While they enjoy increasing popularity worldwide, one of the few criticisms that Netflix‘s Korean originals face from viewers is that they often include too many“ unnecessary ”erotic scenes that do not relate to the stories or are seemingly only used to be provocative.

But despite its themes of love, marriage and infidelity, “Remarriage & Desires” director Kim Jung-min decided to resist the temptation.

Directors Kim Jin-min of “My Name” (2021) and Kim Hong-sun of “Money Heist: Korea - Joint Economic Area,” (2022) have both been forced to defend their use of such scenes, explaining that they were essential to present the complex relationships and emotions of the characters.

But Kim had different plans for Netflix’s matchmaking melodrama.

“The interesting stories and the captivating characters of ‘Remarriage & Desires’ don’t need sex scenes,” director Kim Jung-min told The Korea Herald during an online interview with a group of reporters Wednesday.

The actors’ ability to show the psychological and emotional changes in the characters made him confident about presenting the stories with a minimum of love scenes, according to the director.

When asked his opinion on the series‘ English title, Kim said he wanted the project to be introduced differently to the global audience.

“I thought that ‘Black’s Bride’ (a literal translation of the Korean title) offered a unique impression to Korean viewers, who are familiar with matchmaking companies and their grading systems. But I wanted to deliver a clearer image of my series to foreign viewers by presenting words that best describe the drama. I had an in-depth discussion with Netflix, and we decided on ‘Remarriage & Desires,’” Kim said.

The director also talked about his experience of doing research on local matchmaking companies.

“I sensed a cautious, strange atmosphere while visiting matchmaking companies. Sometimes, it seemed like an ordinary place for counseling,” the director said.

“We tried to capture the mysterious and secretive spirit of these companies by adding a modern hanok design twist to Rex‘s building. If the viewer already knows about matchmaking companies, they might be surprised with the unique hanok design, which is less common,” Kim said. “I also wanted to present Korea’s traditional beauty to an international audience.”

The director mentioned the love and support he has received from fans of the show.

“Though I am not familiar with the chart‘s record, I heard from officials that the series has been enjoyed by many foreign viewers, who have found our stories very interesting. That means a lot to me, and I am grateful,” the director said.

Kim said that the introduction of a new character in the last episode is symbolic of unending human desire and hints at a new beginning for Rex CEO, Choi Yoo-sun, but is not necessarily related to the future of the show.

The eight-part series, featuring a story of women striving to marry a coveted, wealthy bachelor, is available on streaming platform Netflix.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)