[On the Record] Director Park Seonggwang: "We Must Overcome Prejudice Against Comedians"

Interview with Director Park Seong-gwang of 'Ungnami'

First Commercial Feature Debut... "Film Has Been a Longtime Dream"
16-Year Veteran Comedian Reveals His Philosophy on Laughter
Expresses Ambitions for Growth Despite Some Harsh Criticism

Comedian Park Seong-gwang (41) gained recognition after passing the 22nd KBS open recruitment for comedians in 2007. He caught attention early on in 'Gag Concert' with his distinctive visuals and rose to fame with the catchphrase "A dirty world that only remembers the first place." Film had always been a long-held dream. He majored in Film Arts at Dong-Ah Broadcasting University. He applied to the university because he wanted to become a director. Unable to contain his unique talent, he founded a comedy club at university. Making others laugh made him happy, and he wanted to keep them smiling.

After 16 years since his debut, we recently met Park Seong-gwang, the director of his first commercial film 'Ungnami,' at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He said, "I am proud to be a comedian," and added, "I want to do comedy until I die." He continued, "Even if I have to fight prejudice, I want to keep challenging myself. Someday, I want to hear people say, 'He was still a good director.'"

A Film Dream That Blossomed Before Being a Comedian

Director Park Seong-gwang [Photo by Ungnami Cultural Industry Specialist Company, CJ CGV]

Film was not a dream that suddenly appeared overnight. It was not because 'Gag Concert' on KBS2 was canceled and the comedy stage became narrower. It happened when he, who learned film directing at university, decided to challenge himself for the dream he had tucked away in his heart.

Park Seong-gwang began directing with the short film 'Yok' (2011). Since then, he has steadily worked on shorts such as 'Not Sad Because It's Sad' (2017) and 'String' (2020). He recalled, "I dreamed of directing in university and studied film, so I started by directing a short film with the mindset of at least making one film, even if small." Despite his strong passion, the path to debuting as a film director was long and arduous.

"When I first screened my short film, the audience laughed while watching it. That’s when I felt, I should study harder and do it properly. So I made a 30-minute short film, and then another short. I wrote a commercial film script and visited production companies myself. One production company said okay after reading the script, but the investor said, 'The director was a comedian? Then no investment,' so it fell through. I revised the script for a month, but it all went up in smoke overnight. Similar difficulties repeated so many times I can’t even tell them all. I thought I was being presumptuous and let go, but then the current production company contacted me, and 'Ungnami' was born."

The comedy film 'Ungnami,' inspired by the Dangun myth, tells the story of Ungnami, who fights against an international crime organization with beast-like powers beyond human limits. Actor Park Seong-woong plays both Ungnami and Ungbuk, with Lee Yi-kyung and Yeom Hye-ran also starring, and Jung Woo-sung making a cameo to support the film.

Park Seong-woong has been a precious connection since meeting Park Seong-gwang in 2009. Park Seong-gwang confessed, "After Park Seong-woong succeeded with the film 'New World' (2013), he felt like Lee Joong-gu, so I couldn’t be comfortable around him." This honest remark brought laughter. Park Seong-woong promised Park Seong-gwang at a bar in Hongdae that he would definitely appear in his directorial work, and they fulfilled that promise together with 'Ungnami.'

Initially, 'Ungnami' was a story about a man who became a bear after eating garlic and mugwort, a rural youth’s tale. Director Park Seong-gwang changed the original script into a comedy action genre after casting Park Seong-woong and tailored it to him.

"After deciding to make the film with Park Seong-woong, we met five times. We pondered together and shaped the direction of the script, gaining ideas as well. The biggest concern was how to create the character Lee Jeong-hak (Ungbuk). At first, I thought about making him a villain, but after considering that he might have something that longs for family, we changed the concept. We revised the script about 70 times until the final draft."

Comedy Is My Identity

Director Park Seong-gwang
[Photo by Ungnami Cultural Industry Specialist Company, CJ CGV]

Park Seong-gwang focused on the basics that laughter and melodrama are essential while crafting 'Ungnami.' He said, "Comedy will never disappear," and added, "It will exist in some form." When asked why, he smiled brightly and said, "If comedy disappears, wouldn’t our lives become dry? It must exist."

Park Seong-gwang is regarded as a natural-born comedian. In fact, when you meet him in private, he is truly a comedian at heart. His love for laughter and pure nature resemble 'Ungnami' quite a bit. Some misunderstand him because of his frank speech, but those who have seen him consistently know he is polite and has a delicate personality that considers others. Director Park continued, "I want to do comedy until I die."

"I am still a comedian now, and I will do comedy until I die. I am proud to be a comedian. That’s why I worried that my challenge might inadvertently harm my seniors and juniors. People will mention me as a comedian director in the future, and I felt pressure wondering if I might cause harm to colleagues who challenge themselves afterward. My seniors encouraged me, saying, 'Raise the status of comedians.'

Park Seong-gwang expressed gratitude by mentioning seniors who challenged themselves as directors before him, such as Shim Hyung-rae and Lee Kyung-kyu. He said, "Because seniors challenged themselves, I exist. Senior Lee Kyung-kyu patted my shoulder and said, 'Our comedians must succeed, and I hope you succeed.' That gave me strength. But when I said the distributor was CJ CGV, he said, 'Ouch, that hurts,' which made me laugh."

"Thanks to my seniors, I am here. I definitely received that influence. When I was in fourth grade, I watched 'Ureme' (1986) and 'Young-gu and Ddaengchili' (1989) and told my mother, 'I will become a film director.' I don’t remember, but my mother told me recently. It was amazing. Senior Lee Kyung-kyu gave me a lot of practical advice about production and investment."

Prejudice Is Nourishment... The Challenge Is Just Beginning

[Photo by Ungnami Cultural Industry Specialist Company, CJ CGV]

Some people viewed Park Seong-gwang’s challenge as a film director with skepticism, asking, "Is this an easy place?" This was criticized as going beyond the realm of critique. Of course, like many first-time commercial film directors, 'Ungnami' may have shortcomings. Park Seong-gwang bowed his head to prejudice aimed at himself rather than harsh criticism of the film.

He recalled, "My first independent short film received reactions like 'It looks like a film made by a comedian.' I felt that prejudice still exists." He continued, "The second and third shorts were genre films, and through them, I thought I somewhat escaped prejudice. Commercial films were definitely difficult. It was a series of realizations. Through this, I grew and thought I just need to show a better side next time."

"My goal was to release a film, and I achieved that. After finishing shooting 'Ungnami,' I am continuously writing scripts. But film seems similar to comedy. Just because you want to do it doesn’t mean you get the chance to direct. So I try to look far ahead. I believe the day will come when I am praised as a decent comedian director. Someday, I want to hear that I am quite a good director. If I work steadily and diligently, won’t the day come when my work is included among people’s favorite life films?"