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Hong Jung-eun (born 1974) and Hong Mi-ran (born 1977), collectively known as the Hong sisters (Korean: 홍자매; Hanja: 洪姊妹; RR: Hong Jamae), are South Korean television screenwriters under Studio Shot, a label of Imaginus. Together, they have written popular romantic-comedies, notably My Girl (2005), You're Beautiful (2009), My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho (2010), The Greatest Love (2011), Master's Sun (2013), A Korean Odyssey (2017–2018), Hotel del Luna (2019), Alchemy of Souls (2022) and its second part Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow (2022–2023).
Hong sisters | |
|---|---|
홍자매 | |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 홍자매 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Hong Jamae |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hong Jamae |
Hong Jung-eun | |
|---|---|
홍정은 | |
| Born | 1974 (age 49–50) |
| Alma mater | Ewha Womans University (Bachelor of Public Administration) |
| Years active | 1998 to present |
| Employer | Studio Sot (Imaginus) |
| Organization | Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA) |
| Spouse |
undisclosed (m. 2000) |
| Children | 1 |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 홍정은 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Hong Jeong-eun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hong Chŏngŭn |
Hong Mi-ran | |
|---|---|
홍미란 | |
| Born | 1977 (age 46–47) |
| Education | Teacher's College |
| Employer | Studio Sot (Imaginus) |
| Organization | Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 홍미란 |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Hong Mi-ran |
| McCune–Reischauer | Hong Miran |
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Before becoming drama writers, Hong Jung-eun and Hong Mi-ran worked as entertainment writers on variety shows. Hong Jung-eun started as an assistant writer at MBC in 1998 and worked there for 8 years. She wrote for MBC's Sunday Sunday Night, People Looking for Laughter, and re-enactment programs Mysterious TV Surprise. Hong Mi-ran worked as an entertainment program writer for 5 years, contributing to SBS' Columbus' Great Discovery and KBS2's sitcom Run, My Mom.[1][2]
Hong sisters made their TV drama writing debut in 2005 with Sassy Girl Chun-hyang, a modern retelling of the famous Korean folktale Chunhyangjeon in which Chun-hyang is no passive heroine, but a headstrong sassy girl.[3][4] It became a huge hit not only in Korea, but throughout Asia. Their follow-up My Girl (2005), about a cheeky con artist who pretends to be the long-lost granddaughter of a rich man, was equally successful.[5] The two dramas effectively made its young actors — Han Chae-young and Jae Hee,[6][7] and Lee Da-hae,[8] Lee Joon-gi,[9] and Lee Dong-wook—into household names and Korean Wave stars.[10]
The Hongs' winning streak continued with Couple or Trouble (also known as Fantasy Couple, 2006), a remake of the 1987 Hollywood film Overboard. It starred Han Ye-seul as a snooty heiress with amnesia who falls for a handyman played by Oh Ji-ho.[11][12][13]
For Hong Gil-dong (2008), the Hongs based their protagonist on the fictional folk hero Hong Gil-dong, a Joseon-era Robin Hood who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. But the fusion period comedy-drama starring Kang Ji-hwan and Sung Yu-ri combined royal plotting and romance with over-the-top stunts, gaudy costumes, toilet humor and anachronistic modern music.[14][15] The series was popular online, but received average ratings. It also won Best Miniseries at the 2008 Roma Fiction Fest.[16]
You're Beautiful (2009) starred Jang Keun-suk and Park Shin-hye, in which a naive nun cross-dresses as a male idol singer in a boy band. Unlike the Hongs' early work, the drama did not get high ratings, but it did create a cult following (or "mania" fan base) online and among international viewers. Many fans watching the drama online.[17][18][19] The series was broadcast in various Asian countries including Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, UAE, and the Philippines.[20] It achieved high ratings on Fuji TV in Japan, surpassing its competitors in the timeslot.[20] The series became so popular in Japan it is believed to have overtaken the popularity of Winter Sonata, another popular Korean drama in Japan.[21][22]
The soundtrack album of the miniseries quickly gained popularity, selling 20,000 copies within the first week of its release.[23] It became a top seller on various music sites, such as MelOn, Dosirak, and Mnet.[24] By the end of 2011, the album had sold a total of 57,000 copies in South Korea. The album was written and produced by Han Sung-ho, who also worked on Hong's previous drama Brilliant Legacy.[25] The drama included concert footage of A.N.JELL, so the cast members actually performed a mini-concert,[26] where it was reported that as many 25,000 fans showed up.[27]
Such was its pan-Asian popularity that remakes were produced in Japan (Ikemen desu ne, 2011) and Taiwan (Fabulous Boys, 2013).[28][29]
The Hongs played with Korean mythology for their next hit drama in 2010. In My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox, the gumiho (or nine-tailed fox) isn't the terrifying femme fatale of legend who feeds on human livers. Instead, she's a cute and clueless girl (played by Shin Min-ah) who loves to eat beef, while an aspiring stuntman (Lee Seung-gi) accompanies her in her quest to become human.[30][31][32]
