Although some people compare this chance to winning the lottery, this dreamlike opportunity didn’t magically come to her. When Muhandojun recruited university students in November 2009 for a creative team to provide fresh viewpoints and ideas for production, more than 4,000 people applied for 25 posts.
“Since my dream is to become a producer of game shows, it seemed like a once in a life time chance for me. I appealed everything about myself through my resume and videos, focusing on my bubbly character and special interest in producing unique movies I corrected them thousands of times for perfection,” said Park.
But the real challenge started after she was accepted and found a tough schedule waiting for her. On every Tuesday and Thursday, all the producers and members of the creative team gather for a idea meeting. Each proposal made receives instant feedback from others. Through this procedure, the distinctive and hilarious themes of Muhandojun are created.
“Once, I proposed an idea that brought a lot of attention. There is a saying that all the people in the world are linked to each other within five connections, so I wanted to test it on the show,” Park said. “For instance, you give Muhandojun members the mission to meet Tom Cruise through only five people, from one member’s acquaintance to another’s acquaintance and so on.”
This idea gave a tip to produce last theme of Muhandojun, “Finding Kim Sang-duk in
Along with regular meetings, the creative team also spends lots of time with producers and staff in casual gatherings. Drinking parties after meetings or random get-togethers are endless.
“It’s amazing that the most famous producers in treat us just like funny and mischievous older brothers. Once my friend got a really curly perm and producer Kim teased her all day long saying she looks like a mommy,” she said.
Her tie to Muhandojun doesn’t stop at building a close bond with the staff. Park meets members of the cast not as a fan, but as the regular staff of the team.
“The shooting proceeds without any script, which creates a liberal atmosphere of Muhandojun where any member can make unexpected ad-libs and hilarious jokes. Especially, Park Myung-soo’s never ending shouts toward the staff make everyone laugh out loud during shooting,” she said.
Park is living with an even more exciting expectation these days: the idea proposed and produced by the creative team will be finally broadcasted on TV. Until now, their ideas were only tips for the topic and the actual producing was done by original staff.
“I really can’t tell what the theme is. I am strictly bound by the contract so I really can’t reveal anything,” she said. “But to give a slight tip to Ewha students, the place we suggested appealed strongly to the producers and they are now doing the site-survey.”
Park says the feeling of sharing her idea to millions of views can’t be simply defined in one term.
“So many feelings cross my mind. Happiness, excitement, thrills, and sometimes I feel like a mom watching her daughters get married,” she said. “What I know for sure is that watching 60 minutes of the show will never feel the same way again. I will remember all the hardships and memories I had in the producing.”
Although she is successfully working with Muhandojun and building close bonds with the most prominent producers in , she never seems to be settled with content.
“This experience is indeed precious. It makes me realize how many things I have left to learn. I will keep trying to be a producer who can make the next Muhandojun,” she said.