Director Of “Reply 1997,” “Reply 1994,” And “Reply 1988” Exposes The Hardest Part Of Filming The Series

It was a challenge every time.

Director Shin Won Ho is the mastermind behind the iconic K-Drama series Reply and Hospital Playlist. When the cast of Reply 1997 reunited after ten years and actor Lee Si Eon asked for Reply 2002 to continue the series, the director explained why that would be extremely tough.

For the 2002 installment, Shin Won Ho noted that it would be the toughest to accomplish because the events of the World Cup played a significant part. He said, “That’s the hardest part because of the copyright issue with the ‘World Cup.’

Shin Won Ho faced a similar situation with the Olympics when filming Reply 1988. He had to ask the committee directly for permission to use the footage and pay a fee for the years it was used. Eventually, the Olympics scenes were cut from the show because of the fee.

In ‘Reply 1988,’ there was the Seoul Olympics, so I had to call the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in Switzerland to solve the copyright issue. I wasn’t able to solve that permanently, so we had to pay a fee for one to two years.

We didn’t extend the contract, so when we reaired the show, we had to hide all the parts related to the Olympics.

— Shin Won Ho

Shin Won Ho revealed that wasn’t the only copyright issue that stood in the way of the series. Because the series is full of iconic throwback moments, he admitted, “Yeah, there are so many copyright issues with songs, movies, etc.

In addition to the difficulty of handling all the copyright issues, Shin Won Ho explained, “It costs so much money to get those copyrights.

While viewers enjoyed looking back on the past with those memorable scenes, songs, and references, the director shined a light on how hard it was to make it possible.

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