’d Rather Dance With You” by the Kings of Convenience plays. The melody and lyrics fit the atmosphere just right.

Yes. Only the music supervisor is new to my staff. They are all people I’ve worked with before, so they know what I want. Back then, “Creep” was chosen by the writer, and I picked the song for Kim Joon Woo’s theme. But there are still a lot of things I feel disappointed about with “Secret Lovers.”

“Secret Lovers” was your first broadcast miniseries, wasn’t it? What did you find lacking about it?

I couldn’t quite command my staff then. This time, I got all my staff and actors completely on the same page with my instructions. Compared to the actors of “Secret Lovers,” I talked a lot more with my actors this time. Sang Shil is my persona. Ye Seul sshi knew this… I miss Sang Shil. (Laughs)

I wasn’t too disappointed with Anna’s last scene… but Chul Soo’s reminiscing scene (when he finds the money Sang Shil had hidden all around the house) was the last scene with Sang Shil. All through filming, Ye Seul gained confidence and her acting improved a lot. It was like she consumed and absorbed this character. There were many scenes where she didn’t sleep, or was dropped into water, but she never once grew irritated.

There were really a ton of scenes where Han Ye Seul was dropped underwater.

There was a separate director for the underwater filming scenes. That person had done quite a lot of dramas before, but he said there were just two actresses who had successfully shot scenes fully submerged, up to 5 meters deep, without any support equipment. Lee Na Young (“Island”) and Han Ye Seul (“Fantasy Couple”)… So, in the beginning we all called her “action star Han Ye Seul” and told her for her next project, she must do an action role… (Laughs)

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Remember the scene where Anna breaks Solomon’s fishbowl? We needed that to be a full shot [all in one take], so I said, “If we can’t do it in one go, we can’t do it.” So we laid out a blanket and rehearsed it several times. Although we did have four Solomons… (Everyone laughs). I said we’d try filming it once, but Anna broke it right the first time. There were occasionally times like that where I felt we had a ghost helping us along. When something went unbelievably well, for instance, like when filming was made difficult by the sun’s movement. There was a situation when the weather was cloudy and we were using white balance while filming, but suddenly the weather turned sunny and we needed to redo the settings even though we didn’t have time. At that time, these long, thin clouds formed and covered the sun, moving very slowly. Until that scene was finished.

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Pardon my asking, but I notice your pinky fingernail has nail polish on it…

Ah, this? It’s Anna’s manicure… I painted it on my fingernail to see the color. I was feeling sad about parting with Sang Shil, so I told myself, “I’ll just remember you as long as this color stays on my fingernail,” but it hasn’t erased yet. (Laughs) I take a lot of consideration into the colors that show onscreen, so I control them. I absolutely wouldn’t allow them to wear white or black. They could use those colors while deliberating, but they don’t look great onscreen. This winter, apparently black is in style, so in the beginning of filming, all the stylists came carrying black clothes. I changed them all to colorful clothes.

Looking at Sang Shil’s clothes, you have checkered stockings with a purple skirt, a sweater with polka-dots on a sky-blue background. There were lots of unique clothes. Did you specify these things too?

Yes. I like choosing those things. There was a windy scene we called the “rising storm scene,” when Yu Kyeong (Park Han Byul) and Sang Shil meet, in which we used red and blue to contrast. In the 6th episode, Kang Ja (Jung Soo Young) and Sang Shil are together by the rice field with their flowers, and they’re both dressed in similar pink tones to match, and I wanted viewers to get the sense that they were “silver bell sisters.”

Then there’s the scene where the kids are sick and Yu Kyeong comes to make them rice porridge. Both of them were dressed in red then, but it was to show the contrast between them. It’s the same color, but Sang Shil can’t even cook rice porridge; the viewers empathize with her sense of loss, but the mixed colors, worn as though she didn’t know how to match them, contributes to the effect.

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It seems you really made full use of the actors’ qualities to show them at their best, whether it’s their acting or facial expressions. Han Ye Seul’s particular hard speech patterns fit the character remarkably well.

In the beginning, I controlled Sang Shil’s speech, gestures and the expression in her eyes by first demonstrating them. After all, men know exactly what kind of women they like. (Laughs) Later, the whole country became familiar with the perfectly captured look in her eyes, and that angle of her look became well-known. Ye Seul’s acting solidified in the 6th episode in the scene when Sang Shil drinks rice wine, and I saw it and thought, “That’s it.”

Another important scene, in episode 10, is when Sang Shil is laying on the couch after trying to look after the sick children. I wanted to look on her slowly, to capture her feeling that “I’m no help in this household.” She really did well there. Up to the 15th episode, if either Ye Seul or I were not satisfied, I wouldn’t sound the okay [wrap the scene]. I think that was the best perspective.

It seems you felt pressed for time, since you’ve expressed the wish that you could have made episodes 15 or 16 a bit better if you had had sufficient time.

We only had two days to shoot episode 16. There was nothing we could do, but in the latter half, my nickname was “If we expand, there will be 70 cuts.” For instance, in the scene where Anna separates from the children, the scene has about fifty cuts. Because we had to get the shots we needed, we would film keeping the camera still, and the staff wouldn’t know what I was filming. There was no time.

