Profile on Hong Sisters writing duo
by javabeans
Scriptwriters Hong Mi-ran, Hong Jung-eun
With SBS’s You’re Beautiful ending this week, I thought I’d like to take a look at the brains behind its wonderfully addicting appeal. I’ve compiled the information below from various interviews over the past few years and highlighted some of their statements about their past dramas.
In case you’re unfamiliar, the Hong Sisters are a team of two sisters who have made a name for themselves in recent years in the kdrama world, notably in the romantic-comedy genre. In five years, they have penned five hit drama series — and while the last two did not break 20% ratings, they did succeed in stirring passionate fan response and creating buzz commensurate with the others. The dramas are:
- Delightful Girl Chun-hyang, KBS 2005
- My Girl, SBS 2005-06
- Fantasy Couple, MBC 2006
- Hong Gil Dong, KBS 2008
- You’re Beautiful, SBS 2009
I’ve been a fan of writers Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran since their first series and have followed them faithfully, and they never disappoint. Let’s keep fingers crossed that You’re Beautiful does the same as it concludes its run.
Older sister is Hong Jung-eun, 35 years old, while younger sibling Hong Mi-ran is 32. This means that at the time their first drama series (Delightful Girl Chun-hyang) was causing a stir with its fresh comic feel (it ended with a 32% rating), the sisters were only 31 and 28 years old.
The Hongs are certainly not the only famous screenwriters around — others like Kim Soo-hyun and Noh Hee-kyung command much respect for their body of work — but the sisters are perhaps the most famous writers in the romantic-comedy sphere, and possibly the youngest to have achieved such a high level of recognition. Most dramas are marketed on the strength of its actors, and then directors. But the Hongs’ dramas gain notice on the strength of their names, and after five series, they’ve established something of a brand.
Hong Jung-eun explained how she began working with her younger sister, saying, “We were both working in the entertainment industry when we decided to work together on a drama. If our first project had failed, we probably wouldn’t have been able to continue.”
Hong Mi-ran responded to a question of whether they were likely to break up, saying, “We write just with the two of us. You could call it a family operation. If we were to split up, our family would split up. [Working separately] won’t happen.”
After all, they say, “Our total IQ is 200. My sister’s is 100, and mine is 100. What other writer has an IQ of 200?”
They credit their father as the person they respect most, and live by the motto, “Let’s not disgrace Father.” He’d instilled a strong work ethic into the girls at a young age: “We grew up hearing that we had to study in order to earn a living. That’s why the people in our dramas also work hard to earn their livings.”
With the three child actors of Fantasy Couple
Around the time that their third drama, Fantasy Couple, was wrapping in December 2006, they discussed in an interview how they felt about their teamwork:
The two of you have written three dramas together. Do you want to write separately?
“No. While writing a 16-episode miniseries, the hardest part is the middle. Because you have to maintain tension through the end, you can’t use up all your ideas, but you can’t slow down, either. At those times, I think, ‘How do I write this difficult thing all on my own?’ [Laughs] That’s why we never fight when writing scripts. We fight over who does the dishes or when we eat or things like that. [Laughs]”
Fantasy Couple was loved by a lot of viewers, and there were a lot of requests for an extension or Season 2. Do you have plans for a continuation?
“Sorry to say, Fantasy Couple isn’t a story that can have a Season 2. Chul-soo and Anna have already won their love, so it has reached a good ending.”
Lee Dong-wook and Lee Da-hae of My Girl
They have also managed to reinvent the careers of several of their leading ladies. Han Chae-young was a sexy “Barbie doll” known for her figure more than her acting when her role as Chun-hyang turned her sultry image on its head and transformed her into a plucky, optimistic, hard-working model student. Lee Da-hae had a somewhat heavy, sad image from Lotus Flower Fairy, and surprised viewers by going sassy and cute in My Girl. Han Ye-seul was dogged in her early career by criticism for her poor acting until her privileged, rude Anna character won viewers over with her notable catchphrases in Fantasy Couple. The sisters were so impressed with Sung Yuri in Hong Gil Dong that they posted up strong praise and defense of her acting on the drama’s webpage.
They explained, “If we use star actors, we’d attract attention at first, but we choose to put more importance on characters with individuality and personality.”
Fun fact: The sisters had considered calling My Girl by other names like False Siblings or Lying Girl before settling on My Lie, which then became My Girl.
