This is another excerpt from the book “Another Winter Sonata”. The writers reveal the inside story behind episode two.
The Alternative Episode for JS, Yujin, and Sang Hyuk (SH)
The setting of the tragic parting between Yujin and JS was already decided in the very beginning, but we had prepared many alternatives for the process of their parting. Under normal circumstances, it is usual to write many versions of the script for episodes one and two because those are the most important in a drama, and this one was no exception. We had prepared more than 10 versions of these two episodes.
For example, in episode 2, the final version only included Yujin getting lost in the mountains and JS finding her, but initially, we thought of inserting a scene with Cherin drowning herself deliberately to gain JS’s attention. This was an episode we thought would allude to Cherin’s role of becoming Yujiin’s rival. But considering the briefness of the school days they share, we decided that we must concentrate on the love between Yujin and JS, and we cut this scene from the final script. For that reason, the explanation behind how much Cherin really liked JS and how she had been obsessed with him may had been lacking somewhat. We feel the scene that ended up being cut may have been useful in having the viewers understand that JS was Cherin’s first love as well.
Among the episodes that were cut, there is one scene we are very fond of. We will share it with you briefly… In the story that was aired, there are no scenes in which SH, Yujin and JS spend time together in an intimate way. Actually, in the original version, there was a scene where after fighting with each other fiercely, SH and JS finally become friends with the help of Yujin.
Wittgenstein is a famous Austrian-born English philosopher. And the “Wittgenstein game” is a game he invented for fun when he went on walks with a married couple he was intimate with.
Three people take on the role of “sun”, “earth”, and “moon” respectively. As we all know, the earth revolves around the sun, and the moon revolves around this earth which is revolving around the sun. In the game, the players imitate this action – obviously, the one who has to walk the most among the three is the “moon”. He must always stick with the earth that is revolving towards the sun.
On a day with snow lying thick on the ground, with JS’s suggestion, the three of them decide to play the Wittgenstein game. JS mischievously offers to play the role of “sun”, and ignorant of the situation, Yujin and and SH end up with “earth” and “moon”. JS who is the “sun” easily walks through the fields with snow softly falling on them. Yujin, as “earth” tries hard to go in a circle revolving around JS. SH on the other hand continues to walk steadily staying close to Yujin who makes big circles around JS. Working up sweat, it does not take long for Yujin and SH to realize why JS had offered to become the sun. JS, who was walking alone with ease, laughs heartily, and Yujin and SH cries out they’ve been tricked. The two throw snowballs at JS, and the three of them end up in a snowball fight. Thus, they spend the most peaceful and beautiful moment of their lives together… that was how the story went.
The earth that goes around the sun and the moon that just continues to revolve looking only at the earth… The relationship of the sun, earth, and moon seems to imply that of JS, Yujin and SH. No matter how much the moon continues to revolve around the earth, the earth would never revolve towards the moon. Yujin would walk looking up to JS, and can never look at SH. That was their fate.
The director also liked this scene, but regrettably, it was cut. However, the imagery of the sun, earth, and the moon was always expressed throughout the drama taking on different forms. If you ever have the chance to walk through the fields covered with snow on a snowy day with some friends, why don’t you try this Wittgenstein game? If you can spend time with the person you love during the snowy season, it should be fun even if you are not the sun. But for those of you who are enduring the heartbreak of unrequited love, whatever you do, don’t accept the role of the “moon”. It would no doubt make you very sad…
The Alternative Episode for JS, Yujin, and Sang Hyuk (SH)
The setting of the tragic parting between Yujin and JS was already decided in the very beginning, but we had prepared many alternatives for the process of their parting. Under normal circumstances, it is usual to write many versions of the script for episodes one and two because those are the most important in a drama, and this one was no exception. We had prepared more than 10 versions of these two episodes.
For example, in episode 2, the final version only included Yujin getting lost in the mountains and JS finding her, but initially, we thought of inserting a scene with Cherin drowning herself deliberately to gain JS’s attention. This was an episode we thought would allude to Cherin’s role of becoming Yujiin’s rival. But considering the briefness of the school days they share, we decided that we must concentrate on the love between Yujin and JS, and we cut this scene from the final script. For that reason, the explanation behind how much Cherin really liked JS and how she had been obsessed with him may had been lacking somewhat. We feel the scene that ended up being cut may have been useful in having the viewers understand that JS was Cherin’s first love as well.
Among the episodes that were cut, there is one scene we are very fond of. We will share it with you briefly… In the story that was aired, there are no scenes in which SH, Yujin and JS spend time together in an intimate way. Actually, in the original version, there was a scene where after fighting with each other fiercely, SH and JS finally become friends with the help of Yujin.
Wittgenstein is a famous Austrian-born English philosopher. And the “Wittgenstein game” is a game he invented for fun when he went on walks with a married couple he was intimate with.