In episode 16 when the snow first starts falling, it should have been filmed in an elaborate sequence, but the show was to be broadcast the next day. It was disappointing to have to reinforce the snow and sky with CG. But behind me, the staff was saying, “Hey, it’s good that this isn’t the first episode.” If I could have had more time, I would have shot that for four days. (Laughs)

Also, the order that we edited things was changed a lot. Because it was nearly done in real time, I couldn’t do the final edit. Because I shot things in a different order, there was no time to switch things, and the tapes were divided into separate volumes. The first part would be in the middle of being broadcast, while the latter part would be in the middle of editing (the second time in MBC drama history)…

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In “Secret Lovers,” there were a lot of details put into the sets. To make the room seem like a real room, you have the poor story writer, whose small mirror has a cut-out clipping of Joanne [aka J.K.] Rowling, and the father’s room has a lot of old cassette tapes. It feels like there’s really a person who’s been living here for a long time. In Fantasy Couple, to make the house seem more like the children’s home, you have the children’s crayon scribblings on the walls.

I pay a lot of attention to the set details. I’ve particularly learned much from the director Hwang In Roi (director of MBC Drama since 1990). For instance, outdoor scenes are so detailed they can only cause problems, so we had to finish things up on sets. Breathing life into things to make them seem real, and making these characters natural, can be supported by the set.

Since the time I was an assistant director, I really enjoyed taking care of set details, like props or scribblings on walls. What kinds of props could we come up with for “Money oriented Chul Soo”? Thinking about it, because there are children in his house, I said, “Hey, tell them to scribble on the walls” and the staff went and drew on the walls. So then, I said, “The nephews! Not you guys. Tell the kids to do it!” (All laugh) The children drew all those themselves.

Also, because our drama had a strong sense of fantasy, the doors were blue to make it a slightly fairytale-like space. In any case, the drama needed to walk back and forth between the boundaries of reality and fantasy, so we thought about the parts where we could emphasize the fantasy characteristics.

There were a ton of scenes with running or chasing. Normally we would see a full shot, two-shot, and the feet running. But in Fantasy Couple, you showed long shots and full shots for the entire scene. Every now and then, these scenes make the mood seem surreal.

To me, the most important sequence was the “shovel scene.” In episode 1, scene 18, Jang Chul Soo is hit with the shovel. When you talk of “holding up a shovel,” then frame out to “the man is hit with the shovel,” people think “Huh?” They think, “If he’s hit with a shovel, doesn’t he die?” In the shovel-hitting scene, we used a high-speed camera, so the scene appears in slow-motion, and it gives the drama more of a fantasy feel. If the audience feels approval of that scene, I felt that they would be accepting of whatever comical scenes would follow. This scene was like the door to the fantasy world. I shot that for three days and 141 cuts. Although it was called a “horror scene,” this is where, in the end, Jang Chul Soo and Anna meet again. The staff was moved by that.

With the repetition of chase scenes, we saw some of the parts expand bit by bit. At first, Billy (Kim Sung Min) and Kang Ja are just running, but later they slow down their running movements, as a passing woman walks by at regular speed with a “What the…?” expression on her face.

Yes, that’s right. Kang Ja’s “ice tag” is the same. The viewers really seemed fascinated by these fantasy sequences.

Even Leonardo DiCaprio entered into the world of Fantasy Couple (laughs).

The same goes for Anna and Chul Soo’s Sky Cell Phone parody. Sang Shil’s parody was met with some skepticism by the writers, but I just shot that without telling the writers… (Laughs) That only took about 30 minutes to shoot. But the sun had already set, so we edited in some shots picked up on another day. The latter part was revised.

Do you normally film very quickly?

There were lots of cases where I had to do that. I was going crazy over all sunset scenes. At the end of episode 14 when Sang Shil falls into the swimming pool, I only had 40 minutes to shoot 42 cuts. It felt like I was running the 100 meter dash. Same goes for the scene in episode 10 where they turn in front of the lighthouse, and episode 12 where the sun was setting, that I felt like I was “warring against the sun.” Since it’s winter and the days are short, I was chasing everything here and there.

It seems you’re careful about the scripts you choose. Do you work a lot together with the writers?

When it comes to the characters or plot, that’s up to the writers, and I add to that. Up through episode 10, when I had doubts I asked them to revise the script. After episode 10, time became more urgent and I had no time to do that. The writers wrote while monitoring what was shown onscreen, so I think they kept the feel and rhythm of the series going.

The staff would occasionally say, “It takes forever to shoot the scenes I thought would shoot quickly, and the scenes it seems would take a long time are shot quickly.” That’s because of the difference between what is written in the script and the picture in my head. I started to be able to see how to film certain parts just by looking at the dialogue, and the writers would also look at what I’d filmed and apply that in writing the scripts. Sang Shil’s actions, and reinforcing Sang Shil-like behavior, gradually became part of me. On location, observing Ye Seul, there were many things she created on her own.

In terms of production schedule or perfecting your work, it may be better working with a private production company, but there surely are merits to watching the broadcasts and getting reactions and approval, since you can accommodate those into the continuing production.

That’s true. Although a miniseries fundamentally has limits to its virtues, you can adapt and move in accordance with the viewers’ reactions. Of course, private productions are nice, but in that case you can’t receive those reactions, so there’s the chance for opposition to be harsher and cause more grief. In the beginning, we had some casting issues, so I’m disappointed that we couldn’t start a bit earlier.

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Of all places, why did you choose to film in Namhae?

