How'd we get here?

Expectations.

A wondrous thing....
or utmostly tedious, depending on what side of the line the chips fall on.

So, the production schedule for TWSSG got delayed (officially) again. All business and all emotions aside, this is something that occurs with such regular frequency in this biz and if anything, more so in Korean biz, that I truthfully was kinda surprised at all the fuss.

I don't know for sure, but within the realm of my limited knowledge, this is the first time I have seen a director publicly have to apologize for issues related to schedules. Here is a man, and a proud man that is, with a bonafide reputation at making successful and well-received dramas and films, who is just holding out for the sake of being true to his craft. Not exactly something to be blasted about.

I suppose the alternative would be to hurriedly slap together what they have already and then suffer the consequences of the masses' complaints about a shoddy project. Poor guy - it's such a lose-lose situation all around for him.

Some Korean culture content executive once explained to me that Korean film and drama making, for better or worse, does not follow the rigid standards of schedules of their Japanese and Western counterparts. There are no set hours and often no set scripts, as you have heard about before in countless interviews by actors, and the long term planning does not exist in the detail that you and I would like to see. So, delays are common, and yes, expected.

After all, when PD Kim and HRH originally set out on this project way back when in 2005, the goal was to complete it with private funding so as not to have to withstand commercial pressures from the TV execs who are just dying to see their pockets get stuffed with dollars in the quickest way possible. PD Kim et all are just a private group of people spending their own time, effort and money making a private project. I think they own the driver's seat. As for real shareholders, backers and all those to whom they have to answer to or with whom they have inked a contract we know nothing about, well...leave it to them to duke out all the financial and legal issues behind closed doors.

But, apologize to the general public? For what? What have we really invested in real terms?

This was something he really didn't have to do, and didn't enjoy doing (you think?) and I, for one, respect him for doing so. Perhaps the real reason why PD Kim didn't give specific answers to the questions about when such-and-such will be ready is because he is way too smart a man to be caught in the same trap again. Of course, he has an idea when. He just ain't gonna be naming dates again.

If anything....if fans' complaints have even an ounce to do with the mounting pressure for him to have to come out and hold a press conference like that, then as a fan, I do feel bad for some of the problems we can unknowingly cause. Sometimes...and it's just my own feeling and no one has to agree...I think that the people that work with YJssi have to deal with such unnecessary burden. YJssi is just so golden (with respect to fans), and the blame so naturally falls on everyone else when things go wrong. And when things go right, well, naturally the credit goes pretty much only to YJssi. I think a lot of fans already do this, but I wish each and every one of us would take "supporting BYJ" to mean supporting him in the truest sense, which includes everyone and everything else involved in the projects that he believes in and has poured his heart and soul into. I am not sure if this is true, but the calls to "liberate" YJ-ssi from the project that I read about - well, if they're true, they would seem so opposite to that sentiment. Even divisive.

Still I have to say that I find interesting how the MBC labor union would come right out and issue negative statements about the prod company like that. Again, this could have been settled in private. You know what it looks like? Of course, I am just speculating but from here, but I can't help but be struck with the impression that because MBC couldn't get their way, they just turned to the press as a last ditch effort of a pressure tactic. I mean...afterall, Korean dramas have always been controlled by the networks who back the projects, and this is probably the first time they are not holding squarely onto that power stick and just didn't know what to do with themselves.

Anyway, last time I checked, the film business still falls under the category of the "arts." And as far as I know, the director "owns" the creative control in film projects. So, methinks we'd just better let the "artists" do their thing. It'll be ready when it'll be.

I can't imagine TWSSG would be any less well received 3 months from now than exactly this moment. Even better for some of us - we're too busy with the tennis and basketball finals now, right sports fans? :)

And just one more thing....

if this little kid can get so much fun from the TWSSG props alone, then we really have not a thing to worry about when the drama rolls out!

(tah-dah!!...... the "BYJ" of the next generation................isn't he just so very sweet?)