Writer Kim Ran-ju and PD Park Geun-hyung shared in an interview on the 27th that ‘Bonjour Bakery’ is a program centered around the elderly.
When asked about the release, Writer Kim Ran-ju confessed, “I was more nervous than with any other program.” She added, “The idea of creating channel-style content suited for an OTT platform was nerve-wracking. I’m relieved to feel the positive response as the episodes progress.”
PD Park Geun-hyung also admitted, “This is my first time working with OTT, and I had high expectations for how it would turn out while working with Coupang Play. There were many processes, though short, leading up to the release, so it feels quite special.”
‘Bonjour Bakery’ is different from variety shows that rely on provocative settings or big laughs. The two emphasized that the elderly are the true protagonists of the show.
Writer Kim explained, “I hoped people could enjoy a wider variety of content beyond just survival or dating shows. I wanted grandmothers and grandfathers to be the main characters. I worried that if we weren’t careful, the elderly might just become background characters for the actors. The writers actually lived in the village for two to three months before filming to deeply observe their lives.”
She continued, “I visited their homes, ate with them, and had plenty of conversations. I felt it shouldn’t be captured superficially. In the beginning, we focused on the stories of the elderly, and as the episodes progress, the actors’ stories naturally emerge.”
PD Park also stated, “I set the editing direction to focus on the elderly as the protagonists. While there are stories inside the shop, I was also curious about their lives once they stepped outside. That’s why I included stories of the elderly after the scenes of them taking their bread to go.”
He added, “I didn’t want it to look like a set or be too flashy. To ensure the elderly didn’t feel burdened and wouldn’t turn away, we used tiles that keep footprints for a long time. Kim Seon-ho used to clean the floor every day and wonder why it wouldn’t get clean,” he said with a laugh. PD Park added, “The goal was for the filming team to be like invisible cafe staff.”
The production team expected crowds of guests before filming, but the actual scene was different.
Writer Kim said, “Who would have thought there would be no people when these actors are there? However, the elderly had their own routines. We thought those routines would be broken when we arrived, but they visited the bakery while maintaining their own way of life.”
PD Park recalled, “We were fully prepared in case people flocked to the site.” Writer Kim added, “Having experienced 700 people gathering during ‘Kang’s Kitchen,’ we were prepared. But the elderly had their own daily schedules, such as morning hospital visits or weekend outings.”
She continued, “I hoped other elderly people could have this kind of experience. A 90-year-old couple visited and said it felt like they had taken ‘restorative medicine.’ They were happy to try something like this in their old age. I wanted to capture those moments.”
‘Bonjour Bakery’ aimed to be a variety show that delivers that kind of ‘happiness.’ Writer Kim confessed, “The happiness of the elderly is small. They feel great happiness in small things. While we often think we need to do so much to be happy, the elderly find happiness in the present moment. Seeing that made us reflect a lot.”
PD Park expressed his hope that the program would become a bridge for understanding between generations. He said, “The older generation sometimes finds the younger generation frustrating, and the younger generation may not understand the older one. I hope that by watching this program, people can think, ‘Oh, that’s how my mom or dad thinks.’ I hope it becomes a variety show where we can understand each other in an era of great hatred.”
