SEOUL, The decision to adapt the popular Naver webtoon “Chicken Nugget” into a TV series was a significant challenge due to its unconventional and bizarre plot, its director said Monday.

“I found the story to be truly original. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before,” director Lee Byeong-heon said during an interview with a group of local reporters in Seoul.

“Working on the adaptation was challenging and demanded courage,” he said, adding, “I had to find the meaning of why I should do it. There were many thoughts going through my mind.”

Based on the eponymous Naver webtoon, the series depicts the peculiar journey of a father (played by Ryu Seung-ryong) whose only daughter (Kim You-jung) undergoes a bizarre transformation into a chicken nugget after entering a mysterious machine. Alongside him is an intern (Ahn Jae-hong) at the machine company, who secretly admires the boss’ daughter and becomes entangled in the strange events.

The story doesn’t stop there. Along the journey, various genres are int
ertwined, including sci-fi, drama, thriller and even time travel.

“It’s a completely new style of comedy. I was curious about how audiences would respond to the story,” he said.

“When I first read the original work, I perceived the story as tackling prejudice based on appearance. My aim was to broaden this theme into something more compelling and meaningful,” the director said.

The writer-director gained prominence with his box-office hit “Extreme Job” (2019), which drew more than 16 million moviegoers in South Korea, making it the country’s second most-viewed film ever. His 2019 JTBC drama, “Be Melodramatic,” achieved sleeper hit status for its thought-provoking and sympathetic portrayal of human relationships.

“The work (Chicken Nugget) may appear lighthearted or even absurd, but the creators approached it with seriousness,” he said. “The mood on set was dead serious.”

“Whenever I felt uncertain about my decision to adapt it, I reminded myself that it would find its audiences who would love the story d
espite the possibility of receiving mixed reviews,” he said.

The 10-part series premiered Friday and, as expected, has elicited diverse responses from global audiences, with some finding the plot hilarious and refreshingly original, and others considering it outrageous and totally absurd.

Unexpectedly, some Middle Eastern viewers have raised concerns about a scene in the last episode, where Saudi Arabia’s royal family members request two tickets for a sold-out concert, alleging that it is disrespectful to them.

The director disputed the allegations, saying the scene was crafted with the sole purpose of showcasing the immense popularity of Go Baek-joong, who became a global superstar.

“When I was writing the script, royal family members of Saudi Arabia were visiting South Korea,” he said, noting that their presence inspired him to include the scene.

“My intention was to illustrate that Go has achieved global recognition, to the extent that even powerful figures like members of the royal family would seek
concert tickets to see him perform.”

Source: Yonhap News Agency