In the beginning, it was purely because I was able to borrow the resort. When we went there, they were in the middle of construction and it caused quite a headache, and it wasn’t a cooperative atmosphere… If it wasn’t for that, there was no reason to go to Namhae. But, the weather in Namhae was very helpful. For two days, we had continuous rain and it looked like we wouldn’t be able to make the broadcast, but for the period that we were there filming, it rained just twice. Once was the day we were setting things up, and the other was a day we weren’t filming. It seemed like a miracle. We had a lot of help from the heavens. When it was time for the “rising storm scene” I mentioned earlier, the skies were covered in dark clouds and captured the mood. If it was windy we used the wind, and if the sun came out we used that. In the epilogue scene with Chul Soo and Sang Shil sitting on the beach, the sky was incredibly beautiful. In the scene where it snowed, where we were shooting all over in every which way, I thought if we were forgiven by the heavens… (laughs)

I was a bit dubious when you said that even the writers, Hong Jung Eun and Hong Mi Ran, stayed in Namhae. I thought writers’ work was usually to just write the draft and make the revisions.

That was them fulfilling my request. Since the writers were with us in Namhae, they would come to the locations, wander around, and wrote the bus station next to Namhae Hospital into the script. However, I didn’t like the look of that onscreen. In the end, I looked around for locations, and found the “Do Ma Bus Station.” Maybe they liked it, because afterward that kept appearing in the scripts. (Laughs) Still, I really liked the meaning of the bus station. In this place where I can leave, I’m also able to wait. It’s also the place that borders separation and meeting.

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In the first part, Billy’s acting seemed too over-the-top, but in the latter portion, when his acting switched to more a traditional style in showing his disappointed love, it seemed strategically planned. When Billy carries away the stiffly unmoving Mr. Gong (Kim Kwang Kyu) easily without any effort, it was like the laughter doubled. From the start, was it your thought to change the acting?

Yes, Fantasy Couple has to seem like Fantasy Couple. It’s the same thing in the scene near the end, when Kang Ja, who’s been bothering Anna, “ddengs” her. In the script, she was supposed to touch her with the “ddeng” lightly, but I told her to do it as though the entire world could hear the sound. You might know if you’ve seen my prior works, but I like playing things with a straight face.

What do you mean, playing things with a straight face?

Um… you know, playing things straight. (Laughs) Such as, in my Best Theater “My Brother Has Returned,” there’s a full shot at the grave, and Jung Joon drinks alcohol and collapses…

I’m interested in the scenes you’ve made that are customarily used in melodramas that are slightly twisted to bring out laughs. Deok Ku’s mother (Lee Mi Young) gets up after doing her business [peeing] in a field of reeds, when Mr. Gong, who doesn’t know this, recalls the face of his beloved noonim [formal way of saying “noona”] from long ago. In “Secret Lovers,” there’s a scene with Kim Joon Woo, who’s missing Young Ji (Han Ji Hye) and mistakes someone else for her, shouting out “Young Ji sshi!” But it turns out to be someone who doesn’t even resemble her, and is her father (Lee Jung Kil).

It’s fun. That’s what it means to play things with a straight face. When we needed things like that, even the animals acted well, and I became a master at directing animals. (Laughs)

In the last epilogue on the beach, Kkot-soon [the dog] is sleeping with its legs sticking straight out, and it was really a knocked-down dog face.

Then, she really was sleeping. I’ll have to put a cut scene from episode onto the DVD with Kkot-soon’s excellent performance. If you feed Kkot-soon, she goes to sleep. So while filming, if Kkot-soon falls asleep, I’d say, “Turn the camera! Get Anna’s shot!” Also, you could hold a piece of food just outside the shooting angle and Kkot-soon would stand right up. (Laughs)

Usually, Princess doesn’t move at all, but there was a way to make her run when we had to shoot those scenes. If you put her in front of her house, she’ll crawl in that direction. So we’d move her house bit by bit. There were a lot of special effects we did physically instead. In episode 9, there’s a scene with Billy proposing to Anna 100 times with the changing seasons behind him. This scene was to be done all in one shot, so we had crew members on a ladder sprinkling snow and rain. While we were shooting, the crew started laughing so much that the tempo got drawn out.

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It seems like you like comedy. Is there a work you like that influenced you?

It changes every time, but I like Kitano Takeshi (he plays things with a straight face), and I like Tarantino’s movies. Lately I’ve been watching Stanley Kubrick movies, and wow, he’s really a genius. In directing horror scenes, I gained a lot by observing “The Shining.”

Before starting Fantasy Couple, I saw a lot of “ER.” It wasn’t just to watch steadicam work, but also because there are a lot of people with a lot of established relationships. I saw how they showed those relationships in the shots. While watching the original story that Fantasy Couple is based on, “Overboard,” I fell asleep in the first 20 minutes. So I don’t know how that ends.

In comedy, timing is the most important thing. If you’re one second late, or early, the laugh loses all its effect. It seems like that correlates with what you said before, about playing things with a straight face.

That’s true. To me, the most important thing is editing. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to edit a lot of this drama, but the life of comedy is in the editing. Things like Kang Ja’s ice tag were actually very short in real life, so I changed it.

Now that the drama is over, you’ll probably want to rest, but is there a drama you’re preparing after that?

I’ll have to rest for a while. Until this manicure goes away… If it erases, I’ll have to keep applying it. Is there some place I can get this same color? (Laughs)

For now, I want to try “Hyang Dan Jeon” [a book from the Chosun era?] in one act. Actually, I think Hyang Dan would have liked [the historical] Lee Mong Ryong. Because she wanted to be with Lee Mong Ryong, she was manipulating the slightly dumb Choon Hyang — that kind of story. There are characters I’d like to work on with the actors I’ve used before, but please let this be off-the-record. (Laughs)

Thank you for your time. We will look forward to great works from the director and the actors in the future.

Yes, thank you. While we were rehearsing, we said this. “We’re a foreign baseball team. At one time, there was reason for our names to be popular, but because of failure, had to rest for one year, and the four lead characters all had antis… Even if we can’t win the title, we’re satisfied with making it to the final round.” A big part of achieving the result is the players having faith in the director and following along. They’re friends I’m thankful for.

