K-Dramas That Left Us Yearning For A Season 2

Warning: this article contains major spoilers for the ending of the listed dramas.

Hey chingus! I am back again, but this time I am trying my hand on a new editorial that is relevant to fellow Kdrama fans. I know there are many aspects of Kdramas:  some have amazing storylines, some have amazing and soothing OSTs, but there are some dramas which meet all aspects and still leave us craving for more. So today, I am writing about when we wanted or dreamt of having a follow up season of a drama because of the plot, the star-studded cast or other aspects. They make us laugh, cry, feel love even if we haven’t experienced it, and leave us fantasizing about a love that is impossible to get.

Being a Kdrama fan is a joy as well as frustrating sometimes when we don’t get a satisfying closure to a drama. Being a fellow fan, you would agree with me that for some amazing dramas, we hoped for a follow up season but that dream never came true. So today, let me list some of those dramas that sincerely need another season we all would love to see. 

Without further ado, let’s get in to it right away!

Topping my list would be the drama that most of us are still hopeful will someday have a season two like its predecessors, but then again, we can just hope and wait for the time to come. If you are really a fan of Kdramas, you must have already guessed which drama I am talking about:

This drama is a Korean remake of the Chinese drama Scarlet Heart, which is an adaptation of a novel titled Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua. It was broadcast on SBS from August 29th to November 1st, 2016, with an episode count of 20 and 2 special episodes. The drama was a mediocre hit in South Korea but was well received by international fans. The drama is headed by none other than our queen IU (Lee Ji Eun), and our handsome Oppas Lee Joon Gi and Kang Ha Neul. The drama had an amazing cast with many familiar faces like Nam Joo Hyuk, Kim Ji Soo, Byun Baek Hyun, Kang Han Na, and Seo Hyun to name a few.

STORYLINE

The plot revolves around a girl named Go Ha Jin, a 21st century girl who gets transported and travels back in time to the Goryeo Era. When she wakes up, she finds herself in the body of Hae Soo, a cousin to the wife of the 8th prince. She gets entangled with the prince and the royal family. She initially falls in love with the 8th prince, her cousin’s husband, but later on develops feelings for the 4th prince, Wang So. The plot centers on the plotting and scheming in the royal household, and our heroine gets unwittingly caught up in the rivalry among the princes for Hae Soo’s affection as well as for the throne. At first frightened by Wang So because of the rumors about him, she later on understands him, his pain and suffering as well as gets to see his soft and romantic side.

Going further into the list we have a drama with our very own beloved Kdrama queen, Park Shin Hye:

The drama was a hit both in South Korea and internationally. It aired on tvN from December 1st, 2018 to January 20th, 2019, running for 16 episodes. It went on to be one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history. The leads are the queen Park Shin Hye and the one and only Oppa (My first man crush), Hyun Bin. It is about an augmented reality game developed by the character played by none other than our EXO oppa Park Chan Yeol.

STORYLINE

The plot revolves around the characters of Yoo Jin Woo and Jung Hee Joo, the former being a CEO of an investment company named J One Holdings that specializes in optical devices, and the latter being a former classic guitarist and the owner of a hostel named Hostal Bonita in Spain. After getting a mysterious call one night from someone named Jung Se Joo about an augmented reality game, he arrives at Granada, Spain, to complete the purchase deal. The story then unravels the mystery behind the game and disappearance of Jung Se Joo, who also turns out to be the brother of Jung Hee Joo.

The drama has amazing visuals and the VFX are fascintating to watch. It was well received by the audience, both male and female, because of the gaming influenced theme. The ending of the drama leaves us hanging as Yoo Jin Woo, who is now lost in the game, walks away as Jung Hee Joo realises that he is still alive while he was presumed dead. This keeps an opening for a sequel, but all we can do is hope that it gets picked for an another season.

Let’s get further on the list, and this time it is another IU drama:

This is on the list not just beacause the drama has a sad ending and we want a happy ending for Jang Man Wol (IU) and Gu Chan Sung (Yeo Jin Goo), but also because of the fantastic cameo in the last episode of the series that introduces a new character, who is none other than our alien from another star (reference to his character in My Love from the Star), Kim Soo Hyun. He is introduced as the new owner of the Guest House of the Moon renamed to Hotel Blue Moon. The drama aired on tvN from July 13th to September 1st, 2019 with an episode count of 16. The cameo itself was amazing but let’s get to why this drama deserves and should have a season 2.

STORYLINE

The drama is set in two timelines as it goes to and from showing the past of the character played by IU. Coming to the 21st century, Hotel Del Luna, previously known as Guest House of the Moon, is not a regular guest house but one where dead people come to stay because of unfinished business before they depart for their journey to the afterlife and reincarnation. Jang Man Wol, the leader of a group of bandits in the Silla dynasty, falls in love with Go Chung Myung (Lee Do Hyun), a royal guard captain. Go Chung Myung is forced to marry the princess and kill Man Wol’s group of bandits to prove his loyalty to the crown. Feeling betrayed by her beloved, she seeks revenge and ends up killing many people, and then finally kills Chung Myung on his wedding night. To atone for her sins, she searches for the Guest House of Moon, and gets cursed and bound to run the guest house until her heart, now personified by a tree, changes.

