VISUAL SCREENPLAY - KOREAN FORMAT.

Tips used to make reading easier.

#1. Examples of Korean screenplay.

Korean screenplays use files similar to Word (.docx), with the extension .hwp.

Drama "I hear your voice", beginning of the first episode.

Drama "W two worlds", scenes with commentary.

"W two worlds", once translated and transposed into a text file.

#2. Scene Header (time of day).

The Scene Header indicates the time and place of the scene, and its number.
Unlike the Western screenplay format, it does not say whether it is inside or outside.
The description of the place is precise enough to know it.
Each time the action changes location OR time, a new scene is created.

The Scene Header is the best way to avoid confusion while reading.
It also gives other indications that we will see...

#3. Writer's Office (night).

When the Scene Header is white and the description is light gray:
This is a scene in the present tense, taking place now.

Descriptions are short, concise, direct.
A screenplay must go fast, at the same speed as we watch TV.
The tense is always present. It happens now.

The description says what we see on the TV screen.
And in the order in which we see it.

There may be additional text, off-screen:
¤ An explanation to enhance understanding.
¤ A description to convey the mood.
¤ A special and important moment, mentioning a character's state of mind.

#4. LARGE IMAGES.

Sometimes a few large images are used. Different sizes available.

A description can be centered

Multiple images side by side, same height.

#5. FLASHBACK, Ep02 - Min-Soo's living room (night).

Objective Flashback. The scene refers to a moment in the past.
If it has already been shown in an episode, its number is mentioned in the Scene Header.
Normally it should also say the scene number.
But this was too complicated to do, because of the regular corrections.

The objective Flashback maybe :
¤ A past moment seen on the screen, in the same way as another scene.
¤ A past moment told by one character to others.
In this case, the previous scene makes it feel that way.

#6. RECALL, Ep02 - Min-Soo's living room (night).

Subjective flashback. The scene refers to a moment in the past.
If it has already been shown in an episode, its number is mentioned in the Scene Header.

The subjective flashback is a memory.
The previous scene gives an idea of the character remembering.
No one else but that character knows what he or she is remembering.

#7. FLASHFORWARD - Writer's Office (day).

The scene takes place in the future, at a time yet unknown.

#8. IMAGINATION, Yeon Joo - Seoul Street (day).

A character imagines a hypothetical scene, or daydream.
The name of the character is indicated, as well as the place if necessary.

#9. DREAM, Yeon Joo.

Like "IMAGINATION", but it is a dream made while sleeping.

#10. ANIMATION - A general explanation of what is being animated.

This is a visual insert, showing something out of context or abstract.
For example, newspaper covers stacking up, and you see the headlines.

If the animation has multiple steps, they are listed as follows, using " ¤ ":
¤ Description Step 1.
¤ Description Step 2.
¤ Description Step 3.

#11. MANHWA, "Name of the manhwa" - Other indications.

Like "ANIMATION" but these are comic book images.

#12. Sung-Moo's House (day) + MONTAGE.

A montage is a succession of quick scenes, or excerpts of scenes.
The Scene Header may contain the location. In this case, it says "+ MONTAGE".

C#1. Kitchen.

The scene is broken down into numbered sub-scenes.

C#2. Lounge.

The header of the sub-scene gives an indication of where it is. Here the place.

C#3. City street (day).

The header can be similar to a Scene Header.

C#4. FLASHBACK - Living room (night).

Of course, flashbacks or various other headers can be used.

C#5. When it's very short, the description is in the header.

#13. INSERTS.

A long scene can contain short Flashbacks, or any other Header.
In this case, the scene is not interrupted, but an INSERT is used.

{RECALL INSERT, Ep01 - Writer's Office (day).}

Here a character remembers something.
Except for the "INSERT" keyword, this is similar to a "RECALL" type scene.
Other types of Scene Header can be used, FLASHBACK, ANIMATION, etc.

When the insert is finished, there is an empty line indicating this.
And anyway, the text color changes most of the time.

{FLASHBACK INSERT, Ep01 - Writer's Office (night).}

In case of possible confusion, the insert ends by mentioning :
{END INSERT.}

{MANHWA INSERT - When it's very short, the description is in the header.}

#14. FAST FLASHES.

This is an additional keyword used for flashback and recall.
The flashes are very fast and it is impossible to indicate the place and time of the flashback.
The episode number of each line is indicated in order.

{RECALL INSERT, FAST FLASHES - Ep 01, 03, 04.}

The car will have to go fast.

The accident was fatal.

The brakes were sabotaged.

#15. In Yeon-Joo's car + In Kang Chul's car (day).

The scene takes place in two different places, the sign "+" is used.
Often, they are telephone conversations.
The screen shows the characters successively when they speak.
A character talking on a phone without being seen is put in Voice-over.
Western screenplay uses "INTERCUT" instead of "+".