Kim Sang Ho PD
Born 1971
Seoul University, German language and literature studies, class of 90
Entered as producer in MBC’s 1997 round of applications
Currently part of MBC’s Drama Department
Miniseries “Fantasy Couple” 2006
Miniseries “Secret Lovers” 2005
Best Theater “Loveholic Project” 2005
Best Theater “Come in, Ddukbokki” 2004
Best Theater “My Brother Has Returned” 2004

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Original article:

환상의 커플 종영 특집 – Spectacular!
희대의 납치극은 어떻게 환상의 로맨스가 되었는가?

MBC 드라마국 사무실 안 종방 후 김상호 PD와 작은 테이블을 두고 마주 앉았다.
한시간 가량 이야기를 나누던 도준 정운현 MBC 드라마국 국장이 지나가며 한마디 농을 건넸다.
“인터뷰 국장실에서 하지 그래? 공공장소에서 하면 민망하지 않냐?”
이에 김상호 PD가 답하길 “에이, 나상실을 어떻게 보시는 거에요” 인터뷰중 나상실이 자신의 페르소나라고 밝혔던 그의 얼굴에 상실이 눈을 치뜨는 모습이 겹쳐진다 – 남자 나상실이다!

김상호PD 인터뷰 전문.

Q : 시청률이 그리 높지는 않았지만, 인터넷 쪽에서 반응이 상당했어요.
디시인사이드 갤러리에도 글이 엄청났는데 보셨는지?

A : 저 거기서 채팅도 했어요. 닉네임 갯마을로 들어갔는데 사람들이 안 믿고 인증(디시인사이드에서 스태프나 배우들이 본인임을 확인하는 절차)하라고 해서 싸이월드 쪽지로 했어요. 그분들이 스포일러 뿌리지 말라고 하는데 “남해에도 눈이 오겠지” 하고 살짝 던지고…(웃음)

Q : 드라마 촬영 내내 남해에 계셨던 건가요? 촬영하고 편집하는게 용이하지 않았을 텐데요.

A : 마지막 4주는 일요일 날 올라왔어요. 아침 비행기 타고 올라갔다가 새벽 비행기 타고 다시 남해로 내려갔구요. 원래는 남해에 편집실을 차리려고 했는데 그게 여의치 않았어요. 대신 찍은 것을 가편집을 해서 서울에 올라가는 엑스트라나 스테프들에게 테이프를 올려 보내고, 그걸 가편을 붙이면 캡쳐보드로 떠가지고 웹하드에 올라온 것을 보고 제가 전화로 파이널 에디팅을 하는 식이죠.
일요일(16회)은 거의 실시간이었으니까, 아침 10시에 도착해서 같이 편집실에서 편집을 했고, 토요일 방송은 제가 없어서 많이 짤렸어요. 개인적으로 15회랑 5회가 제일 아쉽죠.

Q : 감독판 DVD 로 빠진 부분들을 추가해 다시 내실 계획이 있으신지요?

A : 네. 그럴 계획이 있어요. 빠진 장면과 음악이 잘못 들어간 장면도 있구요. 15부에 안나(한예슬)가 철수(오지호)가 사준 핸드폰 다시 찾아내고, 철수는 전기장판 온도 다이얼을 만지며 상실이(안나)를 기억하는 장면이 교차되는 신, 그 부분의 음악이 완전히 잘못 들어갔어요. 16부 통틀어 잘못 넣은 음악 1위예요. 나중에 제대로 보시면 감동이 두배가…(웃음)

Q : 그 장면이 핸드폰 플립 여는 소리와 장판의 다이얼 돌리는 소리가 비슷하기도 해서 굉장히 웃었던 장면인데요.

A : 그런 장면은 슬픈 음악을 잔잔하게 깔아줘야 하는데, 가볍고 이상한 노래를 깔아서 세트에서 조그만 모니터로 보다가 열받아 죽는줄 알았어요.

Q : 그래도 전반적으로 음악에 신경을 많이 쓰시는 것 같은데 때도 선곡이 좋았어요. 최도경(권오중)이 30억 횡령 실패하고 쭈그려 앉아 있는 장면에서 Creep 이 흘러 나오고, 김준우(김석훈)가 아트센터에서 춤추는 장면에서 The Kings of Convenience 의 I’d Rather Dance With You 가 나오는데, 이 곡의 가사나 분위기와도 딱 맞았구요.

A : 네. 음악 감독만 세 명이에요(MBC 드라마국). 제 입봉작부터 같이하시던 분들이라 제가 원하는게 뭔지 다 아시는 분들이죠. 당시 Creep은 작가 분이 고른 거고, 김준우 테마는 제 선곡이구요. 하지만 는 아쉬운게 많았어요.

Q : 가 미니시리즈 입봉작이셨죠. 어떤 점이 아쉬우셨는지?

A : 스테프를 장악하지 못했는데, 이번에는 그 교훈을 살려서 스테프와 배우들을 완전 내 사람으로 만들었어요. 배우와도 때보다 더 많은 이야기를 나눌수 있었구요.
상실이는 제 페르소나에요. 예슬씨도 알고 있고… 상실이가 보고 싶어요.(웃음)
안 나 마지막 장면은 별로 아쉽지 않았는데… 철수의 회상신(상실이 집안 곳곳에 숨겨둔 돈을 찾아내며 회상하는 장면)이 상실의 마지막 장면이었어요. 촬영 내내 예슬씨가 자신감도 많이 얻고 연기도 많이 늘었어요. 잘근잘근 씹어먹듯 캐릭터를 소화해냈어요. 잠 안 재우고, 물에 빠뜨리고 그러는 장면이 많은데도 짜증 한 번 내지 않았구요.

