[TF Interview] Kim Da-min&Han Jun-hee Present Genre Diversity with 'Honey Part-time Job'

On the 30th of last month, all 8 episodes were released.Starring Lee Jae-wook... A theme park set was even built on a 1,000-pyeong site.Director Kim Da-min (left) and Planning Director Han Jun-hee held an interview to commemorate the release of Netflix's new original series 'Honey Job'. /Netflix[THE FACT|Reporter Kim Saet-byeol] Directors Kim Da-min and Han Jun-hee, the chief planner, challenged an unfamiliar genre that combines ghost stories and mystery with familiar labor realities. What they wanted to confirm through 'Honey Job' was possibility. Despite concerns about high entry barriers, they jumped into the challenge of 'Honey Job' with the belief that new attempts can lead to further creation.Directors Kim Da-min and Han Jun-hee, the chief planner, recently met with at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, to hold an interview commemorating the release of the Netflix original series 'Honey Job' (written by Gyeong Min-seon&Lee Shin-ji, directed by Kim Da-min) and shared various stories about the work.'Honey Job,' released in its entirety with 8 episodes on the 30th of last month, tells the story of a young man, Byun Hyuk-joon (played by Lee Jae-wook), who is chased by debt, being thrown into a nightmarish work environment at a suspicious employment agency that only introduces high-paying part-time jobs starting at 50 times the hourly wage. While new workplaces and characters appear in each episode, the realistic issues of money, labor, and human relationships are explored through the world of mystery and ghost stories.At the time, Chief Planner Han Jun-hee confessed, "I worried the most about 'Honey Job' among all the works I've done." This was because he believed that the unique subject matter and genre characteristics of the work would inevitably create a high entry barrier for viewers.In fact, Han, who has always told directors he works with, "The story must be understandable even to parents," confessed that he doubted whether 'Honey Job' could meet that standard. Nevertheless, the reason for releasing the work was clear: the belief that new attempts can open up possibilities for further creation."If a work like this comes out, someone will make it, thinking that many people can watch this genre, and by someone making it, it seems like they can try other things." (Chief Planner Han Jun-hee)Director Kim Da-min also highly valued this attempt in terms of presenting an unconventional story and genre. He said, "I knew from the beginning that it would be polarizing. However, I wanted to confirm the possibility that new genres could reach audiences and viewers," adding, "As I encountered the initial reactions after its release, I felt that various genre attempts could continue in Korea."So, what story did 'Honey Job' want to convey through the genre of ghost stories? The two identified "the problem of making a living" as the core of the work. Director Kim often shared the question, "Is there anything scarier than making a living?" while talking with the writers. He explained that although the work depicts strange incidents occurring in various part-time job settings, the reality of people having to work to survive lies at its foundation.In response, Chief Planner Han drew a line, saying, "This is not a work targeting specific occupations or workplaces." He pointed out, "No matter what job you do, there are emotions and moments you feel in your own place. This is the starting point of the work."Director Kim Da-min (left) and Chief Planner Han Jun-hee revealed that they had anticipated polarizing reactions early on when they first planned Netflix's new original series 'Honey Job'. /NetflixThe work focuses on posing questions about the reality of labor rather than explaining it with a single answer. Han mentioned that characters with experience in labor movements in the past are still placed in unreasonable situations in the present and experience frustration from having no more options. The perspective that a character who appears to be the boss could also be a worker for someone else is also included. He emphasized, "We thought our role was to ask questions," and stressed that the story was not created to convey a specific lesson.The collaboration between the two played a crucial role in completing the unique texture of the work. Han was drawn to the unique and charming aspects of the script written by the writers and thought of Director Kim as the director to realize it together. He said, "Isn't the director quite sharp? While some parts were broadened for a more general audience, I still thought there needed to be a sharp edge. I was looking for a director with a unique sharpness."For Director Kim, 'Honey Job' was also a challenge. He had mainly worked on films, and his only series, 'Gyeongseong Creature,' was a scriptwriting participation, so the unfamiliar series format and genre were new. However, the similar direction in which he viewed the work with the writers became the driving force behind the project."Many people recognize me from 'Makgeolli Will Tell You' and 'Gyeongseong Creature.' Therefore, when I received