Sandoo, ALTK author interview - Rain part

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Writer Lee Kyung Hee (author of Sandoo and ALTK) "Thank you for the Trust"
An interview (18 May, 2007) on the part about Rain (18 May, 2007)

Lee Kyung Hee’s latest work "Thankful" was a very successful TV series. It received good comments from both critics and audience.

Journalist: What is your feeling about this work? Any difference compared to your previous works?
Lee: If you are asking me about my satisfaction, then in all my works I am most satisfied with 'Sandoo, go to School'.

Journalist: What gave you the idea of writing such a kind drama series "Thankful"?
Lee: To tell you the truth, I suffered a lot because of 'A Love to Kill'. The blow was great because of the criticisms. Of course sharp criticism was necessary, but I was thinking at that time, why couldn’t people be more gentle to comfort and to encourage… I even thought of putting an end to what I love most: writing TV series.

But I got through with the "trust" I received, trust of people around me... The actor named Jung Jihoon who was the anchor actor in 'ALTK'. He gave me courage... That friend (Jihoon) was badly hurt because of this drama. He probably was very tired himself in many ways, but to me, the not so good writer, he said, "teacher is the best", "as long as teacher insists, we would have no doubt it's the best". Besides... Jung Jihoon gave up releasing an album because of this drama, he agreed to star in it just based on his trust on me. So I really felt very sorry, very ashamed, in every way. But he gave me trust. That's why we have maintained very good relationship.

Recently I have seen actors blaming writers for an unsuccessful TV series. When I saw these I would think "I was really a lucky writer." In any case, such kind of "trust" allowed me to be thankful to the world, and it made me stand up again... From that trust I want to write a story about "trust", and hence "Thankful".

The Story behind 'Sandoo' (an interview with Lee Kyung Hee in 2003)

- In the beginning I was very servere with Rain.
I told him, "You starred in this drama. If you performed badly, everything will be over. So you must work hard... You should stay with Hyo zhen (the leading actress) and learn from her".
So from the beginning I made Rain very nervous.

But Rain really did very well.

- At first I gave him this 'Sandoo' character, but gradually I felt from him what kind of character Sandoo was.

Of course Sandoo was Rain. Rain brought out a life Sandoo.

I now felt that without Rain’s interpretation, there won’t be a Sandoo. So he really did very well.

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Rain was really hard working. I believed he suffered physically as well. He even contracted hair loss symptom because of the drama, so you could imagine how hard it was for him. He had to play the past and the present, he had to be a gigolo and then a student, so Sandoo had to change his hair style very often – sometimes as many as over 6 times a day. That's why he suffered hair loss symptom.

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Originally the script was only for Sandoo to die... Originally I wanted Sandoo to die blissfully. When I was writing chapter 15, I received mail from Hyo zhen: "Please do not let Sandoo die. If you must let him die, then please let me die as well. Because I can’t live on if Sandoo dies".

- When I received this mail I was wondering how could there be such a thing, but she sent me 6 identical letters. So I called her and asked her what she was doing, and she cried. I told her it was only Sandoo and not Rain who's going to die. But she answered, "Yinhoon (the female character) couldn't live on without Sandoo. Could you let Sandoo live? If not, then let both of us die together please."

I couldn't and had no intention to change the script. I told her we were short of time, but she still pleaded me to change. I got mad and called her an idiot. After I hang up I called Rain and asked him what he thought.

Rain said, "I don’t know, but if Sandoo was to die alone, isn’t his life too pitiful? What has he done wrong that he has to die alone?"
When I saw these two kids in the studio, I suddenly realized that it would be too cruel to follow my script and let Sandoo die alone.
These two children could not be separated! Whether live or dead, let them be together – so I change my mind.

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The scene where Sandoo talked lively to Yinhoon in the prison cell is the feeling I had planned well in advance. I wanted to show though in jail, Sandoo was not tired, not self pitiful because he always had Yinhoon in his heart, and so his life was not so tragic.
But during the prison cell shooting scene, Rain always cried.

My scripts were very detailed. I did not ask him to cry in that scene.

Rain was totally into the character, so he cried badly. He cried so hard he was choked and could not continue his acting.
I discovered that Rain was right, because Rain had totally became Sandoo.

Credit: huhuhuhu@Rain-Asia.com