Q : 한예슬씨가 물에 빠지는 장면들이 유독 많았어요.

A : 수중촬영 하시는 감독님이 따로 있어요. 이분이 그동안 드라마를 많이 하셨는데, 보조 장비없이 5미터까지 잠수에 성공한 여배우가 딱 두명이래요. 이나영씨(아일랜드)와 한예슬씨(환상의 커플)…
그래서 초반부에 저희끼리 `액션배우 한예슬’ 이라고 다음 작품은 무조건 액션이라고…(웃음)
안 나가 솔로몬이 들어있는 어항깨는 장면 있죠? 이걸 꼭 풀 숏으로 잡아야겠어서 “한 방에 안하면 못한다” 고 말하고 이불깔아놓고 몇번 연습시켰죠. 안되면 솔로몬도 네마리가 있긴 한데…(일동 웃음) 일단 한번 찍어보자 했는데, 안나가 단 한 번에 깼죠. 가끔 이렇게 귀신이 도와준다는 느낌을 받을 때가 있어요. 기가 막히게 맞아떨어지는 경우, 예를 들면 해가 왔다 갔다 하면 촬영이 힘들어요. 구름 낀 날씨에 화이트밸런스를 맞춰서 촬영하다가 갑자기 날씨가 화창해져서 시간이 없는데도 다시 세팅해야 되는 상황이었죠. 이때 하늘에 아주 긴 구름이 생기더니 세로로 천천히 움직이면서 태양을 가려주더라구요. 그 신이 끝날 때까지.

Q : 실례지만, 새끼손톱에 매니큐어가 칠해져 있는데…

A : 아 이거요? 안나 매니큐어인데… 제가 색깔본다고 손톱에 칠해봤던 거지요. 상실이하고 헤어질 때 아쉬워서 “손톱에 이 매니큐어가 사라질 때까지만 널 기억하고 있으마” 하고 아직까지 안 지우고 있어요.(웃음)
저는 화면에 보이는 색채에 많이 신경을 쓰는 편이라 의상 컬러도 제가 컨트롤해요. 흰색과 검은색은 절대로 못 입게 했어요. 이 색들은 결정적인 때는 쓸 수는 있지만, 화면상으로는 이쁘게 안 나와요.
올 겨울에 블랙이 유행이라더니, 촬영 초반에 코디들이 전부 다 까만색 옷을 들고 오더라구요. 컬러풀한 것으로 다 바꿔버렸어요.

Q : 상실이 옷 보면, 체크무늬 스타킹에 보라색 치마, 하늘색 바탕에 도트무늬 스웨터등 색 조합이 특이한 옷들이 많았는데요. 이런 것도 다 지정하시나요.

A : 네. 다 고르는 편이고 그런 걸 좋아해요. 바람이 하도 불던 장면이라 저희끼리 `폭풍의 언덕 신’ 이라고 부르는 장면, 유경(박한별)이랑 상실이랑 만나는 장면도 빨간색, 파란색으로 대비시키고, 6부에 논에서 강자(정수영)와 상실이가 꽃달고 같이 있는 장면에서는 둘 다 분홍색 톤으로 맞춰서 비슷하게 하면 시청자들이 마치 `은방울 자매’ 같은 분위기로 볼 수 있겠다 싶었구요.
애들이 아프니까 유경이가 와서 죽을 끓여주는 장면이 있어요. 이때는 둘 다 빨간색 의상인데 아예 같은 색으로 극대비시키는 거죠. 같은 색인데 죽을 못 끓이는 상실이의 상실감, 컬러 조합 같은 게 알게 모르게 시청자들이 감정이입하는데 영향을 많이 끼쳐요.

Q : 배우들 고유의 연기나 표정등을 장점이 되게 활용하시는 것 같습니다. 한예슬씨 특유의 딱딱 끊어지는 말투도 묘하게 캐릭터와도 잘 맞아떨어지구요.

A : 처음에는 상실이의 말투, 몸짓, 눈빛 하나하나 다 제가 시연하며 보여주면서 컨트롤했어요.
남자들이 어떤 여자들을 좋아하는지 정확히 알고 있으니까.(웃음)
나중에는 눈짓 한번 딱 주고받으면 완벽하게 알아서 해내니까 그게 잘 드러나는 앵글로 잡아주는 거지요. 예슬 씨의 연기는 결정적으로 6부의 상실이가 막걸리 먹는 장면 보고 `이거 된다’ 했죠.
그 다음에 중요한 게 10부 소파 신이 있는데, 아픈 애들 챙겨주고 난 상실이가 소파에 누워서 `자기가 이 집에 도움이 안 된다’ 고 느끼는 장면을 부감으로 잡고 천천히 들어가는데, 이때도 정말 잘했어요.
15부까지는 예슬씨든 저든 만족하지 않으면 오케이를 내지 않았어요. 그 점이 제일 좋았던 것 같아요.

Q : 15부나 16부 같은 경우는 시간이 충분했다면 조금 더 좋은 게 나오지 않았을까 싶을 정도로 시간이 촉박해 보였어요.

