Former Judge-Turned-Writer Moon Yoo-seok Reveals Mentor Relationship with Kim Eun-sook

Former judge and now drama writer Moon Yoo-seok has revealed that renowned writer Kim Eun-sook is his mentor.

On the October 24th episode of tvN's variety show 'You Quiz on the Block' (hereafter referred to as 'You Quiz'), Moon Yoo-seok appeared as a guest.

During the show, Moon Yoo-seok shared, "Kim Eun-sook is my mentor," and spoke about his connection with her during his time as a judge. He explained, "The production company representative seemed unsure about me and showed my initial script to Kim Eun-sook, asking if it was suitable for broadcasting." He continued, "She provided feedback on my drafts from episodes 1 to 4 with a red pen. Despite being busy writing 'Mr. Sunshine' at the time, she took the time to give detailed feedback on my novice writing."

Kim Eun-sook's thorough feedback with her red pen was invaluable. Moon Yoo-seok recalled, "I asked her if I could make a living as a full-time writer after quitting my judge position and not pursuing a career as a lawyer. She encouraged me by saying, 'Go for it.' That gave me the courage to pursue writing."

When asked about the most memorable feedback from Kim Eun-sook, Moon Yoo-seok said, "I once wrote a line that was quite cheesy and romantic, and she loved it. She advised me, 'Don't hold back, write more.' When I expressed concern that it might be awkward coming from me, she reassured me, 'Write more. Viewers love this kind of thing.' So, I boldly wrote more."

Moon Yoo-seok added, "Even when my scripts were rejected, I didn't give up. I decided to write about what I knew best and was most passionate about, which was legal dramas, and that's how I wrote 'Pro Bono.' It turned out to be a great decision, and the writing flowed well."

Na-yeon Cho, TenAsia Reporter nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr