Actors who finish up their mandatory two-year military term sometimes take up to a year to rest and consider what they want to do next in their career. Not Song Joong Ki.
The actor will be discharged from the military on May 26 and probably only have a week off before he starts filming his next project.
He is due to appear in the KBS TV production of "Descendants of the Sun" which has been waiting for his discharge to begin shooting. After a week's break from military service he will start playing the part of a Special Forces officer during the Vietnam War.
The story takes place in a war zone, where Song's character meets a surgeon working for a humanitarian organization. The two are initially adversaries but eventually fall in love. Song Hye Kyo plays the doctor that wins Song Joong Ki's heart.
The drama was created with these actors in mind. Some of the scenes will be shot ahead of time before the proposed October airing date. That makes for a more comfortable shooting schedule, and according to the Korean media outlet Naver TV, this made the drama an attractive comeback option for Song Joong Ki.
But it still won't give him much time to catch up with friends and family. Much of the drama will be filmed outside of Korea.
Other actors have taken a few weeks to a couple of years to readjust to civilian life and decide on a comeback drama.
Actor Kim Jae Wook said that he found it difficult to transition back to civilian life. Months after his discharge he had not completely adjusted.
"They say it takes time for an actor to feel comfortable acting again after his release from the military, but I thought I would be an exception," he said. "It turns out, however, that I do need time, and I′m still trying to adjust not only to acting but also to being a member of society again."
But he did adjust. Shortly after that Kim Jae Wook starred in "Who Are You?" The paranormal mystery co-starred Ok Taec Yeon and So E Hyun.
Actors may enter the military as a fan favorite but fail to make a dent in the ratings when they return from their military duty. That was the case with Hyun Bin, whose star shone very brightly after his two hit dramas "My Lovely Kim Sam Soon" and "Secret Garden." His highly anticipated comeback drama "Hyde, Jekyll and I" did not impress when it came to the ratings.
Song Joong Ki's last roles before he entered the military were in the drama "Nice Guy" and the film "A Werewolf Boy." His comeback drama will be met with high expectations.
