LayarHijau – My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae-yong has shared fascinating details about the creative process behind the beloved Korean romantic comedy, including how quickly he wrote the screenplay and how long it took him to convince Jun Ji-hyun to take the lead role. He spoke about the film during a screenwriting seminar held by the Taipei Film Academy in 2026.
The seminar was organized through a collaboration between the Taipei Film Commission and Taiwan Mobile. It brought together three Korean industry figures as speakers: Kwak Jae-yong, My Mister and My Liberation Notes screenwriter Park Hae-young, and producer Hwang Ra-kyung.
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Kwak discussed his approach to combining screenwriting and directing while looking back on how My Sassy Girl (2001) came together. He revealed that he completed the screenplay in just five days.
One of the film’s most memorable scenes was also inspired by his own life. In the scene, the female lead, played by Jun Ji-hyun, makes Gyeon-u, played by Cha Tae-hyun, change into high heels after the two become involved in an incident on the road.
Kwak revealed that the scene was based on his own interactions with his wife. He drew from an everyday experience and incorporated it into the story, eventually turning it into one of My Sassy Girl’s most recognizable moments.
He also recalled the lengthy process of casting Jun Ji-hyun as the female lead. According to Kwak, it took him about a year to persuade the actress to take the role.
Their discussions over the film’s costumes also helped build their working relationship. When disagreements arose over what the character should wear, Kwak and Jun Ji-hyun went shopping together in Seoul’s Dongdaemun district to find suitable outfits.
Kwak said the experience helped the two develop a better understanding of the character and the film’s direction. That process ultimately contributed to the chemistry and collaboration that became an important part of My Sassy Girl.
While discussing his visual storytelling, Kwak also cited Taiwanese filmmaker Hou Hsiao-hsien and his film A City of Sadness as an influence. He said he was inspired by the way the film uses displaced or mismatched positioning within scenes to create a distinctive visual narrative.
Kwak also pointed to a common idea connecting My Sassy Girl with another one of his romantic films, The Classic. At the heart of both stories, he said, is the idea of “coincidence” that feels almost like fate.
Park Hae-young, meanwhile, spoke about her approach to commercial storytelling during the same seminar. The screenwriter behind My Mister and My Liberation Notes said she does not deliberately shape her stories to cater to overseas audiences.
Instead, Park emphasized the importance of writing from “the desires within my heart,” arguing that what a writer genuinely longs for can also resonate with audiences around the world.
When discussing My Liberation Notes, Park described it as a television series for “I people,” referring to people who tend to be introverted. She said the essence of writing is not about constantly chasing clever storytelling tricks, but about creating characters audiences can fall in love with and allowing them to experience happiness through those characters.
Park also addressed the growing role of artificial intelligence in creative work. She expressed optimism about the future, suggesting that if AI can eventually move people’s hearts through its writing, creators could work alongside it. In her view, that possibility could ultimately turn writing into an even more enjoyable creative experience.
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