Their next drama, 2011's The Greatest Love was again set amidst the gossipy and image-conscious world of entertainment, starring Cha Seung-won as the most beloved star in the nation who falls for a has-been pop singer (Gong Hyo-jin).[33][34][35] The drama topped its timeslot during its run, and not only did it sweep the 2011 MBC Drama Awards (including the Writer of the Year award for the Hong sisters),[36] Gong also won Best Actress at the 2012 Baeksang Arts Awards.[37]
Big (2012), in which an 18-year-old and a 30-year-old swap bodies, starred Gong Yoo and Lee Min-jung.[38][39] The drama is arguably the Hongs' least successful work thus far, lacking both in ratings and buzz.[40]
The Hongs reunited with Gong Hyo-jin in Master's Sun (2013), a horror romantic comedy with So Ji-sub about a woman who sees ghosts.[41][2]
"Writers with entertainment backgrounds are good at creating stories that can keep viewers glued to each episode. “Because entertainment is a competition based on minutes and seconds, I think the compulsion to change the channel even if it was boring for just one minute naturally led to training." SBS PD Jinhyuk, Director of Master’s Sun[1]
In 2015, they cast Yoo Yeon-seok and Kang So-ra in Warm and Cozy, set in a restaurant on Jeju Island. The title is the English translation of the Jeju dialect phrase "Mendorong Ttottot."[42]
In 2017, Hong sisters penned a modern adaptation of the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West, titled A Korean Odyssey. The series brought together Cha Seung-won, Lee Seung-gi, and Lee Hong-gi, who had previously collaborated with the Hong sisters on their previous TV series. It also reunites Hong sisters and director Park Hong-kyun who worked together on Warm and Cozy (2015) and The Greatest Love (2011). Director Kim Jung-hyun and Kim Byung-soo later joined the production team.[43][44][45][46]
A Korean Odyssey premiered on tvN on December 23, 2017, airing every Saturday and Sunday. Nielsen Korea data revealed that it was the top-rated show in its time slot, surpassing both cable and public broadcasting channels for its debut episode.[47] Moreover, the series set a new record for the highest ratings among tvN dramas in the 20-49 year-old demographic according to Nielsen Korea.[48]
In May, 2018, internet novel writer Ttangyeol accused the Hong sisters of plagiarizing her novel "Aeyugi". The Hong sisters denied the claims, stating that the drama was already in planning stage before "Aeyugi" was published in 2015. Both works are based on the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. On February 15, 2019, the Seoul Western District Court's 11th civil affairs department ruled in favor of the Hong sisters, dismissing the charges.[49][50]
After a challenging couple years, the duo is back with another hit show, Hotel del Luna,[51][52] featuring Lee Ji-eun and Yeo Jin-goo in the lead roles as the owner and manager, respectively, of the ghost-exclusive hotel. Produced by GTist, and directed by Oh Chung-hwan, it broadcast on tvN from July 13 to September 1, 2019.[53][54][55] It became the most-watched tvN drama of 2019 and remains one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history.[56] It was also the most popular fantasy series on Viki in 2019.[57]
After a 3-year hiatus, the Hong sisters returned with a fantasy series called Alchemy of Souls. The drama stars Lee Jae-wook, Jung So-min, Go Youn-jung, and Hwang Min-hyun.[58] Directed by Park Joon-hwa, story follows young mages navigating the realms of heaven and earth.[59][60] It originally aired on tvN.[61] It is also available for streaming on TVING and Netflix in selected regions.[62] The series is split into two parts: Part 1 aired from June 18 to August 28, 2022, for 20 episodes,[63] while Part 2 (Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow)[a] aired from December 10, 2022, to January 8, 2023, for 10 episodes.[64][65]
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Characters
Avoid the usual female character stereotypes in Korean dramas. Instead, explore more dynamic and passionate young women like Seong Chun-hyang (Han Chae-young), Joo Yu-rin (Lee Da-hae) and Jo Anna (Han Ye-seul).[66][67]
Bringing characters from classics and romance novels into the real world and reinventing them.[68] the growth of ordinary people, not heroes.[69]
Reinventing acting careers
 | This article possibly contains original research. (September 2013) |
The Hong sisters are credited with reinventing the careers of several of their leading ladies.[70] Han Chae-young was a sexy "Barbie doll" known for her figure more than her acting when her role in Sassy Girl Chun-hyang turned her sultry image on its head and transformed her into a plucky, optimistic, hard-working model student. Lee Da-hae had a somewhat melancholy image from Heaven's Fate, and surprised viewers with her versatility by going cute in My Girl. Han Ye-seul and Sung Yu-ri were dogged early in their careers by criticisms for their poor acting, until Han's privileged, rude character won viewers over with her notable catchphrases in Couple or Trouble,[11][12] and the Hongs were so impressed with Sung in Hong Gil-dong that they posted up strong praise and defense of her acting on the drama's website. Shin Min-ah had become better known in recent years for being a stylish advertisement model rather than an actress, but My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox gave her her most memorable character yet.[71]
Similarly, with his role of Dokko Jin, Cha Seung-won returned to his comedic roots after years of serious roles, resulting in massive media attention.
