In Korea, there has been a growing trend of transforming popular dramas into seasonal series, in response to the demands of viewers and the interests of broadcasters and production companies. While seasonal dramas are a popular format in the U.S., they were not commonly seen in Korea until more recently.
The popularity of “seasonal dramas”has been increasing in recent times. One of the most prominent examples is SBS’s “The Escape of the Seven,”which premiered in September of last year and is currently in its second season. The cast, which includes Uhm Ki-jun, Hwang Jung-eum, Lee Yu-bi, Shin Eun-kyung, Yoon Jong-hoon, Cho Yoon-hee, Cho Jae-yoon, and Yoon Tae-young, reprise their roles from the previous season.
SBS has a strong presence in creating seasonal dramas. In addition to the previously mentioned “The Escape of the Seven”series, other popular examples include “Dr. Romantic,”which starred Han Seok-kyu and ran for three seasons from 2016 to June of last year, and “The First Responders”series, which has two seasons including “The First Responders”in November 2022 and “The First Responders II”in August of last year. Furthermore, the drama “Flex X Cops,”which aired in January, confirmed the production of a second season in its final episode. Another highly-rated drama, “The Fiery Priest,”which aired in 2019 and achieved a 22.0%
In keeping up with the current trend of seasonal drama series, tvN has announced that it will be airing “Player 2” on May 3. This highly anticipated follow-up to the 2018 series “Player” on OCN will feature the return of Season 1 stars Song Seung-heon, Lee Si-eon, and Tae Won-seok after a six-year hiatus. Additionally, it has been reported that Oh Yeon-seo, Jang Gyu-ri, and Ha Do-kwon will be joining the cast.
Moreover, “Signal,”a drama that aired in 2016 and became a phenomenon, has been confirmed to have a second season after its successful run. The show follows the story of detectives from different time periods who are connected by a mysterious radio signal, as they work together to solve unsolved cases. With outstanding performances from actors and actresses like Kim Hye-soo, Cho Jin-woong, and Lee Je-hoon, “Signal”has captured the hearts of many viewers. However, it is currently unknown whether these actors will reprise their roles in Season 2 or if the story will continue in the same manner.
Broadcasting companies and production companies continue to release season-based dramas one after another due to the guaranteed ratings from these popular IPs. However, if the actors’ performances and the quality of the original material are not consistently maintained or improved upon, the season format may become a detriment.
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