'The Glory' writer shares daughter's creepy question that inspired the hit Korean drama
Seasoned K-drama writer Kim Eun-sook thought of a good answer to her daughter's question that was so unexpectedly unnerving that it inspired her to write The Glory.
Aside from real-life bullying cases in South Korea, it was a simple but scary question from the screenwriter's daughter that directly inspired her to come up with the hit K-drama starring Song Hye-kyo as bullied protagonist Moon Dong-eun.
"Mom, would you be more heartbroken if I beat someone to death or if I got beat to death by someone else?" her daughter asked.
Eun-sook thought to herself: "It was hellish for me. The story unfolded in my head in that instance and that's how I began writing the story for The Glory."
After finishing her work, the writer finally found her answer, which she shared at a December 2022 production presentation for The Glory Part 1.
"I was looking for an answer within myself while writing The Glory. I have the 'money' to drag the perpetrators to the end of hell. So I thought it would be better if they were beaten," Eun-sook began.
"But our best Dong-eun is not like that. Most Dong-euns in this world are not like that. She wouldn't have met wealthy parents and there wouldn't be such a family environment. I wanted to support such people. The reality is the opposite. Hence, Dong-eun. I tried to go a lot in the direction of success as revenge. Please see for yourself what the ending will be," she concluded.
The Glory revolves around a woman who suffered childhood violence and now dedicates her life to executing a series of vengeful acts against her bullies and their accomplices. Part 1 of the show was released on Dec. 30 last year, while Part 2 will be available on March 10 on Netflix.
News of the collaboration between Eun-sook and Hye-kyo began circulating in January 2021.
The screenwriter's extensive portfolio includes Lovers in Paris, Secret Garden, The Heirs, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, Mr. Sunshine, and The King: Eternal Monarch.
