[Exclusive]"'It's Unknown' and idols alike, building bonds first"...SBS Director of Photography Yeom Han-rim’s sincere words [★Research Institute][Interview ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

[Editor’s Note] [★Research Institute] StarNews meets with individuals who drive the entertainment industry, uncovering their unique know-how and success strategies. We introduce the practical experience and philosophy of those who quietly pave the way behind the glamorous stars.

SBS Director of Photography Yeom Han-rim dreamed of becoming someone who can skillfully express visual language.

Recently, StarNews met with SBS Director of Photography Yeom Han-rim at a location in Mokdong, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, and exchanged various stories.

Yeom, who joined SBS in 2020, is currently affiliated with the Video Production Team under the A&T Broadcasting Production Division at SBS. He has been active in numerous programs including 'It's Unknown' (hereinafter 'It's Unknown'), 'The Story of That Day Following the Tail' (hereinafter 'Tail Story'), 'While You Are Being Deceived', 'Genius Discovery Infinity', 'Crazy But It’s Women’s Baseball', 'Ji Sun Cinema Mind', and 'Strong Heart VS'.

In particular, Director Yeom contributed to uncovering the truth through multiple episodes of 'It's Unknown', including Episode 1353 'The Suspicious Hospital of the Chairman - The Truth Behind Seo Se-won’s Death', Episode 1372 'Whip and Training - The Murder Case of American Christ’s Soldiers', Episode 1435 'The Escaped Prisoner on the Street, 1653 Days of Pursuit', and Episode 1488 'A Fallen Dream, The Penthouse - A Fraud Case Involving 15 billion won'.

When asked what he considers most important when approaching a program as a cameraman, Director Yeom stated, "First and foremost, thoroughly and carefully surveying the scene." He added, "Just because it’s a baseball stadium doesn’t mean you should start shooting immediately. You need to visit the dugout and the spectator seats. The shooting plan emerges from that process. You must not be too hasty."

He continued, "When I was sent on a business trip to Cambodia for 'It's Unknown' filming, I remember visiting the scene in various ways with the thought of 'How can we film safely?' When filming elsewhere as well, it is more important to put down the camera briefly and build rapport and bonds with the people at the scene rather than just walking in with a camera. That’s because I believe only then can we properly capture their inner selves and pain."

The same applies when filming idol groups on music shows. Director Yeom explained, "We also have various conversations with the members and go through many preparatory processes. That leads to better results. That is indeed an efficient method."

He also shared his thoughts on the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. He stated, "I believe we should not simply reject generative AI out of hand. We must know how to handle and use it. For programs with relatively short production periods, we tend to utilize AI more actively. Of course, it poses a threat, but since it is an unstoppable trend, I think we must become those who can 'handle it well.'"

Director Yeom also has great interest in drama filming and set/stage design. He remarked, "Regardless of everything else, what matters most is how to capture the stories of (the subjects). I am interested in expressing any item or any shot visually through language. I want to become someone who can better express visual language."

In a similar vein, his aspiration is to be a director of photography who expresses well according to the nature of the program. This is because the visual language differs for variety shows, educational programs, and dramas.

Director Yeom said, "Rather than becoming a famous director of photography, I want to become someone who can express well. Even if everything looks like filming, the language that comes out from it isn't it different? I want to be a director of photography who can skillfully encompass all these elements. While filming, I often feel my shortcomings, so I believe academic depth is also important. In the future, I hope to contribute to education and training."

Finally, he advised those aspiring to become directors of photography: "I recommend traveling extensively and experiencing many things. Experience is crucial. To understand more deeply such aspects as what hardships someone is going through or what emotions they are feeling, experience is important."

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*This content was translated by AI.