"The Heirs" Writer To Pen An Epic Melodrama

After the success of her latest series "The Heirs," writer Kim Eun Sook has decided on a new direction for her next drama.

The writer, who is also responsible for the romantic dramas such as "Gentleman's Dignity" and "Secret Garden," will write a melodrama about the people who work at disaster scenes.

It's a new challenge for Kim Eun Sook, who scored a hit with her very first drama "Lovers in Paris." That drama not only had viewer ratings of almost 60 percent, but it went on to win several awards for stars. Kim followed this drama with several more romantic comedies and became known for ability to write quick witty dialogue. She finds it fun to write comedies, stories that feature classic plots but with a twist.

She wrote the classic k-drama "Secret Garden," because she wanted to write "a light drama for the whole family to enjoy."

Then she wrote "Gentleman's Dignity," with its 40-something characters, because she wanted to write a drama for a more mature audience. That drama was also a hit with ratings over 24 percent.

 In 2012 Kim Eun Sook won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the SBS Drama Awards. And that was before she wrote "The Heirs."

When she wrote "The Heirs," she said she was aiming for "a teen romance for grown-ups." It was a Cinderella story but with a difference. She aimed to create characters that were so different, the audience forgot about the clichés.

She certainly scored a big hit with "The Heirs,' which starred Park Shin Hye and Lee Min Ho. The drama generated a huge and enthusiastic fan base, as well as viewer ratings over 25 percent.

But she is not content to rest on past success. Next time she will try for a melodrama on a grand scale.

Hwa and Dam Pictures, the production company responsible for "The Heirs," "Secret Garden" and "Gentleman's Dignity," will also produce her next drama titled "Descendents of the Sun."

According to Hwa and Dam Pictures, this drama will be epic in a way Korean dramas are usually not. The characters in the drama will become close because of the difficult and dramatic situations they find themselves in.

The drama will be co-produced by Baruson Entertainment, which produced the films "The Good, The Bad and The Weird," "Mother" and "The Servant."

The melodrama will be a cooperative writing project between Kim Eun Sook and writer Kim Won Suk, who wrote "The Queen's Classroom." "Descendents of the Sun" begins filming later this year. They will film at an as yet unnamed overseas location. It is expected to air in early 2015 on SBS.

Are you looking forward to her next drama? Let us know.