9 K-Dramas That Deserve Second Seasons
These days it’s hard to find shows with multiple seasons that don’t start to drag at some point. That’s why K-dramas can be so appealing. You’re introduced to well-written characters who get their stories introduced, developed, and wrapped up in a nice little bow in one season. There’s usually no worry for painstaking cliffhangers or thinking that your favorite character deserved better.
However, sometimes one season can be too short and you just want to spend some more time with your favorite characters. Or tragedy happens and you end up with a sad ending, an open ending, or perhaps the drama never finished the mystery it had been trying to solve all along. It’s times like these when a second season is wanted. Here are nine K-dramas that deserve a second season.
Warning: spoilers for the drama endings below.
“Hwayugi”
“Hwayugi” is a drama that will capture your heart from the first episode. Jin Sun Mi (Oh Yeon So) has to figure out how to navigate a world where demons and deities are constantly at odds. Punished by the gods for releasing Son Oh Gong (Lee Seung Gi) from his prison, she has to bear the weight of being the one destined to save the world from impending doom. This makes her a target in the supernatural world as there are many people who want to eat her for her power, including Son Oh Gong. But the gods have other plans, and instead, she traps him with a geumggango and they have to save the world together.
This drama keeps you hanging on with its missions to destroy day-to-day demons, hilarious banter between Son Oh Gong and Woo Ma Wang (Cha Seung Won), a great evil brewing in the shadows, loveable zombies, and ill-fated romances that try to find a way to be together. Of course, all of this tends to be a recipe for disaster and the drama comes to a final close with Son Oh Gong rushing to the underworld to save Jin Sun Mi. It’d be great to see everyone reprise their roles for more godly mischief and to see how Son Oh Gong braves the underworld to find his true love.
Catch the first episode below:
“Suits”
Based on the U.S. show of the same name, “Suits” is a drama about a prestigious corporate lawyer named Choi Kang Seok (Jang Dong Gun), who hires a college dropout named Go Yeon Woo (Park Hyung Sik) to be his associate at Kang and Ham. While he doesn’t legally have the right to practice law, Yeon Woo’s photographic memory is one of his strongest assets. Much like his mentor, Yeon Woo is witty and charismatic but his humbleness and drive to help the underdogs of the world often challenges Kang Seok’s cold demeanor and approach to cases. They tackle numerous cases dealing with sexual assault, business contracts, class action suits, and have their own mock trials that reveal the inner relationships brewing inside the law firm. While Jang Dong Gun and Park Hyung Sik’s chemistry drive the show forward, they also shine with the other characters such as Kang Ha Yeon (Jin Hee Kyung), Hong Da Ham (Chae Jung An), Kim Ji Na (Go Sung Hee), and Chae Geun Sik (Choi Gwi Ha).
The show tackled plotlines that were drawn out over multiple seasons in the original show, the most vital one being Yeon Woo’s fraud. Already having served time for his crime by the end of the drama, Kang Seok is there to greet him as he exits prison. It would be interesting to see how Yeon Woo’s life continues to overlap with Kang Seok’s in another season. Would he return to college and study law so he can work with his mentor once more? Would they hire him on in another position? What about his relationship with Ji Na? The U.S. show has nine seasons so there’s certainly more material to adapt and explore!
“Hotel Del Luna”
Due to a previous deal that his father made with Man Wol (IU), Goo Chan Sung (Yeo Jin Goo) becomes the manager of the Hotel Del Luna. As expected from the Hong Sisters, “Hotel Del Luna” is nothing short of a riveting and heartbreaking tale. Man Wol and Chan Sung do not get off on the right foot and constantly bicker as they tackle the important duty of helping ghosts move on to the afterlife. While Man Wol does not seem to be too happy, as she’s been cursed with this job for thousands of years, Chan Sung eventually breaks down her barriers and also enables her to move on from her past and finally move onto the afterlife as well.
