Byun Yo-han will no longer headline the first-ever outer-space-themed Korean drama City of Stars, his management agency Saram Entertainment announced on March 20.

The agency did not disclose the reason behind his decision to withdraw from the project, a promising series with a big budget, a highly interesting concept, and an award-winning director, Jang Jin (We Are Brothers, Crime Scene)—a huge name in the movie industry who is known for addressing human issues in his works.

City of Stars will tell the story of two men who have grown up dreaming of going into outer space, focusing on their journey towards realizing their goals. They get selected to join an astronaut training program that will send humans on a mission to find alternative energy sources in space. Byun Yo-han confirmed two months ago that he will play one of the two men, named Yoo Dong-ha, a former air force pilot who has suffered from a flight accident that has left him with trauma and ends up working as an aircraft mechanic.

Byun Yo-han’s decision to drop his role from City of Stars is a setback for the drama, which is targeting to become a fully pre-produced show that will be released in the second half of the year. The production team is currently seeking another actor to play the said role.

Byun Yo-han, who is best known for his roles in Six Flying Dragons and Mr. Sunshine, is the second actor confirmed to have received an offer to play the lead role in City of Stars. The first one is Hyun Bin (Memories of the Alhambra), who was courted by the team in 2016.

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