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The latest casting announcements for Korean dramas include Parasite star Song Kang-ho, who has been cast in his first small-screen role. Photo: AP
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Parasite star Song Kang-ho set for first TV drama; Song Hye-kyo, Han So-hee eyed for thriller The Price of Confession – K-drama casting latest

  • Parasite star Song Kang-ho will reportedly make his small-screen debut in Korean drama Uncle Sam Shik, a 10-episode series chronicling the lives of two men
  • Reports suggest IU and Park Bo-gum have been approached to appear in Life, a new drama series from celebrated When the Camellia Blooms writer Lim Sang-chun
K-drama news
Pierce Conran
Pierce Conran
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Several of South Korea’s biggest screen stars have been offered roles in some tantalising projects over the past few weeks. Among them is Parasite’s Song Kang-ho – one of the few film stars who had yet to appear in a Korean drama series.

Here is the latest news on casting announcements.

1. Uncle Sam Shik

Parasite star and Korean acting icon Song Kang-ho will reportedly make his Korean drama debut in Uncle Sam Shik. Also making his small screen debut will be Rough Play director Shin Yeon-shick.

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Set in the 1960s, the 10-episode series will chronicle the friendship of two men as they navigate Korea’s turbulent history.

The project marks the third straight collaboration for actor and director – Song stars in Shin’s volleyball sports drama One Win and the Kim Jee-woon-directed film Cobweb, currently in post-production, co-written and produced by Shin.

Song most recently featured in Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda’s Korean-language film Broker, for which he made history at the Cannes Film Festival this year by becoming the first Korean performer to win the best actor prize.

2. Happiness Battle

Lee El of My Liberation Notes and The Call will reportedly star as the lead in the new drama Happiness Battle from ENA, the cable channel behind Extraordinary Attorney Woo.
Lee El in a still from My Liberation Notes.

Based on a novel of the same name by Joo Young-ha, Happiness Battle will be a suspense drama following mothers in bitter social media battles, as they seek to tear down other people’s happiness in pursuit of their own.

Lee will play Kang Mi-ho, the assistant manager of her bank’s digital marketing team, who finds herself at a turning point in her life.

Joo plans to adapt her novel into a 16-episode series, which is expected to air in the first half of next year. My Lovely Sam Soon director Kim Yoon-cheol will direct the drama.

3. Gust of Wind

The World of the Married actress Kim Hee-ae may join the political drama Gust of Wind. She would play deputy prime minister and party leader Jung Soo-jin, while Han Suk-kyu (Dr. Romantic) has been approached for the role of prime minister Park Dong-ho.
Kim Hee-ae in a still from The World of the Married.
The series will be directed by Kim Yong-wan – responsible for The Cursed and its big- screen follow-up The Cursed: Dead Man’s Prey, and the currently airing If You Wish Upon Me – and written by Park Kyung-soo, who is known for popular dramas such as The Chaser and Punch.

Kim recently wrapped filming on the Netflix drama Queen Maker alongside Moon So-ri, as well as the Wavve original film Dead Man. Gust of Wind will enter production later this year.

4. The Price of Confession

Representatives for Song Hye-kyo and Han So-hee confirm that the two stars are in talks to appear in the thriller series The Price of Confession, which will be directed by Lee Eung-bok (Descendants of the Sun, Sweet Home). Kwon Jong-kwan, the writer and director of Sad Movie and Proof of Innocence, is penning the show.
Song Hye-kyo in a still from Now, We Are Breaking Up.
Last seen in Now, We Are Breaking Up, Song would play art teacher Ahn Yoon-soo, while Han is being eyed for the part of Mo-eun, a mysterious woman with antisocial tendencies. Both women become involved in a murder case.
Song is currently playing a teacher in another show, the Netflix revenge drama The Glory. After a breakout role in The World of the Married, Han recently appeared in My Name and the limited series Soundtrack #1.

5. Life

Reports suggest that IU (also known as Lee Ji-eun) and Park Bo-gum have been approached to appear in Life, the new drama from celebrated When the Camellia Blooms writer Lim Sang-chun. Handling the director’s reins will be Kim Won-seok, known for the acclaimed drama My Mister, also starring IU.

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Popular singer IU has been drawing attention as a serious actress, especially after receiving rave reviews for her part in Broker, alongside Song Kang-ho and many other seasoned Korean actors.

Life would mark Park’s comeback project were he to sign on, given he has recently completed his obligatory service in the South Korean armed forces. He last appeared in the drama Record of Youth and the film Seobok.

However, Park’s representatives have denied that an offer was made, leaving his participation in doubt.

IU in a still from Broker.

The drama is said to follow the story of a girl and a boy over the course of four seasons.

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