Sign gets a new director, changes writer lineup

29 January 25, 2011

by javabeans

The production team of SBS drama Sign is undergoing a bit of shuffling, with its director switching hats and moving into role of scriptwriter instead. This move has raised some questions (and eyebrows) even though producers have issued assurances that there is no discord or internal strife. (Yet if nothing’s amiss, why the change?)

The drama started out with Jang Hang-joon as PD and his wife, Kim Eun-hee, penning scripts. The pair also worked together on last year’s cable drama Harvest Villa as co-writers, so this doesn’t mean that Kim isn’t up to snuff, necessarily. Perhaps they’re just better suited to being a writer team. It IS unusual to make any lineup switches mid-broadcast, though, and now a new director will step in to take over: Kim Hyung-shik of I Am Legend and Cain & Abel.

The director-writer shift begins with the drama’s Episode 11 and was reportedly PD Jang’s decision. The drama had initially been scheduled for 16 episodes, but prior to airing its first episode, producers had decided to go with 20 instead and focus on episodic storylines. With that change, Jang had wanted to focus his attention on scriptwriting for the latter half, prompting PD Kim to step in to take over his directing duties. A rep with production emphasized that there is no other reason, and that there are no problems between the writer spouses.

I dunno, something seems off about the reasons stated, but who knows what the full story is. Sign premiered in first place but has since given up its narrow lead to MBC’s My Princess; perhaps this is a bid to recover from its ratings dip and take back the lead. Writer and/or PD switches do happen from time to time, but are infrequent enough to draw speculation each time. For instance, Daemul replaced its writer early in its run last year, while Mary Stayed Out All Night attempted to recover from its dismal ratings with a late-in-the-game writer replacement. I’d say the strategy may have worked for Daemul (it’s hard to say, since it was so early and the drama was well on its way to being a hit), though the last-ditch move did Mary no favors.

Via Asiae

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Tags: Sign

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1 glacierkn

January 25, 2011 at 1:50 PM

oh no, but the original team was SO GOOD at making this drama so far! I hope the story continues to be awesome after the switch, and I'm stoked for 20 eps over 16!

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kaedejun

January 25, 2011 at 3:51 PM

agreed! why change it up!?

at least it's not the writer of I Am Legend joining the team... although the director was ok - if he can keep up the suspense in each shot, i'll be happy.

i'm really liking this series!

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Jen

January 26, 2011 at 1:29 AM

I know! I didn't think I'd like the drama, but it's been such an enjoyable watch. Why mess with a good thing people?!

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Haru

January 27, 2011 at 11:38 PM

Is this show really good? :o

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mskololia

January 28, 2011 at 12:08 PM

Here is today's article on the subject. Watch and decide for yourself.

http://10.asiae.co.kr/Articles/new_view.htm?sec=ent2&a_id=2011012809425504582

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2 Birdie

January 25, 2011 at 2:00 PM

The story had been good so far. The only gripe i have is I wish the male lead is a better actor. His expressions are the same when he is puzzled, surprised or angry. This genre is interesting for a change esp. after watching so many rom-com.

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kerik

January 25, 2011 at 2:09 PM

and I cannot stand him screaming to emote enthusiasm. too much that it hurts my eyes and ears. sigh...

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houstontwin

January 25, 2011 at 2:37 PM

I like the lead actor but I don't have much patience for the plot. I am so tired of conspiracy plots! Even in a fluffy piece like My Princess, I find the conspiracy elements annoying.

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Lina

January 30, 2011 at 2:53 PM

I don't know what you are talking about, but Park Shin Yang is one of the best Korean actors. Definitely top-tier, among the likes of Lee Byung Hoon, Won Bin etc.

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3 Josina

January 25, 2011 at 2:02 PM

I watched the first couple of episodes with one eye on something completely different and concluded that this show does actually require your full attention, so I'm going to post-phone further watching until after exams etc.

Having a new director for this type of CSI show is not necessarily a bad thing - I seem to recall that CSI NY underwent some changes during the first season - mainly, they got rid of the excessive gloominess (and that was just the office decor, never mind the storylines), and hey presto: it's in its howmanieth season?

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4 leonardswench

January 25, 2011 at 2:57 PM

Nothing going on my ***. It's not just the changes, but the timing and the actual shift from PD to writer that signifies lots of goings-on behind the scenes.

Why don't they just tell the truth and switch?

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5 mskololia

January 25, 2011 at 3:03 PM

I guess wifey can't pull a rabbit out of her hat....Anyway, looking forward to the shift and I hope it is noticeable.