In the future, she is 1300 years old and is still running the guest house, but renamed it to Hotel Del Luna. She has lived her term and has atoned for her sins, so Goddess Mago starts her plan of finally sending her off to her afterlife. Then comes our hero, Gu Chan Sung, who at first is skeptical to work for her, but then gives in, and then love blossoms between them, in turn changing the personified tree as it starts getting leaves on it and finally blooms. The drama ends with both of them making promises to meet again in their future lives and live a happy life, as she passes on to her afterlife with her first life’s Chung Myung, who has always been beside her as a firefly.

Next on my list would be a hit 2021 drama:

The drama aired on tvN from February 20th to May 2nd with a total episode count of 20. It was one of the most liked and highest rated drama of the year. The drama stars an ensemble cast of amazing actors. The show is led by Song Joong Ki playing the titular role Vincenzo Cassano, and Jeon Yeo Been playing a reckless corrupted lawyer. The drama finds its main antoganist in none other than our beloved Kpop idol, Ok Taec Yeon.

STORYLINE

The plot revolves around Vincenzo Cassano, a lawyer and a consigliere to the Cassono family, a mafia family residing in Italy. He is also the adopted son of the former boss of the Cassano family. After his adopted father’s death, his step brother thinks of him as a rival to inherit the family business and sends people to kill him, but he escapes and comes back to Korea. The story begins with him getting involved with the lawyer residing in Geumga Plaza, a place owned by him, which is on the verge of getting demolished by a real estate company, which is a subsidiary of Babel Group. He befriends lawyer Hong Yoo Chan who is at odds with his daughter, and both are fighting in the court for the Geumga Plaza. Vincenzo becomes an advisor for the law firm owned by Yoo Chan.

After an accident staged by the Babel Group representative law firm, Wusang Law Firm, he gets determined to unravel the corruption and destroy the Babel Group with the help of Hong Cha Young, the daughter of Hong Yoo Chan.

The drama itself is intense with all its twists and turns, but is also quirky at times. The residents of Geumga Plaza are plain from the outside, but everyone has a secret personality and talent of their own. The drama ends with an open note where Vincenzo flees from Korea to Malta to escape other members of the Babel Group, but also leaving the gold extracted from the vault underneath the Geumga Plaza with Hong Cha Young. The amazing experience and the storyline of the drama is what left me yearning for a follow up season to answer my questions regarding the gold and the romantic future between the leads.

At first, I was skeptical to watch this drama, but then as I watched it, it lived up to the hype that it had among its drama fanbase. I am not a fan of the leads (no offense to Sueweeties and Airen) to be exact, but the chemistry and the story progression of the drama is what keeps me yearning for more.

The drama aired on SBS from September 20th to November 23rd, 2019, with an episode count of 16. The drama was well received among the fans. It is headed by Lee Seung Gi and Bae Suzy in the lead roles.

STORYLINE

The plot revolves around Cha Dal Gun, an underrated stuntsman who lives with his orphaned nephew Cha Hoon. After having an arguement with his uncle, Cha Hoon leaves for Morocco for a field trip. Before boarding the plane he leaves a video message for his uncle, asking him to follow his dreams instead of wasting his time in taking care of him.

The story goes on with Cha Dal Gun watching a report about a plane crash that killed over 200 civilians. He got worried and coincidentally, it was the same plane his nephew had boarded. His world is shattering around him as he goes to attend the funeral for the deceased passengers in Morocco. He is heartbroken and comes back to Korea with a heavy heart. A few days later, he meets a person who supposedly was on the same plane as his nephew, that he recognised from the video sent by his nephew, and confronts him. And the drama to unravel the truth begins when he is forced to partner with a NIS agent. Determined to find out the truth about the plane crash which resulted in his nephew’s death, he embarks on a journey and starts investigating, which leads him deeper into the tangled web of corruption where he faces problems and gets threatened to leave the case as it is instead of searching for the truth.

Notable Mentions

Story about a doctor, Ji Sang, specializing in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery in the best cancer research hospital in the country, who also happens to be a vampire who is looking for a person responsible for his parent’s death to avenge them.

A korean twisted story of the chinese novel Journey to the West but that takes place in the modern world with elements of romance. Son Oh Gong, who was trapped ages ago, is freed by a little girl; in turn they make a deal with each other that whenever she calls for him, he will come to ptotect her, later on falling in love with each other.

Story about Kim Tan and Cha Eun Sung, the former being a wealthy heir and the later being the daughter of the housekeeper who works for Kim Tan’s household. They meet for the first time in the US and Kim Tan falls in love with her. Their love is faced with the hurdles that come from being  from the upper class and a lower class.

After a paragliding mishap, Yoon Se Ri, a successful businesswoman, finds herself in North Korea. She meets captain Ri Jeong Hyeok who helps her get back to South Korea while hiding the fact that she is a South Korean.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with me? Did I miss something? Tell me in the comments below.

kdrama
moon lovers
lee min ho
lee seung gi
lee ji eun
park shin hye
memories of the alhambra
scarlet heart ryeo
hyun bin
hotel del luna
song joong ki
bae suzy
vagabond
lee joon gi
vincenzo
cloy
heirs
korean odyssey