Actress Gong Hyo Jin has shared her thoughts on 'When the Stars Gossip', a high-budget drama with an estimated production cost of 50 billion KRW (approx. $36 million USD).

On April 20, a video titled “It’s a bit late, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to talk about” was posted to Gong Hyo Jin’s YouTube channel "For Now, Gong Hyo Jin."

In the video, Gong Hyo Jin casually chatted with her team while chopping onions, reflecting on her experience filming 'When the Stars Gossip', which aired on tvN and wrapped up in February. Despite its unique setting and high-profile cast, the drama recorded modest ratings, peaking in the low 2% range.

In the series, Gong Hyo Jin played astronaut Eve Kim, who crosses paths with Gong Ryong, an OB-GYN doctor played by Lee Min Ho, aboard a space station in zero gravity. 

Speaking candidly, she said:“The entire process of making this drama was completely new to me. It was pre-produced, with some parts going through two years of post-production. The story itself was quite complex—I can imagine it wasn’t easy for viewers to fully understand.”

She went on to explain the deeper meaning behind the concept:“From the beginning, the writer wanted to explore the idea of creating life. The main question was: ‘Can people continue their lineage in zero gravity?’ I played a character involved in that kind of research.”

When the production team asked whether space as a setting might be premature for Korean dramas, Gong replied:“Whenever something new is introduced, it’s met with divided opinions. Whether it succeeds in the future depends on the hard work of the people who take the first steps, even if no one acknowledges them at the time.”

She also addressed the controversial ending, where her character dies just a day after giving birth:

“Whenever the main character dies in the finale, people have mixed feelings. Even my mom struggled with it. I think it was a bit too heavy for older viewers to fully digest.”

Gong shared behind-the-scenes details of the physically demanding shoot:“Except for one episode, the entire series was set in space. Filming the zero-gravity scenes took forever—sometimes over two months just for one episode. I was suspended on wires for 15 hours a day. I remember yelling, ‘Please just let me down!’ because the blood flow in my body was so poor.”

She concluded with a sense of gratitude:“It’s amazing that we filmed for a whole year. By the second month of shooting, I was already worried—‘Will this even make it to air?’ In the end, we were just thankful that the show actually got released.”