While it would be incredible to see some sort of reincarnation plot for Chan Sung and Man Wol to get their happy ending in another season, fans were excited at the idea to see a second season about Hotel Blue Moon after Kim Soo Hyun‘s iconic cameo. Since the hotel is known to be run by those who have to pay for their past sins, there’s so much intrigue around Kim Soo Hyun’s character. What did he do to be chosen to run the hotel? Is his past more tragic than Man Wol’s? How will he get along with the other incredible employees of the hotel? While tvN did release a statement that ultimately said anything was possible, so far there’s been no word about a second season. With any luck, maybe there will be in the future.
“The moon has risen. Let’s open for business.”
Catch the first episode below:
“How Are You Bread”
“How Are You Bread” is a fun and cute but surprisingly heartbreaking web-drama to watch. The drama follows Noh Mi Rae’s (Lee Se Young) pursuit of trying to cast Ha Do Woo (Suho) for the new baking competition show that she’s in charge of writing. Do Woo is an enigmatic pastry chef who is well-known for his “how are you” bread that he kneads all of his emotions into. Every time Mi Rae eats it she wells up in tears, and soon she finds herself not only pursuing him to cast him for her show but also to discover why his bread has such an effect on her.
With some strained family relationships, business rivals, friends-turned-enemies, and reuniting first-loves, this show tackles themes that will tug at your heartstrings. It’s ultimately all about sacrificing yourself for the happiness and safety of the ones you love. While such a sacrifice is noble, it certainly becomes frustrating once you realize that Do Woo and Mi Rae are stuck in a never-ending loop of making the other forget that their love existed. It would be great to see another season that explored them trying to break the cruel loop they’re in instead of just succumbing to it. After all, if their love is so ill-fated why does fate keep bringing them together?
Catch the first episode below:
“Vagabond”
The truth is it’s absolutely criminal that “Vagabond” does not already have a season two in the works. Packed to the top with action, never-ending conspiracies, and a tiny sprinkle of romance, this drama will have you stress-sweating until the very last minute of the show. Thrown into the conspiracy behind the plane crash that killed his nephew, Cha Dal Gun (Lee Seung Gi) takes it upon himself to find out who is responsible. Along the way, he crosses path with NIS agent Go Hae Ri (Suzy) and together they uncover the corruption that has poisoned their government down to its core.
HR: Breaking into the Blue House to meet the president?
DG: [Hides a smile at Hae Ri]
HR: Cha Dal Gun, thumbs up to you!
The ending of this show had fans in outrage as it seemingly ended with the same scene that it started with. While the conspiracy is uncovered by the end, ultimately, the story is left unfinished. Viewers last see Dal Gun infiltrating the organization behind the attack and Hae Ri working her own angle, unaware that Dal Gun is alive. Meanwhile, the perpetrator still hasn’t been brought to justice. In the end, all the wins their team had throughout the series feel all for nothing. While Celltrion Entertainment, the production company behind the drama, did release a statement that the drama was made with season two in mind, there is no confirmation that it will come to fruition. It would be wonderful to finally see Dal Gun and Hae Ri’s story come to a satisfying close.
“The Ghost Detective”
With the allure of a ghost being connected to a string of murders, “The Ghost Detective” is a drama that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. When the ever-charming private investigator Lee Da Il (Choi Daniel) finds himself trying to solve the disappearance of three children with the help of his new assistant, Jung Yeo Wool (Park Eun Bin), the drama reveals that he is actually not alive. It also turns out the case leads back to the woman in red, Sun Woo Hye (Lee Ji Ah), who was involved in the death of Yeo Wool’s younger sister. Unraveling the mystery of Woo Hye’s crimes leads the pair and their investigative team into a spooky tunnel of chaos as they try to figure out how to stop a ghost. Da Il faces even more conflict as the longer he stays outside of his body, the more prone he becomes to turning into a full-on evil being like Woo Hye.
YW: So don’t go anywhere alone. Even if you change again suddenly, I can…protect us.
Ultimately, in the end, Da Il sacrifices his body and his chance to be alive again to end Woo Hye’s evil reign. However, not all hope is lost, as he does eventually reappear to Yeo Wool in the end. While the show did imply that Da Il would have to leave Yeo Wool’s side, the supernatural genre can open many possibilities. Who wants to accept a seemingly tragic ending for the pair? It would be amazing to have a second season that explores how the pair will begin working together again alongside their team and other public officials who implemented their own ghost detective units to solve supernatural cases. Perhaps, they could also hunt for a new way to bring Da Il back from the dead.
