[INTERVIEW] Big Ocean ENM has more to offer than just 'Our Beloved Summer'

Big Ocean ENM's Chairman Hwang Dong-seob, center and co-CEOs Shin In-soo, left, and Tommy Lee, right, sit together at the company headquarters in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, Jan. 26. Courtesy of Big Ocean ENM

By Dong Sun-hwa

Amid a boom in sensational TV series, SBS' latest hit, "Our Beloved Summer," starring actors Choi Woo-shik and Kim Da-mi, has demonstrated the power of heartwarming content by mesmerizing people around the world on global streaming platform Netflix. Premiering last December, the 16-episode romantic comedy grabbed the No. 4 spot on the American platform's official weekly top 10 chart for non-English TV shows in January, garnering positive reviews from viewers who found the series relatable.

The success of "Our Beloved Summer," which revolves around a young couple after a breakup, has brought production companies Big Ocean ENM and Studio N, a subsidiary of Naver Webtoon, into the limelight. One day after the drama wrapped up on Jan. 25, Big Ocean's Chairman Hwang Dong-seob and its co-CEOs ― Shin In-soo and Tommy Lee ― sat down with The Korea Times to talk about how the series came to life and other works it has in the pipeline for this year.

A promotional poster for the SBS drama, "Our Beloved Summer" / Courtesy of SBS

"I have a penchant for content like 'Our Beloved Summer' that can resonate with viewers without featuring excessively sensational stories and scenes,'" Shin said during an interview that took place at the company headquarters in Gangnam District, southern Seoul.

"'Our Beloved Summer' had nothing to do with murder or other types of crimes and rather won people's hearts by leading them on a walk down memory lane and to think back to their first love. It seems that its gripping script and the chemistry among the actors also played pivotal roles in attracting viewers, sending a heartwarming message to those who have been going through tough times amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic."

Shin added that he paid extra attention to crafting the mise-en-scene and music to add beauty to the drama. For its soundtrack, V of K-pop juggernaut BTS lent his voice for one of the songs, "Christmas Tree."

"But Big Ocean does not only produce this kind of content," Shin noted. "We will bring life to a diverse range of series depending on the platform, so that our creations can cater to a global audience. In 2022, we are scheduled to release 'Tomorrow,' which stars actress Kim Hee-sun and Rowoon of K-pop boy band SF9. Given that it is a story about a grim reaper-like character who helps people carry on with their lives despite challenges, it might appeal to a lot of people and convey some meaningful messages to them."

The cast members of upcoming MBC TV series, "Tomorrow" / Courtesy of MBC

Big Ocean's name may be unfamiliar to most people, as it is a young company established only two years ago. But this fact does not mean that the company's key players are inexperienced. Its founders ― Hwang, Shin and Lee ― have more than a decade each of experience in the realms of music, drama and film, respectively. In the past, Hwang was the CEO of record label The Groove Company and Shin was the CEO of drama production house Super Moon Pictures. Lee used to lead Gom Pictures, a movie production company. In 2020, the three joined forces to set up Big Ocean, so that they could embrace all fields in the entertainment industry and elevate the quality of their creations to the next level through cooperation.

"When we first announced our plan to team up, almost everyone told us that it would not be possible," Hwang said. "Nevertheless, we have had smooth sailing so far, as all of us are on the same page. Our top priority is to secure intellectual property (IP) and build the best environment for content producers. We showcased six dramas, three movies and eight albums in 2021 alone. Among them, SBS TV series 'Let Me Be Your Knight,' featuring actors Jung In-sun and Lee Jun-young, is particularly meaningful to us, because Big Ocean ― not SBS ― owns its IP and has utilized it in many different ways. Likewise, we want to keep forging our own path and be recognized as a 'self-made company.'"

Songwriter/producer Ryan Jhun recently collaborated with NCT's Doyoung and Haechan for his MAXIS project. Courtesy of Big Ocean ENM

Lee chimed in, saying, "Diversity is our biggest weapon. To date, we have created different movies, ranging from low-budget to tentpole ones, and released music in various forms. We recently partnered up with acclaimed songwriter/producer Ryan Jhun for his MAXIS project, in which Jhun produces songs for K-pop big names. In August, Doyoung and Haechan of popular boy group NCT put out a pop track titled, 'Maniac,' as part of this project."

Lee then moved on to talk about Big Ocean's film business, revealing that the 2021 mystery thriller, "The 8th Night," which is available on Netflix, is one of his most memorable works so far. Starring Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon and Kim You-jung, the series that centers on Buddhist monks-turned-exorcists secured top spots on Netflix following its release.

A promotional poster for "The 8th Night" / Courtesy of Netflix

"I thought the themes of Buddhism and East Asian philosophy in 'The 8th Night' would be appealing to audiences overseas," he said. "So I decided to unveil it on Netflix. Our crime action film, 'Pipeline' (2021), is precious to me as well, as it took about 11 years for me to release it."

Big Ocean is also setting its sights on the lucrative pet industry. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, more than 6 million households in Korea are raising dogs or cats as pets as of 2020.

"We recently acquired the channel, DOGTV, which is often called the 'Netflix for dogs and cats,'" Hwang explained. "We are planning to launch a new metaverse commercial platform for pets and produce entertainment programs featuring them."

Big Ocean has a lot of other things on its plate, with the company planning to launch at least three TV series, three movies and two albums this year. Included in the lineup are the drama, "Pale Moon," which is based on the Japanese novel of the same name, and a film about the "Hamheung chasa" ― the king's envoys during the 1392-1910 Joseon era that never returned. Musicians represented by Big Ocean ― such as rapper Crown J ― are poised to release albums as well.

Wrapping up the interview, Lee gave words of advice for those looking for a job in the content industry.

"They need a strong sense of vocation," Shin said. "The content industry is fraught with uncertainties and working in this field can be physically and mentally strenuous. But numerous people, including myself, still devote our sweat and tears because it is so rewarding to see our final products winning the hearts of different people."

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