Kim Byung-wook (김병욱)

Director keeps sitcoms all in the family

Source | 2007/07/25 | Permalink |

The Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom once said, "I was watching a sitcom last night, and it was just so broad, not real at all". But if he ever watched the Korean weekday sitcom, "Have No Fear and Kick High", would he still feel that way?
The comedy also known as "High Kick!", and bursting with unconventional characters, ended its eight-month run last week.
Behind the success is Kim Byung-wook, 46, the show's producer and director.
Kim has produced about 2,000 sitcom episodes in his career, including "Soonpoong Clinic" (1998-2000), "No Interception" (2000-2002) and "Live Straightforward" (2002-2003). All three were also widely popular and known for their unique characters and stories.
Kim's normal pattern is to depict a huge family. In "High Kick!", three generations live together under one roof, and in each episode, relationships between husband and wife, father and son or the in-laws spell trouble.
"The family is the perfect theme to use to produce comedy", Kim said. "Normally...| More

TV Sitcom Wins Over Viewers With Unconventional Characters

Source | 2007/02/06 | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

MBC sitcom "High Kick!" (Kochimomsi Highkick) has been faithful to its title. It has been maintained viewer ratings of more than 20 percent.

The ratings are remarkable given that the show airs at 8:20 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. The time slot is usually dominated by daily miniseries dramas.

What is the secret behind the sitcom's success?

First aired in November, the sitcom revolves around a wacky family and their friends who more often than not find themselves in strange situations. But that's the case with many sitcoms.

The popularity of the sitcom, its director said, is largely because of its focus on the story.

"In a new attempt, we try to make the story develop continually", Kim Byung-wook, director of "Kicking High Unhesitatingly", said. "We also added conventions from other genres, including mystery, melodrama and horror, for an element of fun".

Kim is a veteran sitcom director known for his previous popular works such as "LA...| More

Sitcom maestro has the right formula for laughter unlimited

Source | 2007/01/15 | Permalink |

All the laughter suddenly coming from Korean homes has been inspired by a new sitcom, "Geochim Eopsi High Kick" ("High Kick!"), literally translated as "A High Kick Without Hesitation".
The show airs on MBC at 8.30 p.m. every night.

The producer and director of the show is Kim Byung-wook, the mastermind behind another hit sitcom, "Sunpung Sanbuingwa", or "Sunpung Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital". Colloquially, Soonpoong can also mean "an easy childbirth".
The popularity of this sitcom is rising fast and his jealous rivals would undoubtedly love to know Kim's special secret.
"My sitcoms show the powerful yet hilarious relationships between characters, such as the relationship between husband and wife, father and son, in-laws and so forth", Mr. Kim said.
In other words, the complicated conflicts and flawed characteristics that many people hide within themselves have become Mr. Kim's trademarks.
All of Mr. Kim's sitcoms feature a huge family in which three generations live und...| More