Sung Yuri and Kang Ji-hwan in Hong Gil Dong
Naturally, ratings are something that can’t be ignored, and are a necessary evil in the industry. Their first two dramas (Chun-hyang, My Girl) were quite successful, but the third (Fantasy Couple) struggled a bit in the beginning. It started with a 11.1%, and they explain that they were able to rest their minds when the numbers started to climb, ending with a series high of 22.7%.
Fantasy Couple is the most talked-about drama in the second half of 2006, but it didn’t have the highest ratings.
“Ultimately, the ratings are the unit of measure that matter so it would be a lie to say that we didn’t think of them. Having a drama on a broadcast network means that it is available to the whole country, so if possible we would like for a lot of people to watch, but the dramas airing in the same hour had high ratings. There were a lot of fun parts in Episodes 1 through 4 that I’m disappointed that people didn’t see.”
The story was a little different with Hong Gil Dong, which was a modest success at best, with ratings averaging in the teens.
Hong Gil Dong is longer than a general miniseries at 24 episodes.
We began really fearlessly. [Laughs] A 24-episode drama isn’t merely a matter of making 8 more episodes of a 16-episode drama. It felt like it was twice as long. I think the crew had a rough time, too.”
Ratings weren’t bad, but they weren’t high.
“Although we lost some viewers in the beginning who didn’t get drawn in, but there were a set group of viewers who avidly followed the drama. Truthfully, as writers we don’t feel disappointment as much as we feel sorry to the actors. They should be more popular and be shooting more CFs now.”
But it seems like the actors have benefited.
“Kang Ji-hwan shouldered the responsibility for this drama and didn’t show that he felt inferior because of it. With Sung Yuri, she acted the part of Enok so well that we were startled. The reason I wrote a post on the drama’s forum is because I felt bad that she had been criticized in the past and hadn’t received as much notice when she had acted so well. Jang Geun-seok is a handsome, cool actor and despite his young age, he erased his childlike looks and showed a different kind of charisma than Gil Dong as the king.”
Han Ye-seul and Oh Ji-ho of Fantasy Couple
The Hong Sisters have created a trademark style with their fast, fun narratives and memorable characters, whether it’s a breakout lead actor (Jae Hee, Kang Ji-hwan) or a standout supporting character (Kang-ja of Fantasy Couple).
The “Hong Sisters drama” has already become a brand. You have several things that have become core characteristics, but which must also come with preconceptions. That must give rise to dilemmas as you write.
“First of all, I think a Hong Sisters drama is expected to make you laugh. When Delightful Girl Chun-hyang first aired, it was best when people watched without preconceptions. However, now we feel pressure to meet expectations and satisfy people. I even briefly thought about making our next drama without putting our names on it. [Laughs] I think there’s also the preconception that we’ll use a manhwa-like sensibility and childish, unrealistic developments. A little while ago, I went to the filming location [of Hong Gil Dong] and met with the lighting director. I was a little afraid of how to light the first episode, but he said that he had gone for bold, psychedelic lighting. It was director Lee Jung-sub‘s decision to use belly dancers. In the script, we had just written that the gisaeng house feels like a modern-style nightclub, but because it was touted as a Hong Sisters drama, people thought that everything had been our idea. [Laughs] Of course, there are aspects that are comfortable, because there are things that people just accept because it’s the Hong Sisters.”
One of your trademarks is your imagination and liveliness. What is the source of that? Also, how do you work together?
“The television and manhwa books we read as kids? Actually, we don’t have a division of labor system. Our two brains think as one. Writing together is only possible if it’s based on doing everything together, 24 hours a day. We don’t set aside separate time to work, so our entire lifestyle becomes work. That’s why, when we begin working on a drama, we can’t do anything else. [Jung-eun says] I can’t meet a husband and [Mi-ran says] I can’t date.”
Is there a difference in your personal tastes?
“Our personalities are extremely different, but the things we hate are really the same. Our brains don’t work with those things. That’s why we can make progress. We cut off the things we dislike and talk with each other about the things we like, and out of that we come up with even better ideas. Also, because we’re sisters, we don’t feel embarrassed with each other. We start by talking about things other people would consider absurd or shocking. And we just boldly insert things in our dramas that could appear light or immature to others.”
