'Contract Marriage' Director Nam Kyu-hong: "The Essence of Marriage Is 'Love' and 'Food'" — Full Interview [Text]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Director Nam Kyu-hong confidently introduced the new variety show 'Contract Marriage,' which places the theme of 'marriage' at the forefront.

KBS Joy‧MBC Every1's 'Contract Marriage' is a marriage simulation observation reality program in which men and women who earnestly desire marriage experience the spousal relationship in advance through a contract, confirming the meaning of marriage and realistic partnership during the process.

Produced with Director Nam Kyu-hong, known as the 'hit-making machine for matchmaking variety shows,' and Directors Na Sang-won and Baek Jeong-hoon, who are currently serving as chief directors for 'I Am Solo (SOLO),' the program promises to birth a fresh paradigm in variety entertainment.

Director Nam Kyu-hong, who has built one pillar of South Korea's matchmaking variety shows through series such as 'Matchmaking' and 'I Am Solo,' now goes beyond 'dating' to directly explore the essence of 'marriage' through 'Contract Marriage.' The steps taken by Director Nam Kyu-hong, who is embarking on a new challenge from 'Village Chief of Love Village' to 'Village Chief of Marriage Village,' have drawn keen interest.

Among these developments, the production team of 'Contract Marriage' drew attention by releasing the full text of an exclusive interview with Director Nam Kyu-hong ahead of the program's premiere on the night of the 28th at 10:30 p.m.

The production team stated, "'Contract Marriage' goes one step further in the process of finding a partner, depicting how two people who have just met become spouses and experience realistic married life." They added, "Please look forward to the new stories that Director Nam Kyu-hong will share."

1. You are presenting a new program focused on 'marriage' rather than 'dating.' Was there a special trigger that led you to decide, "It's time to talk about marriage"?

'Matchmaking' and 'I Am SOLO' are both programs that capture how love begins. I thought it would be good to eventually create a program that captures the essence of marriage, which is the completion of love. While there are various ways to show this, I considered having two people who do not know each other's faces or information enter into a contractual relationship arranged by the production team and start with marriage itself.

2. As a director who has created dating reality shows for a long time, what is the most important element of reality variety entertainment?

It should capture the reality of our society and the people living in it as accurately as possible. I believe we must not distort or deceive that reality.

3. You have earned the nickname 'Village Chief of Love Village' after observing various meetings and relationships between people. Are you someone who intuitively senses the level of mutual attraction when two people meet for the first time?

I do not think too much about encounters between people; it is not my area of expertise. There are too many variables in human relationships, and that is a realm even God cannot control. However, I do believe that when good people meet good people, good connections will inevitably be made.

4. Unlike 'I Am SOLO,' 'Contract Marriage' focuses on the process of actually living together after selection. What do you consider the key differences between the two programs and the unique charm of 'Contract Marriage'?

While romance and fantasy may intervene in the search for a partner, married life unfolds with reality and actuality. If 'I Am SOLO' is about finding a partner through meetings, dates, and selection, 'Contract Marriage' begins with married life and then decides whether to marry that person. Because it is more intuitive, both the results and the processes differ. The unique charm of 'Contract Marriage' lies in its higher focus on the individuals involved.

5. What are the specific clauses unique to 'Contract Marriage' that will appear in the show? If you were a contestant yourself, what one clause would you insist on including in the contract?

Private contracts may vary depending on each participant at any given time. However, generally speaking, there are many things for two people to decide, such as a sincere vow regarding married life, a promise not to steal another person's heart, and realistic economic issues. Personally, the clause I would most like to uphold is "Spouses must have a conversation before the day ends." A quiet family or a couple without communication breeds tragedy.

6. What essence of marriage do you want to convey through 'Contract Marriage,' and what was the most difficult aspect in implementing this on broadcast?

I believe the essence of marriage is 'love' and 'food.' However, due to the limitations of broadcasting, it is easy for married life to lack these elements. Realizing this is our challenge. There is still a long way to go in terms of how much spousal reality we can show. As an infant program just starting out, we are making efforts to gradually showcase diverse aspects of married life.

7. The MC lineup of Ahn Jung-hwan, Girls' Generation's Hyoyeon, and fromis_9's Lee Chae-young was unexpected. What is your impression after observing the chemistry among the three?

For married Ahn Jung-hwan, we expected honest candor as someone with experience; for Hyoyeon, who shares the same position as the contestants, we anticipated a comeback spirit and ambition; and for MZ generation Lee Chae-young, we looked forward to a different sensibility and perspective. As expected, all three exceeded our expectations by more than 100%.

8. As a director, with the first broadcast of 'Contract Marriage' approaching, what one message would you like to convey to viewers?

Unmarried viewers can watch it as if looking at their parents or envisioning their own future selves. For married viewers, empathizing with others' married lives while watching would be even better. Of course, since this is a broadcast program, there are limits to capturing the reality of marriage. However, we will not exaggerate and will steadily create the show in our production style.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original