Director Park Shin-woo Reflects on Harsh Criticism of ‘When the Stars Gossip’: “It’s My Baby, So I Love It”
At the press conference for tvN’s new weekend drama “Our Unwritten Seoul” held on May 21 at CGV Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, Director Park Shin-woo said “I thought more than usual about wanting to do well” but he added warmly “They’re all my babies, so I love them all,” referring to “When the Stars Gossip”.
Following “When the Stars Gossip”, Park returns with his new work “Our Unwritten Seoul”. His previous drama faced heavy public backlash due to its underwhelming quality compared to its astronomical budget. It especially drew flak for its unnecessary bed scenes, and despite starring viewership powerhouses Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin, it suffered the lowest ratings among their careers.
Park reflected, “I thought a lot about doing better this time. But when it came time to choose a project, I’m someone who doesn’t know what’s better or what will succeed. So I just decided to reach for what I wanted to do. They’re all my babies. I accept them all as fully mine. I felt happy just to have made a connection with them.”
He continued, “With that mindset, I tried to reduce the pressure. I didn’t want to carry any lingering regrets into the next project. I asked myself, ‘Do I want to do this?’ And I chose it because I really did.”
Park also shared his thoughts on the new drama’s premiere, “It’s something I really want to show everyone, but I also want to delay it until the very last moment. Among all the works I’ve done, this is the one where I leaned most on others. The writer I worked with was amazing, and the staff did a fantastic job. The cast, including the three leads, gave performances that went beyond what was required. After working in this industry for a long time, I believe there’s acting that just earns the paycheck and acting that pours in heart. Everyone here gave heartfelt performances, and I’m confident in that.”
“Our Unwritten Seoul” is a romantic coming-of-age drama about twin sisters of opposite personalities who swap their lives for some reasons and lead entirely different lives through a lie. The script is written by Lee Kang, known for the touching drama “Youth of May”, and directed by Park Shin-woo, whose past works include “Encounter”, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay” and “When the Stars Gossip”.
“Our Unwritten Seoul” premieres on May 24 at 9:20 PM KST.
