Na Sang-cheon, CEO of Dream Engine: "A Meaningful Life.. The Driving Force of a Second Chapter" [★Research Institute]

*This content was translated by AI.

• Interview ②

Continuing from Interview ①

-If there is one episode you remember most from the Santiago pilgrimage, what is it?

▶ At first, it was so difficult that I was about to give up and turn back while walking the pilgrimage route, but I met a couple living in the Santiago area. One of them, Paco, told me, "This path is for you." He said that if you walk without worrying about anyone else's opinion, you will eventually meet yourself. He added that once you meet yourself, you will realize who is around you and that some of them are angels. That message left a deep impression on me. From then on, I began to think positively about everything. I remember walking the remaining 20 days or so with a smile, feeling truly happy. For the first 10 days, which were really tough, whenever blisters formed on my feet, someone would give me medicine; someone would pat my shoulder and encourage me. If I said my stomach hurt, someone would give me medicine. I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back, I late realized that such angels were around me. I came to understand that the Santiago pilgrimage path resembles the path of our lives.

-Did the experience of the pilgrimage give you the strength to transform from a K-pop planner to a musical creator?

▶ That too can be said to be strength gained on the path. What I felt then was that no matter how difficult it is, if you get up and put on your shoes, you will naturally start walking. And once you start walking, you will naturally arrive at the next village, your destination. Through that experience, I realized that all you need to do is put on your shoes, walk, and you will reach your destination. I thought deeply about and learned greatly about turning thoughts into action. I told myself, "Don't just think, let's act," "Let's create a script," "Let's create a script and make songs," and eventually, I moved forward to producing a performance. I realized that if you take one step at a time, you will get there. I had been involved in K-pop planning and production for a long time, but what I truly wanted was the life of a writer who writes. So, instead of just thinking about it, I decided to work hard and take one step at a time, and I wrote a novel. I still have three more novels that are not yet polished. I plan to refine them one by one and release them to the world.

-The name of the company you currently run is Dream Engine. Is there a special meaning behind it?

▶ I entrusted the company where I discovered and nurtured singers to a friend who was my deputy CEO. The current company, Dream Engine, is a content production company that creates text, comprehensive IP, videos, and performances. I operate by writing content, securing IP, and handling production. I want to discover writers and nurture friends who perform. That is why I named it Dream Engine, with the wish to give an engine to everyone's dreams.

-What is the driving force behind your dream?

▶ A meaningful life. Sharing. I brought three things back from Santiago: to live bravely, wisely, and meaningfully. I decided I must live my second life, and my desire to live a meaningful life while living together with others grew stronger. That became my motivation, and I want to give strength to someone. I also received strength from them. Therefore, I plan to use 50 percent of the profits and royalties generated from "A Wonderful Escape" for the employees who walked the path with me. The remaining 50 percent will be used for children who are patients. I hope the book sells well so that it can be used in a positive way.

-It must not have been easy to reinvent yourself from a K-pop expert to a new content expert. Was it difficult?

▶ It is very difficult. It is physically demanding and different from before. Because my body is tired, I often feel like I don't want to do it and want to rest. But it feels like someone is pulling me from the front and pushing me from behind. Sometimes, there are movements that don't seem to come from my own will. What is important is that I am happy. That happiness keeps me from stopping.

-Thanks to your experience in K-pop, you created not only the script but also the music for the musical yourself. Is that correct?

▶ I do not know much about musicals. Although I enjoyed watching performances, I thought it would be difficult to enter the field because I lacked on-site experience, and indeed, it was difficult. Since I had produced and achieved success in many projects in the K-pop scene, I had the courage to think that if I pushed forward with that strength, I could create something. That courage, too, was learned from the Santiago pilgrimage. Since music is what I am good at, I came to this point with the mindset that if I work hard, keep revising and improving, and never give up until the end, I can do it. I poured out everything I had learned about music over the past 20 years to create this. I did not do it alone; there is a composer who worked with me on the music. With his help, I completed the musical's music.

-How is making a musical different from doing K-pop?

▶ Ultimately, both are for the public. Both pop music and musicals are arts for the audience, so I believe the secret to success lies in how you understand and create empathy with people's hearts. You can see this even by looking at a three-minute song by AKMU. Understanding hearts and empathizing with emotions does not depend on time. I believe I can do that. I thought that if I create a musical just as I create music, it would work. I place great importance on the concept of "putting yourself in another's shoes." I write and create music and musicals with the mindset of understanding the other person's position.

-With next year's performance approaching, casting is as important as the music for a premiere. Do you have any dream casting in mind?

▶ Yes. I would like Kim to be played by an actor like Jo Jae-yoon, and Dorothy by Kim Yu-jeong, who has been to Santiago. (Laughs)

-You are going to Santiago again next month?

▶ I want to prepare for the performance, release my novel, and reaffirm my original mindset. To build resilience, I will go there again to regain the strength of that path.

End

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.