Catch the first episode below:
“Lawless Lawyer”
If you’re looking for a drama that tackles conspiracy and corruption with a side of a healthy romance, then you’ve probably already watched “Lawless Lawyer.” Returning to his hometown, gangster-turned-lawyer Bong Sang Pil (Lee Joon Gi) opens up a law firm in hopes to root out the corruption behind his mother’s murder years prior. It’s there he approaches the reckless Hae Jae Yi (Seo Ye Ji) to work with him.
This drama showcases the importance of working together when tackling such huge cases of injustices in the world. There’s even just the right amount of comedy when it comes to Sang Pil’s group of gangsters helping them solve the mysteries of the past. Lee Joon Gi and Seo Ye Ji’s chemistry and teamwork also make the drama incredibly enjoyable through all the wins and losses their characters face.
The drama ends with the pair arriving in Seoul after wrapping up their loose ends back in their hometown. Looking as sexy as ever, they both swear to take down those who are abusing powers in the lawless city. The ending of this drama certainly left room for a second season. What conspiracies would they uncover in Seoul? How lawless would they be willing to become to win their cases? It would be awesome to see how Sang Pil and Jae Yi tackle their new environment.
Catch the first episode below:
“Catch the Ghost”
Plagued by the disappearance of her twin sister, Yoo Ryung (Moon Geun Young) decides to become a part of the subway police. This decision comes after she was brushed off by the metro police when she confronted them about her sister possibly being a victim of the infamous Subway Ghost serial killer. She’s bull-headed and has a very different approach to the job unlike her by-the-book-boss Ko Ji Seok (Kim Seon Ho). The pair bickers more than your average married couple since Yoo Ryung always wants to take justice into her own hands. The dynamic offers a fantastic balance of comedy among the chilling themes of the show. The drama highlights the importance of working together, intense grief after the loss of a loved one, and the very real struggles of those who are also caretakers of other family members.
By the end of the drama, a happy ending ensues but it also feels like the dynamics between the characters are just beginning. Yoo Ryung and Ji Seok’s mutual respect and admiration turn to romance, and their once-rocky relationship with the metro police has also changed. The show ends with a comedic scene of both parties trying to arrest the same suspect for different cases. It would be fantastic if there was another season of creepy comedic chaos that shows how both police teams work together to solve the mysteries that plague their reality.
YR: What if something happened?
JS: What would happen when I’m watching him? Is it that hard for you to trust me?
YR: I’ll be more careful.
JS: Can I trust you?
YR: Trust me.
“Page Turner”
After getting into a car accident that causes her to lose her vision, Yoon Yoo Seul’s (Kim So Hyun) career as a prodigy piano player seems to be up in the air. Meanwhile, Jung Cha Shik’s (Ji Soo) promising future as a pole vaulter comes to a halt with a groin injury. They meet by chance in a hospital when Cha Shik stops Yoo Seul from trying to take her life. They come together again shortly after when he becomes her helper at school and he convinces her to teach him piano. Ultimately, they inspire each other to pursue what makes them happy, and the drama explores the idea of following your own expectations and dreams rather than someone else’s.
Despite the drama only being three episodes long, it leaves quite the impression. It would be fantastic to see where the characters end up after having their big finale moment with their piece for the piano competition. Does Yoo Seul still want to play piano for her career? Did Cha Shik find a new dream after he learned the piano? “Page Turner” is a drama that makes your heart long for a little more time with the characters and their story.
Catch the first episode below:
These dramas are just a small handful of the ones out there that deserve second seasons. Did any of your favorites make the list? If not, which dramas do you wish would return for another season? Tell us in the comments below!
kaityv spends most of her time watching K-dramas even though she should be writing. If she’s not watching a drama then she’s for sure dying over BTS’s and Red Velvet’s music and videos.
Currently watching: “Tell Me What You Saw,” “Nobody Knows,” “Memorist,” “I’ll Go to You When the Weather is Nice”
All-time favorite: “Strong Woman Do Bong Soon”
Looking forward to: “So I Married an Anti-Fan,” “A Piece of Your Mind“
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