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Jun Ji-hyun is back on the small screen with “Cliffhanger” on tvN. (provided by the production company)

“Stars are coming!” The line is a parody of “Tiger Is Coming,” the song by Leenalchi that became a viral hit online.

The line is also a prophecy, and one that fans of Korean drama are likely to hum throughout the year. In fact, quite a few movie stars are coming to television screens.

Both those who have juggled films and dramas and those who have focused on cinema have opted to star in dramas this year. Their decisions seem to be motivated both by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and by the growth of video streaming services.

Actor Choi Min-sik returns to television with "Casino” (Hankyoreh photo archives)

The question is how well these actors’ cinematic star power will translate on the small screen.

Choi Min-sik, an actor who regularly draws huge audiences to Korean theaters, will appear in his first drama in 24 years. “Casino,” set in the titular gambling establishment, tells the story of a man who’s had his share of ups and downs. (The channel that will broadcast the show hasn’t been announced yet.)

As it happens, Choi cut his teeth on television dramas. He first got noticed in the 1990 drama “Ambitious Times” and rose to stardom in “The Moon of Seoul” (1994). But he has focused on films since shooting his last drama “Love and Parting” (1997).

So why is Choi returning to dramas? “For a while now I’ve been craving a show with a good theme and good material that I could take my time on,” he explained.

Ha Jung-woo and Go Hyun-jung will be starring in “Suriname,” on Netflix. The last drama they appeared in was “Hit” on MBC, 14 years ago. The show is based on the true story of a Korean who becomes a drug lord in the South American country of Suriname.

Drama watchers will also be getting their first taste of two actors thought to represent the future of the Korean film industry: Jeon Jong-seo and Koo Kyo-hwan.

Jeon Jong-seo was catapulted to fame when she played the lead in “Burning,” a 2018 film by Lee Chang-dong.

Koo Kyo-hwan debuted in the short film “Boys” (2008), but he made a big splash with his memorable performance in last year’s film “Peninsula.”

Jeon will be appearing in a Korean remake of “Money Heist” (original Spanish title: “La casa de papel”), an original Netflix drama made in Spain. In the drama, a brilliant strategist and a team of thieves with unique skills stage a heist, leading to an unprecedented hostage situation.

Koo will star in “D.P.,” an original Netflix drama adapted from a webtoon by Kim Bo-tong. He plays a private in the military police who joins a team charged with arresting a deserter, but soon finds himself in a confusing situation. The original webtoon created a stir with its realistic depiction of brutality and human rights issues in the military.

Song Joong-ki makes his return with “Vincenzo” on tvN. (provided by the production company)

A surprising number of stars who’d straddled the fence between the silver and small screens, or who’d been taking some time off, are rushing into TV productions.

Song Hye-kyo will be starring in “The Glory” (channel TBD), her first TV series in the three years since “Encounter” (2018). This is also the first revenge drama by screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, who typically writes romantic comedies. In the series, Song plays a teacher who’s plotting revenge for the violence she suffered at school.

Jeon Do-yeon will be appearing on the JTBC show “Disqualified from Being Human,” alongside Ryu Jun-yeol.

Lee Jung-jae will be returning to the small screen with “Round Six,” a Netflix show about a game with 45.6 billion won (US$41.17 million) in prize money, while Go Hyun-jung will make her return with “Someone Like You,” on JTBC.

Jun Ji-hyun will appear on tvN in the mystery series “Cliffhanger,” written by Kim Eun-hee and produced by Lee Eung-bok. This will be Jun’s first TV show in the five years since “Legend of the Blue Sea” (2016). She plays a park ranger who rescues people in distress on Mount Jiri.

Song Joong-ki stars in “Vincenzo,” a series that kicks off on Feb. 20 on tvN, as the eponymous lawyer for the Italian mafia who comes to Korea to betray his organization.

Go Hyun-jung returns with “Someone Like You” on JTBC. (provided by the production company)

It’s unusual for so many big-name stars to appear in television series at the same time. Industry sources say the biggest reason is that Korea’s film industry has shrunk.

The industry took a big hit following the outbreak of COVID-19 last year. Many films’ release dates had to be pushed back, and as countries closed their doors, production was halted on films that were supposed to be shot overseas.

Another appealing factor for big stars is a transformation of the television production process. Streaming services typically film episodes well in advance and have heftier budgets.

The number one reason that big-name stars have shied away from TV dramas is because of the just-in-time shooting schedule of shows that often felt like live broadcasts.

But more recently, deep-pocketed producers such as Netflix have started shooting episodes with more time to spare. That has led to high-quality television dramas that could give some films a run for their money.

“Netflix invested huge sums of money into ‘Kingdom,’ shot it in advance, and has released it around the world. When dramas are moving that direction, there’s no reason for film stars to stay aloof,” a source at one management company said.

The changing times have also affected directors’ choices.

“Disqualified from Being Human” is the first drama to be directed by Hur Jin-ho, the man behind the romance “Christmas in August” (1998). And “Suriname” is the first TV series taken on by Yoon Jong-bin, who directed “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” (2012).

Other film directors trying their hand at TV shows are Hwang Dong-hyuk (“Silenced”), who is directing “Round Six,” and Kang Yoon-sung (“The Outlaws”), who is directing “Casino.”

With Netflix making more original series, production budgets have ballooned. “Suriname” will be shot for 40 billion won (US$39.12 million), “Cliffhanger” for 30 billion won (US$27.09 million) and “Vincenzo” for 20 billion won (US$18.06 million).

“It’s nice to see so many film stars in TV dramas. That shows how much Korean dramas have grown in quality and how much the ecosystem has stabilized,” said Yun Seok-jin, a professor of Korean literature at Chungnam National University.

“But this is no longer a time when audiences can be bought off with star power. The important thing is the script, so this is a chance to see how good stars are at recognizing a good script,” Yun said.

By Nam Ji-eun, staff reporter

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