"I think it’s more appropriate for harsh words to be directed at me rather than the participants." Jeong Jong-yeon, the producer of 'Devil's Plan 2,' calmly opened up about the criticism aimed at the program.
The Netflix original 'Devil's Plan: Death Room (abbreviated as Devil's Plan 2)', which concluded on 20th last month, is a brain survival game variety show where players from various professions compete over seven days to determine the best brain. It ended with Jeong Hyun-kyu, who burned an indomitable desire to win until the end, claiming the final victory. In response, Jeong Jong-yeon, the producer of the 'Devil's Plan' series, conducted interviews with the winner, Jeong Hyun-kyu, at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, just a week after the conclusion.
'Devil's Plan 2' ended amid much buzz, but viewer reactions primarily consisted of critical opinions. Regarding these reactions, Jeong Jong-yeon noted, "I don’t see all the communities, but I’ve heard a lot of emotions expressed through DMs, and I’ve come across them through various channels. Some even inquired about my parents’ well-being, and I received many comments. While comments on social media tend to be a bit more refined than community comments, fundamentally, there were many reactions suggesting I lost my touch."
He explained the cause of this criticism, saying, "The most significant change in this season was the separation into two living spaces called 'the prison block,' allowing the thematic elements of competition between two groups. While the prison block had a narrative established through the 'prison match' system, the living block lacked any competitive system to contrast with it, resulting in a somewhat inadequate survival narrative that followed along. Hence, there were areas where the content from the prison match drew more interest than the living block."
He continued, "There were opinions suggesting that the rewards for the prison match were somewhat lacking, or that the living block's hidden stage rewards were excessively high, making it difficult for players from the prison block to turn the situation around or reach the finals. I also acknowledge that such points were valid."
He stated, "There are various reasons, but the performance in the daily main matches is crucial on the first, second, and last days. Designing the latter part to allow easy reversals to keep things mixed up is something I might prefer due to my love for sports. In actual sports, results accumulate, and it determines whether one advances to the Korean Series; sometimes, players without skills manage to progress by having a good final game. Thus, the cumulative performance in the main matches was quite significant," and added, "Those aspects may have felt excessive to some viewers. They might have felt there was an imbalance as well, and I recognize that too."
However, Jeong Jong-yeon did not acknowledge the speculation that Yoon Sohui may have conceded victory to Jeong Hyun-kyu. "There are episodes 11 and 12, and I fully understand that Yoon Sohui decided to maintain an alliance under the strategy to go to the finals together by episode 11," he mentioned. Even he stated, "I was quite surprised when he chose to forfeit the final bet during the recording of the finals," but added, "I understood during the interview that it might be possible for that to happen. Of course, I felt regretful as well. Ultimately, the very system that prevents such actions is impossible in a survival setting," expressing his disappointment.
Above all, he commented on the strong alliance among Jeong Hyun-kyu, Super Junior's Kyuhyun, and actress Yoon Sohui, saying, "In a way, it is each of their personalities. I was aware of that, and that's why I cast them. Regardless, there is a strong inclination to keep promises or to honor commitments. It’s not easy to cross that boundary; however, there was a moment when they attempted to challenge that during episodes 9 and 10, where the transition to Seven High happened, which seemed contrary to Kyuhyun's personality. Yet, making decisions is hard. Changing the way you've lived in society is not easy. There are players who excel, and the objective of this program, which includes 'betrayal and lying for victory', is indeed that difficult. There are players who overcome that, and there are those who find it difficult. I ask that you look at that aspect."
He added, "Therefore, just as players like Hyun-kyu, Hyun-jun, and Eun-yu go for victory, even if they don't come from such backgrounds, there were many players like Sohui and Kyuhyun who played in many past series. Some players preferred to maintain their own standards instead of being more audacious. Ultimately, their actions were within the framework I created, so I hope you will view it with understanding. I want you to consider their positions."
Jeong Jong-yeon noted, "In terms of important conflicts and resolutions, while there could be aspects such as the participants' skills or the sharpness of their challenges, it also holds certain similarities with society, yet it is different from it. It could be described as political ability, and I wondered what it would be like if it were a game that combined social skills. In a brain game, while it’s important to have good mathematical calculations and strong memory skills, sometimes it also requires eloquence or the ability to lie well in mafia games. These abilities can lead to situations where, since there can only be one winner, a player demonstrates betrayal and seeks personal gain, which I believe could be quite interesting. The social implications of this are uncertain," he added.
Addressing the criticisms from some internet users regarding Kyuhyun and Yoon Sohui's apparent lack of determination to win, Jeong Jong-yeon commented, "I would like to boldly refer to this as a lack of competitive spirit." He noted, "In the past, I mentioned that one of Jang Dong-min’s best qualities was his competitive spirit. Just because one carries habits from the society they lived in, it doesn’t mean everyone is either 10 or 1. Sometimes, I want to see how those lacking in some areas overcome. There are times when I want to see a ruthless person show a conceding side. It’s both change and growth. Not every person needs to burn with competitive spirit. I don’t necessarily believe that such casting is right."
