I read an article recently that explained the ending of the Kdrama, True Beauty, and suggested a possible season two.  Given the continued popularity of both the original True Beauty webtoon and the Kdrama version, it’s not surprising that people would want a season two.  Does this mean that True Beauty should have a season two?  I have some thoughts.

One of the things that I really like about Kdramas is that most of them are self-contained in one season.  It’s like reading a book that has a definite beginning, middle, and end (not counting trilogies or lengthy series, of course).  I enjoyed the first season of the show, Lost, and maybe the second.  By the subsequent seasons, I couldn’t figure out where the story was going or if I even wanted to know at that point.  Many American TV shows are like that.  They start out well and then meander somewhere before coming to an unsatisfactory ending.  There are exceptions. Babylon 5 is a great example. Creator, Michael J. Straczynski, planned for it to be only 5 seasons.  While the show meanders some, most of its arcs reach a successful completion.

Kdramas: One Season Wonders

When I watch a Kdrama, I like knowing that the story will come to an end with the first season.  Plot points, character arcs, happy (or sad) endings will come together within the 8 to 20 something episodes.   After I watch a show, I can move on to the next one without agonizing over a major cliff-hanger.  Do I miss watching the characters in these Kdramas?  You bet.  At that same time, these beloved characters have been put through the wringer.  Do I really want to see them go through that again?

Certain genres of Kdramas don’t lend themselves very well to multiple seasons.  Sageuk Kdramas often tell a story of a specific historical event or point in time and cover the entire story to its logical conclusion.  It would be hard to imagine additional seasons of Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung, The King’s Affection, or The Matchmakers, for instance.  Romantic/comedy Kdramas also tend to wrap up the story of the leads in the first season – after tearing down their lives and then putting them back together, of course.  Not much story to tell after that.

Multi-season Kdramas

But wait – you might say.  Some really great Kdramas are more than one season long.  This is true.  Medical dramas, police/fire and legal shows often follow the “story of the week” format while at the same time containing a larger arc.  These shows can successfully have second (or more) seasons.  Think Dr. Romantic (3 seasons), Hospital Playlist (2 seasons), or Extraordinary Attorney Woo (renewed for season 2).  Likewise, fantasy series can leave more to explore after the first season:  Sweet Home (season 2 currently airing with season 3 coming out summer 2024), Arthdal Chronicles (planned for more than one season but got sidelined by Covid), and Netflix’s new Gyeongsong Creature (with two seasons).

Kdramas That Could Have a Second Season

As of my writing of this post, I have watched a little over 40 Kdramas.  That’s not much compared to a lot of people but enough to get a good sampling.  Of those, I think maybe five of them could have a second season.  But — I think those second seasons would have to focus on something new.   Here are five shows I have watched that could have a second season and what I envision a second season could be like.

• In my post on The King:  Eternal Monarch, under the title “A KafeNook Ending within the Ending for The King: Eternal Monarch” I write about what could go into a second season of this show where the focus is on making Tae-eul’s character (Kim Go-eun) the queen of the Kingdom of Corea.  Season two would need to add a new bad person, or threat to the timeline.  And, of course, my favorite king’s bodyguard, Captain Yeong (Woo Do-hwan), would be there to help save the day.   
• A second season of Mr.  Queen could be set in present day and focus Chef Bong-hwan. There he meets his match in the female heir of the Queen’s Group – who just so happens to be the reincarnation of King Cheoljong.  I created a fun little epilogue imagining what could happen in this setting in my Mr. Queen review.  
• Heirs/Inheritors is now ten years old and I, for one, am ready to see what these characters are up to.  The end of the series provided a “10 Years” later scene already, but how about a “20 Years” later scene? How fun it would be to see our favorite high school students all grown up and with high school kids of their own?  Is Kim Tan (Lee Min-ho) helping brother Won (Choi Jin-hyuk) at Jeguk?  What trouble are his and Cha Eun-sang (Park Shin-hye) kids in?  Did Choi Young-do (Kim Woo-gin) find someone to love after being rejected by Eun-sang?  Are favorite couple Lee Bo-na (Krystal Jung) and Yoon Chan-young’s (Kang Min-hyuk’s) still together? 
• Song Joon-ki did such an amazing job portraying Vincenzo, I wouldn’t mind seeing his character again in a season two.   I have an entire section in my Vincenzo review about where a season two could go.  I will miss the villains from season one but have no doubt that new and even more evil villains could be found to amp up the stakes.
• If there is one show that ended too soon, it’s Gaus Electronics.  I really wanted a few more episodes to give Na-rae (Ko Sung-he) and Sang-sik (Kwak Dong-wook) more time together. And- what about Chaebol heir, Man-tan (Bae Hun-sung), and his crush, Gang-mi (Kang Min-ah)?  She seemed to be warming up to him by the end.  Plus, Aziz (Sazal Kim) is now working at the company!  I could easily see another 8 to 10 episodes of this show.

Should There Be a True Beauty Season 2?

Back to True Beauty.  Should there be a second season?  By the end of the first season, Lim Ju-kyung (Moon Ga-young) and Lee Su-ho (Cha-Eun-woo), have survived trial and tribulation and are finally back together.  Plus, each is on their chosen career path.  Su-ho has made up with his father.  Lim Ju-kyung’s (Moon Ga-young) sister, Hee-kyung (Im Se-mi) is married to teacher, Han Joon-woo (Oh Eui-shik).   Brother, Ju-young (Kim Min-gi) has made progress with his crush, Han Go-woon (Yeo Joo-ha).  And, Han Seo-jun (Hwang In-youp), everyone’s favorite second male lead, has finally moved on from Ju-kyung and re-launched his Kpop career.

Leads Ju-kyung and Su-ho deserve the happiness they have found and I, for one, don’t want to watch them go through more difficulties.  But . . . if a season two focused on Seo-jun and his quest for romance with a new leading lady, I am all in.  Throw in the budding romance between his sister and Ju-kyung’s brother, Ju-young, and season two could be one heck of a show.