‘Law And The City’ Producer Shares What Makes A K-Drama A Hit

The realistic legal drama ‘Law and the City’ is popular domestically and internationally.

CJ ENM

Kim Ho-jun is the producer of the Korean drama Law and the City, a CJ ENM drama which stars Lee Jong-suk (W, Romance Is A Bonus Book), Mun Ka-young (My Dearest Nemesis, True Beauty), Kang You-seok (Resident Playbook), Ryu Hye-young (The Nice Guy) and Lim Sung-jae (Newtopia). The k-drama is a hit with viewers due to its compelling storyline involving attorneys in Seoul’s Seocho-dong neighborhood. It’s not the only successful drama recently produced by Kim Ho-jun. He’s the producer responsible for the 2024 hit dramas Lovely Runner, starring Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-Seok, and No Gain No Love, starring Shin Min-ah and Kim Young-dae.

“With Lovely Runner, I came on board when most of the setup was already in place, and the script itself was a textbook example of strong drama writing,” said Kim. “The character arcs, emotional build-up and pacing were near flawless, which convinced me to move forward with it. But what truly cemented my belief in its success was seeing footage of the lead actors. Their performances were so natural and immersive—it felt like Sun-jae and Sol were real breathing people.”

Viewers agreed and the drama became a fan favorite. No Gain No Love was also a hit. Given how perfectly all the actors fit their roles, it might surprise viewers to learn that Kim made a casting change rather late in the game.

“With No Gain, No Love, I actually made a casting change mid-production,” said Kim. I was confident because the new leads matched their characters so well in both personality and presence. That real-life alignment gave the show a sense of authenticity. This kind of actor-character synergy is something I always prioritize in casting decisions.”

What was it about Law and the City that sealed the deal?

“This drama came from a desire to break free from creative stagnation and connect with viewers through stories grounded in everyday life,” said Kim. “With so much content saturating today’s market, it’s increasingly difficult to surprise or deeply engage people with conventional narratives. While many producers have turned to fantasy, sci-fi, or blockbuster genres to stand out, only a few of these attempts truly resonate with viewers.”

When Director Park Seung-woo first brought up the idea of Law and The City, Kim decided to take a different approach by producing a realistic drama that pushed the characters to the forefront.

A romantic arc between Lee and Mun’s characters was incorporated into the legal drama.

CJ ENM

“That’s how Law and The City began,” said Kim. “I’ve always believed that there’s no fantasy greater than reality. No matter how spectacular a story is, it can’t compete with the real-life thrill of, say, winning the lottery myself. No matter how impressive the visuals or storyline may be, I believe a drama is nothing without real people at its heart.”

As a result he wondered about the moments of everyday life that might truly move the hearts of viewers. Associate lawyers, who are professionals, but also just salaried workers, seemed like the perfect subject. The characters are familiar yet distant and therefore relatable for viewers.

“ I believe it has successfully resonated with our viewers based on the show’s global records—sweeping charts in 150 regions on U-NEXT (Japan), Rakuten Viki, iQIYI, tvN Asia, Disney+ and more.”

He compares producing a drama to nurturing a plant. Sometimes it takes a while to see a drama’s true potential.

“Even if you begin with a clear vision, the direction often shifts in unexpected ways,” said Kim. “While there are times when the potential is evident from the start, it’s more common for true confidence to emerge during the development—or even the production process.”

Law and the City was something of an experiment.

“There were times we had doubts, especially since the show doesn’t follow a typical plot-driven structure with big dramatic twists,” said Kim. “But as we developed the detailed scenes around meals and fleshed out the five lead characters, the richness and realism started to come through—and that gave us growing confidence.”

The role of a chief producer is to oversee the entire project.

“That includes selecting the director, casting, budgeting, securing the programming slot, and setting the overall creative direction,” said Kim. “While I occasionally take part in selecting the project concept itself, the CP’s most critical responsibility is securing a programming slot. To do that I analyze what channels and platforms need from a content-as-product perspective. As the final decision-maker, I then tailor the production setup to enhance the project’s commercial value.”

Kim credits the drama’s director Park Seung-woo (Adamas, Kairos, W: Two Worlds Apart) for his meticulous attention to details, which was absolutely indispensable. He describes the Law and The City team as experienced and proactive, showing no hesitation in independently developing and experimenting with ideas. One of the factors making Law and the City seem so realistic was the script written by Lee Seung-hyun, a practicing attorney. His expertise grounded the story.

“One of the episodes sparked real debate in the legal community,” said Kim. “It was based on a controversial real-life case. His input added a level of credibility.”

Drama productions usually face some challenges and weather was an ongoing consideration when the crew needed to film in Hong Kong. Also, when they filmed there, local police had to step in to help with crowd control. Lee Jong-suk also sustained an injury, slipping on the stairs while filming a romantic scene. His injury almost ended filming that day, but Lee worked through the pain and, like a true professional, focused on his emotions

“Despite all that, the scenes we captured turned out beautifully and became one of the show’s standout elements.”

Viewers may not realize that the screenplay originally focused on the two leads and that it only eventually evolved into a five-character ensemble.

“We built out each character’s arc and leaned into their personal growth stories, making all five main characters equally lovable to viewers,” said Kim.

Also, a romance arc was added to the legal realism, which led to the filming in Hong Kong, recapturing scenes of a previous meeting between Lee and Mun’s characters.

If Kim Ho-jun had to pick a favorite scene, he narrows it down to two.

“One of my favorite scenes is in Episode Two, where Ju-hyeong and Hui-ji argue over a legal precedent about whether banks can forcibly collect loans from low-income housing residents,” said Kim. “It was the scene that convinced me to green light the project. It perfectly captured the characters’ dynamics, the drama’s themes, and marked the beginning of their relationship.”

The ending of the sixth episode also became one of his favorite scenes.

“Sang-ki, faced with the harsh reality of having to prove his poverty, visits the humble diner where his mother works, eats a bowl of soup, and quietly breaks down in tears,” said Kim. “Everyone in the editing room was deeply moved—it resonated with all of us. Viewers, too, responded with overwhelming emotion. Lim Seong-jae’s performance as Ha Sang-ki was absolutely breathtaking. There are many more memorable scenes, but those two remain especially close to my heart.”

The CJ ENM drama originally aired on tvN in Korea. In the U.S. Law and the City airs on Viki.com.