Entertainment Insiders Reveal Why Drama Production Companies Cast Idols Over Rookie Actors

The casting of idols in dramas and films is not new news, but there has been a noticeable recent surge of idol actors in the market lately. With this surge, the public couldn’t help but wonder why rookie actors aren’t chosen more for such productions since acting is their forte. This age old question has finally been answered by numerous different entertainment insiders.

An interview from 2016 has been brought back into the spotlight with the recent increase of idol actors in the industry. During the interview, a production company insider shared one of the reasons why companies will cast idols instead of rookie actors.

When you go onto the audition site, your heart just gravitates towards the idols. Their acting is a given, but they have so many other abilities, such as their singing and individual skills. If you ask them to do something, they do it without hesitation and honestly, they act pretty well. These days, entertainment labels will train idols on acting.

— Production company insider

A representative from an entertainment agency added on by sharing the financial benefits of casting an idol rather than a rookie actor.

Recently, there was a drama that did pretty well with idol K. I heard that their compensation was quite rational. I was told that entertainment labels ask for a lower compensation. It’s rare for their pay to go over $4,000.

— Entertainment agency representative

A drama production staff shared their two cents by revealing that having an idol in a production can make or break the ability to sell the production’s copyright overseas.

The ability to sell the copyright of a production overseas is dependent on whether or not there is an idol featured in the film or drama. The idol doesn’t have to be a top idol in Korea, but as long as they’re popular overseas, the copyright to the production will sell. The production’s popularity in Korea may be insignificant so the idol’s popularity may not increase, but overseas it will do well.

— Drama production staff

While they all admitted that having an idol is not always the answer to the production’s success, the probability of a film or a drama doing well is significantly higher.