subsequent projects, they mostly fell into those two categories. However, 'Honey Job' was a different category. I was ambitious because it was on a different track while combining the styles of the previous two works. I had concerns about whether I could do well, but I wanted to challenge myself." (Director Kim Da-min)Close communication between the two and the writers continued during the adaptation process. Director Kim explained, "I believe both series and films are collaborative efforts. Therefore, we coordinated from beginning to end, and I especially contributed opinions to refining the world-building."Chief Planner Han praised Director Kim for sharpening the literary and sharp aspects of the writers' work while also refining parts that viewers could easily accept. He added, "It seems like the director and writers almost communicated through writing. I believe that process is an ideal way to adapt."Director Kim Da-min (left) and Chief Planner Han Jun-hee revealed that they paid close attention to the episode arrangement from the beginning to make Netflix's new original series 'Honey Job,' which is an unfamiliar genre, more accessible to the public. /NetflixThe arrangement and pacing of the 8 episodes also reflected considerations for accessibility. Director Kim explained that he started the first episode with a convenience store part-time job because "I thought it was the most common." He judged it to be a good starting point for viewers to enter the work, as it is a space that many people have experienced or are familiar with. Since each episode features different characters and workplaces, he created differences between episodes by exaggerating or varying the colors of each space.Above all, the two considered the pacing that would allow viewers to comfortably continue watching the next story. Director Kim said, "The fact that each episode had to experience the beginning and end of a new part-time job could also be an entry barrier. Therefore, we increased the pace to ensure a natural transition to the next episode."Chief Planner Han also expressed his desire, "I wanted them to watch it all at once without stopping in the middle," and said that the flow, designed for immediate immersion, was considered from the story structure itself.Efforts were also made to realize the spaces to enhance the atmosphere of the story. Chief Planner Han revealed that he personally built the main spaces, such as the theme park's clock tower, haunted house, and bumper cars, as sets."The production team suddenly told me they were going to build an outdoor open set on a 1,000-pyeong site with nothing on it, laying sidewalks and planting trees. At first, I was surprised and thought, 'Are they building that? How will they build it?' But after seeing the completed space, I was very satisfied with the high level of completion. Episodes 7 and 8 contain a lot." (Chief Planner Han Jun-hee)Director Kim Da-min and Chief Planner Han Jun-hee expressed their gratitude to Lee Jae-wook, who showed a dedicated performance in Netflix's new original series 'Honey Job'. /NetflixDirector Kim also mentioned the filming process of the milk delivery episode. After creating a rotating set, they went through several trial-and-error processes while considering both safety and speed. In particular, the one-take scene was possible thanks to the dedication of Lee Jae-wook, who played the protagonist Byun Hyuk-joon. Chief Planner Han said, "When Lee Jae-wook first met Director Kim, he said, 'If you tell me to run, I'll run, and if you tell me to roll, I'll roll.' I was grateful that he kept that promise until the last day of filming."Regarding whether the work was created with Season 2 in mind, they showed a cautious stance. Chief Planner Han stated that while the world-building itself is complete, the writers have not revealed all the settings to the production team. He explained that it was important to reveal the vast story in appropriate portions rather than all at once. He said, "If you feed them all at once, won't they get indigestion? So, I thought about how to portion it out well."Regarding seasonal work, he also revealed practical difficulties. Chief Planner Han, who has experience with several seasonal works such as 'D.P.' and 'Weak Hero,' said with a laugh, "Seasonal work is too difficult," but emphasized that creators need new motivation to continue the next story. Although 'Honey Job' has a large world and rich backstories for each character, a specific confirmation for the next season has not been made.Finally, the two pointed to devices that can be discovered upon rewatching the work as viewing points. Chief Planner Han said, "If you watch it two or three times, you can find the director's Easter eggs," and Director Kim explained that in each episode, he twists the story once to plant clues or resolves ghost stories in a different direction."Director Kim's Easter eggs are really well hidden. I don't think I've found them all yet. (Laughs) If you follow along a bit more, looking for those and sometimes checking the twists in each episode, I think you'll enjoy it a bit more." (Chief Planner Han Jun-hee)sstar1204@tf.co.kr[Entertainment Department | ssent@tf.co.kr]