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Fire destroys Maids set, kills one staffer

This is horrible news: Only one episode into its run, JTBC’s new fusion sageuk drama Maids suffered a terrible accident yesterday when a fire broke out on the set and killed one staff member.

The source of the fire is undetermined at the moment, but what is known is that it occurred at the drama’s set location on Saturday, December 13. That day, 73 cast and crew members were there to film, although they were not in the middle of filming when the fire broke out around 1 p.m.

Perhaps it’s fortunate that it was lunchtime, because 59 had left the building to take their lunches. There were 14 filming and lighting staffers in the building at work when the fire started, and of them 13 were able to escape to safety. One staffer, 35-year-old main script coordinator Yeom Hye-sun, was working in the production office on the second floor; she was unable to escape and died in the fire.

On December 14, a rep with the drama’s production company, Drama House, issued a formal statement wherein they expressed their apologies and stated that the police are currently investigating the cause.

Aside from the fact that any accident or death is a terrible thing, there are a few key points being pointed out by the press, the first being that JTBC is having a streak of misfortune. Sadly, the Maids accident isn’t the first one to strike the cable station.

In March of 2013, three staffers of JTBC’s sageuk drama Cruel Palace: War of the Roses were in a truck collision accident; two died, while one suffered minor injuries. Then in April of this year, the drama Wild Chives and Soybean Soup (aka Jang-gook Becomes Dallae) lost two members of their wardrobe staff, who died in a traffic accident.

Adding insult to injury, the set that caught fire was the drama’s only set… so where does that leave the show? Only one episode has aired, with Saturday’s episode (their second) pre-empted in light of the accident news. I’d presume that the drama has a few episodes filmed that could make it to air, but surely they’ll need to find a new set location quickly if they are to proceed.

I caught the show’s premiere and found it very well-done — it’s still too early to know much of the story, but the drama is beautiful and gorgeously scored. It’s also well-acted on Jung Yumi’s part (though I wonder if there will ever be a day when Oh Ji-ho breaks through and learns how to show emotions). I’m intrigued at the whole slaves-versus-nobility premise, and already we can see hints of how those dynamics will come to play into later episodes.

And yet, this is a case where I wonder if it might not be better for the drama to just cut its losses and walk away, as MBC did with Wolf in 2006. (There was an on-set car accident involving Eric, who was badly injured, and production halted three episodes in. It had been planned for 16 total, but instead just went off the air.) It’s still so early in Maids’ run that quitting might not be the worst decision to make, considering the effort it would require in order to keep going.

Furthermore, it’s not like it’s leaving a gaping hole in a peak airing slot, since JTBC actually created a new slot on the schedule just for the show; it wouldn’t be too strange to just close it up again. If Maids returns to its planned schedule (although how could it?), it will air on Friday and Saturday nights.

Via Asiae, Joy News, Asia Today

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What horrible news.

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No matter how good this drama would have been, they better shelf it coz if it was just a fire, it would have been ok to continue but with someone who lost her life to this unfortunate incident, that's never gonna good.

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Agreed

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Although this is a tragedy, but will be sad if the show that she was investing her time in doesn't continue; then dying would be in vain. I just believe that something good should always come out of something bad.

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I didn't read about JTBC's history of accidents but I was very much looking forward to Jung Yumi in a leading role. Given that the staff member who died was the main script writer, I have a feeling they may unfortunately cut the show.

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She's a script coordinator (more of a technical role), not a writer. But I do think they should cut the show.

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They probably should. It will cost a lot to get the series running again and given public sentiment probably won't be very good, it's doubtful the viewership would allow it to make a good profit at this point.

But money lost is nothing compared to this woman's life. This is extremely sad.

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+1

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I was so waiting for this drama to start, I hope they will not cancel it, just delay it.

Poor woman, what a tragic accident or whatever it was.

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they could make it and put it off showing it untill later next year, but the way korean drama are set up they likey need the income of it being screened to pay everyone, so that is most like not an option.

