"When the Stars Gossip" revolves around Gong Ryong (Lee Min Ho), an obstetrician and gynecologist who stays at the space station for a few days as a tourist, and Eve Kim (Gong Hyo Jin), the space station's security commander.
The story becomes complicated when Kang Kang Soo (Oh Jung Se) - a wealthy scientific researcher and Choi Go Eun (Han Ji Eun) - a famous heiress and Gong Ryong's girlfriend appear.
Ahead of its premiere on January 4, 2025, "When the Stars Gossip" is attracting attention because it is a drama set in an office in space - on Korea's first space station.
With a production budget of 50 billion won, the Korea Times expects the drama to set a new standard for Korean dramas with its combination of science fiction and human drama.
This was also shared by director Park Shin Woo at the film's press conference: "Our film constantly questions whether the standards, rules, and ethics we cherish, as well as the meaningless things, will remain intact when we leave Earth. If the audience continues to watch, it will become a meaningful film."
Despite the dismal performance of previous Korean space-themed works such as "Space Sweepers" (2021), "The Silent Sea" (2021) and "The Moon" (2023), the director acknowledged the challenges but expressed confidence in the film's different and creative approach.
"I knew we had a real story to tell and I approached the project with enthusiasm. Although the production process was time-consuming, I believe it was worth it. Using a combination of wire flying techniques and advanced computer graphics to truly depict the zero-gravity environment on screen."
Meanwhile, returning to a TV series after a long time, Lee Min Ho also expressed his anticipation: "It's been 5 years since I last participated in a Korean TV series. When I turned 30, I thought about how to become an actor who can contribute, instead of being someone who is constantly swept away by work. I need time to recharge my energy to deal with those worries."
Regarding the reason for choosing "When the Stars Gossip" as his comeback project, Lee Min Ho said: "In today's fast-paced world, the line between what is good and what is truly important to humanity is becoming increasingly blurred. That's why I was drawn to this story, which is set in a vast and mysterious space - a place where people come to cherish the value of life."
The actor admitted that, although not intentionally, his projects often require a lot of time. "They are challenging and difficult works. Therefore, the break time is not as long as I thought. I am about to release a movie and that movie also takes a long time to produce, just like this TV series."
As for Gong Hyo Jin, she initially thought the story would be about space adventures, but when she learned that the film was about the daily lives of humans in space, she really enjoyed it. Returning to the romantic drama genre with a younger co-star was also something that made the actress excited on set.
