tvN ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’
Ha Jung-woo, Im Soo-jung, Kim Jun-han, Jung Soo-jung, and Shim Eun-kyung personally completed the subtitles for ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’.
Premiering on March 14, tvN new Saturday-Sunday drama ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’ (written by O Han-gi/ directed by Im Pil-seong/ planned by Studio Dragon/ produced by Mindmark, Studio329) depicts the suspense that unfolds when a livelihood-driven building owner, mired in debt, joins a fake kidnapping to protect a family and a building that are more precious than life.
Ahead of the first broadcast, the actors themselves penned subtitles for ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’, presenting would-be viewers with distinctive viewing hooks. The subtitles pack in surprise clues, story beats, and even messages, whetting curiosity.
First, Ha Jung-woo, who plays Gi Su-jong, a ‘yeongkkeul (pulling together loans to the very limit)’ building owner, tagged the subtitle as “A new lifeline or a rotten lifeline.” In the drama, Gi Su-jong struggles to keep the title of building owner and to seize his last chance at turning his life around. Ha Jung-woo said, “Watch to see whether what Gi Su-jong has grabbed is a new lifeline or a rotten one.”
Im Soo-jung, who plays the strong-willed wife Kim Seon, left the subtitle ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea: Survival Instinct’. Im Soo-jung explained, “At pivotal choices in their respective lives, the protagonists act on survival instinct, moving separately yet together to create a subtle ensemble. As those choices stack up between comedy and tragedy, developments unfold that you cannot predict even a step ahead,” and she exclaimed, “So the result? You have to watch to know!”
Kim Jun-han, as Min Hwal-seong, the close friend of Gi Su-jong, offered a witty reply: “We filmed for months, but I could not figure out ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’. Still, if I had to add a subtitle: ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea: But now with dunning notices, threats, and kidnapping on the side…’” The very combination of words that evokes tension by sound alone piqued curiosity about how it will play out in the story.
Jung Soo-jung, who plays Min Hwal-seong’s wife Jeon I-gyeong, said, “‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea: Not Easy’”, leaving a short and impactful subtitle. As Jeon I-gyeong gets caught up in events and weathers unforeseen turmoil in the drama, attention focused on what kinds of turbulent experiences might befall her.
Shim Eun-kyung, who plays the villain Yona, chose the Greek-Roman myth ‘The Wings of Icarus’ as a subtitle. ‘The Wings of Icarus’ tells of Icarus, who escaped on wings made by Daedalus but ignored a warning from his father, flew too close to the sun, the wax melted, and he fell. Shim Eun-kyung said, “‘The Wings of Icarus’ symbolizes both human longing for the unknown and the notion of limits,” and added, “The characters in the drama also start from a wish to live better, but as desire spreads beyond control, it ultimately lays bare the human face. I thought there is a point where ‘The Wings of Icarus’ meets the theme of the drama,” highlighting the message the drama will convey.
It is all the more special that the subtitles were completed by the actors themselves. The various subtitles, each unraveled from a different perspective, raise expectations for how they will unfold into gripping stories in the broadcast. tvN new Saturday-Sunday drama ‘How to Become a Building Owner in Korea’ premieres Saturday, March 14 at 9:10 p.m.