Do you have interest in doing genre dramas?
“We do think of doing this and that. We could do one with slightly less emphasis on comedy, or a different style of comedy, or a cult comedy type. A lot of people see our dramas as light and immature, and some people misconstrue that we’re deliberately trying to shed that image. However, what’s clear is that no matter what the drama, we have no intention of getting rid of our individuality. We tell each other jokingly that we won’t emphasize profundity. [Laughs] Gil Dong’s story has some difficult aspects, but we treated it somewhat easily. In the same vein, inasmuch as we made a Hong Sisters style sageuk drama this time, even if we do an action noir or an adultery melodrama, I think our personality will come out in it.”
Jang Geun-seok two ways: In Hong Gil Dong and You’re Beautiful
You’re Beautiful has a lot of the Hongs’ trademark characteristics, from the hilarious situations, quirky side characters, fast developments, and yes, some toilet humor. I think this has both its strengths and drawbacks, because as much as I enjoy their work, I don’t think they’re perfect, not by a long shot. They do have flaws, but I think their strengths far outnumber them.
When all is said and done, they’ve accomplished a remarkable feat — all five of their dramas, completed within the first five years of their careers, have achieved some measure of success. While You’re Beautiful has had the lowest ratings of them all, one can’t call it a failure after all the fervor it has sparked among fans and the buzz it’s created. If that’s their worst-performing show to date, then they’ve got a pretty solid resume, no?
On November 21, with the drama nearing its last week, the writers posted a message on the drama’s forum, expressing their thanks to director and the stars, in particular their leading man Jang Geun-seok, to whom they awarded “100 points out of a possible 10.”
Without them all, “the drama known as You’re Beautiful may have existed only as a file in my computer. Thank you to everyone.”
Via My Daily, Newsis, Newsen, Star.mt.co.kr, OSEN
RELATED POSTS
Tags: Delightful Girl Chun-hyang, Fantasy Couple, Hong Gil Dong, Hong sisters, interviews, My Girl, scriptwriters, You're Beautiful
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51 dee
November 25, 2009 at 3:30 AM
JB, thanks for featuring the Hong Sisters
I was surprised to learn they're still young, I though they are in the 40s range. No wonder the humor and their story lines are geared to a more younger generation.
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52 unenamoured
November 25, 2009 at 3:38 AM
a.n.jell[at]hotmail.com is up for grabs!
I only use hotmail and would like the word sweetheart or variations of "hi my sweetheart" in my new address.
Anybody interested can email anjell@hotmail.com.
No spam please :))
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53 heejung
November 25, 2009 at 3:40 AM
10점 만점의 100점!! lol XD
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54 tinyviolin
November 25, 2009 at 4:14 AM
Thank you for posting this! ^^ Love it love it love it.
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55 doug
November 25, 2009 at 4:18 AM
Fantasy Couple is still one of my all-time favorites-I still play the soundtrack music all the time.
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56 anjell
November 25, 2009 at 4:21 AM
LOVE their teamwork! i will certainly wait for their new drama... My Girl and You're Beautiful are my two favorite dramas of all! ;) (I also liked Fantasy Couple and am planning to watch hong gil dong when i find time ^^) i love the way they play with the lines of the characters.... i love the humor...i love the depth in their stories.....and ofcourse, i love the romantic moments that never fail to touch my heart!
You are amazing JB! seems like you feel the needs of your readers! I've been searching the net for some info about them and now here it is! Thanks! ;)
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57 Butterfinger
November 25, 2009 at 4:24 AM
wow ~ thanks again JB.
I think now know how to cope with my YB withdrawal.
I think i'll start watching all of Hong Sister's drama after the last YB episodes airs.
So far i've only watched My Girl, Hong Gil Dong, & You're Beautiful. I loved all these 3 dramas i just didn't realized they were created by Hong Sisters.
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58 ant
November 25, 2009 at 4:28 AM
Thanks JB for an interesting article love the Hong sisters and all their dramas. But the best so far has to be YOU"RE BEAUTIFUL i am a drama addict but with YB i went over the top i am obsessed with anything to do with the show. I loved it so much!!!!
Thank you Hong sisters and thank you JB for all the hard work you do.
