Hi Jae-ha, really love your summaries and insights. Wanted to open a discussion about showrunner because I feel like that's a uniquely Hollywood position in television that doesn't have an apples to apples comparison in Korean drama television. I don't know specifically what the writing/producer structure is on this show and was curious if you used it specifically to this show or who you were referring to.
K-dramas don't have showrunners, but they have an equivalent in the Producer-director, commonly known as 'PDs'. They fulfill much of the same role. Just like a western show might have different directors handling different episodes, a similar system is used in SK too. Occasionally you'll find other directors credited next to the main PD. They aren't your regular 'assistant directors' - which every drama has a number of, to take care of everything administrative to boring shots the main director can't spend time on. These second PDs are brought on and given main crew credits to help with the main PD's workload. My point is that while the titles may not be the same, there are similarities in the structures.
I've heard people describe the model as being closer to the UK model. In your experience are the PDs or the main PDs involved in the writing of the episodes?
PDs have more power over the script when the writers have less experience or less renown, but traditionally, the writers are given a lot more control over the story than in the west. However, when it comes to the actual shooting of the story, the PD has the discretion to make plenty of changes, and even famous writers usually oblige unless the changes drastically affect the direction of the show. That is how you hear of writers walking out of projects, cause they simply will not bend. In the editing room, the main PD is fully in charge. It's their baby at that point and they approve all final cuts.
I'm not familiar with the UK model. Would you say writers have more or less power there?
From my understanding of the UK model it's closer to what you described. The producers have more creative ownership in production and editorial than the writers and are more involved than a non-writing producer would be.
But in the US, in television, writers have a lot of control and are responsible for budgets and key hired and post-production.
And thanks for your explanation Jae-Ha -- I'd love it if we could find a way to describe it in that way. The assumption on the US side would be they the writers themselves are producing episodes the way a writer who is showrunner in Hollywood. Some of what a writer would do in the US seems to be actually handled by the PD.
And Paroma! I love the explanation of PD -- that's extremely helpful.
Thanks for answering Jamie's question with such detail, Paroma.
In this context (and most of my drama reviews), I use the term "showrunner," because that one word explains what PD may not to a predominantly non-Korean readership. Just like I refer to doctors as doctors/의사, rather than teacher/선생님 (like many Koreans do to show respect/etiquette) — even if their physician isn't at a teaching hospital
I have been waiting for your reveiew to watch the series , thanks for always giving wonderful reviews and great options
Mathu, what a wonderful compliment. Thank you so much! I hope you come back after you've watch Doctor Cha and share your thoughts!
Can't wait to watch Doctor Cha! Thank you for your review. :)
I hope you enjoy it, Alyssa! Thank you so much for taking the time to read it! 🥹
Hi Jae-ha, really love your summaries and insights. Wanted to open a discussion about showrunner because I feel like that's a uniquely Hollywood position in television that doesn't have an apples to apples comparison in Korean drama television. I don't know specifically what the writing/producer structure is on this show and was curious if you used it specifically to this show or who you were referring to.
K-dramas don't have showrunners, but they have an equivalent in the Producer-director, commonly known as 'PDs'. They fulfill much of the same role. Just like a western show might have different directors handling different episodes, a similar system is used in SK too. Occasionally you'll find other directors credited next to the main PD. They aren't your regular 'assistant directors' - which every drama has a number of, to take care of everything administrative to boring shots the main director can't spend time on. These second PDs are brought on and given main crew credits to help with the main PD's workload. My point is that while the titles may not be the same, there are similarities in the structures.
I've heard people describe the model as being closer to the UK model. In your experience are the PDs or the main PDs involved in the writing of the episodes?
And do the PDs stay on through editorial?
PDs have more power over the script when the writers have less experience or less renown, but traditionally, the writers are given a lot more control over the story than in the west. However, when it comes to the actual shooting of the story, the PD has the discretion to make plenty of changes, and even famous writers usually oblige unless the changes drastically affect the direction of the show. That is how you hear of writers walking out of projects, cause they simply will not bend. In the editing room, the main PD is fully in charge. It's their baby at that point and they approve all final cuts.
I'm not familiar with the UK model. Would you say writers have more or less power there?
From my understanding of the UK model it's closer to what you described. The producers have more creative ownership in production and editorial than the writers and are more involved than a non-writing producer would be.
But in the US, in television, writers have a lot of control and are responsible for budgets and key hired and post-production.
And thanks for your explanation Jae-Ha -- I'd love it if we could find a way to describe it in that way. The assumption on the US side would be they the writers themselves are producing episodes the way a writer who is showrunner in Hollywood. Some of what a writer would do in the US seems to be actually handled by the PD.
And Paroma! I love the explanation of PD -- that's extremely helpful.
Thanks for answering Jamie's question with such detail, Paroma.
In this context (and most of my drama reviews), I use the term "showrunner," because that one word explains what PD may not to a predominantly non-Korean readership. Just like I refer to doctors as doctors/의사, rather than teacher/선생님 (like many Koreans do to show respect/etiquette) — even if their physician isn't at a teaching hospital
Thanks for the discussion, Jamie, and your kind words.