#16. DIALOGUES.

Here are the tricks used for the dialogues.
Normally, character names are used on the left side in the Korean format.
But in this visual version, it is replaced by the image of the character.
This is faster to read, and makes it easier to remember the characters.

- A normal line of dialogue.

: "Thought" type voice-over. We hear what the character is thinking.

~ Voice-over. The character is not seen on the screen.

A voice-over can be many different things:
¤ An abstract narration.
¤ Someone commenting on a flashback.
¤ Someone in the next room. (O.S. Out screen)
¤ Someone whose dialogue starts ahead of time, the previous scene. (Prelap)

These tricks are characteristic of visual screenplay.
In other formats, it is different.

Korean format: There is no "-", ":" or "~" sign.
The name is on the left, then a tab, then the text.
In case of voice-over or thought, it indicates "(E)". Or "VO" or "OS."

Western format: The character's name is centered.
Below, his text with a limited width.

#17. DIALOGUE RHYTHM.

Unlike the Western format, a line of dialogue can be empty.

- Something important has happened.

- ... ?

- Only it was impossible to say.

- ... Why?

The empty line of dialogue suggests that we see the character, and his expression.
The last line begins with "...", because the character waits before speaking.
This can suggest a moment of hesitation for example.

Other tricks like this are used...

- (!!!) ... How is this possible?

The character is first surprised, then asks his question.

- It is difficult to say...

- But there is no choice.

Theoretically, when the same character speaks, we don't create two lines.
However, this visual screenplay does it sometimes to :
¤ Reinforce a pause between two lines.
¤ The dialogue is too dense to fit in one line.
¤ Different images are used to show the emotion of the character.

#18. PARENTHESES IN DIALOGUE.

Parentheses are used during dialogues.
The position of the parenthesis lets you know at what point in the speech it takes place.
Sometimes it's just a general indication for the whole line, more at the beginning.
Sometimes we guess that it lasts for the next few lines (someone crying, for example).
A parenthesis text does not start with a capital letter and does not have a period.

It is advisable to use very few parenthesis in the western screenplay:
¤ So as not to make them too heavy.
¤ The format allows very little margin for parentheses, just 2 or 3 words per line.
¤ Because the character's attitude should be guessed by the context or the dialogue.
¤ Because actors don't like to have imposed attitudes, and sometimes change the dialogues.

However, Korean screenplay uses them a lot:
¤ The writers have a very clear vision of the subtleties of the scene.
¤ The author's vision is more respected. Good writers are celebrities.
¤ This reinforces the emotions more.
¤ In counterpart, the scriptwriters also grant freedom to the actors on other dialogues.

Parentheses can contain:

¤ The person to whom the character is speaking.

- (to Yeon-Joo) I swear I will never read a manhwa in which you are involved again!

¤ The character's visual expression.

- (eyes bulging) What??!

¤ The character's state of mind.

- (angry) I refuse to go there!!!

¤ The tone of voice.

- (broken voice) Stay a little longer...

¤ An action made by the character.

- It will be very simple. (grabs his coat and goes out)

The Western screenplay does not put any action in the brackets.
However, Korean screenplay always uses that, sometimes long actions.
This allows a description at the scene beginning, then not break the dynamic of the dialogue.

¤ A thought, but not heard on screen.

- There's nothing to be done... ("he knows it, though")

Here, the thought replaces a potentially lengthy description to suggest the effect.
An actor can use it to play, and give the impression that the character is thinking that.

¤ A description only.

(unwraps box of books)

¤ A quick expression.

- (??!) ... You speak too fast.

Question marks suggest misunderstanding, exclamation marks surprise, etc.

¤ Any combination.

- (!!) ... President Kang, are you serious?! (goes out with him)
(annoyed) ... Really... (nods no, "this guy is crazy")

#19. SPECIAL DESCRIPTIONS.

PAF!! An onomatopoeia. Then, a description explains which sound it is.

"Inscription". A written element, for example a sign with a text.

(Note: An explanation in brackets about the scene, out of context, for the film crew.)

SUBTITLE: A few hours before. This text is displayed on the screen.

"somebody's dialogue", the character speaking is not indicated.
This could be rumors in a crowd, for example.

The description gives "the thought of a character", in quotation marks.
However, the thought is not heard on the screen.
It just serves to reinforce the character's description, his attitude.

SLOW MOTION:
The following description takes place in slow motion.
The slow motion stops as soon as there is an empty line.

~ The character reads a text out loud.

Screenplays often contain key words, such as:
FADE IN, MATCH CUT, INTERCUT, etc.
However, they are not used in this screenplay, to make the reading more accessible.
The only keyword used is "DISSOLVE", but in normal, understandable text.