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Oh no how terrible :( jtbc seems to be jinxed almost.....

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To die on the job, in a fire, a senseless accident, in the prime of life, so close to Christmas and New Year...... Her family will always have that empty chair for year end family gatherings. I hope she doesn't have young children.

May she RIP.

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What- How? How did the set even catch on fire? I mean, A WHOLE SET!

Sad to hear the loss.

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Maybe a candle or lamp prop left lighted somewhere? Or something in the wiring?

Whatever started the fire, I think it spread really fast. Sageuk sets seem highly flammable. What with the paper walls, straw thatched roofs, wood posts, all those extra long hanboks and heavy prop costumes...

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I feel bad for the staff who will lose a source of income if this show is stopped. Then again I also pity them if they have to continue. It seems physically and mentally draining to do that too.

I only hope they recover from this and the victim's family also heal in time.

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Hanbok are traditionally made of silk/cotton/ramie (Which are slower to catch fire than you think), though it may be true the ones on screen are faked plastic which is highly flammable.

But yes, that's really too bad.

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I bet it burns more and just generates more heat in general per set of costume than those 6 inch miniskirts and shorts heroines wear in modern dramas.

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So sad! My condolences to her family, friends and even colleagues. I too feel they should stop the show, if not forever, then for long enough to really get over this, and out of respect for those affected.

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however, considering The King's Dream had even more unfortunate accidents happening throughout the run of the drama, and they only ended up cutting episode. granted, it's KBS, not a cable station...

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Oh, no!!! That's horrible :(

When I read the title, I first thought that it was some episode recap, and then it occurred to me that it wasn't a recap, but horrible news :(

I was looking forward to this drama, as it seems to have a bit of a different storyline.
I can't imagine to myself how the staff will get back to work now, with the shock of the set that is gone, having to rebuild it, and the trauma of both the fire and the life lost. Especially with the crazy timelines of filming a drama in Korea!

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Sad news indeed. Surely, the show can't go on in this case?

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Oh goodness that's really sad...may she rest in peace.

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My deep condolences. Hope everything will be ok. But I don't think they'll cut this drama like Wolf 2006. If I'm not wrong, that time, both stars, Eric and Han Ji Min badly injured. And doctor said there was a possibility that Eric couldnt walk forever. That's why he took more time for treatment. I think they cut the drama because the filming shooting couldn't be continued without them.

A bit different case with Maids. So, I guess they'll continue this drama. Anyway, whatever the decision, I wish the best for them.

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How tragic.

I understand the reasoning for cancellation, but I can't help but hope that the drama will go on. For some reason, I feel like the staffer who died, no matter how big or small her role, would want the last project she worked on in her life to make it to air. That's definitely how I would feel. I mean, she lost her life while working on it, and then to have it just end after that? I actually believe pushing through with this project is a way of appreciating her life and what she worked so hard to accomplish.

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I don't think anyone would love his work that much, that he'd die for it. It's her family and friends' mourning that should be considered in quitting the show. Not to mention the viewers, who would want to watch it now?

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I don't think happymess was at all implying that the person wanted to die for their work. I think this may be a cultural thing. Here people would say this is a reason to continue the show - that someone's last efforts were put into this and it would be a dishonor to see those efforts be in vain.

It seems like this is the opposite of normal reactions in Korea?

Families here, especially say those of actors, usually still want the movies put out when someone dies during it. It's more of a tribute to their passion, etc. And I don't think viewers here would not want to watch a show just because someone died during it.

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Thanks for clarifying. That is most definitely what I meant. And it's actually a matter I feel rather passionate about. In fact, I actually had a situation not unlike this one, involving a family member and the documentary they were working on. She had a small role, but she loved what she was working on and was so excited for us to see it. Most of my healing came from seeing the people involved complete the project (and it almost didn't happen).

I understand that this is not always people's reaction though. And I actually find that to be quite a shame.

