Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Tim Burton’s ‘Wednesday’ Season 2 dives into family dynamics
From left, director Tim Burton and actors Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers pose during a press conference for Season 2 of the Netflix series “Wednesday” at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in downtown Seoul, Monday. Newsis
By Baek Byung-yeul
Director Tim Burton, known for his unique dark-fantasy aesthetic, revealed that the new season of Netflix series "Wednesday" dives deeper into the family dynamics of the Addams household.
"This season, we delve a bit more into the family relationships," Burton said during a press conference in Seoul Monday. "Everybody's got a weird family and this one is no different. So we just explore the mother-daughter [dynamics] and Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and her mother and Wednesday. The family dynamic is a bit richer."
After its 2022 premiere on Netflix, "Wednesday" quickly became a global hit, setting a record with over 1.7 billion hours viewed to become the most-watched English-language TV series on the platform.
The show follows Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as she navigates her time at the supernatural Nevermore Academy, investigating a series of gruesome murders while mastering her emerging psychic abilities.
The show's massive success led to a second season, with the first four episodes of the new season unveiled on Aug. 6.
Ortega, who stars as the titular character Wednesday, also serves as a producer this season. She described her new role as a "natural progression" that allowed her to be more involved in the creative process.
"I felt like a secret door had opened up and it was this whole new world that I hadn't been invited to before," she said.
She confirmed that while Wednesday remains true to her core, there are subtle shifts.
"She didn't change. She knows exactly who she is. Everybody else is around her and has to catch up," Ortega said. "I think her biggest conflict or challenge is learning to rely on family and friends."
On the other hand, Emma Myers, who plays Wednesday's cheerful werewolf roommate Enid Sinclair, shared that her character has undergone a significant transformation.
"The Enid we meet in Season 2 is a bit different. She's had a summer with her wolf pack and comes back with a lot more confidence in herself," Myers explained. She also teased a more "confusing" relationship between Enid and Wednesday, as the two navigate misunderstandings that arise from Wednesday's psychic visions.
Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in Season 2 of the Netflix series “Wednesday” / Courtesy of Netflix
When asked about the challenge of following up on the massive success of the first season, which broke viewership records globally, Burton emphasized the importance of staying true to his artistic vision.
"When we made the first season, we were just making it. We had no idea, so we just made what we felt," he said. "The danger is to overthink it and go, 'Oh, it's successful for this reason, or that reason.' It was more important for the second season not to overthink it."
Ortega echoed this sentiment when discussing her portrayal of Wednesday's signature poker-faced humor.
"I really try not to think about it. I think the problem is when you begin to start trying to be funny, it doesn't become funny anymore," she explained. "I think what people appreciate most about Wednesday is she kind of says or emotes what everybody is thinking or feeling already, but doesn't make herself more digestible for anyone."
The cast and director also discussed the show's theme of celebrating outcasts, a common thread throughout Burton's decades-long career.
"I've never had one family that isn't weird," Burton said. "Most people have a strange existence. In fact, when I hear the word normal, I get disturbed because I don't know exactly what that means. To me, normal people scare me more than sort of what you consider outcasts."
Director Tim Burton speaks during a press conference for Season 2 of the Netflix series “Wednesday” at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in downtown Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
Ortega added, "I'm very inspired by these young girls who, at their age, it's so easy to fall into the bandwagon mentality, but they don't. They are themselves. I do think that the most lovable ones are the disturbed ones and the strange ones, just because we all feel like that."
Burton expressed his joy in working with the cast of "Wednesday," calling them "family."
"Working with them is one of the reasons why I want to do this show," he said. "They are so talented and they inspire me... That's what keeps me going every day. It's the creativity, the joy, and that's why you like to make things."
As a parting gift to their Korean fans, Ortega revealed that Myers, a self-proclaimed K-pop lover, and her character Enid will have a special fan service moment in the show.
"Episode 6 ... is a very Enid-centered episode and she's a huge lover of Korean culture and we have some songs in there that you guys might appreciate."
Part 2 of the second season, which includes the Enid-centered episode, will be released Sept. 3.