Directing, Screenplay, and Acting
Directing, screenplay, and acting. These three elements intertwine to birth a single work, which is then judged by the audience. This is the quintessential algorithm of the representative arts: film, theater, and drama.
Among them, if one had to pick the field where the writer's capabilities matter most above all, it would undoubtedly be drama. Dramas have far longer narrative flows than theater or film, and far more characters as well. Because of this characteristic—sustaining the story's breath over a complex web of character relationships—the writer's presence is held in especially high regard.
This is why film is called the art of the director, theater the art of the actor, and drama the art of the writer.
Just as every actor has their strengths in certain acting styles—sageuk if it's historical drama, romance if it's romance, mystery if it's a thriller—every writer has genres where their pen shines brightest.
In the midst of all this, Kim Soolim consistently bears the title of Korea's top drama writer. Why? Because she's unbound by genre.
[Meeting the Greatest Drama Writer of Our Era, Kim Soolim? Writer Spotlight ①]
[The Queen of Ratings, Kim Soolim: Into Her World of Fantasy]
[Highest-Paid Star Writer in Broadcasting? Undisputed No. 1, 'Writer Kim Soolim']
She has traversed genres like sageuk, modern drama, and crime thrillers, proving her prowess with ratings.
But it's only what the absolute majority prefers. In any art form, no work satisfies everyone 100% perfectly.
Even her scripts had elements criticized as weaknesses, most notably: "Overreliance on romantic elements between the male and female leads." And "A slight lack of plausibility or realism in extracting peak excitement." These two critiques always trailed her like a tail.
Maybe that's why.
These were the comments that popped up routinely in internet articles right after episodes aired. Even with a hundred positive ones, that one hidden negative always catches the eye, right?
Kim Soolim was extremely sensitive to minority opinions(?).
"Hah, you think I can't write? I'm the great Kim Soolim!" What? Too much romance between leads? Lacking plausibility and realism? Fine, I'll cut it all out and show you.
And so, grinding her teeth, she wrote her previous work, Hanbando.
The result? As you all know. Solid ratings, but not enough to satisfy Kim Soolim, who wanted to prove herself.
Unrelated production mishaps played a big role, but still, she hadn't met her own bar for "proof." Her pride deeply wounded, Kim Soolim sharpened her blade once more—and Justice was born.
Preparing Justice meant endless days of revisions—a battle with herself.
[Justice First Draft (1st Rev).hwp]
The filename started at 1st rev... then blew past 10th, 20th, and kept climbing.
This grueling fight... probably wouldn't end until post-production wrapped.
"Whew."
Kim Soolim stretched after pounding the keyboard in her studio for hours. She'd rushed back from day 4 of script reading that morning and dove straight in. Outside the window, sunset painted the sky.
"Is this better...? Ah, whatever. Aargh!"
At first, creation from nothing is just visions in the writer's mind. Then actors bring it to life. Applying their aura and delivery to your solo sketches naturally changes things. Seeing it real now meant tweaking the imagined text.
Lee Jung-hyuk as Woojin showed it, Lee Jin-tae as Lee Kang-sik showed it. Placing those two on the current story arc felt... slightly lacking.
Like the script couldn't keep up with the characters.
Something more is needed, something...
Deep in thought, Kim Soolim furrowed her brow slightly.
Then—
*Ding-dong.*
"Teacher~!"
"Min-kyeong! What brings you without a call?"
A welcome face. Her disciple, writer Seo Min-kyeong.
"Heard script reading wrapped, so I came by."
"Come in."
Teacher and disciple sat face-to-face after ages. After a sip of coffee, Seo Min-kyeong spoke.
"How's it going lately? Smooth sailing?"
"Nah, you know me. Zombie mode once production starts."
Kim Soolim sighed.
"I know, queen of revisions."
"Script reading made my head spin more."
"Why?"
"Feels way different from what I imagined."
Seo Min-kyeong nodded.
"Always is. When actors exceed your vision, it just breeds more worries."
"Makes me think of sticking to the original draft... like something's missing a screw."
"The first draft you showed me?"
"Yeah. Oh, hold on!"
Kim Soolim fetched something from the next room. A bound Justice script. She handed it over.
