Two Hawaii Five-0 Stars Will Not Return for Season 8

Hawaii Five-0 Season 8 is going to look a lot different thanks to the news that Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park will not be returning.

This is a bold move for the CBS series, considering both Kim and Park are original cast members, so there's no telling how their absence with shake up the dynamics of the show.

"We are so appreciative of Daniel and Grace's enormous talents, professional excellence and the aloha spirit they brought to each and every one of our 168 episodes. They've helped us build an exciting new Hawaii Five-0, and we wish them all the best and much success in their next chapters. Mahalo and a hui hou [until we meet again]," CBS said in a statement.

It sounds like an amicable split as far as CBS is concerned, but according to Variety, both actors were seeking deals for equal pay, but were unable to make those deals work. Kim and Park were believed to be making 10-15 percent less than co-stars Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan.

What Does The Good Doctor Mean for Daniel Dae Kim's Future on Hawaii Five-0?

Season 7 ended in a way that will make both Kim and Park's exits fairly easy to write in. Kim's character Chin ended the season by getting an offer to join a San Francisco task force and Kono left off on a plane, jetting off to investigate a child sex trafficking ring. According to The Hollywood Reporter, we'll get an update on both their fates in the Season 8 premiere.

When TVGuide.com spoke with Kim in May about his future on Hawaii Five-0 in light of ABC picking up The Good Doctor, on which Kim is an executive producer, Kim told us he had no plans to leave the CBS procedural.

"They're independent of one another," Kim told TVGuide.com. "Acting and producing are reflective of two sides of my career that I'd like to continue to pursue. I'm equally passionate about both."

Hawaii Five-0 returns Friday, September 29th at 9/8c on CBS.