He continued, "The elements that you all pointed out throughout this season have made me think a lot as well. Ultimately, the decision-making power lies with me. Whether anyone comes in with the intent to do their best without greed, the judgment is mine, so I must bear responsibility for the participation and conduct. These days, I've been reflecting quite a lot. It doesn’t come down to whether the participants are strategically right or wrong but instead weighs heavily on the characters of those who face criticism. Whatever it may be, since it happened within my system, I think it's because of me. So, it seems reasonable for you to direct any criticisms or accusations towards me."
Jeong Jong-yeon also directly addressed the details that raised questions among viewers. He spoke about the editing of Jeong Hyun-kyu's hidden piece reward, saying, "Before announcing the results of the prison block and during personal interviews, Hyun-kyu shared his plans to use the rewards, and we suggested doing it at that timing. It was recorded in actual order to make it look dramatic. From the viewer's perspective, it might seem unreasonable or a violation of rules, but we didn’t view it as a problem. I felt that doing it too quickly might overshadow the situation or the image later, and it wasn’t due to a mistake."
Regarding the use of oil paper, Jeong Jong-yeon said, "I didn’t think of the decisive impact it would have on whether a player could finish the game or not. Viewers might think it was unfair. Eventually, a studio that would lose its cooperation wouldn’t help at all since the paper wouldn’t stay still."
Then, would it not have been disappointing for the producer that popular player Lee Se-dol was eliminated early in the program? Jeong Jong-yeon responded, "It’s true that Lee Se-dol is an important participant, but he’s not the only one who matters. Everyone is a crucial participant. There might have been concerns about unnecessary comments in the rulebook. It’s disappointing to receive such assessments after all the hard work put in. Since the question was asked in a situation where the game had not progressed at all, it wasn’t just one player's mistake."
Jeong Hyun-kyu's 'calculation remarks' were also not edited out. Ultimately, what did Jeong Jong-yeon want to show? Addressing the discussions about 'devil's editing,' he remarked, "It’s certainly a consideration. There’s a struggle regarding whether that statement should be aired. However, that remark influenced Hyun-joon's game and sparked his aggression towards Hyun-kyu. Honestly, I didn’t see it as a problematic statement. While it could seem that way if you view it in isolation, in context, it was one of the most hurtful remarks Hyun-kyu could have made. I thought the most aggressive statement could come out. If that was cut, it would delete the context of Hyun-joon's narrative. There always are such aspects. There’s an inherent dislike for that person. However, if it caused discomfort, I sincerely apologize."
Regarding the ending cookie scene in episode 10 involving Kyuhyun and Sohui, he stated, "Even if it wasn’t shown, I believe it would have remained a topic of discussion and a subject of digging. If Kyuhyun and Sohui knew, it would be for the sake of hiding it. I believe the method of showing it was correct. However, since Hyun-kyu lied that it was a final benefit for the finals, it would not feel burdensome to go to the finals as allies, but it might have seemed like a mistake to create an unbeatable opponent by saying, 'it's the final benefit.' In my view, taking it out as a cookie could have neutralized it, and I preferred to handle such nuances with a cookie."
Jeong Jong-yeon emphasized, "It was somewhat overlooked that those sharing a living area may have suffered from poor evaluations due to continuous victories. However, by splitting the area over 4-5 days, they established a kind of friendship. Everyone played with one another, and for Kyuhyun and Sohui, transitioning towards Seven High was a bold move. They thought they could revive being alone, but there was discomfort with that appearance, something not permitted in society. Though it reflects one way of being human, that conflict seems significant."
In response to the reactions claiming he "lost his touch," Jeong Jong-yeon stated, "I’m not at an age where I can say my touch is alive. It’s only going to fade more." He laughed and added, "Nonetheless, I am thankful for the little opportunities to learn every time I do something. Initially, when planning 'Devil's Plan,' I intended to bring a different format for each season. This season has been a valuable learning experience. I am attuned to your feedback. If there is a season 3, I certainly want to show a better version. I am also preparing something else. It's a learning experience that such evaluations have been made."
Were there aspects where actual participants thought it resembled devil's editing? Jeong Jong-yeon remarked, "After filming, I meet many participants. Someone like Hyun-jun often calls me for video chats. I generally don’t do that, but most of the time, I only hear thanks for the well-done editing after screenings. I don’t believe I did such a great job. From their perspective, they feel that it turned out better than they had worried about."
He continued, "I feel a sense of regret. Hyun-kyu's attitude issue was unusual, and I viewed it as someone capable of creating impactful narratives. While I wasn’t completely unconcerned, I saw him positively as one participant among many. Of course, there were parts that concerned me, but I also feel regret and do not know what kind of mechanisms are needed. Criticism should come towards me, not directed at the participants, which feels uncomfortable. There’s no way to prevent people from leaving hateful comments. Should any legal issues arise, whether with Netflix or our end, we will do our utmost to assist," he stressed.
Finally, Jeong Jong-yeon rose and carefully addressed the reporters, saying, "From the participants' perspective, you will find many understandable aspects. While filming, I often reflect on certain issues and sometimes find myself missing out on elements because I try too hard to understand these friends. There may be parts that should not be shown to viewers where leniency could exist. I ask viewers and journalists to look kindly upon our participants. Meanwhile, I request that you apply a sharp standard to me."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
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