'Our Movie,' starring Namkoong Min and Jeon Yeo Been, gears up for release
Writer Lee Kang of Our Unwritten Seoul, led by Park Bo Young, shares how he came to write a thought-provoking story of twins switching lives.
Our Unwritten Seoul is a coming-of-age story of twin sisters who look the same but are opposite in every other way, switching identities in pursuit of the lives they want to lead.
Lee Kang, famous for his work in Youth of May, returns with a new script after four years. He expressed his excitement, saying, "Our Unwritten Seoul, which I've written steadily like letters, like a diary, with the wish to once again reach viewers as soon as possible, is finally about to air."
Writer Lee Kang shared that, through Our Unwritten Seoul, he wanted to tell "the story of people who may look fine on the outside but are shaken and exhausted on the inside."
He went on to explain the inspiration behind the theme of twin sisters switching lives: "I once imagined how nice it would be if a twin who looked exactly like me could take my place. But then I wondered, would that twin's life really be any more peaceful than mine?"
He continued, "Everyone feels like their own life is the hardest, but I began this story with the thought that each person is fighting his own battle." He added, "Self-loathing — where we lash out at ourselves with words and thoughts we wouldn't even say to others — has been my oldest enemy and remains an unresolved issue for me. I wrote this work with the hope that both the protagonists and the viewers who watch this story might learn to be a little more forgiving toward themselves."
Regarding the main settings of the drama, Seoul and Duseon-ri, he explained, "Rather than sticking to the binary framework of a bleak city versus a peaceful hometown, I wanted to portray these places as spaces that exist as different forms depending on what's in each character's heart. In our drama, Seoul and Duseon-ri will be depicted through the eyes of Yoo Mi Ji and Yoo Mi Rae."
Our Unwritten Seoul features Park Bo Young playing four roles — Yoo Mi Ji, Yoo Mi Rae, Yoo Mi Ji living as Yoo Mi Rae, and Yoo Mi Rae living as Yoo Mi Ji — alongside Park Jin Young (as Lee Ho Su) and Ryu Kyung Soo (as Han Se Jin).
"I was thrilled when I heard the casting news, but when I met the actors, it felt as if I was meeting the characters from the script in real life. I was amazed and excited," said writer Lee.
He added, "Every time I saw the characters brought to life by the actors on set and in the footage, I was amazed at how much more vibrant and clear they were compared to the characters on the page. It felt like the actors understood the characters better than I did as the writer. The different kinds of [characteristic] charms created by the three actors will surely be something the viewers will enjoy."
Our Unwritten Seoul premieres on May 24. The K-drama will be available on Netflix.
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