When I was first introduced
to Kris Jenner, she possessed
everything you would envy everything you would envy
in a person: charisma, con-in a person: charisma, con-
fidence, and warmth. In our fidence, and warmth. In our
first meeting for what would first meeting for what would
become the 20-season TV become the 20-season TV
juggernaut juggernaut Keeping Up With Keeping Up With
the Kardashians,the Kardashians, I saw her I saw her
fearlessness firsthand as fearlessness firsthand as
she insisted the show include she insisted the show include
not only the family’s high not only the family’s high
points, but all its vulnerabili-points, but all its vulnerabili-
ties as well. ties as well.
Since then, Kris has Since then, Kris has
become the undisputed become the undisputed
matriarch of reality television matriarch of reality television
and is destined to be ranked and is destined to be ranked
among the top marketing among the top marketing
minds in history. This year, she minds in history. This year, she
successfully pivoted her fam-successfully pivoted her fam-
ily’s kingdom from cable to ily’s kingdom from cable to
streaming, relaunching as streaming, relaunching as The The
KardashiansKardashians on Hulu. As the on Hulu. As the
stabilizing core of an empire, stabilizing core of an empire,
she continually navigates the she continually navigates the
unexpected challenges of life unexpected challenges of life
and business with empathy, and business with empathy,
transparency, and endurance.transparency, and endurance.
She is also a mother and a She is also a mother and a
grandmother, and has become grandmother, and has become
a friend and big sister to me. a friend and big sister to me.
If you’ve ever wondered how If you’ve ever wondered how
the chaos of every episode of the chaos of every episode of
the show always ended with a the show always ended with a
family meeting and hugs, it’s family meeting and hugs, it’s
because that’s who Kris Jenner because that’s who Kris Jenner
is. Family comes first. is. Family comes first.Seacrest is a creator Seacrest is a creator
of of Keeping Up With the Keeping Up With the
Kardashians Kardashians and an and an
Emmy-winning producerEmmy-winning producerKKKris Jennerris Jennerris Jenner
MMarketing an emarketing an empirepire
B Y R YA N S E A C R E S TB Y R YA N S E A C R E S THwang
Dong-hyuk
Incisive world-builder
BY LEE JUNG-JAEMuch of Hwang Dong-hyuk’s success
stems from his ability to illuminate
the feelings of the characters and to
build believable lives for them from
the ground up. As a television and
film director, he knows how to weavea story so that no matter what choice
a character makes, it feels natural.
When I received the script for Squid
Game, I knew it would be an interest-
ing experience—the characters were all
so rich in detail, with distinct charac-
teristics that gave them depth. Director
Hwang was brilliant in visualizing this
intricate and savage world that looked
like a game, but revealed piercing
truths about society and humanity.
He was able to take something brutal
and make it beautiful.Lee is an actorWINFREY: TOM COOPER—GETTY IMAGES; ZASLAV SOURCE PHOTO: FREDERICK M. BROWN—GETTY IMAGES; HWANG: NETFLIX; JENNER: CHRISTOPHER POLK—NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY IMAGES
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