Making post-production faster and simpler

Background

With its engaging stories, complex characters and meaningful themes, Korean drama has taken over screens globally. And director Yun Hong Min has made his mark with shows like Insider and Missing: The Other Side.

Television series productions are known for having tight deadlines and ever-changing work environments. With longer runtimes and tighter turnarounds, K-drama production is even more fast-paced and challenging. “We face strict deadlines since actors usually have their next projects lined up. This creates a complex web of constraints for the filming process,” explains Min. 

Challenge: directing a remote team during post-production

For Min’s most recent project, The Impossible Heir, another major challenge came into play: Min was in Boston, but the rest of the team was based in South Korea – a 13-hour time difference. The process of providing feedback often took hours longer than it should have. “If I needed to suggest changes in a scene, I would take a screenshot, draw on it, send it back and follow up with a phone call to explain my edits,” Min shares. “This was exhausting and time-consuming. It also created room for error.”

Min needed a speedier solution. “Having tried various data and video sharing solutions, file download speed was always an issue,” adds Min. “We often share videos of 30 GB and more, so having a high download speed is crucial for us. At this point, I was even considering returning to South Korea because of these challenges.”

Solution: fast uploads and frame-specific feedback

Min first used Dropbox to share videos faster with his team. “I was impressed by the download speed,” Min shares. “Dropbox also stood out with its sharing functions and convenience – we didn’t have to log in each time we wanted to do an action or share a file. It provided features that were ideal for cloud services, including streaming.” Min and his team continue to use Dropbox Transfer for sharing large files efficiently.

The big eye-opener came when Min tried Dropbox Replay – a tool that Min’s team started using for sharing feedback on videos. “I can comment and draw on specific frames, highlight a point, and provide detailed comments or drawings – all within the app itself. I thought ‘wow, this is awesome’.”

Results: saving time with precise creative feedback

“Replay is a big productivity booster,” says Min. With it, Min's team can share feedback seamlessly, which allows them to accomplish tasks faster. “By using Dropbox for everything, from planning to finalisation, we enjoy seamless collaboration, clear communication and higher efficiency. We’ve saved 20% of our time that we can use for other tasks.”

When Min shared Replay with the team, they were stunned. “They’d say ‘I didn’t know this existed, it’s so great to communicate all at once, in one place’,” Min recalls. “And since the interface is intuitive, similar to video editors, my team adapted quickly without needing any guidance.”

Dropbox has also brought peace of mind to Min’s team. “Safeguarding the footage and preventing any leaks was our top priority,” he recalls. “We evaluated Dropbox’s security features, and we felt reassured. Dropbox also allowed us to customise sharing and editing permissions, giving us more control.”

For Min, Dropbox Replay has become an indispensable tool, even when his teammates are sitting in the next room. “Replay has allowed me to creatively engage with my content while exploring new cultures and insights abroad,” he adds. “The ability to work from anywhere, in environments that spark our creativity, is a game-changer. I've found myself more inspired, dreaming up stories and visuals I wouldn't have otherwise.”