12.17 - Special Episode About the Art and Science of Screenwriting with Ellen Sullivan

Today, we have a special episode of K Drama Chat where we’re joined by longtime listener, friend, and screenwriter, Ellen Sullivan. We talk about the art and science of screenwriting and how the best K Dramas follow—or creatively depart from—dramatic structure to deliver compelling, emotional stories. In this episode, we discuss:

• The shows that are heavily spoiled in this episode: Crash Landing On You, Mr. Queen, Mr. Sunshine, When the Phone Rings, and Captivating the King.

• Ellen’s background as a screenwriter and technical writer, and how her passion for K Dramas began with My Mister.

• The Western three-act structure versus the Korean four-act structure (gi-seung-jeon-gyeol), and how each style approaches storytelling and character development.
  

• Detailed examples of setup, midpoint, and conclusion in Crash Landing On You, Mr. Queen, and Mr. Sunshine.

• What makes these shows work: believable character arcs, clear motivations, strong midpoint turns, and emotional payoffs.

• The redemption arc as a dramatic formula, especially in characters like Gu Seung-jun (CLOY) and Jang Bong-hwan (Mr. Queen).

• Why humor breaks are essential in Korean dramas and how they add richness to character and story.

• Foreshadowing and payoffs (or lack thereof) in When the Phone Rings, and why the “Argan” plot twist derailed the show.
  The pacing and structural missteps in Captivating the King, including over-explaining, weak female lead development, and a lack of trust in the audience.

• The importance of a “MacGuffin” in each drama—a central object or goal everyone is chasing.

• How K Dramas “trust the audience” by skipping mundane scenes and using implication rather than exposition.

• The emotional power of music in K Dramas, especially in Mr. Queen, CLOY, and Mr. Sunshine, and how it enhances tone and viewer engagement.

• Why well-crafted character interaction reveals motivation better than exposition.

• The writing mantra: “Make me care.” How the best dramas engage our emotions without making us think about structure until the end.

• What we’re watching now, including Bon Appetit, Heavenly Ever After, Typhoon Family, Because This is My First Life, Signal, and Will You Marry Me.

• A big reveal: the next K Drama we’ll be recapping in Season 13! You have to listen to find out!

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K Drama Chat is a weekly podcast where we take one Korean (K) Drama each season and and recap and analyze each episode. K Drama Chat is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora.