K-dramas often use incidents from real life and "Producer" is no exception. Because it is a show about the making of variety shows, the drama makes fun of real life variety show encounters and shows just how hilarious and frustrating the making of reality shows can be. But the romance in "Producer" may also have been inspired by the real life story of two KBS producers.
In the drama "Producer" Gong Hyo Jin plays Tak Ye Jin, the producer of "Music Bank" and Cha Tae Hyun plays Ra Joon Mo, the producer of the program "1 Night, 2 Days." The actor is a regular guest on "1 Night, 2 Days,"
Tak Ye Jin has a longtime crush on Ra Joon Mo although she is currently being tempted by the attentions of a young producer played by Kim Soo Hyun. Ra Joon Mo likes Tak Ye Jin back but for various dumb reasons won't say so. Complicating things further is the fact that k-pop star Cindy, played by IU, likes Kim Soo Hyun's character. At this point in the drama it's hard to say which producer Taek Ye Jin will wind up with.
But in real life, the real producer of "Music Bank" married the "1 Night, 2 Days" producer.
The June 13 episode of the KBS program "Entertainment Weekly" featured the real "Music Bank" producer Shin Soo Jung, and her husband, the real "1 Night, 2 Days" producer Park In Suk. They spoke about their romance.
"I married my senior," said Shin Soo Jung. "Because we spent so much time together. You have to marry someone who is next to you."
Since they spend so much time at work that does make sense. But did she also camp out at his apartment while hers was being renovated? And what about the Kim Soo Hyun character Baek Seung Chan? Was there someone like that who had a crush on her?
She did not say. That character of Baek Seung Chan may be modeled on PD Yoo Ho Jin, of "1 Night, 2 Days." He was introduced as a newbie a few years ago and graduated from Korea University just like Baek Seung Chan did. However, Yoo did not have the same reasons for applying for the job. He just needed a job. And there is no indication he ever had a crush on any of his fellow KBS employees.
Does the fact that the producers married in real life mean that the characters played by Cha Tae Hyun and Gong Hyo Jin will marry at the end of the drama? Not necessarily. It's only modeled on some real-life TV-making situations. We will all have to tune in to find out.
What do you think?
