Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan poses for photograph at a fashion brand's event held in central Seoul on Sept. 11.NEWS1
Three-time Olympian Cha Jun-hwan is swapping his skates for a script as he makes his return to screens, 18 years after pausing his screen-acting career.
Cha has been cast as the lead in "Palace Land” (translated), a new sitcom that Tving plans to release in 2027, according to the streaming platform on Wednesday.
The sitcom follows the part-time staff of an amusement park and the everyday chaos behind its cheerful front.
Cha will play Seong Dae-han, a new recruit at the park.
The role marks Cha's first appearance in a television drama since KBS 2TV's "The Accidental Couple" (2009). Before making a name for himself in figure skating, Cha debuted as a child actor in 2006 and appeared in dramas including “Miracle" (2006) and "The Return of Iljimae" (2009).
Actor Woo Da-vi will star opposite Cha as the female protagonist, Song Ye-jin, a senior employee at the amusement park.
The cast also includes Park So-jin of now-disbanded girl group Girl’s Day, actor Lee Jae-won, comedian Kim Kyu-won and singers Minseo and Nancy of girl group Momoland.
The series is written by Lee Sol and directed by Yoo Hak-chan, whose previous credits include dramas "Plus Nine Boys" (2014) and "Top Star U-Back" (2018-19) as well as variety programs.
Cha's return to acting was announced just two days after he revealed plans to take a break from competitive skating.
Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan skates during a demonstration of the ice show "Solo Leveling on Ice" in western Seoul on Aug. 7.YONHAP
"After last season ended, I spent a lot of time thinking about my future," Cha said in a social media post Monday. “I decided not to continue competing or representing the national team this season."
Cha also announced the end of his contract with Seoul City Hall.
"After extensive discussions with the municipal government, I have also decided to conclude my contract with Seoul City Hall," Cha said. "I sincerely thank the city and everyone at Seoul City Hall for believing in me and providing their unwavering support over the years."
As for his future plans, Cha said he would take time to consider his next steps.
Figure skater Cha Jun-hwan competes at the at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games held in Italy on Feb. 13.NEWS1
"For now, I plan to do my best in the work ahead of me while carefully considering what direction I want to take," Cha said. "I sincerely thank everyone who has always supported me and given me strength. I hope to show you more of my best in the future."
The decision means Cha is unlikely to compete in either of the two events he was invited to attend in the 2026-27 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix series: the Cup of China, the third event of the season, and the NHK Trophy, the sixth.
Cha had reportedly been considering whether to continue his skating career since finishing fourth at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games.
In April, he signed an exclusive contract with entertainment agency Fantagio. He expanded his activities beyond competitive skating in August when he took the lead role in the ice show "Solo Leveling on Ice."
He also recently stepped down as an athlete representative on the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, citing personal reasons.
Cha has helped redefine Korean men's figure skating. He began making a name for himself at Whimoon Middle School and later finished 15th at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, a record Olympic finish for a Korean man in singles skating at the time.
He won gold at the 2022 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and silver at the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships. He added another gold medal at the Harbin 2025 Asian Winter Games. At the Olympics, Cha improved from fifth place in Beijing in 2022 to fourth in Milan-Cortina in 2026.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
