Shin Ha-eun (Korean: 신하은; Hanja: 申夏恩)[1] is a South Korean television screenwriter best known for her global hit Netflix original series Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021). She also work as co-author for two tvN dramas, Argon (2017) and The Crowned Clown (2019).[2]
Shin Ha-eun | |
|---|---|
신하은 | |
| Born | South Korea |
| Education | the Broadcasting Writers Education Center KTRWA |
| Occupation | Screenwriter |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Agent | Studio Dragon |
| Notable work | Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | |
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Shin Ha-eun |
| McCune–Reischauer | Shin Ha-ŭn |
Shin is also known as graduates of 2017 CJENM O'PEN Content Creator Project. Her winning script was produced into an episode of tvN 2018 Drama Stage Anthology or also known as Collection of Poems.[3]
Shin Ha-eun studied writing in The Broadcasting Writers Education Center in Seoul.[4] The center was founded in 1988 by the Korea Television and Radio Writers Association (KTRWA)[lower-alpha 1] As television screenwriter, Shin Ha-eun is current member of KTRWA. Her name and her copyrighted work can be found in KTRWA online database.
She also one of 2017 O'PEN writers.[lower-alpha 2] O'PEN writers were recruited through an open call between January and March 2017. A total of 3,700 aspiring writers applied for competition with scripts for dramas or films during the contest period of about two months. Dozen of various drama and film industry officials judged the script in two to three rounds. The jury finally selected 35 new writers, including 20 new drama writers and 15 new movie writers.[8]
"Competition for competition is fierce as word of mouth among aspiring writers spreads the various debut support programs and networks of field workers in O'PEN. I can't feel this moment as I'm fulfilling my dream of writing. I will meet viewers with good works in the future."
—Shin on Anthology (2017) [9]
In 2017, Shin Ha-eun co-authored tvN Argon[10][11] with two other writers Joon Young-shin and Joo Won-gyu. Directed by Lee Youn-jeong, this eight episodes mini series is focused on Team Argon, an investigative television program that strive on pursuing facts. It show dynamic between Kim Baek-jin (Kim Joo-hyuk) a perfectionist news anchor, reporter and leader of Argon and Lee Yeon-hwa (Chun Woo-hee), a temporary employee who dream to be a reporter. The drama was aired on cable channel tvN every Monday and Tuesday at 22:50 (KST) from September 4–26, 2017.[12]
In November 2017, tvN announced that Shin Eun-soo and Lee Jae-won have confirmed their appearances as the female and male protagonists of for Shin's one-act drama's Anthology (Collection of Poem).[13][14][15] In this project, Shin reunite with director of Argon Lee Youn-jeong.[16][17] Broadcast in January 6, Anthology was part six of ten episodes of 2018 tvN Drama Stage.[lower-alpha 3]
“Personally, I think the most important thing for an artist is experience. O'PEN broadened the spectrum of that experience. Through special lectures by writers and directors who created masterpieces of the time, their insights were also shared. The process of creating a work for an artist is like running a marathon. When I was tired and exhausted, O'PEN acted as a good running mate."
—Shin on O'PEN (2022)[18]
CJ E&M announced in April 2018 that their first four 2017 O'PEN writers had recently signed a writing contract with a leading domestic drama production company. One of them was Shin Ha-eun, who signed a contract with Studio Dragon to write a mini-series from 16 episodes to a maximum of 32 episodes. This marked her full-fledged debut as a drama writer.[19]
In November 2019, CJ E&M announced that three of their 2017 O'PEN graduated writers will enter the industry by co-authoring drama series scheduled to be aired on terrestrial and cable television. With senior writer Kim Seon-deok, Shin Ha-eun co-authored tvN drama The Crowned Clown.[20][21][22] This sixteen episodes historical drama was a remake of the 2012 film Masquerade. The series centers on the tale of a Joseon King and his doppelganger, a clown whom he puts on the throne to escape the intense power struggles afflicting the royal court.[23][24]
Shin Ha-eun first project as main writer was a 2021 remake of movie Mr. Handy Mr. Hong [ko] (2004). The series, was first announced on December 21, 2020, under the working title of Hong Ban-jang (홍반장) with Kim Seon-ho and Shin Min-a being offered the lead roles.[25] Final English working title was decided as Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,[26][27] matching the drama storyline of a love story between a realist dentist Yoon Hye-jin (Shin Min-a) and an all-rounder, Hong Banjang (Kim Seon-ho) in his hometown Gongjin. It was premiered in August 2021 in cable channel tvN at 21:00 (KST) and followed one hour later in Netflix streaming platform.
