It can take nearly a year to cast a single actor, and in some cases, assembling the main cast for a project takes even longer. Even when a script is finalized and the production budget is set, filming can be pushed back indefinitely if the desired actors are unavailable.
As films, TV and streaming series compete for the same limited pool of top talent, casting has become the biggest hurdle in getting a project off the ground.
These challenges were highlighted at tvN’s Creator Talk 2026 on September 16. Kim Ho Jun, chief producer of the upcoming drama Love in Disguise, revealed that it took “nearly a year” to cast lead actor Yim Si Wan. Because Yim rarely appears in traditional romantic comedies, the production team was especially keen to recruit him. Kim approached the actor with the vision of creating “a romantic lead audiences haven’t seen before,” eventually convincing him to sign on after months of persuasion.
The recent film The Journey to Gyeongju faced a similar uphill battle. Director Kim Mi Jo shared that while Lee Jung Eun was the first to sign on, it took over a year to lock in the rest of the main cast, leaving her to wonder at times if the movie would ever be made.
Fortunately, momentum shifted once the core pieces fell into place. Kong Hyo Jin and Park So Dam joined within two months of each other, allowing production to finally move forward. By that time, Lee Jung Eun had waited more than a year for her co-stars’ schedules to align.
These two productions reflect a major paradigm shift in the Korean entertainment industry. Historically, securing financing or landing a network broadcast slot was the biggest obstacle. Today, cameras cannot roll until the schedules of lead actors align.
The proliferation of streaming platforms has only intensified this rivalry. Production companies developing original streaming content are competing against traditional TV dramas and feature films for the exact same talent pool. Popular actors often book their schedules years in advance, leaving new projects waiting months, or longer, for an open slot.
Scheduling conflicts are only part of the battle. For projects like Love in Disguise, production teams must pitch creative risks to persuade actors to step outside their comfort zones. For ensemble films like The Journey to Gyeongju, multiple lead schedules must align simultaneously—meaning a delay from one actor creates a domino effect for the entire cast.
Meanwhile, actors hold more leverage than ever. With endless offers across platforms, they can meticulously evaluate scripts, characters, directors, production teams, and filming timelines before committing.
Production teams can no longer rely solely on strong scripts as a result. They must actively pitch why an actor is essential to the role and demonstrate how the project will showcase a new side of their talent.
As one production official put it: “In the past, we waited on financing or a broadcast slot. Now, we wait on actors.”
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