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6 jojo

January 25, 2011 at 3:58 PM

I'm actually enjoying Sign...Park Shin Yang feels like a forensic doctor to me (so he yells a little) and Kim Ah Joong is trying her best to be a good assistant. Jung Gyu Woon, as a cop, certainly has been able to stretch as an actor instead of just flexing his muscles (Dr Champ) while Prosecutor Um Ji Won prances in her heels poking around a snowy country crime scene (too funny!) Maybe some of the leads think their parts aren't big enough...

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7 grateful1

January 25, 2011 at 5:07 PM

I'd agree that Park Shin Yang has a tendency to overact-- and I'd add that the soundtrack does too! On several occasions, the music has been uberdramatic when the scene hasn't warranted that degree of intensity (it's distractingly over-the-top).

It's nice to see Jung Kyeo Woon (from Dr. Champ) again-- he has terrific screen presence (though his character on Dr. Champ was a lot more fun).

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mskololia

January 25, 2011 at 5:09 PM

I like the "shark" soundtrack at times because the scenes following show movement of some kind....

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8 Dav

January 25, 2011 at 5:15 PM

I never really trust anything I'm told by hr and production types - everything always seems suspiciously whitewashed.

That said, there's something off with Sign the way it is now. I can't put my finger on it, but it is Not Right, and I don't think it has to do with the usual irritating stuff. I get pretty sick to my stomach when the male lead treats the female lead like crap, and the female lead finds out *one* non-bastardly thing he does and gets all googly over him. He still treats you like crap, honey. Get thee to a new job and a new crush. Also, I am really tired of Evil Ex-Girlfriend, accompanied by Evil Rival. That's rarely how the world is, and combined with the insane immaturity of both leads makes me feel like I'm watching CSI:Romeo and Juliet, except that Romeo and Juliet were fourteen, so it was understandable. But I watch plenty of dramas without these factors bugging me so much, so something else is going on. Maybe I just don't like or root for either of the leads?

Whatever the reason is, episode 11 is awfully late for a change - watchers will have had to put a lot in. At least it still gives time for some sort of coherent wrap-up - Mary Stays Out All Night didn't have nearly enough time for a new writer to make sense of it all. (Ha, ha - I used "Mary" and "sense" in the same sentence. Ha.)

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mskololia

January 25, 2011 at 5:36 PM

They should be able to wrap up the Japanese corpse-finding thingy bef epi 11 so our forensic geniuses come back to Korea.

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Dav

January 25, 2011 at 5:53 PM

Good point - I *am* looking forward to that.

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9 Alexis

January 25, 2011 at 7:33 PM

Woot! ^__^ I really enjoy watching this drama "Sign" that it look like as American show "CSI" -- but it's very awesome, ofc.

I am still enjoying with this, mmm! =)

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10 Nana

January 25, 2011 at 7:35 PM

You know, if you can get pass Park Shin Yang's trademark shouting by guarding your finger at the volume control, I think plot wise it's getting pretty interesting. I like how they intertwine the cases, not just solve them one by one. I like Kim Ah Jong, she's a good actress.

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11 ar_arguably romantic

January 25, 2011 at 7:41 PM

I now sort of wonder what kind of relationship the husband-and-wife team has outside of the professional life. I wonder if he is the type of husband to just take over something whenever he's not completely satisfied with something.

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annie

January 26, 2011 at 12:51 AM

I had the same thought.

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jojo

January 26, 2011 at 3:36 AM

Maybe she said: "Honey, we're going to 20 episodes. I could use some help here." And he said: "I hear you. We'll get a new PD...anyone can be a PD."

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12 singingzombies

January 25, 2011 at 8:35 PM

Maybe one day I'll hear a drama do a PD/writer change and all the reps will actually say for once, "There have been issues but the switch is for the better. Trust us to know how to do our jobs"

No? Oh well, either way it'll be the day when reps don't reflexively say "Nothing to see here... move along... ignore the elephant in the room."

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13 Noon0201

January 26, 2011 at 6:19 AM

I enjoy watching the drama so far, actually i'd rather look forward to Sign than My Princess. ha ha

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teali

January 26, 2011 at 8:31 AM

I agree, starting I feel that I enjoyed watching My princess sligtly more..like others mentioned, I cant stand the characters shouting with one another in the first episode o_o..but as I continue to watch I found Sign is getting more interesting than My princess. I cant wait for episode 7!

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Birdie

January 26, 2011 at 4:02 PM

I agree it is more interesting. I have given up on MP due to time constraints, and only watching Sign. Maybe I had watched too many cute dramas.

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14 neliq

January 26, 2011 at 10:41 AM

I am enjoying SIGN more than I thought I would. It is an antidote to all the cute and sweet of My Princess and Dream High - the two dramas ruling the waves these days. It good to have a drama that offers some balance to the cute factor and SIGN is it.

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15 bopbopbop

January 29, 2011 at 2:19 PM

i love this drama!!!!
i watched both my princess and sign and then dropped my princess
sign is so good.
hope the switch just makes it better!

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