‘Marry My Husband’ Producer Kim Dong-gu on Drama Production Costs “We Need to Cut Budgets, Even Great Products Won’t Sell Without a Market”
Kim Dong-gu, CEO of DK E&M, has been a producer of various types of dramas, from daily and weekend series to mini-series and sitcoms. His works include “Marry My Husband”, which aired last year on tvN; KBS2’s “My Only One”, which achieved a peak rating of 49.5%; and the upcoming KBS sitcom “Kick Kick Kick Kick”, premiering on February 5. In a recent interview with Ilgan Sports, Kim emphasized the need to reduce production costs to revive the struggling drama market. He stated, “This might be an uncomfortable truth for those in production, but we need realistic strategies to survive. Pouring money into skyrocketing fees for actors and writers is unsustainable. Even the best product can’t sell if the market collapses.”
Kim has achieved success with mini-series. Last year’s “Marry My Husband” was a Monday-Tuesday drama that garnered weekend drama-level popularity, achieving a peak rating of 12%. The drama’s cast, including Park Min-young, Na In-woo and Lee Yi-kyung, also gained significant attention. Reflecting on the project, Kim said, “I was excited when I first read the script for ‘Marry My Husband’. I thought, ‘If we do this right, it could be great.’“
Although the drama ultimately succeeded, it was not warmly welcomed initially. The plot—where a woman travels back in time to take revenge on her husband who cheated on her with her best friend—was criticized as a “makjang” (over-the-top) drama. Casting Park Min-young as the lead was also a challenge. Kim shared, “Park Min-young initially declined about three times. But I persuaded her, saying, ‘Trust me, there’s a good reason for this.’ After much persuasion, she agreed and performed brilliantly. She lost so much weight to play a cancer patient that her bones were visible, demonstrating incredible dedication. She’s the best actress I’ve worked with in my 17 years of drama production.”
Kim attributed the success of “Marry My Husband” to its appeal to female viewers. “The drama’s core story resonated because women in Korea, historically and even in modern times, have lived under oppression and hardship. Since most drama viewers are women, I believed it would gain attention, and it did.“
Looking ahead, Kim plans to continue focusing on narratives that reflect societal trends. “If you look at protests in front of the National Assembly right now, they’re led by women in their 20s and 30s. Women are driving societal trends, and this applies to dramas as well. Stories centered on women will become even more prominent and gain further attention in the future.”
