Dramabeans exclusive: Interview with City Hunter, Doctor Stranger PD Jin Hyuk
by javabeans
We’ve got a special treat for you guys today, and are excited to present to you our very own exclusive interview with one of dramaland’s hitmaker directors, PD Jin Hyuk, whom you may know from his string of popular dramas like Brilliant Legacy, Prosecutor Princess, City Hunter, Master’s Sun, and Doctor Stranger. I know, so many of our favorites!
As you may know, PD Jin was recently in LA to speak as a featured guest at KCON 2015. We were fortunate to hear his panel, and honored when he graciously agreed to an interview. We’d heard great things about him, and can now confirm firsthand that he’s as lovely, friendly, and thoughtful as we’d heard.
You probably don’t need us to tell you how much girlfriday and I geeked out to get to pick the brains of a famous PD (City Hunterrrrrrr!) and ask questions we’d always wanted to ask, from what it’s like working in the drama-making system to specific questions about characters and dramas and sequel opportunities.
We asked PD Jin about whether he knew about international response to his dramas and if he read much, and he explained that he didn’t know that sites like Dramabeans existed but that he’d be sure to read up on it. And we’ll be sure to send him this post, so if you have questions, comments, or just plain love to send his way, please do! (He reads English, so no problems there.)
Without further ado, let’s just dive right in:
RELATED POSTS
- Odds and Ends: The KCON 2015 wrap-up
- Dramabeans panels at KCON 2015: Talkin’ ’bout dramas, academia, fandoms, and lovefests
- Producers writer, Master’s Sun PD team up for new SBS drama
- Doctor Stranger: Episode 1
- Master’s Sun: Episode 1
- Behind the scenes with City Hunter
- City Hunter: Episode 1
- Prosecutor Princess: Episode 1
Tags: City Hunter, Doctor Stranger, Dramabeans exclusive, featured, interviews, Jin Hyuk, Master's Sun
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51 Eliza Bennet
August 26, 2015 at 12:54 AM
I have watched all the dramas of this PD (except Prosecutor Princess) and liked them all!! However Brilliant Inheritence has a special place in my heart and it still is one of my all time favorite dramas. Thank you for your hard work!!!
And thank you guys for the interview, I liked the questions too :)
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Eliza Bennet
August 26, 2015 at 1:05 AM
Ooopppss sorry I didn't watch Dr. Stranger either (I guess leading men is an important point for me when
choosing what to watch)
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52 Aigoooo
August 26, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Great interview ladies! You're questions were all awesome. PD Jin seems like a very cool guy and his answered were very honest and enlightening. I hope he realizes how much international fans love his work.
I really enjoyed the interview and I wish this is just the start of more interviews to come. It would be cool to see JB and GF pin down Na PD or the Hong Sisters and pick their brains.
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53 Ayeyo
August 26, 2015 at 1:16 AM
I think what was incredibly interesting is what he said about the changes to direction during the production of dramas. Usually as a viewer you see it and think whats going on, even if you end up enjoying it like with Masters Sun or you or end up questioning your sanity and every detail like in doctor stanger. I usually brush it off to my overactive imagination but I'll definately take note next time!
Also I had no idea so many of my favourite dramas were produced by one guy! Thats so awesome! Before Masters Sun, City Hunter was probably one of my favourites but Masters Sun blew everything out of its league so I'm glad their considering a season 2!
Thanks dramabeans~! Awesome interview and great questions!
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54 klava
August 26, 2015 at 1:57 AM
Thank you pd nim,Prosecutor Princess, City Hunter, Master's sun and brilliant legacy are one of my favorite dramas of all time.And city hunter will always be the drama that Elevated Lee min ho from just a pretty face to a kick ass actor, i like what you said about him,its making me recover some of the love i lost of him after Heirs.
I hope you see some of the comments on the city hunter recap,you'll realise how much we all loved it.Kamsaminida ? FIGHTING!!!
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55 NahlaJW
August 26, 2015 at 2:28 AM
Wow thank you JB and GF for this exclusive interview with PD nim.:)
Your questions were so on point and it gave us a taste of what it's like behind the camera.