"Current final version for now."
"Can I read it?"
"Of course~"
Seo Min-kyeong skimmed it eagerly. Her eyes sparkled. Nothing excited her heart like a fresh script from her mentor, still warm.
"Huh, you cut the twins setup?"
Spot-reading, she asked Kim Soolim.
"Yeah, sliced it out boldly."
"Felt so fresh. When? Why?"
Originally, Justice's first setup had three protagonists: Lee Jung-hyuk, Lee Jin-tae, and... Yoon Tae-oh, Lee Jung-hyuk's identical twin brother.
That night Lee Jin-tae fled with Yoon Jong-su's child? It wasn't just one. The bundled baby on the floor had a twin asleep inside, identical.
A secret even Lee Jin-tae didn't know. Yoon Tae-oh, Republic of Korea prosecutor.
"Just... story felt too scattered, and realism issues."
Kim Soolim cited two reasons, but the latter loomed largest. Identical twins. Not simple dual role.
Every scene with both required CG compositing. Not about tech difficulty, but zero-frame error in their exchanges.
Say a scene with Lee Jung-hyuk and Yoon Tae-oh. The dual-role actor films all Lee Jung-hyuk lines first. Then as Yoon Tae-oh, slots responses in between—perfectly.
Even pre-shot, tight schedules mean no endless makeup swaps. Must act receiving reactions naturally, emotions unbroken, seamless.
And that's just talk. If actions per stage directions? Timing to the second, another level.
Remembering every tone, ending, emotion as A, then fully respond as B. Tough to even describe.
After debating with PD Woo Seung-hyun, Kim Soolim cut Yoon Tae-oh. Filling that void with Lee Jung-hyuk made the current final script.
"Do what you want, teacher."
Seo Min-kyeong set the script down.
"Think it'll work?"
"I do. You delayed Witch School three years for CG, but pulled it off."
"That was pure CG; tech caught up. This isn't—less certain."
"Acting side?"
"Yeah. Bigger issue."
"That's why I say it's possible."
Seo Min-kyeong smiled.
"It's Baek Woojin."
Her voice brimmed with conviction.
"I debuted him. Ahem! So I know."
From assistant days, Seo Min-kyeong stood out. Bold opinions, sharp advice even to her. Rare among aides.
Maybe why Kim Soolim cherished her more. The aspiring writer left her nest, returned a full writer.
Now peers. Her advice pierced Kim Soolim's blockage like fresh air.
"You've changed a bit since Hanbando. Come back! That stubborn you, pushing your vision. Do what you want."
Right... maybe that's what she craved.
With Yoon Tae-oh, acting difficulty incomparable. But who was Baek Woojin? The actor who made her propose firsts she'd never dared.
Plus, a trusted witness right here.
"...They won't complain if I rework the script now?"
"Pfft, I gutted Wanted mid-broadcast. Writers exist to write and revise!"
Kim Soolim nodded, smiling. She grabbed her phone.
"Gotta talk to PD Woo."
"Take your time."
As her finger hovered over 'Woo Seung-hyun PD'—
*RRRRR.*
The bell rang suddenly.
What?
"Speak of the devil—PD Woo?"
"No."
"Huh?"
Seo Min-kyeong's guess missed. Caller: Woojin, just back from the virtual world.
"Hello?"
— Hello, Writer. Baek Woojin here. Sorry for the late call.
"No worries. What's up?"
Kim Soolim hit speaker. Seo Min-kyeong leaned in.
— Just reading the script, had a question. Couldn't wait for tomorrow's full meeting.
"I see. What is it? Speak freely."
— Um...
— Hesitant pause, then carefully: Does Lee Jung-hyuk have a twin brother?
"……!"
Kim Soolim's jaw dropped. Seo Min-kyeong's eyes widened.
— No such character in the revealed script so far, but in Act 2 stage direction, the baby cries "overlap." That stuck with me.
Kim Soolim and Seo Min-kyeong flipped to Act 2 frantically as his words ended.
Cries overlap...
An unrevised line from cutting Yoon Tae-oh.
From one line, he inferred that far?
Seo Min-kyeong grinned at stunned Kim Soolim. "See? What'd I tell you?"