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59 Ana
November 25, 2009 at 4:48 AM
Thank you JB.:-)Another timely tidbit from you:-)This will definitely help in easing YB withdrawal symptoms a bit:-) It's always interesting to know about the people who work behind the scenes to give us such fun dramas:-)I can finally put the faces to the names.I think their USP is funny dramas with unpredictable situations and spunky oddball characters who capture our hearts and just suck us in to their worlds
:-)Eagerly anticipating their next one:-)
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60 achie8275
November 25, 2009 at 4:55 AM
Wow!!! It was a very enlightening read about the famous Hong sister. My first encounter with them was through "My Girl". I went home on vacation and my mom was so enamoured with it. She actually watched it dubbed as that is how they show foreign drama in the Philippines. She told me how good the plot is, but honestly, I can't bring myself to watch episodes after episodes of any drama for that matter. I have no patience to do it. But fate intervened, I was left at home with nothing to do and my sister bought the original DVD with subtitle lying around so there I was....I manage to finish the whole drama in less than 48 hours. LOL :) From then on, I'm hooked! The drama to date "YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL" may be the lowest in rating that the Hong sister did but it is the Kdrama that made me do a lot of "1ST TIME". The 1ST that I followed while it is airing in korea. IST time that I watch it without subtitle. I even join an internet forum to follow it week after week. I even talk about it at work. As was mention in this forum...It's like a high grade cocaine that got me addicted the first time I watch it. It took away my stress, made me laugh, transported me to a different zone and made me feel young again. It may be so under-rated in Korea but it just took the 1ST spot of my all time Kdrama list (no matter how the 2 last episode turns out). So Thank you Hong sister for the laughters....Both of you >>>"YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL"
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61 unenamoured
November 25, 2009 at 5:02 AM
* sorry thats a.n.jell@hotmail.com, not anjell@hotmail.com. WITH THE FULL STOPS. sorry for the confusion
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62 amizzy
November 25, 2009 at 5:48 AM
never really took notice who wrote all these delicious dramas that i have been watching XD
i've watched all of their dramas then except for fantasy couple.
I LOVE HGD AND SGCH and now YAB <333
look forward for more drama from them in future~
all of their drama have great casting and characters~ and lots of crazy, out of the world imaginations scenes XD
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63 Lena S.
November 25, 2009 at 5:49 AM
funny how i saw all of their work and like it everything, not only because is a Hong sisters drama but because i think it's fun and light. But too bad that You're beautiful didn't had high ratings...
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64 ar_arguably romantic
November 25, 2009 at 6:01 AM
thank you for translating the interview!
In the tv and kdrama world, i don't ever follow a certain director or artist's work. If the story sounds silly, i don't care if Kang Ji Hwan or Kim Sun Ah is in it or that a famous director is directing it....but i will follow any drama that has the Hong sisters' names on it! Delightful girl chunhyang vies with my name is kim samsoon for the spot of being my favorite kdrama. I'm so glad their dramas have been a turning point for many actors/actresses. I can bet that all 4 leads of YB will be getting tons of role offers within the coming months.
"even if we do an action noir or an adultery melodrama, I think our personality will come out in it.”---- i totally agree with this!
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65 shiro401
November 25, 2009 at 6:06 AM
Thanks, JB, for satisfying my curiosity. I've been wondering about them ever since I watched Choon Hyang in 2005... ^^
I've seen all their dramas, and the one I like the least would probably be HGD. Why? Because as I watched it, I couldn't make up my mind which side I want to belong: HGD's or the prince's... lol... so at the end, I was left with both parts of my heart broken... :p
My favorite would be YB of course... the sisters are owning me with this one. I love all aspects of that drama... I love how the story flows, I love the antics of the characters, I love the cast (and this time I have no difficulty in choosing side... lol... ), every little thing in it. Never been this crazy over a drama before... :P
Looking forward to more fantastic dramas, Hong Sisters... *Hong Sisters, I give you the same score... kekekeke...*
And JB, thank you thank you thank you so much for becoming our dealer during this wonderful addiction... ^^
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66 Fee
November 25, 2009 at 6:21 AM
Thanks for posting this article on the Hong Sisters ^^ Been crazily addicted to You're Beautiful recently so it's interesting to read about the screenwriters.
I've never been a big fan of k dramas. I've tried watching them but I can never bring myself to watching more than 2 episodes. The only one (before YB) that I managed to enjoy and finish was My Girl and I didn't know that was by the Hong sisters until just then!