"I wanted to say that in these days when emotional distance is difficult to get close, nevertheless, love still exists between people." It's a drama, and the reason why such a story was able to become popular all over the world is probably because it was based on people's mind."
—Shin on Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021) [28]
Promoted as healing romance drama, Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha received favorable reviews from domestic and foreign viewers.[29][30] It entered the list of the highest-rated series on cable television history.[31][32] It ranked first place during its entire run for eight weeks, and the last episode achieved 12.665% nationwide rating, with over 3.2 million views.[33]
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English television shows. According to FlixPatrol,[lower-alpha 4] the series placed number 8th on its global chart. It also became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English television shows, and one of its longest-running hits as it spent 16 weeks in global top ten ranking in more than 20 countries.[35][36][37] It also remained on Netflix's Top 10 Chart for television shows for more than two months from its last episode.[38][39]
On December 21, 2020, Kim Soo-hyun Drama Art Hall operated by Cheongju City Culture Industry Promotion Foundation, selected Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha as '2021 Good Drama of the Year'. Shin Ha-eun as writer, Yoo Je-won as director, were written in the certificate of award along with name of main casts. It was selected by both the viewer evaluation team and expert group and it was praised as a 'K-healing drama' that appeared at a time when sensational genre content was overflowing, and was loved by domestic and foreign viewers.[40][41]
| Year | Title | Network | Note | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English title | Original title | ||||
| 2017 | Argon | 아르곤 | tvN | Co-author (with authors Joon Young-shin and Joo Won-gyu) | [12] |
| 2018 | Drama Stage Episode 6 Anthology | 문집 | Author | [14] | |
| 2019 | The Crowned Clown | 왕이 된 남자 | Co-author (with author Kim Seon-deok) | [20] | |
| 2021 | Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha | 갯마을 차차차 | Author, based on Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong [ko] by Kang Seok-beom and Shin Jung-goo | [30] | |
| Year | Title | Producer | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Korean | |||
| 2022 | Anthology | 문집 | CJ E&M and Willa | |
| Year | Title | Author | Publisher | Published Date | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English title | Original title | |||||
| 2019 | The Man Who Became King Script Book 1 | 왕이 된 남자 1 | Kim Sun-deok, Shin Ha-eun | Artificial Man Co., Ltd | July 11, 2019 | 9791188850501 |
| The Man Who Became King Script Book 2 | 왕이 된 남자 2 | 9791188850518 | ||||
| 2021 | Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Vol 1: Shin Ha-Eun Scriptbook | 갯마을 차차차 1 : 신하은 대본집 신하은 | Shin Ha-eun | Booklog Company Co., Ltd | November 8, 2021 | 9791168030046 |
| Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha Vol 2: Shin Ha-Eun Scriptbook | 갯마을 차차차 2: 신하은 대본집 신하은 | 9791168030053 | ||||
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kim Soo-hyun Drama Art Hall[lower-alpha 5] | 2021 | Serial Drama Category – Good Drama of the Year | Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha tvN, Shin Ha-eun, Yoo Je-won, Shin Min-a, Kim Seon-ho, Lee Sang-yi, Gong Min-jeung, Kim Yeong-ok |
Won[lower-alpha 6] | [42] |