Director Cha Young Hun opens up about normalizing therapy, rejecting saviour tropes, and addressing the cardigan hug scene in the K-drama We Are All Trying Here.
The series follows Hwang Dong Man, an aspiring film director, and Byeon Eun Ah, a sharp film producer, as they navigate their own traumas and find unexpected emotional refuge in each other.
Cha Young Hun explains how the show's portrayal of mental healthcare is a departure from the past, where psychiatric counseling was viewed as shameful in Korean society.
The director also discusses how the relationship between Dong Man and Eun Ah avoids the saviour trap, with both characters supporting and encouraging each other without trying to fix each other's problems.
The conversation also touches on the cardigan hug scene, which sparked intense debate online, and Cha Young Hun's intention behind it was to visualize overwhelming support and protection.
The director concludes by leaving viewers with a message of hope and resilience, encouraging them to find a way to rise again after moments of pain and bounce back with strength.
