Lee Min-ho and Gong Hyo-jin take the lead in Netflix‘s first Earth-to-space romantic comedy, “When the Stars Gossip,” premiering January 4, 2025.
The series, which blends interstellar adventure with heartfelt romance, marks Netflix’s first foray into combining K-romance with a futuristic, cosmic setting.
Lee Min-ho, Gong Hyo-jin return to rom-com
After portraying a complex character in the American series “Pachinko,” Lee Min-ho is back to charm his fans with a romantic role, this time in a truly out-of-this-world love story. In “When the Stars Gossip,” Lee Min-ho plays Gong Ryong, an OB-GYN who becomes a space tourist with a secret mission. As an enigmatic guest aboard a space station, his journey unfolds with a mix of mystery and thrill.
Meanwhile, Gong Hyo-jin returns to rom-com K-drama after the 2019 “When the Camellia Blooms.” This time, she portrays Commander Eve Kim, a no-nonsense perfectionist leading her inaugural space mission. Her unwavering professionalism is put to the test as the stakes soar.
Oh Jung-se joins the cast as Kang Kang-su, a thrill-seeking scientist studying fruit flies while escaping the mundane. For her part, Han Ji-eun plays Choi Go-eun, the ambitious heiress to MZ Group and Gong Ryong’s independent girlfriend.
Also in the cast are Kim Joo-hun as a veteran astronaut, EL as an Earth-bound mission chief, and Lee Cho-hee in a dual role as twin sisters with opposing personalities.
Acclaimed writer Seo Sook-hyang penned the series, and it is directed by Park Shin-woo (“It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” “Don’t Dare to Dream”).
Cosmic setting, fresh twist on K-romance
With its cosmic setting, “When the Stars Gossip,” previously known as “Ask the Stars,” promises a fresh twist on K-romance with visually stunning effects and richly layered characters.
In 2021, Netflix released a dystopian space sci-fi thriller “The Silent Sea,” starring Gong Yoo and Bae Doona. An adaptation of the 2014 short film “The Sea of Tranquility,” the eight-episode series follows astronauts trying to help solve a water crisis on Earth by retrieving mysterious samples from an abandoned lunar research facility.