PD nim, thank you so much for working so hard and produce dramas that we liked Alot such as: City hunter and Master's Sun. I'll be looking forward your next projects with excitment, Fighting!!!
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56 growingbeautifully
August 26, 2015 at 2:41 AM
Thank you so much JB and GF! This Interview post is almost at the top of my list of favorite articles/posts on DB. It was insightful and enlightening and helped answer some questions that I've been asking. Thanks for asking so many appropriate questions and sharing this interview. May there be many more to come!!! :)
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57 songsong
August 26, 2015 at 2:57 AM
Wow thank you Dramabeans! You are the best!
Thank you PD Jin, the Doctor Stranger part was really interesting!!! I hope Kang Sora get to work with you again.
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58 Delphine
August 26, 2015 at 3:02 AM
Dear PD-nim,
This will be yet another expression of love for City Hunter, one of my top favorite drama, which I watched countless times (it is shameful how many times I watched it!).
Plus, it is my go-to drama when I want to introduce Kdramas to non-drama watchers. And so far, every single one I introduced this drama to, loved it (and binge-watched it) - many were looking forward to watching other dramas after that (despite the fact that they were prejudiced against Kdramas before watching City Hunter).
Now my friends and I share common memories of particularly well shot City Hunter scenes ; if I tell them : "do you remember the staircase scene when sexy prosecutor almost sees city hunter", they absolutely remember. If I tell them "what about the fight scene in the changing room with the mirrors", they remember too. And finally, if I tell them "when sexy prosecutor leaves the hospital and turn back to see his ex-wife", they gasp and mourn his death all over again !
So, thank you again for your work ! I hope you work again with smart writers and design together more beautiful shows for smart audiences ! I am looking forward your future projects !
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AP
August 26, 2015 at 7:25 AM
Is your username by any chance related to Orphan Black?
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59 ajewell
August 26, 2015 at 3:20 AM
Oh! I really, realllly like him! Shining Inheritance, City Hunter, and Master's Sun are some of my favorites!! Congrats on scoring such an interesting interview!
If I could pose a question, I guess I'd ask for a funny story, maybe something silly/unexpected that happened on set. I enjoyed his story about Lee Min-ho coming to his defense against the greedy station reps, so more of those would be nice. That, or just some basic background info would be fascinating - like what made him want to be a PD, how it happened, how competitive the job is, etc.
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60 wapz
August 26, 2015 at 3:44 AM
I can never access videos or trailers posted by you guys. Why is that so?
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61 rori0711
August 26, 2015 at 4:34 AM
to PD Jin Hyuk, if you get to work again with LJS, be sure to have KSR as his endgame. that would be satisfying :)
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62 semigemi
August 26, 2015 at 4:56 AM
Thank you for the interview JB and GF! It was very enlightening and interesting, I really enjoy learning how the behind process for dramas work.
Also, thank you PD Jin for helping to create some of the dramas that I love (Master's Sun, Brilliant Legacy) as well as one of my all time favourite dramas (City Hunter). I look forward to you future projects! :)
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63 Catchingoppa
August 26, 2015 at 5:15 AM
I seldom comment here but pd-min deserves a note of thanks. Thank you for bringing us wonderful dramas. The only one I watched is City Hunter though (because of LMH) as I wasn't so hooked up with kdrama until last year. City Hunter is that one character that made me believe LMH has more than just good looks.
Keep up the good work pd-nim.
Ps: I am with you on LJS-KSR ship too :p
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64 Den
August 26, 2015 at 5:43 AM
Love love love!
The reason why I stuck with Doctor Stranger was because of PD-nim. And I feel so happy that he thought Kang Sora should've been the lead not she-who-shall-not-be-named.
Yes to Master's Sun 2, though I hope that the Hong Sisters would get their mojos back and write better than their last one (even if I did enjoy W&C). Also hope that 오준성 would be onboard again for the soundtrack because he did an awesome job for MS, City Hunter, & Prosecutor Princess.
Bummer that our dreams of City Hunter 2 was shot down. Still have hopes though (please write the script for season 2 JB & GF!)
Mr. Jin Hyuk, I'm looking forward to your next project! Thank you!