Looks like I should probably check out more of the Hong sisters' dramas when I'm bored because I might actually like them :D
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67 monomian
November 25, 2009 at 6:29 AM
wow, thanks Dramabeans!!
Actually I watch kdrama often, but i am still didnt watch the Delightful ... ,Hon Gil Don, but I did watch My Girl and YAB.
But I really like to watch fast paced dramas.Thats why I prefer some jdramas...
My Girl and YAB both was fast paced. And I really enjoyed...
Thank you for posting about HOng sisters... now I can sleep , hehe...
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68 Pink Fox
November 25, 2009 at 6:34 AM
Hong Ki!! Saranaghae! The best thing about YAB is casting him! With so much fewer scenes than the rest, yet he has cast a spell over his new fans like me..there is no other reason to watch the drama for me!
n Yes, the Hong sisters are great but they need the right actors to bring their characters to life....
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69 meenuby
November 25, 2009 at 6:40 AM
I was introduced to the k-drama world by storm when I watched Delightful Girl Chun-hyang. Thanks to the Hong sisters, I can always count on a drama full of laughs and fun. Their dramas always remind of what it's really like to be a k-drama fan. =D
Thanks for posting this JB.
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70 Snikki
November 25, 2009 at 6:40 AM
Aha! So these two are responsible for my current addiction. I'm ashamed to admit, but I haven't seen any other of their works. I'll have time during the Christmas break, though. I'll be marathoning their dramas. Hmm, I'll start with My Girl.
YAB may be lagging in the ratings, but it's one drama that'll truly remain in our memories -- the mania, the addiction. How can we forget?
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71 classic
November 25, 2009 at 6:49 AM
Thanks JB for the info on Hong's sisters, very rare we can get the news (in English) on kdrama writers, usually good dramas come from good scripts, without it, the directors an actors will always lost direction.
My favourite of course MY GIRL, one of the drama that always linger on my mind-from the acting (especially lee da hae), good looking actors/actresses, good ost, contains both humour and melodrama and most important good script-everything you can get from one drama. The rest of the drama also good, but not really give real impact to me except YAB.
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72 Sirybia
November 25, 2009 at 6:55 AM
Thanks for the profile! It 's fantastic to know more about a team of scriptwriters who really make me enjoy. I have seen almost all of their works, but the one that has achieved my total admiration has been the last one. The charismatic characters, the well created situations, the innocence, the romanticism, the friendship, the responsibility towards the others... all what I like of a Korean drama: I have found it. YAB is already a classic, and it has a spectacular impact among the k-drama fans arround the world (among the groups of supporters from Spanish-speaking countries has been a revolution).
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73 christine
November 25, 2009 at 7:02 AM
they are the two people we have to thank for the beautiful series that we enjoyed so much....
to the Hong sisters YOU BOTH ROCK!!!!! ^_^ \m/
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74 mean
November 25, 2009 at 7:05 AM
thanks..for those wonderful dramas
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75 deeps
November 25, 2009 at 7:15 AM
Oh, such an intriguing read about the Hong sisters... finally! I've been looking all over the net for tidbits about them, but could hardly find any... the only info I managed to get was a previous JB post and the message left by one of them on the YB board... they must really be a hoot to be around, I think!
I saw DGCH 'cause of Jae Hee (after falling for him in 3-Iron :-)... I was so delighted by the comic genius of the writers that I wanted to check out some of their other stuff... I watched Fantasy Couple next and it was the 1st Drama Ever that I simply couldn't fast-forward even by a second... I was really bowled over by the writing and the funny! It really is the only drama ever to be consistently funny till the end!
For me, DGCH < MG < FC < HGD < YaB (yes! and ratings be damned!)
I'll be so looking forward to their next project!
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76 Lisa
November 25, 2009 at 7:16 AM
I can honestly say I like You're Beautiful more than My Girl at this point. And I love My Girl! It's really hard to believe this show has gotten the least ratings, it makes no sense!
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77 samsooki
November 25, 2009 at 7:21 AM
It is almost unfair for them to have that kind of synergy.
For a writing team to produce a single great drama... even if the writers are really talented, the odds are so low. But for them to do it five times in five years.... from a writer's perspective, I feel awe and jealousy at the same time.
