Chung Se Rang

"My motto became, 'live like an X-wing pilot.' Even when they are breaking apart and no one remembers them, they keep going and fight for good."

―Chung Se Rang^[3]

Chung Se Rang, or Chung Serang (Korean: 정세랑), (born in 1984 in Seoul, South Korea), is a writer and the screenwriter of Studio Mir's "Journey to the Dark Head," the fifth short film of the second volume of the Star Wars: Visions non-canon animated anthology television series. She became a fan of the Star Wars franchise after viewing the film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace while attending middle school, and eventually became inspired by the resilience displayed by Star Wars starfighter pilots. When Chung, who by then was an acclaimed writer, became the screenwriter for "Journey to the Dark Head," the film's production manager Lee Soo Kyung was excited to work with her.

Chung's writing process of "Journey to the Dark Head" was inspired by the South Korean Tripiṭaka Koreana collection of Buddhist scriptures, and the development of the character Toul was informed by reflection on other Jedi characters in Star Wars who were undergoing Jedi training. The writer also suggested that the clothing worn by the characters in the film be based on historical Korean attire.

Biography

The road to Star Wars

"When I was in middle school, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace was in theaters. I remember going to see it with my friends after school. Ever since then, I loved the series."

―Chung Se Rang^[3]

Chung Se Rang became a fan of Star Wars after seeing Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. — Chung Se Rang became a fan of *Star Wars* after seeing *Star Wars*: Episode I *The Phantom Menace*.

Chung Se Rang,^[2] or Chung Serang (written in Korean as 정세랑), was born in 1984 in Seoul, South Korea. When she^[1] was attending middle school, Chung and her friends went to see^[3] the 1999 prequel trilogy^[4] film Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace at a film theater. Since that time she developed a love for the Star Wars franchise, formulating the motto, "Live like an X-wing pilot," based on the perceived resilience the franchise's starfighter pilots display in continuing to fight for good in the face of overwhelming odds and probable death in combat.^[3] Chung became a writer, with her writing usually exploring settings that feature violence as an everyday occurrence, yet in which the characters ultimately find hope.^[1]

According to Lee Soo Kyung, the production manager of "Journey to the Dark Head"^[5]—the fifth short film of the second volume of the Star Wars: Visions non-canon animated anthology television series, which was produced by^[6] the South Korean^[7] Studio Mir and directed by Hyeong Geun Park^[2] and which premiered on Disney+ on May 4, 2023^[6]—securing a "top-notch" screenwriter was critical in order to make the most out of the studio's opportunity to tell their own Star Wars story. At the time, Lee was already aware of Chung's love for Star Wars as well as her experience in the science fiction genre; however, the former was concerned whether it would be possible to negotiate for the latter to become the screenwriter for the film due to Chung by then already being a highly renowned writer.^[5]

The writing process

"At an age when one's personality has yet to be developed, they see some extreme things, so I wanted to create a character who was lost in fear and skepticism."

―Chung Se Rang, on Jedi-in-training and the development of the character Toul^[3]

Nevertheless, Chung did become the screenwriter, responding "very positively" to Lee and visiting the studio. The production manager was very excited to be working with the writer, with the film's producer Choi Go Un later humorously noting that the wearing of face masks that was required during the COVID-19 pandemic allowed Lee to conceal her wide smiling during Chung's visit.^[5] Lee also later expressed the humorous idea of sending Chung a stuffed doll of the character Ara if she ever made one, which was an idea she conceived of immediately upon seeing the design for the character.^[8]

In creating the planet Dolgarak, Chung Se Rang was inspired by the real-life Tripiṭaka Koreana (pictured) in South Korea. — In creating the planet Dolgarak, Chung Se Rang was inspired by the real-life *Tripiṭaka Koreana* (pictured) in South Korea.

Per Lee, the writing process of "Journey to the Dark Head" was fast and smooth-going, with her noting an instance where members of the production team sent in their notes and received a reply from Chung within ten minutes.^[5] In writing the film, Chung was particularly inspired by the Tripiṭaka Koreana,^[3] a collection of more than eighty thousand 13th-century wooden blocks engraved by Buddhist scriptures that is stored at the Haeinsa temple in South Korea,^[9] with the temple on the planet Dolgarak in the finished film also featuring a library of wooden blocks with writing on them.^[2] Similarly to the film's characters, Chung gave Dolgarak a Korean name, with the Korean alphabet character 돌 in the planet's name (Korean: 돌가락)^[5] meaning "rock, stone."^[10]

The writer developed the character Toul (pictured) based on reflection on other Jedi-in-training seen in Star Wars films. — The writer developed the character Toul (pictured) based on reflection on other Jedi-in-training seen in *Star Wars* films.

In developing the character Toul, Chung considered that the "nameless" Jedi-in-training seen in Star Wars films probably experienced upsetting events while they were still young enough that their own personality had yet to be fully developed. She wanted Toul to be a character overwhelmed with skepticism and fear. Even though all Jedi exhibited sensitivity to the light and dark sides of the Force, Chung characterized Toul as being particularly sensitive in that respect, with the two aspects of the mystical energy field being an agonizing presence for him. Furthermore, the writer expressed her belief that it was this heightened sensitivity that caused the character Bichan to have an interest in Toul. Overall, associate producer Lee Seung Wook noted that Chung presented a charming story about good and evil that nodded to yin and yang^[3]—an East Asian philosophical concept concerning opposite but complementary forces^[11]—while also incorporating "all the basic elements" of Star Wars.^[3]

Praise

"For this story to be realized, so many people poured their love and their hearts into it to bring it to completion. Personally, every scene is meaningful and incredibly rich. I think this episode encompasses so many things. I hope you watch it twice."

―Chung Se Rang^[3]

Chung Se Rang suggested the use of costumes in "Journey to the Dark Head" (depicted) based on historical Korean ones.

Studio Mir's art director Kang You Tae praised Chung for suggesting that "Journey to the Dark Head" utilize outfits based on those of the historical era of Goguryeo,^[5] a Korean kingdom that existed until the 7th century.^[12] The screenwriter found the fact that Studio Mir was able to create an entirely new planet for the film "satisfying."^[3]

Chung also thought that the bombs seen in "Journey to the Dark Head," the design of which was inspired by a common Korean fish product, were adorable^[5] and looked great on screen. When asked to name hashtags that would be the best-suited for "Journey to the Dark Head," she suggested #ComingOfAge, #KoreanStyle, and #NeverGiveUp.^[8] The writer noted her view that every scene of "Journey to the Dark Head," which explored a variety of topics, was meaningful and rich, and she expressed the hope that the viewer would watch the film at least twice.^[3]