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I agree. In the US, it seems that once someone dies, it's--- I'm not sure- forbidden? In bad taste? to show anything with him/her.
For me, that kind of attitude is pretty shocking- it's like erasing that person existence.
Furthermore, we are talking about a whole drama, lots and lots of money. No, let me rephrase- lots and lots of people working around the clock in order to bring it to air, their job depends on it, and since there's a lot of money invested in it- some people may lose all they have, and some people may not be hired again (because those who invested with them, won't be able to afford investing more).
It might sound like an exaggeration, but things happen.

Besides, I remember there were Hollywood films that went on screen, even though people died during the filming (they didn't even finish filming or anything!). And those were NOT cases of an accident like here, but people who died because they were doing their part during filming- stunts and not stunts.

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"I don’t think anyone would love his work that much, that he’d die for it." -Well, I certainly never meant to imply that. The point is that, even if she didn't want to, she still did. I'm saying (and this is a personal opinion regarding how I like to deal with the loss of my own loved ones) that I find it important to carry on with what she spent her last moments of life accomplishing. They can't give her life back, but at least they can make sure that her final efforts weren't in vain. I've actually had a situation like this in my life and would probably not be as at peace as I am now if I did not get to see the documentary that my family member died while working on. I understand, of course, that not all families feel this way. As a viewer, I would still watch.

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if they consider only her family and friends' mourning what about the rest of the cast producer and director.??
may the deceased rest in peace and living beings continue living

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Be hard to see how this would continue, though I, also, was looking forward to the drama.

I do wonder at the origin of the fire. I would suspect electrical.

I may be because I'm steeped in Muism right now (writing it), but maybe they need a mudang to uncurse JTBC? Or also consider making the shooting schedule simply more sane and give more cushion time between airing and filming.

Either way, I hope that the family and the station finds a way to move forward and find the answers they need to get past this tragedy. (not as in continue with the project, but with their lives and put in preventative measures for the future.)

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I'm not a fan of sageuks but I was looking forward to this one. It seemed like it was going to have an Upstairs/Downstairs feel to it with as much respectful attention to the folks who inhabit the Downstairs world as is usually given to those Upstairs. So very sad! It's a tragedy for all concerned. My condolences to the staffer's family, friends and colleagues.

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My deepest condolences.
it just reminds me of one ep in King Of Dramas when there's fire on set. It's just sad and terrible news.

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Wow. I can't imagine how the 35 year old's family feels.
God bless them.
If the loss of a precious life doesn't make them think twice about continuing, the cost of the rebuild should - not to mention the time it would take to get the details they desire.

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Sorry to hear of such a terrible accident. My condolences to the family and friends of the crew member who died.

That being said, I hope they continue the show because I was looking forward to it. They have moved forward after other tragic accidents, so I see no reason why they can't do so this time.

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I was reading that stopping the show will have impact on staff/those who have worked hard in the background and who need to be paid. There'll be losses all around if they do not continue. I'm conflicted about this, but I feel we should just let them decide for the best and not judge. Many choices are not as free as we'd like :(

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This is a real tragedy. If they don't stop production all together they may push it to spring, which will affect the casting. It can go either way, because there's also the saying, "the show must go on." But out of respect for the woman and her family, cancellation may be the best course to take.

But even though I'm reading their article about the tragedy, I see that Drama Beans couldn't help take a swing and breathe vitriol toward Oh Ji Ho once again. Maybe watch more than Chuno to see that he can indeed show many emotions. DB continues to use his character in Chuno as a starting point. Song Tae Ha was a stoic, quiet military leader. A man of few words, but all action. He wasn't some loud-mouth, annoying chaebol. His character in Maids seemed similar. How about flipping the script, Drama Beans? It's obvious that Oh Ji Ho is good at playing the strong, quiet type.

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I am not an OJH fan, but I felt disappointed at JB taking a swipe at him in this article. It seems inappropriate to me.