The basic story of each of these dramas is not earth-shatteringly new. The story of Choon-Hyang is well-known, as is the story of HGD. It isn't the story, it is how the story is told, they do it so well, I am all kinds of conflicted.
My Girl is one of my favorite dramas, along with HGD and now, YB. The Hong Sisters' vibe resonates with me, and I feel it. Take You're Beautiful, for example.
1. I didn't know who wrote the drama and I didn't really pay attention to who was in it; I just saw dramabeans pics of a boy band with a girl who was trying to look like a boy?
2. I had no intention of watching it all the way through. It's not like I've not seen a drama centered on a girl pretending to be a boy, surrounded by a group of other guys before, and I generally hold a healthy skepticism when I hear of projects that seem like take-offs of other things.
3. Still, I dl'ed the first episode because I was doing a few english translation spot-checks for WITHS2, and I was like...woah, this is good. It took less than 25 minutes, but I absolutely knew that this drama had the potential be the best thing since sliced kim-bap.
And the more I watched, the more I knew this was going to be great. I just knew it, and then I found it who it was that was writing it: Hong Sisters, again.
Gotta give them props: they are who they are, and they are amazing. I don't know how they do it, I cannot duplicate it - I just know that they do a great job.
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78 jandoe
November 25, 2009 at 7:34 AM
i'm so glad you're beautiful didn't become something that was only left in their computer!
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79 classic
November 25, 2009 at 7:47 AM
Yes, YAB is a very rare species, the only low rating drama that got huge attention, congrate Hong sisters, this drama show low rating doesn't means low quality. Luckily it is in SBS, if in MBC, probably 'choped..choped...
Wonder why ahjumas in korea are so into IRIS.
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80 Carrie
November 25, 2009 at 7:48 AM
Java- thanks so much for this article. Absolutely adore the Hong sisters and it's great to read about what goes into their brains as the write.
While I've loved their dramas, I have to say that YAB is my favorite. I love it.
Kudos to the sisters for their amazing skill and talent!!!!
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81
November 25, 2009 at 8:34 AM
Thanks for this! I love them and can always count on enjoying their dramas. I didn't realize that all the ones that i love the most, but once I found out, it all made sense. They are always able to create characters that I adore to death. Hope they keep on going!!!!!!!
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82 Belinda
November 25, 2009 at 8:54 AM
i love the hong sisters, high/low ratings, i don't care.
they've done an amazing job with their dramas
i cant wait to see more from them!!! =]
<33 YB & My Girl!!
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83 ambs
November 25, 2009 at 9:17 AM
@48
you know i never really thought about it but now that i have out of all the hong sister dramas i've watched (delightful, my girl, fantasy couple, you're beautiful) i liked go minam the least. all the other girls had more vibrant personalities that really stuck out and they all really brought out who they were (although to me in delightful girl it felt like she was acting the part and not really being the character she was supposed to portray) but for go minam.. at first her character was interesting as she was the nun with morals (ie her stopping the girl from playing games during church) but after entering the house she accentuated her characteristics of naivety and innocence onto a different level. it felt like her personality diminished in front of the overlying drama. i will continue this comment later b/c i have to go to school xD can't wait for ep 15!
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84 lidge_fan
November 25, 2009 at 9:19 AM
What a lovely read, jb!
I love the Hong sisters and hope they'll make many more romantic comedies in years to come. Looking forward to their future wonderful work!^^
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85 cherrytreela
November 25, 2009 at 9:44 AM
Thanks JB for all your excellent write-ups. I am not one to follow anyone from actors/actresses, writers, directors, etc. so I did not know the Hong sisters. However, my favorite of all time is My Girl and have enjoyed Delightful Girl, Fantasy Couple, and Hong Gil Dong. I have laughed and truly enjoyed all these dramas with so many comical moments!...
It is only with "You Are Beautiful" that I have began caring who the writers are. I love this drama so much that I need to follow everything about it. "My Girl" has taken the 1st spot for so many years but now have to gave way to "You Are Beautiful". YAB is the best for me...made me laugh, cry, hate, love, etc. all in an hour. Very funny, no dull moment and story is always moving... Love all the actors/actresses... Die hard fan of both Jang Geun-seok and Park Shin-Ye, also Lee Da-hae for MG.
