Picture: Crash Landing on You – Studio Dragon
Netflix’s latest engagement report revealed that several K-dramas have been ruled out for second seasons on Netflix.
The standard scenario is for Netflix to announce ahead of time whether a series will be released as a limited series. This way, subscribers will know immediately if the series is one-and-done or a wait-for-renewal.
K-dramas typically work differently. Usually, if an internationally licensed weekly K-drama receives a second season, we’ll know about its renewal before the first season lands on Netflix. The best example of this is the Hospital Playlist. However, K-dramas that Netflix has produced themselves, such as Squid Game and Bloodhound, could be waiting several months for renewal.
This information may not come as news to frequent viewers of K-drama content, but it may be handy for casual viewers who don’t know how K-drama productions work.
Like earlier this year, we’ve seen the following Netflix Original K-dramas (and some Japanese dramas) change to a Limited Series without warning;
- Business Proposal – First added to Netflix on February 28th, 2022.
- Café Minamdang – First added to Netflix on June 27th, 2022.
- Crash Landing on You – First added to Netflix on December 14th, 2019.
- Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha – First added to Netflix on August 28th, 2021.
- Mine – First added to Netflix on May 8th, 2024.
- My Liberation Notes – First added to Netflix on April 9th, 2022
- Our Blues – First added to Netflix on April 9th, 2022.
- Siren: Survive the Island – First added to Netflix on May 30th, 2023.
- Something in the Rain – First added to Netflix on April 13th, 2018.
- The King’s Affection – First added to Netflix on October 11th, 2021.
- Thirty-Nine – First added to Netflix on February 16th, 2022
- Tomorrow – First added to Netflix on April 1st, 2024.
When you search for K-dramas such as Crash Landing on You, you’ll find information on the page referencing whether the series is a Limited Series.
It’s improbable that any of the shows above, except Siren: Survive the Island, were considered for a second season. However, given the popularity of some of the above, such as Business Proposal and Crash Landing on You, Netflix may have been hoping for TVN to greenlight renewals.
What are your thoughts? Would you have liked to have seen any of the limited series renewed for a second season?