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65 justus
August 26, 2015 at 6:08 AM
i also love the interview. you ask really interesting questions however the sound of the video
is so bad with the earphones on TT__TT
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66 Elle
August 26, 2015 at 6:23 AM
Loved the interview! It was such a great idea and a real treat for the fans. Thanks PD Jin!
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67 cheekbones
August 26, 2015 at 6:51 AM
This is truly such a treat ! A very interesting interview because you asked what we wanted to know. I wish you had more opportunities like this.
PD Jin Hyuk indeed seemed like a lovely man.
PD-nim, Brilliant Legacy is one of my all time favorite k-dramas, and I greatly enjoyed watching Prosecutor Princess and Master's Sun.
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68 Melbeanie
August 26, 2015 at 6:56 AM
This is awesome! It's refreshing to actually hear from a director, well the director of City Hunter at that!!!
City Hunter is still my favourite among all your works, PD-nim because that's really daebak! My favourite among my favourite scenes? The stairs scene when City Hunter took his blood sample from the lab while the prosecutor was also there and I was just so out of sorts! The camera showing the rails and stairs then the two characters about to meet, well, almost...I think my heart was in my throat watching that! Also, the fight scenes in slow-mo, love them all! So yes, City Hunter2 would be awesome but I don't think it's going to happen after watching this. But anyway, I am hoping that you'll make an action-romance drama again soon!
You seem to be nice and down-to-earth despite your achievements so kudos for that! Saranghae PD-nim! Good luck on your future projects! Fighting!
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69 erniwidia
August 26, 2015 at 7:21 AM
wohoooo... PDnim .. I-adore-you...!0
from Brilliant Legacy days until Master's Sun.. (I'm not yet watch Doctor Stanger to be honest :p )
your project always fun to watch.... hope you reunite with So Hyun kyun writer-nim again someday...Can't wait the next project...aza aza
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70 MeraNaamJoker
August 26, 2015 at 7:23 AM
I'd love to watch the videos here, but I'm going to have to go to YouTube since the ice cream ad keeps autoplaying on this page at full volume--and following me around as I navigate! Whoever provides the Dramabeans ad services needs a kick to the shin.
I'm super excited to watch; City Hunter is still in my top 5 even after my kdrama viewing has expanded a great deal. PD-nim sounds awesome.
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71 delphy
August 26, 2015 at 7:36 AM
I love city hunter & master's sun!
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72 The flaming rose
August 26, 2015 at 7:59 AM
Great work. Continue with the great productios and perhaps acknowledge the international community. it'd be nice to communicate with both the writers and production team.
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73 sigalltheway
August 26, 2015 at 8:09 AM
I still have yet to watch the interview; can't wait to go back from work :D
PD Jin, if you're reading this, I juz wanna say THANK YOU for I enjoyed watching City Hunter very much. and THANK YOU also for giving Minho such a great opportunity.
and I've heard good things about Brilliant Legacy and Master's Sun. Will definitely watch them when time allows.
Many loves from Texas!
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74 mekuhibiu
August 26, 2015 at 8:41 AM
This is an insightful interview. PD Jin Hyuk does seem as lovely, friendly, and thoughtful as you mentioned. I have watched all of the above mentioned shows except Prosecutor Princess and enjoyed the directing of those shows.
Glad you managed to shoot an exclusive interview with him, JB and GF! And thank you for asking about the other road (not taken) in Doctor Stranger. It's nice to hear the rationale behind keeping Hoon faithful to Jae-hee, but it is really consoling to learn that he once considered swapping the female lead because I was really drawn to Hoon/Soo-hyun's interactions and chemistry during its run even though that ship sank fast.
City Hunter is an awesome show and while I can see why many people are into Season 2, I personally think it ended with a nice closure and thus do not want a sequel. It's a different story with Master's Sun; I wonder what they have in mind for Season 2 since they are already considering it.
I hope the schedule works out between him and writer Park Ji-eun. Would definitely look forward to their collaboration!
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75 mintiefresh
August 26, 2015 at 8:51 AM
Awesome interview :) There goes the little bit of hope I had left for City Hunter: Season 2 *sigh*
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