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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix, shows director Han Jun-hee and actors of "D.P." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix, shows director Han Jun-hee. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
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| ▲ This photo, provided by Netflix, shows the poster for drama "D.P." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Yonhap) -- "'D.P.' revolves around a plot that happens in a military, but it also paints a story on universal human relationships that can be relatable to anyone in the world. It is an ordinary, but unusual scenario."
In a video interview with Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday, director Han Jun-hee, who directed Netflix's latest original drama "D.P.," which is gaining popularity through word-of-mouth, talked about the production process of the work.
"D.P." follows the story of a team of Korean military police given the mission to catch deserters, and is categorized as a military drama but also well-received for its combination of humanism and portrayal of the reality of barracks.
The drama series is ranked No. 1 in Korea's Netflix rankings and aiming to lead in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, based on streaming ratings tracker FlixPatrol.
"The military is like a miniaturized society, so there are many conflicts between human relationships, perpetrators and victims. I think the audience were able to relate to our drama since we depicted various aspects of society rather than just the military," director Han said.
"The original version of 'D.P.' was produced as a webtoon in 2014-2015, and it's an excellent work. I thought a lot about how to maintain the genuine and sharp aspects of the original work but also to create a more universal story line to connect with a wider range of people," Han added.
"D.P." drew attention for its realistic military story, which made the Ministry of National Defense showed signs of embarrassment.
"I joined the army in 2007, and the experiences felt by the staff, actors, and production crew during their time in the military was inevitably melted into this work," Han said laughing.
"However, I didn't cast the actors based on their age. I have known Koo Kyo-hwan, who plays Han Ho-yeol, since he started starring in short films, and I wanted to be the first one to appoint him to a single role. Jung Hae-in, who plays Ahn Joon-ho and shows a slight old-fashioned feeling in his previous works, felt right for one of the main characters in 'D.P..' There were numerous auditions for the role of Hwang Jang-soo. Although actor Shin Seung-ho has not been enlisted in military services, his voice, physique, and face for the role was amazing."
"The atmosphere on set was really great as well. I was especially grateful to see actor Jung Hae-in take care of his fellow co-stars."
As for the opening video in "D.P.," which unraveled the main character's life from birth to being enlisted in the army in a very quick scene, became a hot topic among the viewers. Director Han said, "I think the opening title is also a piece of work. I directed it with the goal of making an opening that no one could ever miss," adding, "I tried to draw a life of a child being born, growing up, going to school, meeting friends, and dating before being enlisted to the army."
Director Han, who directed the films "Coin Locker Girl" and "Hit-And-Run Squad," challenged to create a drama for the first time with "D.P."
"While I was directing the drama, I came to admire screenwriters and directors who produce 12 or even 120 episodes," Han said laughing. "Since I had to finish this work with my own capability, I created the drama with the feeling of making six medium-length films. While a two hour movie has its own charms, I find it attractive how a 300-minute long drama series allows audience to see various looks and emotions of the characters."
"'D.P.' was able to be made thanks to Netflix," Han added. "I was grateful and enjoyed opening up more dramas for creators and actors to work on."
Han responded positively to the possibility of producing another season or a spin-off, saying, "I've talked about it with the writers and producers. There's always a desire to talk about the background story . I believe the opportunity will come if more people are interested and watch the first season.
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