Mediacorp expands Korean collaborations with new drama Collateral Romance and 4 microdramas

A new Singapore-South Korea romantic comedy starring Kim Myung-soo and Pyo Ye-jin is in the works. Titled Collateral Romance, the drama is one of several Singapore-Korea projects currently being developed by Mediacorp.

Singapore's national media network announced the series on Tuesday (Sep 15), along with a separate partnership with Korean companies Studio S and Soonshot to develop four short-form dramas featuring Singaporean and Korean talent.

Collateral Romance is a 12-episode series co-produced by Mediacorp and South Korean content investment company Blintn, with Bigwave Entertainment serving as the production house. Filmed across Singapore and South Korea, the project marks Mediacorp's second Korean drama co-production and is slated to premiere in the first half of 2027.

The series is directed by Kang Min-goo, whose credits include Itaewon Class, and written by Hit The Spot writer Lee Do-yeon. Anna producer Woo Saejin serves as chief producer alongside Singapore executive producer Leong Lye Lin, whose credits include SHERO.

South Korean actors Kim Myung-soo, also known as L of K-pop group Infinite, and Pyo Ye-jin, will lead the cast, while Singapore actress Gladys Bay will also appear in the series.

Collateral Romance follows Lee Jeong-sik (Kim), a free-spirited timber dealer with a passion for trees, and Na Da-woon (Pyo), a pragmatic merchandising director who dreams of an ordinary, stable life. Despite their contrasting personalities, the pair cross paths in an unfamiliar city and become caught up in an unexpected incident that intertwines their lives.

Bay plays Chu Jini, the daughter of a Singaporean mother and Korean father who travels to South Korea to compete in a dance audition programme.

Broadcast details for Collateral Romance will be announced at a later date.

Mediacorp's other newly announced Korean partnership is with Studio S, the drama production and distribution arm of South Korean broadcaster SBS, and Soonshot, a short-form K-drama platform co-founded by veteran Korean comedian Lee Kyung Kyu.

The three companies will develop four short-form productions, or microdramas, featuring actors from Singapore and South Korea, as Mediacorp expands its Korean collaborations beyond conventional long-form television productions.

The first will be a short-form adaptation of the 2018 South Korean romantic comedy Still 17, a drama about a woman who wakes from a 13-year coma at the age of 30 while still feeling like the 17-year-old she was before the accident.

The new adaptation is targeted for release by the end of 2026. The remaining three titles will be announced progressively, with casting for all four productions currently underway.

The shows will be available through Mediacorp's platforms and Soonshot, with plans for international distribution.