Critical assessment
The Hong sisters have become known for mixing broad, somewhat juvenile comedy with elements of romance, then transitioning to heartbreak in the drama's second half. They've created a trademark style with their fast, fun narratives, hilarious situations, love of puns and meta references, and memorable and quirky characters, and their name has become a recognizable brand in the Korean drama industry.[72]
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| Broadcast period | Title | Network | Director(s) | Ep. | Rating | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Korean | Highest | Lowest | Average | ||||
| January 3 – March 1, 2005 | Sassy Girl Chun-hyang | 쾌걸 춘향 | KBS2 | Jeon Ki-sang, Ji Byung-hyun | 17 | 31.3% | 15.4% | 23.8% |
| December 14, 2005 – February 2, 2006 | My Girl | 마이걸 | SBS | Jeon Ki-sang | 16 | 24.0% | 14.0% | 19.4% |
| October 14 – December 3, 2006 | Couple or Trouble | 환상의 커플 | MBC | Kim Sang-ho | 16 | 21.4% | 9.9% | 13.6% |
| January 2 – March 26, 2008 | Hong Gil-dong | 쾌도 홍길동 | KBS2 | Lee Jung-sub | 24 | 16.9% | 8.8% | 14.5% |
| October 7 – November 26, 2009 | You're Beautiful | 미남이시네요 | SBS | Hong Sung-chang | 16 | 10.9% | 7.5% | 9.2% |
| August 11 – September 30, 2010 | My Girlfriend Is a Nine-Tailed Fox | 내 여자친구는 구미호 | Boo Sung-chul | 16 | 19.9% | 8.7% | 12.6% | |
| May 4 – June 23, 2011 | The Greatest Love | 최고의 사랑 | MBC | Park Hong-kyun, Lee Dong-yoon | 16 | 21.0% | 8.4% | 16.0% |
| June 4 – July 24, 2012 | Big | 빅 | KBS2 | Ji Byung-hyun, Kim Sung-yoon | 16 | 11.1% | 7.4% | 8.5% |
| August 7 – October 3, 2013 | Master's Sun | 주군의 태양 | SBS | Jin Hyuk | 17 | 21.8% | 13.6% | 17.2% |
| May 13 – July 2, 2015 | Warm and Cozy | 맨도롱 또똣 | MBC | Park Hong-kyun, Kim Hee-won | 16 | 8.8% | 5.6% | 7.4% |
| December 23, 2017 - March 4, 2018 | A Korean Odyssey | 화유기 | tvN | Park Hong-kyun | 20 | 6.942% | 3.586% | 5.415% |
| July 13 – September 1, 2019 | Hotel del Luna | 호텔 델루나 | Oh Choong-hwan | 16 | 12.001% | 7.023% | 8.867% | |
| June 18, 2022 – January 8, 2023 | Alchemy of Souls | 환혼 | Park Joon-hwa | 30[b] | 9.651% | 4.989% | 6.665% | |
| TBA | Can This Love Be Translated?[77][78] | 이 사랑 통역 되나요? | Netflix | Yoo Young-eun | 10 | — | ||
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th Korea Drama Awards | 2011 | Best Writer(s) | The Greatest Love | Nominated | [79] |
| MBC Drama Awards | 2011 | Drama of the Year | The Greatest Love | Won | [80] |
| Writer(s) of the Year | Won | ||||
| Korea PD Awards | 2012 | Production Category Award: TV Writer Category | The Greatest Love | Won | |
| 8th New York Television Festival's International TV & Films Awards |
2012 | Silver Prize, Miniseries category | The Greatest Love | Won | [81][82] |
| 48th Baeksang Arts Awards | 2012 | Best Drama | The Greatest Love | Nominated | [83] |
| Best Screenplay (TV) | Nominated | ||||
| 7th Seoul International Drama Awards | 2012 | Outstanding Korean Drama | The Greatest Love | Nominated | |
| 2nd Asian Academy Creative Awards | 2019 | Best Drama Series | Hotel del Luna | Nominated | [84] |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2023 | Best Screenplay – Television | Alchemy of Souls | Nominated | [85] |
| 9th Seoul International Drama Awards | 2014 | Outstanding Korean Drama | Master's Sun | Nominated |
State honors
| Country | Ceremony | Year | Honor Or Award | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards[c] | 2012 | Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Commendation | [89] |
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- Honors are given at the Korean Popular Culture and Arts Awards, arranged by the Korea Creative Content Agency and hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[86][87] They are awarded to those who have contributed to the arts and South Korea's pop culture.[88]
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