So, to find out that Hong sisters were the writers for all the dramas that I laughed and enjoyed, it is a wonderful surprise for me, especially with YAB and MG. To Hong sisters, you rock and I will follow all your future dramas. Your MG caught my attention but YAB nailed it for me. Here's looking for future Hong sisters dramas and to see more of Jang Geun-seok, Park Shin-Ye, and Lee Da-hae!
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86 alittlelostalien
November 25, 2009 at 9:46 AM
well. i have to say my favourite was hong gil dong. i LOVED every bit of it EXCEPT THE LAST FEW EPISODES. one HAS to admit that it started screwing up really badly. i don't understand why it was written like that.
And another gripe about YAB - I also don't understand why they had to make Mi Nam so mind-numbingly stupid. "The sun is shining uselessly in the bright day." That part of the script left me literally wondering if they were trying to show that Mi Nam is mentally retarded. Which human, or rather, which creature on this planet doesn't know that the sun gives light to the day? even the PLANTS know that. but not Mi Nam? goodness me. And contrary to what the drama might portray, nuns are not stupid people. They are highly learned and educated women. So no convent-naivety excuse for this.
Besides than these gripes though, I have to say that they are fantastic at comedy.
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87 Namispop
November 25, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Like so many others, here, it was the Hong Sisters' 'My Girl" that got me hooked on dramas. It was at the top of our daughter's Christmas wish list, so we got it for her. Our daughter made me promise to watch two episodes with her, every Saturday...after the first "sitting" it didn't take the promise to get me to make the subsequent sittings...because I was already hooked. "My Girl" will always be special to me, not just because it was my first drama...but because it was that good. I've also seen "Fantasy Couple" and enjoyed it very much...but, I didn't think it was of quite the same caliber as "My Girl".
"My Girl" remained my absolute favorite drama...until "Coffee Prince" appeared. "CP" completely blew me away. And, while I think that writer Lee Jung Ah gave us a great story in 'CP", I really feel that it was much more the amazingly deft touch of PD Lee Yoon Jung and the superb performances by Yoon Eun Hye and Gong Yoo, that really knocked "CP" out of the park. For me, "CP" is a perfect example of a great drama, where the writing is an important component to its overall success...but a component no greater than the other components that make the drama what it ultimately is. With the Hong Sisters dramas, the writing is always the core...the heart...of the project...and is always a big part of the magic that we see and feel whenever we watch them.
Now, I'm on the brink of finishing the drama that has completely dethroned "CP" as my absolute favorite...yup, that would be "You're Beautiful". I started watching "YB" because of JB's recap of the first episode. Once I read the recap, I knew that I had found my next drama. I had just finished "My Fair Lady", which, unfortunately, really left me wanting for something better. Well, "YB" has certainly delivered that to me, and much, much more. No drama is perfect, and no drama ever will be...but, man, "You're Beautiful" sure does bring us closer to that ideal, doesn't it? The premise, on the surface, doesn't sound like anything particularly remarkable...but, thanks to the Hong Sisters, the story is anything but "been there, done that". There have been unexpected twists at almost every turn, and they've been nothing short of ingenious. Add to that the excellent direction of the PD, and, of course, the phenomenal performances by JGS and PSH, backed by the very solid performances by the rest of the wonderful cast...and you end up with a drama that has touched me in a way that no other drama has. I have never been excited about watching a drama, the way that "YB" has me. I used to look forward to the weekends more than anything, time-wise. Thanks to "YB", I've been looking more forward to Thursdays and Fridays, which are typically when ViiKii has managed to sub and upload the previous night's broadcasts of "YB". After this week, I'm going to feel disoriented...and sad....
Thank you, Hong Sisters...from the bottom of my heart.
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88 maryta
November 25, 2009 at 10:29 AM
I GIVE MY CONGRATULATIONS TO WRITE AN WONDERFUL STORY......................yOU ARE BEUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HAVE SEEN SINCE "Delightful Girl Chun-hyang ......UNTIL you are beatiful" ........ not all but the mayority , yes
thanks to you to show us your talents
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89 Emily
November 25, 2009 at 10:31 AM
I love the Hong sisters!! They ARE a brand...when I see their name attached to a project, I will watch it no matter what because I share their vision.
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90 jo
November 25, 2009 at 11:01 AM
out of their 5 dramas, I've seen four! and yes! I'm definitely a fan. "Hong Sisters' drama" is like a brand of its own!