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While I appreciate the author taking the time to write an informed and well-written article, I agree that the snide comment about Oh Ji Ho's acting was catty and uncalled for. He did a great job in Chuno. His acting is no better or worse than the majority of dramatic actors out there.

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This is terrible. I feel sorry for the woman. I hope she finds peace. My heart goes out to her family.

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How awful! I'm really saddened by this news.

I too was looking forward to this show and I think it has/had a lot of potential. What an awful way to start. My thoughts are with the family and the rest of the members of this show.

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I'm so sorry. My condolences to the staffer's family.

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As sad as I am over her death and the accident overall, I think it's doing too much to completely stop production of the show. Yes someone died, but what about the staff that put in their time & effort into this? Certainly they won't get paid if the production company & jTBC decide to scrap the show and many are low level staff who rely on this money to feed their families. I say they continue on and pay tribute to the woman who died.

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I believe that, on occasion, American series have been cancelled after the death of a starring actor, but they would never do so over the death of a staffer. However, this is two distinctly different business models.

Korean series are capitalized for a Korean market--foreign sales are hoped for, but not a given, for the investors--and a limited run. There seems to be very little slack in the drama's financing and the Korean audience reacts strongly to "scandals" and incidents in the drama's history.

American series are capitalized for a domestic base audience an order of magnitude larger that a Korean audience. Because of this, even an unsuccessful series is guaranteed substantial income from initial commercial sales for an 8 to 26 episode run with an unlimited option. No production company begins a series without money to pay for salaries and other production costs. They are insured against accidents both major and minor and always have credit reserves to handle cost overruns.

Also, because the country is so large, the audience is socially quite a distance from the production company. If an American series they suffered a major loss like this, everything would be back on line in a few days. The audience might not even be aware that there was an accident. It's a different world, really.

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Well damn. With this string of accidents, is it too early to site conspiracy?

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I suspect it isn't so much conspiracy as corrupt and callousness. Chances are that set didn't have a modern fire-fighting system. If you're too cheap to install central heating in your primary studios, you probably skimp on a lot of other things.

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Sad sad news........i feel really bad for the deceased staff. RIP
Jtbc working environment may have some issues if it happened lots of times already

They should just cancel it. But i actually feel bad for JYM too, if this drama axed again.......her being the leads have been cancelled twice.

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yes! we do feel very sorry to the deceased. but the show shouldn't be stopped considering the efforts of other staff cast and crews

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My condolences to the family.

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I know this may come off as heartless. I'll preface everything I say with the fact that I don't know the how the entertainment industry operates in Korea. However, closing down a production in the States -- even in the face of tragedy -- is not so back and white.

I was born in Hollywood and lived most of my life in Los Angeles. I've had a lot of friends and family in the entertainment industry, from production assistants to head writers. I'm fairly knowledgeable in this area.

As others have mentioned, there is a real economic impact whenever there is a decision or an event that closes down production. Whether it's a sudden cancellation of a show or a writers strike, the effects can be devastating. It's not just the cast and crew who suffer, it's all the mom & pop businesses that support it... local cafes, dry cleaners... everything. Some go out of business.

There are several instances where "the show must go on" prevailed even in the most devastating of circumstances. Even when it's a lead actor who has died. Even in the very beginning of a run.

I am aware there are real differences in television production between the US and Korea. Korean shows for the most part have a limited time run. I'm guessing the ramp-up to shooting is shorter, whereas in the States it can be years in the making. Perhaps in that sense the impact of shutting down production is lessened?

In this circumstance, regardless of other factors, the loss of an entire set may make the economics of continuing unfeasible. Aside from all else, it may make more sense to cut the financial losses.

Add whatever cultural differences there are in dealing with tragedy, public sentiment, and so forth... I'm not going to pretend I know what happens in South Korea, or how to best deal with this situation.

