The Korean film industry saw significant growth in the mid- to late-1990s, with actors like Lee Byung-hun and Jang Dong-gun transitioning from open recruitment to successful film careers. Han Suk-kyu, a notable figure from the 20th MBC open recruitment, took a long hiatus from dramas, returning only in 2011 after a 16-year break. However, the emergence of OTT platforms and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic led to a downturn in the film sector, prompting many actors to return to television dramas.

Choi Min-sik, who focused on film for over two decades, made a comeback to the small screen in 2022 with the Disney+ drama ″Casino,″ marking his first appearance in 25 years. Similarly, Song Kang-ho, known for his film work since his debut in 1996, also returned to dramas with ″Uncle Sam-sik″ in 2022. Other actors, such as Hwang Jung-min in ″Suriname,″ Ryu Seung-ryong in ″Moving,″ and Ryu Seung-beom in ″Family Plan,″ are now actively participating in dramas during the 2020s.

KBS’s new Saturday-Sunday miniseries ″Twelve″ is set to premiere on the 23rd, featuring Ma Dong-seok, who has been largely absent from dramas. This will be his first leading role on a terrestrial network in nine years, following ″Squad 38″ in 2016. Born in Seoul in 1971, Ma Dong-seok moved to the United States during high school, where he studied sports management before working as a personal trainer. He made his acting debut in Korea with ″The Legend of the Wind″ in 2004 and ″Heaven’s Soldiers″ in 2005.

Ma gained recognition for his role as Nam Sung-sik, a detective mistaken for a gangster, in the 2007 drama ″Hit.″ His performance as a loan shark in the 2008 film ″Beastie Boys″ further solidified his status. He continued to build his career with notable roles in films like ″The Good, the Bad, the Weird,″ ″The Unjust,″ and ″Pain.″ In 2011, he portrayed Park Man-soo in ″Perfect Game.″

In 2012, Ma Dong-seok played Kim Seo-bang in ″Nameless Gangster: Rules of the World,″ a character with no real skills in gangster warfare. That summer, he gained attention for his role as Ahn Hyuk-mo, a loan shark, in ″The Neighbors.″ His portrayal of legendary gangster Park Woong-chul in the 2014 drama ″Bad Guys″ further increased his popularity.

Ma showcased his action skills in the 2015 hit ″Train to Busan,″ where he played the expectant father Yoon Sang-hwa, contributing to the film’s box office success with over 11.56 million viewers. He became synonymous with thrilling action scenes through his roles in ″The Neighbors,″ ″Bad Guys,″ and ″Train to Busan.″ His portrayal of the super-strong detective Ma Seok-do in the 2017 film ″The Outlaws,″ which he co-wrote, brought him immense popularity.

From 2022 to 2024, Ma Dong-seok achieved over 10 million admissions for three consecutive years with the ″The Outlaws″ series, a remarkable feat for a single actor. In 2021, he made his Hollywood debut as Gilgamesh in the Marvel film ″The Eternals.″

Despite the box office disappointment of ″The Holy Night,″ released in April 2024, Ma Dong-seok is poised for a fresh start in 2025 with ″Twelve,″ his first drama in nine years. This action hero drama features 12 angels living in human form battling against evil, with Ma playing Taesan, the tiger angel and leader of the group.

In ″Twelve,″ Park Hyung-sik portrays Ogwi, a crow symbol, while Seo In-guk plays Wonseung, the monkey angel. Sung Dong-il takes on the role of Ma-rok, the manager of the 12 angels. Go Kyu-pil and Lee Joo-bin, who appeared alongside Ma in ″The Outlaws 3″ and ″The Outlaws 4,″ are also part of the cast. KBS has high expectations for ″Twelve,″ launching it as part of a new Saturday-Sunday miniseries lineup following ″My Girlfriend is a Luv Man.″

The success of ″Twelve″ could significantly influence the upcoming sequel ″Good Day for Eun-soo,″ starring Lee Young-ae and Kim Young-kwang. It remains to be seen if Ma Dong-seok will successfully mark his return to the screen with this action hero drama.