We recently reported on the news that the director of Suzy’s K-Drama Anna, which has received stellar reviews, Lee Joo Young, was considering suing the drama’s exclusive streaming platform Coupang Play over what the director claims as damages to the drama.
Anna was supposed to be an eight-episode drama with a run time of 45-61 minutes per episode. Coupang Play decided to make changes without the input of the director and presented a six-episode drama. Not only were there changes made to the length of the drama, but its prose, filming, editing, and narrative were all damaged by Coupang Play.
— Lee Joo Young’s Lawyer
This has caught fans of the drama off guard as the director has been celebrated for the drama. Anna was released exclusively on Coupang Play on June 24 and quickly attracted new audiences to Coupang‘s new streaming platform. Coupang is Korea’s largest online retailer, similar to Amazon.
According to director Lee Joo Young’s attorney, the director would like to disassociate herself from the drama altogether and demanded an apology, stating the director would pursue legal action if her demands weren’t met.
The director has asked that her name be taken off in the credits under director and writer but has been ignored. We asked through a third party for the corrections but have yet to receive word. We ask for an official apology and corrective action from Coupang Play, or we will pursue legal action.
— Lee Joo Young’s Lawyer
On August 3, editing director Kim Jung Hoon, who worked as an editor on Anna, weighed in on the controversy. The director, through his social media, gave credence to director Lee Joo Young’s argument.
I was the editing director on Anna. The Anna that I watched on June 24 was not the same drama that the director and I spent sleepless nights working on.
— Kim Jung Hoon
The director stated that he, too, felt compelled to ask that his name be taken off from the drama’s credits, stating that the version he and director Lee Joo Young worked on was decimated by Coupang Play.
I also asked that my name be taken down from the credits, but my requests were to no avail. I did not edit the drama, and it is hard for me to take credit for work done by someone I don’t know. If you are a creative and a member of the staff who worked tireless nights, you would feel the same way. I standby what director Lee Joo Young stated as I feel the same way.
— Kim Jung Hoon
Coupang Play initially acknowledged the discord between the streaming platform and the drama’s directors, stating, “It is true we had a difference in the editing and story-telling of the drama. Although we tried to come to a compromise that appeased all parties, in the end, we weren’t able to.”
Coupang Play was originally slated to release an official statement on August 3, but it seems there might be a delay. The streaming platform told news outlet OSEN that they would release an official statement soon.
What are your thoughts? Do you believe streaming platforms such as Netflix should have the power to edit your favorite dramas?
The editing director’s full statement is below.
I was the editing director on Anna.
The Anna that I watched on June 24 was not the same drama that the director and I spent sleepless nights working on.
When Coupang asked for the project’s editing files, I thought this was a violation, but when I found out that they took the files from the production company, our fears were validated, and our eight-episode drama was released in six episodes.
When our biggest fears became a reality, director Lee Joo Young and our staff’s trust were destroyed.
How is this even possible?
I have never received editing notes from Coupang before. Usually, while editing, the final cut takes into account many different opinions that are recorded in notes. Anna took no such steps. A couple of comments made by Coupang employees over half a day were all. And as such, Anna was made in secret, unbeknownst to its creators and staff.
I would like to ask.
Is this Coupang’s way of communicating? And their way of creating a good project?
I also asked that my name be taken down from the credits, but my requests were to no avail. I did not edit the drama, and it is hard for me to take credit for work done by someone I don’t know. If you are a creative and a member of the staff who worked tireless nights, you would feel the same way. I standby what director Lee Joo Young stated as I feel the same way.
— Kim Jung Hoon
