K-Content News
- December 08, 2022 | Broadcasting
People 1
Anyone want a piece of Gaus Electronics?
- An interview of creator Seo Soomin -
Photo by Seo Bongsub
The one with such diverse career history
Q. Hello, CEO Seo Soomin. Introduce yourself shortly, please.
A. Hello, I’m the entertainment PD Seo Soomin. I entered KBS and worked in the entertainment industry for about 20 years. I used to work for Monster Union, a subsidiary of KBS, and now I established a production company called Ringgaring. It’s been three years since I established the company. I thought I could produce fun content such as entertainment shows, TV series, and short-form videos based on the expertise I gained while working as a PD, and that is why I established the company about three years ago.
Q. There are a lot of representative works in your career. What works have you been working on so far?
A. I participated in the planning of 'The Return of Superman' and 'The Human Condition', directed the TV series 'The Producer', and planned and produced the web drama 'The Sound of Your Heart'. I also produced 'Kim Saengmin’s Receipt' and 'Hit the Top' while I was in Monster Union and produced entertainment shows like 'Love After Divorce' after I established my own company. 'Gaus Electronics' is the first TV series since I worked for Ringgaring.
Q. Everyone is afraid of change, but I don’t see any fear in your career history. What makes you keep challenging across genres and boundaries?
A. Probably ‘survival’ in the field after all? (laughter) Since I was working for KBS, I have always been keen on doing ‘something new.’ 'The Producer' was a challenge since it was a TV series produced by the department of entertainment show, and 'Kim Saengmin’s Receipt' was about visualizing the podcast in the format of a TV show which was another new thing to challenge. Actually, I became a little conservative since I established the production company. I thought it could be difficult for the public to accept something too new. That’s why I’m looking for something with a little bit of novelty instead.
Q. Since you have been in the industry for a long time, I guess you would have your own perspective on the works. As the CEO and producer of Ringgaring, what kind of work do you want to do?
A. Actually, there are a few categories of work that I am sure to succeed in, but there are lots of different genres and colors of work with different meanings. I am looking for something that could show the color of Ringgaring among them. Regardless of the scale or genre, it would be great if we could produce something cute and funny with our own color.
I did okay, and I will do okay, 'Gaus Electronics'
Q. You have a new title. You became the creator of 'Gaus Electronics'. Describe what 'Gaus Electronics' is first, please.
A. 'Gaus Electronics' was a popular webtoon that was top-ranked in the very first season of the Naver Webtoon platform. It was a popular webtoon at the time, serialized every day by writer Kwak Baeksoo from 2010 to 2012, as it aroused the sympathy of office workers. I think it was a masterpiece that reflected the sorrows and emotions of office workers and a lot of works that came out afterward are also developed from the characters of 'Gaus Electronics'.
Q. How would you describe the role of 'creator'?
A. I heard it is an American concept. It is the person who builds the overall framework of the story. Since I’ve worked on both comedy and drama shows, I am well aware of the gimmicks of the comedy and the narratives of the drama. I was in charge of setting the direction of the production and building the character while having meetings with the writers. I’m definitely not the writer’s favorite. (laughter)
Q. I guess most people in their 30s and 40s would know the original webtoon. Since it is such a popular IP, did you feel pressure about it?
A. . Yes, and that is why I refused the offer several times. Of course,
Q. In the cases of TV series based on the original webtoon, some works reproduce the original story almost as it is, while others recreate a different story. What is 'Gaus Electronics' like?
A. I think the key to 'Gaus Electronics' is generation. In my opinion, the original webtoon became popular since it fascinated readers by evoking sympathy for those working in the offices in the 2010s and reflecting social events, keywords, lifestyle, and office life of the time. That is why we tried to keep the charm of the main characters yet modify the plot and the background so that the current generation can be fascinated and feel empathy when watching 'Gaus Electronics', an office drama in 2022.
Q. It has been a decade, and I don’t think it would have been easy for you to compromise between the times.
A. It was challenging, especially when developing female characters in Gaus Electronics>. The concept of ‘healthy beauty’ meant a woman with a cute face and a glamorous body shape at the time, whereas in 2022, we interpreted it as an independent woman willing to work hard on anything. Some might say that we excessively changed the original story, but we believe some things need to be changed as time passes and generations change.
Q. Speaking of characters, the casting of the actors in 'Gaus Electronics' was impressive. Can you tell us any episodes that happened while casting them?
At first, I thought it would be good if actor Kwak Dongyeon could play the role of ‘Baek Matan’ since he made an impressive performance as a millionaire in Vincenzo. But I asked him to play the role of ‘Lee Sangsik,’ and he told me that he finds it more intriguing, too. As a protagonist, he was to lead the entire play, and I was very grateful to see his performance which raised the level of the script.
Q. In addition, you are working with PD Park Junsoo, famous for 'The God of Music 2', a famous comedy show among the 20s and 30s. Some say it is the collaboration of ‘comedy masters,’ but how was it to actually work with him?
A. I just had fun with everything we did as a team, and the team matched perfectly. Sometimes we thought we were having too much fun at work. Usually, synergy occurs when people from different genres work together, but this time I experienced synergy with someone from the same field of expertise. He did not miss anything that was lacking in the script.
Q. How would you describe the laughter code of 'Gaus Electronics'?
A. PD Park wants it to be a black comedy, while I want it to be an office romantic comedy full of affection and passion. He thinks I am joking when I say this. (laughter) I’m serious though. 'Gaus Electrioncs' is about office workers working, getting paid, and falling in love. I believe that love is definitely what makes people challenge themselves to earn money, get promoted at work, and live a better life. If I had to specify the genre, a ‘B-grade black romantic comedy’ would be my answer.
Look forward to it, it’s coming soon!
Q. As Watcha’s 'Damn Good company' made a hit, more and more office comedies are being released these days. What do you think is the charm of this genre?
A. It would be empathy. I think of the office as a battlefield in a war movie but without guns and knives. It’s a scary place where people fight every day, and some might even feel the urge to kill someone else. ‘Office’ is a background where you can easily immerse yourself and empathize with complex emotions.
Q. I heard the Korea Creative Content Agency supported the production of 'Gaus Electronics'. What do you think of the support from government agencies?
A. It really helped us a lot. People often think that a sitcom like 'Gaus Electronics' can be produced on a low budget, but actually, there is not much difference compared to the production of other genres of TV series. The support was especially helpful in various situations, such as when filming was delayed due to the pandemic.
Q. Are you experiencing any changes in the market? What is the biggest change you notice as working in the field?
A. I don’t think the formula of ‘how to make a hit’ is no longer valid in the field. Of course, I think it is a good change in my point of view as a producer since it means there are more chances for more diverse content to be created. The sad thing is that no media content will be able to gain everyone’s sympathy any longer. It’s hard to fascinate everyone by producing a single content as in the past.
Q. The first episode will be broadcasted on September 28th, and I want to hear how you feel.
A. I feel shame, anticipation, relief, and regret all in my heart. I also wish I had more time. I do feel companionship when I produce a mid-form video. When watching mid-from comedy series such as 'Work Later, Drink Now', 'Dr. Park’s Clinic', 'Unicorn', and 'Desperate Mr. X', I thought it would be good if this genre became popular again. I have confidence in my own color, yet I feel nervous as all I can do for now is wait for the public’s reaction.
Q. Last question. Is there anything you want viewers to feel by watching 'Gaus Electronics'?
A. I want people to feel ‘I’m fine.’ I am not talking about ridicule like ‘I’m better than those people in the show,’ but I mean empathy like ‘Everyone else is just like me. I’m fine.’ When the team was building the characters of 'Gaus Electronics', the important keyword was ‘different.’ Each character becomes unique because they are all different from each other. An office is where different people gather and spend more time with each other than anyone else. People argue because they are different and they also fall in love for the same reason. I wish viewers to feel ‘I’m fine’ by watching these stories.
