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Kickoffs, collisions and a cash prize: Producer of Netflix rugby series reveals passion for sport

Published: 19 Dec. 2024, 18:26

A still from Netflix rugby show “Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die” [NETFLIX]

When Chang Si-won, head producer of JTBC subsidiary Studio C1, chose rugby as the theme for his new sports variety show, people around him were full of questions.

Even for Chang, who had pioneered new genres of variety shows such as “The Fishermen and the City" (2017-22), “The Iron Squad” (2021-23) and “A Clean Sweep” (2022-), there were concerns that launching a show about rugby in Korea would be a risky move.

Rugby is a lesser-known sport in Korea. It does not have its own professional league nor is it a familiar hobby to the general population. People rarely watch rugby broadcasts. However, passion struck Chang, and he didn’t back down. With incredible determination, he partnered with Netflix to create the sports survival variety show “Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die.”

The first four episodes of the Netflix show “Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die” were released on Dec. 10. There are 14 episodes in total. New episodes will be released every Tuesday until the final episode premieres on Jan. 7. Seven teams compete in the battle survival show: Kepco Rugby, Hyundai Glovis Rugby Team, Posco ENC, OK Savings Bank Okman Rugby Club, Korea Armed Forces Athletic Corps, Korea University and Yonsei University. The winning team will receive a cash prize of 300 million won ($207,000) and a gold trophy.

Singer-songwriter Yoon Do-hyun is taking part as the music director, while announcer Jeong Yong-geom from “A Clean Sweep” and Korea’s only international rugby referee and commentator Seo In-soo take charge of the match broadcasts.

Chang Si-won, head producer of JTBC subsidiary label’s Studio C1 [NETFLIX]

“Rugby may be an unpopular sport in Korea, and it’s not a variety show with celebrities, but we are ready to deliver a deeply sensational experience,” Chang said during a press conference held earlier this month at a theater in Yongsan District, central Seoul.

Conquer or die

Rugby came to Chang’s mind at the beginning of last year. During a trip to Sapporo, Japan, at the end of the first season of “A Clean Sweep,” he envisioned rugged men battling as if they were in a war among a snowy backdrop. He immediately thought of rugby. As soon as he returned to Korea, he attended live rugby matches, where players threw themselves into the game without even the allure of prize money.

“My previous successful themes: fishing, the military and baseball were all met with skepticism at first. There’s nothing that can be done if you weigh every single situation. If I push forward and get results, people will realize that it works,” said Chang.

A still from Netflix rugby show “Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die” [NETFLIX]

Chang’s relentless directing style mirrors rugby’s nature. Rugby does not stop for the 80 minutes of playing time, even through rain or injuries. Likewise, in “Rugged Rugby: Conquer of Die,” players persevere through bleeding foreheads and bone-crushing collisions and push forward for their team. They embody the mantras, “Get up even if it hurts,” and, “You have to face it to gain the results.”

Sports fundamentally carry a clear message. In late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s essay "Read the World with Your Own Thinking" (1997), he wrote, “What matters most to us is to throw ourselves into obstacles to break through our present defeatist mindset with the spirit of rugby.”

Lee’s rugby spirit resonated with Chang, as he directed the show more like a documentary than a variety show.

“As we age, we tend to avoid confrontation. While there are times to step aside, progress only comes from moving forward. In life, if you stand still, you will fall behind. Rugby is also about propelling forward to survive. I was moved countless times by the rugby players’ passion,” Chang said.

A rugby match held between Korea and Malaysia on June 2 in Incheon for the 2024 Asia Rugby Championship [NEWS1]

Capturing the action

Filming started this April, one month before the Korea Super Rugby League season. Chang spent nine months researching rugby broadcasting because he recognized that the three-camera setup of the rugby broadcasting system would not be enough.

To elevate the viewer's immersion, the actions of the 30 on-field players had to be captured at diverse angles. Chang employed 40 cameras and 100 fixed cameras, totaling 140, which resulted in a higher production cost than “A Clean Sweep.”

Additionally, miniature microphones were fitted to 200 players. “The sounds of the players wrestling gave me chills. I wanted viewers to hear the shocking sounds of bones and flesh clashing against each other,” Chang added.

The editing process took eight months. It was the first time Chang had edited rugby matches, and with the sport's unfamiliar rules, there was much trial and error, he said. Chang also revealed he had watched each episode over 20 times and wanted to take advantage during preproduction to maximize the quality of the show's editing.

Chang Si-won, head producer of JTBC subsidiary label’s Studio C1 [NETFLIX]

Looking ahead

Chang did not pour his effort into “Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die” to revive rugby in Korea. “The revival of rugby is the role of the Korea Rugby Union. I am a person who produces entertaining shows. In the second season, I want to make an upgraded battle survival where teams compete to steal the trophy from one another,” he said.

Chang also hinted at plans for a sports trilogy following baseball and rugby. The next sport is undecided, Chang said, but if any theme captures his attention, he is ready to go ahead.

“Though I am only producing sports variety shows now, I would like to produce a dating show that looks into the depths of humanity, like a documentary, someday,” he added.

BY HWANG JEE-YOUNG [[email protected]]