I apologize for my rambling. My point is that -- at least in the States -- what is the best thing to do in these circumstances is not so cut and dried. What may seem cold and heartless, when looked at it from a broader perspective, may be the most kind and generous option. We're not privy to what's involved. I'm not going to make a judgment as to what's right or wrong, at least not until I have more facts.

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Very insightful. Thank you for your viewpoint.

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It's a tragedy, really. I hope they get down to it and find out what really happened, and my condolences to the family of the deceased.

On a different note, though, I don't quite understand why everyone is saying that no one will want to watch the show and that it should be stopped now. Someone care to explain?

Personally, I feel like it's in cases like this that the production has to keep on going no matter what, in honor of the deceased. They owe it to her. Also, I would think that more people would want to see it. Someone died working on it, it should at least spark interest as to what they were working on when the tragedy happened.

I guess it all comes down, like people said, to how we interpret the situation. Those who think going forward is being money-hungry despite someone's death might believe pulling off is the best thing to do, but for me, that's just disrespect towards the dead and the living. There's an entire crew working on this project that will lose revenue if the drama is stopped, not to mention that the deceased died while working on it, and it would be all for nothing if the show never gets aired. I hope it keeps on going. Fighting!

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Terrible news!! All my thoughts to the member's family!!

Sad news for the drama as well. The plot sounded good and JB's positive first impressions sadded me even more. Don't know why everyone's thinking that the drama should just go off the air??

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There was an accident during the filming of Gaksital, too (the last episode had a name up in the beginning screen offering "deepest condolences"), a minor actor died in a bus accident related to the filming. However, the producers or whoever was responsible for financing the show hardly gave the deceased's family any compensation, just enough for the funeral. I was very disappointed when I heard of this because I loved Gaksital as a show and didn't like to hear of such corruption going on behind its production.

I hope they compensate this lady's family enough in consideration of the fact that her life was taken and her family won't be the same as before. That's the least they can do.

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Just read:

UPDATE: New episodes of Maids officially delayed until end of January due to tragic fire
http://www.dramafever.com/news/update-new-episodes-of-maids-officially-delayed-until-end-of-january-due-to-tragic-fire/

and...

Production company releases apology after deadly fire on the set of Maids
http://www.dramafever.com/news/production-company-releases-apology-after-deadly-fire-on-the-set-of-maids/

According to this, the woman who died was the main scriptwriter. I read another story that said she was "one of the main writers".

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That's a mistranslation. She was the head "scripter," which is not a scriptwriter but a script coordinator (the person who checks for continuity from script to screen, scene to scene, etc). A different word is used for writer.

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That's what I'd thought, was surprised to see it changed today.

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This is sad news! I really loved the first show. It would be a shame and great lost if they do not stand up and wipe themselves off and continue on with it. Why give up? That is not what a company does so easily. We had a fire that destroyed all of our equipment but that did not stop us. We started the company right back up.
Please don't let other tell you to give up! Smile and push forward. You can do it!
Wishing you the best.
Donna
From Ohio, USA

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I am so sorry concerning the tragedy. I have become a fan of Korean movies and tv series. I constantly referred back to watch more episodes and wondered what may had happened to the series, now I can understand. If the series does not return, you will still have a devoted fan!!!!!
Take care.

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May Yeom Hye Sun Rest In Peace.

My sincere condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. The show is back on the air as of today. Let's hope and pray that all goes well from here on.

여러분 감사합니다. 힘내세요!

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I'm really sorry. But the start of this series was great. Please don't give up. Thank you.

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sorry For Loss of the Crew Member! But Omg Please Don't cancel the show It's soo Good I love the chemistry between the main leads !

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I really love this drama and each episode gives a warming scene, especially i'm really curious with the ending of In Yub and Mo Myung. I hope dramabeans start to review this drama.
Thank you

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My condolences to the family and friends of Yeom Hye-sun. I, personally, would want my work to be displayed after I die. Knowing that her work made this great drama should make them proud.

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