A : 16부는 이틀만에 찍었어요. 어쩔 수가 없지만, 제가 후반부에는 별명이 `펼치면 70컷’ 이었거든요.
예 를 들면 안나가 애들과 헤어지는 장면(종편보고 울었는데..)이 신도 컷 수가 한 50컷쯤 되요. 필요한 컷을 따야 하니까 `누끼’ 촬영이라고 카메라를 최대한 안 움직이면서 뻗쳐두고 찍는데, 스태프들은 뭘 찍는지 모르죠. 시간이 없으니까.
16 부에 눈내리는 첫 시퀀스 같은 경우는 굉장히 정교하게 찍어야 하는데, 내일이 방송일인 상황인 거에요. 하늘도 CG 처리하고, 눈 보강하면 제대로 나오는데 아쉽죠. 그런데 뒤에서 스태프들이 “야, 이거 1부 아닌게 다행이다” 하는 거에요. 만약 시간 여유가 있었으면 제가 4일동안 찍었을거라고..(웃음)
그리고 그 장면이 편집 순서가 많이 바뀌었어요. 거의 실시간으로 올라오니까 제가 파이널 에디팅을 못했어요. 제가 찍은 순서와 바뀌어서 종편이 올라와 있는데 바꿀 시간이 없고, 테이프 두 권으로 나누는데, 앞부분이 방송되는 중 뒷부분을 편집하고 있는 상황이었으니까(MBC 드라마 사상 2번째 사례)..

Q : 때도 인물들이 사는 세트 안의 디테일이 돋보였어요. 가난한 동화작가 지망생의 방답게 해묵은 책들과 작은 거울에 조앤 롤링의 사진을 오려 붙여두고, 아버지의 방에도 오래된 카세트테이프들이 정말 이 사람이 여기서 오래 살아온 것 같은 느낌을 받았는데..도 보면 어린이들이 사는 집답게 벽에 크레파스로 낙서가 되어 있구요.

A : 세트 디테일에 신경을 많이 써요. 특히 황인뢰 감독님(90년대 후반 MBC 드라마국장)한테 많이 배운 건데, 야외 신은 아무래도 디테일에서 무너질 수밖에 없기 때문에 세트에서 승부를 해야 한다는 거죠.
인간 냄새 나게 만드는 것, 캐릭터를 자연스럽게 만드는 힘이 세트에서 나올 수 있죠.
조 연출 때부터 세트 소품이나 낙서에도 신경을 쓰는게 되게 즐거웠어요. `돈철수’를 나타낼 수 있는 소품이 뭐가 있을까? 생각하기도 하고, 철수 집에 애들이 사니까 “야, 벽에다가 낙서하라고 그래” 시켰는데 스태프들이 낙서하고 있는 거에요. 그래서 “조까! 니들 말고 애들 들어오라 그래!”(일동 웃음) 그 낙서 애들이 다 직접 한 거에요.
그리고 우리 드라마는 판타지성이 강하기 때문에, 파란색 문에 약간 동화적인 공간이 되도록 했어요. 어쨌든 드라마는 리얼리티와 판타지의 경계에서 왔다갔다 해야되기 때문에 판타지성을 강조할수 있는 부분에도 고려를 많이 했어요.

Q : 달려가는 장면이나 추격 장면이 유독 많습니다. 보통은 풀 숏, 투숏, 뛰어가는 발 따로 잡는 식으로 보여주는데, 에서는 쭉 뻗은 길로 뛰어가는 모습이 풀 숏으로 쭉 이어져요. 종종 이런 장면에서 초현실적인 분위기가 감지되기도 하구요.

A : 저한테 가장 중요했던 장면은 `삽 신’ 이었어요. 1부 18신 장철수가 삽으로 맞는 장면.
예 를 들면 `삽을 들었다’ 프레임 아웃하고 `남자가 삽에 맞았다’ 하고 끊어 직으면 사람들이 `어?’ 하고 이성적이 돼요. `삽에 맞으면 죽지 않나?’ 하는 거죠. 삽 신에서 고속촬영 카메라를 사용해서 삽에 맞는 장면을 슬로우로 보여줌으로써 이 드라마의 환상성을 이야기하고, 이 장면이 시청자들에게 용인이 돼면 이후의 어떤 장면이 코믹하게 나와도 사람들이 받아들이기 시작할거라고 생각했어요. 이 신은 판타지로 가는 문 같은 거였죠. 141컷으로 3일 동안 찍었어요. `공포의 신’ 으로 불리는데, 여기서 마지막에 장철수와 안나가 다시 만나는 장면을 찍었죠. 스태프들이 감회가 깊었을 거에요.

Q : 추격 신이 반복되면서 조금씩 더 비일상적인 부분들이 확장되었어요. 빌리(김성민)와 강자가 처음에는 그냥 쫒고 좆기다가, 나중에는 이들이 슬로우로 뛰어가는 동작을 취하는데, 보통 속도로 걸아가는 할머니가 `뭐여?’ 하는 표정으로 지나가는 장면도 그렇구요.

A : 네, 그렇죠, 그리고 강자의 `얼음 땡’ 도 마찬가지구요. 시청자들이 의 이런 판타지성에 매료된 것 같아요.

Q : 레오나르도 디카프리오까지 의 세계 안으로 수용되는 장면도 있죠.(웃음)

A : 안나와 철수가 스카이 핸드폰 패러디하는 것도 그렇죠. 사실은 이 패러디는 작가들이 좀 회의적이었는데, 제가 작가들에게 말 안 하고 그냥 찍어버린…(웃음) 이것도 한 30분만에 찍었어요. 근데 또 해가 떨어져서 바스트 숏은 다른 날 따서 편집했구요. 후반 작업으로 보정한 거에요.

Q : 굉장히 빨리 찍으시는 편인가요?

A : 그래야 하는 장면들이 많았어요. 일단 석양이 나오는 장면은 정신없었죠. 해가 떨어지니까. 14부 엔딩인 상실이가 수영장에 빠지는 장면도 40분만에 42컷 정도 찍었을 거에요. 거의 100미터 달리기 하는 것 같았죠. 10부에 등대에서 돌려세우는 장면도 그렇고, 12부에서도 해 떨어지는 장면 있고 하니까 정말 촬영이 `태양과의 전쟁’ 같았어요. 겨울이라 해가 짧은게 참 이리저리 쫓기게 만들었죠.

Q : 대본도 영상으로 나올 것을 많이 고려하고 쓰여진 것 같습니다. 작가 분들과 대본을 많이 조율하시는 편인지?

A : 캐릭터나 줄거리 같은 건 우선 작가들이 잡은 게 있고, 제가 더 첨가를 하고, 10부까지는 회의를 하고 수정을 해달라고 했죠. 10부이후엔 시간이 촉박해져서 그럴 시간을 못 가졌던게 아쉽습니다. 작가들도 화면을 모니터링하고 극본을 쓰기 때문에 호흡이 잘 맞았던 것 같아요.
스태프들이 가끔 하는 말이 “빨리 찍을 것 같은 장면은 오래 찍고, 오래 찍을 것 같은 장면은 빨리 찍는다” 고 해요. 이게 대본상으로 보이는 것과 제가 생각하는 그림이 차이가 있으니까. 이런 점들이 중반부 넘어가면서부터는 대사만 봐도 어떻게 찍어줬으면 하는 게 다 보이고, 또 제가 찍은 화면을 작가들이 다시 응용해서 극본에 넣는 식이었어요.
상실이의 행동, 사랑스러움을 보강하는 장치들도 점점 살이 붙은 거구요. 현장에서 예슬씨를 관찰하며 임의로 설정한 것들도 많았어요.

Q : 제작 일정이나 완성도 면에서는 사전제작이 더 좋겠지만, 방송을 보고 어디까지 용인되는가 반응을 수용해가면서 제작되었기 때문에 얻은 장점도 분명히 있겠네요.

A : 그렇죠. 미니시리즈가 기본적으로 가지고 있는 장점이자 한계인데, 시청자들의 리액션에 따라서 융통성 있게 움직일 수 있다는 거죠. 물론 사전제작이 좋지만 대신 리액션을 받지 못하니까 상대적으로 덜 유연해지고 비탄력적이 될수 있구요. 초반에 캐스팅 문제가 있었는데, 그게 아니라면 좀 더 일찍 시작할수 있었는데 아쉽죠.

Q : 하필 남해에서 촬영하게 된 이유가 있는지요?

A : 처음에 순전히 리조트 빌리는 것 때문이었어요. 가니까 공사가 다 안 되어서 굉장히 고생하고 협조도 잘 안 해주고… 이게 아니면 남해 갈 이유가 없었어요.
그 래도 남해의 날씨가 정말 많이 도와줬어요. 이틀 연속 비가 오면 방송이 나갈수 없는 상황이었는데, 촬영 기간내내 비가 딱 두 번만 왔어요. 한번은 세팅날 왔고, 한번은 촬영 없는 날 비가 오는 기적 같은 일이었죠. 하늘이 많이 도와줬어요. 아까 `폭풍의 언덕 신’ 에서는 때마침 하늘에 먹구름이 쫙 갈려서 분위기 잡아주고, 바람이 불면 바람 부는 걸 이용하고, 해가 드면 해가 드는 걸 이용하고 찍었죠. 철수와 상실이가 바닷가에 앉아 있는 에필로그 장면도 바다의 하늘 굉장히 예쁘잖아요. 눈 오는 장면 휘뚜루마뚜루 찍은 것도 이 하늘로 다 용서해주셨으면 하는 생각이..(웃음)

Q : 홍정은, 홍미란 두 작가 분들까지 같이 남해에 계신다고 해서 조금 의아했었습니다. 보통은 작가 분들이 원고를 넘기고 수정하는 정도일 테넫요.

A : 제가 요구를 드린 거였지요. 작가들이 남해에 같이 있으니까 현장을 함께하고 돌아다니다가 남해병원 옆 버스정류장을 대본에 썼어요. 그런데 이게 화면이 영 마음에 들지 않더라구요. 결국 장소 섭외하려고 슥 둘러보다가 찾은 게 `도마 버스정류장’ 이었구요. 이게 좋았는지 그 다음부터 계속 대본에 쓰는 거에요.(웃음)
그래도 정류장이라는 의미는 굉장히 좋았어요. 내가 떠날 수 있는 장소, 기다릴 수 있는 장소고, 헤어짐과 만남의 경계가 되는 장소인 거죠.

Q : 극 초반부에 빌리의 연기가 너무 오버한듯 했는데, 후반부에서 비련의 남주의 정극 연기로 바뀌기 위한 포석인 듯합니다. 이때 뻣뻣하게 굳은 공실장(김광규)을 번쩍 들고 가니까 웃음이 배가 되는 것 같습니다. 처음부터 연기 변화를 염두에 두고, 조율을 해가신 건가요?

A : 네, 은 다워야 하죠. 마지막에 강자가 괴로워하는 안나에게 `땡’ 하는 장면도 그렇구요. 원래 대본상으로는 그냥 맑게 땡 하는 건데 온 지구를 울릴 수 있을 만큼 크게 땡 하라고 했구요. 제 전작을 보시면 알겠지만, 시침 뚝 떼는 걸 좋아해요.

Q : 시침 뚝 뗀다는 게 어떤 의미인가요?