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91 krnkimbap
November 25, 2009 at 11:34 AM
I really really enjoy this writing team because:
1. I have an older sister too, so seeing a sister pair working together in harmony is quite heartwarming.
2. Love love love their writing! Although I think their cuteseyness goes over the top sometimes, they write the only dialogue that actually makes me laugh out loud in front of the computer. It's a shame their writing doesn't translate as well when their dramas are subbed.
3. They always create the newest trends and catchphrases!
4. Their dramas always manage to increase my endorphins, and my heart's all aflutter after watching an episode that I enjoy.
I wish You're Beautiful wouldn't end! sob sob* Now what'll I watch??? IRIS is too heavy and I just don't feel happy watching it... :(
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92 zashibear
November 25, 2009 at 11:34 AM
I love most of the Hong sisters work. They are just so funny and the story solid. But so far YB is just a favorite for me. And I have not seen the ending yet. (It's how they end some of their works I have issues with). Does not matter is it's the lowest rating of all their work , it was just circumstance why it is rating that way( happened to air at the same time as IRIS) but I had the most enjoyable time watching YB. May they continue to give us more stories in the future...Cough up those files in their computers.
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93 RubyKowa
November 25, 2009 at 11:35 AM
@ 36 Mizuki ::: aww, it's so cute that the Hong Sisters are fangirls of JGS, hehehe!
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94 Namispop
November 25, 2009 at 11:53 AM
@91 zashibear-
I agree; "You're Beautiful"'s rather modest ratings is hugely due to it being in the same time slot as the big budget, heavily promoted, blockbuster "IRIS". The fact that "YB" has been able to hold on to its average 10% share(in the shadow of giant "IRIS") is, imho, a far better indicator of just how excellent a drama it truly is, than the actual ratings themselves. I was really fearful that its ratings would decline, and that SBS would consider forcing an early demise. I am sooo glad that the fan base held strong, and that "YB" held on for the ride.
I would so love to see just how well "YB" would do, ratings-wise, if it only had to compete against similarly budgeted and marketed standard fare dramas. I really think we'd be seeing double, to close to triple, of what it's been grabbing.
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95 Jini
November 25, 2009 at 12:33 PM
I loved this interview, thanks for translating and analyzing!
I have seen all except fantasy couple, but with the you're beautiful withdrawals... i think i might. hong sisters dramas never disappoint =]
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96 kb
November 25, 2009 at 12:43 PM
enjoyed that scene in the picture above for HGD.
the valiant gil dong rushes to save his yi nok from harm's way. the song 'if' starts to play, and on cue, the tears start to....ahem....
can't wait for NINJA ASSASSIN tonight!
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97 American Ahjumma
November 25, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Thanks so much for this article. Hong Gil Dong was the second kdrama, I ever saw and I loved it so much that I started persuing more and more of them. I've watched about a hundred or so now in the past 2 years and will continue to do so. I want to see Fantasy Couple and Delightful Girl next.
Thanks for your time and effort.
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98 soulmate
November 25, 2009 at 1:32 PM
Thanks YBB & HonG sIsterS for so fantastics DRamAS.
Hope a news one Drama 'll be better.
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99 whoa
November 25, 2009 at 1:33 PM
"However, now we feel pressure to meet expectations and satisfy people. I even briefly thought about making our next drama without putting our names on it."
I lol so hard at this XD,
out of 6 hong sister drama i've seen 4. am planning to watch HGD and chunhyang later
i have just watched fantasy couple earlier this year and by far its the best korean drama ive ever seen. even more than my girl, my 2nd fave, or coffee prince.
i enjoy every moment in fantasy couple, every character (even including billy, his asistant, kangja, etc) and every dialog. its a very well made simple drama.
this is the kind of drama i can watch over and over without getting bored
"file in my computer"
for me, that is BOF, after 14+ep i decided to quit -_-
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100 miniejungle
November 25, 2009 at 2:08 PM
thanks for the information. I've watched all of their dramas and I have to said YB is the most underrated one - if only it was not aired together with Iris! the cast is sensational, and I'm gonna miss them. how not to? it's been a while since i'm so into a drama like this.
i know this is not a recent interview but is it possible to find out if they're gonna do YB season 2?
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