Producer pulls humor from pathos, giving TV a 'Kick'

With the first two seasons of "High Kick",Kim Byung-wook, the show's creator, cemented his place in television history with a memorable portrayal of the modern Korean family.

Through the sitcom, Kim created a memorable cast of unconventional and multilayered characters such as the authoritative grandfather from season one, "High Kick!" (2006-2007), who teaches himself how to use a computer after he stumbles upon a short porn movie on the Web and the handsome teenage boy from season two, "High Kick Through The Roof" (2009-2010), who is grammatically and mathematically challenged.

But whereas the first two seasons focused on the relationships within families whose three generations live under the same roof, season three shifts focus to tell the stories of characters in their 20s and 30s.

"The new season focuses more on the relationships between individuals rather than within a family", Kim said during a recent interview with the JoongAng Ilbo.

The show, which is set to start after the Chuseok harvest holiday on Sept. 19, had a production budget of 8.7 billion won ($7.9 million), which is higher than any other in local television history.

When asked the meaning of the title, "The Short Legs Counterattack", the 51-year-old Kim said, "Many people assume that a high kick is something that can only be done by tall people, but short people can kick high, too. Through the title I wanted to convey the hopes and dreams of people who are down on their luck".

Pop culture critic Ha Jae-keun said that it is this use of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances that has made Kim's sitcoms popular.

"Kim does an excellent job of mixing the pathos of living in modern society with humor", Ha said. "Exaggerated characters don't move us, but the characters in Kim's sitcoms are like me and you".

Season three revolves around a husband and wife in their late 40s, who end up living off a younger brother after their business goes bankrupt.

During the interview, Kim and the show's three writers - Baek Seon-woo,Jang Jin-ahandLee Young-cheol- offered a glimpse of season three, which they said continues some of the themes of the first two seasons.

As in previous seasons, the main character is a father who is helpless, incompetent and petty.

ActorAhn Nae-sangplays the role of the father, who loses his job after his company goes out of business.

"Korean fathers believe they work hard, but their efforts often go unappreciated by their families", Baek said. "That's what enrages Ahn's character on the show". As always, the characters are named after the actors who play them.

"Since we all have ups and downs in life, it's hard to win viewers' hearts with stories that may be funny but lack depth", Jang said. "After all, some of the most beautiful moments emerge from the saddest stories".

The previous two "High Kick" seasons also share a number of symbolic elements, such as the existence of a hideout or emergency exit. The family home in season one had a fireman's pole and the house in season two had a dog door installed into a wall, allowing characters to move between rooms and providing for some comical moments. The main house in the upcoming season has an underground tunnel connecting Ahn's house and his neighbor's bathroom.

Kim said that he believes everyone needs their own space and the tunnel functions as a place that offers comfort to people who are in need of an escape. According to Kim, some of the characters use the tunnel to find love and others use it to escape from reality.

"Everyone wants his or her own space", he said. "Back when I was young, I used to create my own space by folding my mattress into a triangle. It was comfortable and cozy".

When asked what they were hoping to achieve with the third season, Kim and the writers were in agreement on the theme.

"We wanted to talk about the things in life that facilitate personal growth", Lee said.

Kim rose to stardom with the Sunday morning series "LA Arirang" in 1995 and went on to produce a string of popular sitcoms including "Soonpoong Clinic" (1998-2000) and "The Unstoppables" (2000-2002).

Kim has also become known as a star maker. Many of the lesser-known actors and actresses affiliated with Kim or his shows have since become famous, including pan-Asian actressSong Hye-kyowho appeared in "Soonpoong Clinic". Most recently, singer-turned-actressHwang Jeong-eum, who appeared in the second season of "High Kick" became a star overnight after she appeared on the show. Before the sitcom, she was a washed up singer who had edged her way onto a reality show, but after her turn on "High Kick" she started playing leading roles in TV dramas and is now a spokesmodel with more than 20 TV commercials to her credit. And in interviews, Hwang often tells the story of how she had just 487 won ($0.45) to her name when she started the show but walked away with 1.2 billion won when it ended.

The cast of season three includes a group of young actors hoping to follow in Hwang's footsteps, including singer-turned-actorYoon Kye-sangfrom the film"Poongsan"(2011),Park Ha-seonfrom "The Last Blossom" (2011) and Kyrstal from the girl group f(X).

Season 1

"High Kick!" (November 2006 to July 2007) showed the daily life of a large family living under the same roof. The show revolved around a money-obsessed grandfather and his wife, a girlish grandmother; their son, who is an incompetent father; the son's fiery wife; and their two teenage boys.

Season 2 / Season 3

Season 2

In "High Kick Through The Roof" (September 2009 to March 2010), two girls from the countryside come to live with a big, well-off family in the city.

Season 3

"High Kick 3, The Short Legs Counterattack" (September 2011) will shift away from the family to focus on younger characters. It follows a husband and wife who end up living off of a younger brother after their business goes bankrupt.


By Lim Ju-ri, Sung So-young