A : 음..시치미 뚝 떼고 하는 거 있잖아요.(웃음) 제 베스트극장 에서도 무덤가에서 풀 숏 잡고 있는데, 정준이 술 먹고 픽 쓰러지던 신 같은 거…

Q : 멜로드라마의 관습적인 장면들을 살짝 비틀어서 웃음을 끌어내는 장면이 흥미롭습니다. 덕구 엄마(이미영)는 갈대밭에서 볼일 보고 일어났으나 이걸 모르는 공실장은 예전에 사랑한 누님의 모습을 떠올리고, 에서도 영지(한지혜)를 그리워하는 김준우가 사람을 잘못 보고 “영지 씨!” 하고 외치는 장면이 있어요. 한데 이게 비슷하게 생긴 여자도 아니고 아버지(이정길)인 거죠.

A : 재밌잖아요. 그게 바로 시치미 뚝 떼는 거에요. 그런 게 필요한 부분에서 동물들도 연기를 잘해줬고, 이거 하면서 제가 동물 연출의 달인이 됐어요.(웃음)

Q : 마지막 에필로그에서 바닷가에서 꽃순이가 다리를 쭉 뻗고 자는데 이게 정말 `개다운’ 모습이었어요.

A : 그때 정말 잔 거에요. 15부에 컷 된 꽃순이 명연기도 DVD에 다 넣어야죠. 꽃순이가 밥 먹이면 자거든요. 막 촬영하다가 꽃순이가 잔다 하면, “카메라 돌려! 안나 오버 숏!” 이렇게 후다닥 찍고…
또 앞발을 들고 딛고 서는 장면은, 앵글밖에서 꽃순이가 좋아하는 음식을 들고 있으면 바로 일어서요.(웃음)
프린세스가 원래 꼼짝도 안 하지만 달리는 장면을 찍는 방법이 있어요. 자기 집을 앞에 두면 그쪽으로 기어와요. 그럼 그 집을 뒤로 조금씩 옮기는 식인 거죠.
특수효과 같은 것도 몸으로 때우는 거 정말 많이 했어요.
할 리우드가 한 번도 시도하지 않은, 9회 안나에게 100일 동안 청혼하는 빌리의 뒤로 사계절이 흐르는 장면. 이 장면을 원신 원컷으로 찍으려고 스태프들이 사다리 놓고 올라가서 눈뿌리고 비뿌리는데, 찍다가 스태프들이 너무 웃겨가지고 템포가 길어진 장면이에요.

Q : 코미디를 좋아하시는 것 같은데, 좋아하거나 영향을 받은 작품들이 있는지?

A : 때에 따라 바뀌지만 기타노 다케시 좋아하고(그 시치미 뚝 떼는 게 있잖아요), 타란티노 영화들도 좋고, 요즘에는 스탠리 큐브릭을 보는데 어휴 정말 천재더라구요. 공포신 연출에서 에 착안을 얻은 장면이 많죠.
들어가기 전에는 을 많이 봤어요. 스테디 캠만 보려는 건 아니었고, 사람들이 많이 나오는데 그 안에서의 관계 설정 있잖아요. 그 관계 설정에서 숏을 어떻게 잡아야 할 것인가도 많이 보고, 의 원작 는 보다가 20분만에 잤어요. 그래서 결론이 어떻게 되는지도 몰라요.

Q : 코미디에서 굉장히 중요한 게 타이밍이잖아요. 이를테면 1초만 늦거나 빨라도 웃음의 힘이 떨어지고, 아까 말씀하신 시침 뚝 뗀다는 말과도 맥락이 닿아 있는 것 같습니다.

A : 그렇죠. 저한테는 가장 중요한게 편집이에요. 이번 드라마는 편집을 많이 못해서 아쉬운데, 코미디의 호흡은 편집의 호흡이지요. 강자의 얼음 땡 같은 것도 실제로 편집이 짧아서 제가 바꾸고, 바꾸고 했어요.

Q : 드라마가 끝났으니 한동안 쉬실 텐데, 그 다음 준비하는 드라마가 있으신가요?

A : 한동안 쉬어야죠. 매니큐어 다 없어질 때까지… 지워지면 계속 발라야지, 색깔 똑같은 거 어디 없나?(웃음)
일 단 단막으로 `향단전’ 을 한번 해보고 싶어요. 사실은 향단이가 이몽룡을 좋아했을 것 같아요. 향단이가 이몽룡이랑 같이 있고 싶어 해서 조금 바보 같은 춘향이를 뒤에서 조종하고 그런 이야기요. 같이 작업한 배우들중에 끌고 가고 싶은 캐릭터가 있긴 한데 이건 오프 더 레코드로 해주세요.(웃음)

Q : 시간 내주셔서 감사하구요. 감독님도, 배우들도 좋은 작품으로 다시 뵐 때를 기다리겠습니다.

A : 네, 감사합니다. 연습하는 동안 저희끼리 그랬어요. “우린 외인구단이다. 어디서 한 번 쯤 이름 날릴 법하다가 실패해서 1년동안 쉬는 인간들, 주인공 넷 다 안티만 많고… 우승은 못했어도 결승에 진춣한 것만으로 만족하자.” 결과적으로 감독을 믿고 따라준 선수들 몫이 크죠. 고마운 친구들이에요.

취재 – 유선주, 박소영 기자.

김상호 PD –
1971년생
서울대 독어독문학과 90학번
1997년 MBC 공채 프로듀서로 입사
현 MBC 드라마국 소속
미니시리즈 2006
미니시리즈 2005
베스트극장 2005
베스트극장 2004
베스트극장 2004