Three people take on the role of “sun”, “earth”, and “moon” respectively. As we all know, the earth revolves around the sun, and the moon revolves around this earth which is revolving around the sun. In the game, the players imitate this action – obviously, the one who has to walk the most among the three is the “moon”. He must always stick with the earth that is revolving towards the sun.
On a day with snow lying thick on the ground, with JS’s suggestion, the three of them decide to play the Wittgenstein game. JS mischievously offers to play the role of “sun”, and ignorant of the situation, Yujin and and SH end up with “earth” and “moon”. JS who is the “sun” easily walks through the fields with snow softly falling on them. Yujin, as “earth” tries hard to go in a circle revolving around JS. SH on the other hand continues to walk steadily staying close to Yujin who makes big circles around JS. Working up sweat, it does not take long for Yujin and SH to realize why JS had offered to become the sun. JS, who was walking alone with ease, laughs heartily, and Yujin and SH cries out they’ve been tricked. The two throw snowballs at JS, and the three of them end up in a snowball fight. Thus, they spend the most peaceful and beautiful moment of their lives together… that was how the story went.
The earth that goes around the sun and the moon that just continues to revolve looking only at the earth… The relationship of the sun, earth, and moon seems to imply that of JS, Yujin and SH. No matter how much the moon continues to revolve around the earth, the earth would never revolve towards the moon. Yujin would walk looking up to JS, and can never look at SH. That was their fate.
The director also liked this scene, but regrettably, it was cut. However, the imagery of the sun, earth, and the moon was always expressed throughout the drama taking on different forms. If you ever have the chance to walk through the fields covered with snow on a snowy day with some friends, why don’t you try this Wittgenstein game? If you can spend time with the person you love during the snowy season, it should be fun even if you are not the sun. But for those of you who are enduring the heartbreak of unrequited love, whatever you do, don’t accept the role of the “moon”. It would no doubt make you very sad…
10 comments:
Hi Flowerbossa,
Thank you for your efforts again. I will go ahead to share this with Chinese speaking baesis.
Lynn
i guess alot more goes on behind the scenes than we'd imagined. the drama team, esp the scriptwriters and PDs, probably have to make certain decisions to include or exclude certain scenes due to various reasons... maybe becoz of limited time, not enough episodes to tell the entire story, the impact on the flow of the story, etc...
and we, the tv audience, tend to only know how to complain when we see something we don't like. i guess certain compromises might have been made due to whatever constraints the drama team might be facing at that time.
i think passages such as this not only bring us closer to wuri yong joon, it also helps us understand the stuff that goes on behind the scenes abit more. haha, hopefully this makes us a more appreciative audience :)
I've never thought about the relationship between the sun, earth, and moon. It's quite interesting.
Again, it's a great piece.
I want to share this with the K-sisters.
Thanks for your time and effort.
Hi Lynn,
Thank you for dropping by.
Hope the Chinese sisters enjoy this.
love,
flowerbossa
Hi bb,
Maybe some people would prefer not to know the inside story, and leave the drama as it is. But among the various constraints they experience, "time" seems to be a major issue in the production of Korean dramas. So, I think it's kind of fun to know some of the ideas that never materialized, and also listen to some of the "excuses" the writers may have^^
There is a Japanese book called "The Secret Diary of Winter Sonata" (A 100 day diary of the filming) by Producer Yun Seok-ho. He makes similar claims on the pressure of time. Have you read the English translation?
love,
flowerbossa
Hi suehan,
Thank you for your interest in this piece.
I've always wondered how much the Korean family know about the making of YJ's dramas.
Anyway, if I am providing any new info, that's good^^
love,
flowerbossa
err... i actually have that secret diary book, but nope, i've no idea what's being said in there.... anything interesting that a die-hard bae-fan has to know?!
p.s. i already know about them holding hands when they were going to that oiedo.... hehe, that was in the disc :p
To tell you the truth, I have no idea how much they know about the making of YJ's dramas.
I don't think they had much chance to know about it, other than the ones Korean TV provided.
When I translated previous stories from "Another Winter Sonata", most K-fans responded saying, they didn't know about the stories. Maybe K-Fans that knew about them didn't respond?
dear flowerbossa,
sorry for coming in late but I enjoy this piece so much. these cut scenes reveal a much more complete story and relationship among these friends.
that's why i wonder why chaerin is so obsessed with junsang and they haven't even started anything? and why yongkwok kept saying how much junsang has hurt them in their high school days?? and I thought, my gosh, JS was just being a quiet student by himself, is that a crime?! Now it makes more sense that they had actually developed some kind of friendship back then.
With winter sonata being a favorite drama among a lot of sisters, this is very valuable information you share, thank you again!
love .... jaime
Hi jaime,
Like you, I think this episode helps us understand how his classmates felt about him before he "disappeared". They were actually closer than we thought!
It's fun and at the same time frustrating to "rebuild" the story in our own minds adding this information^^
love,
flowerbossa
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