Picture: Celebrity – Netflix
Without making a grand announcement, Netflix has silently ruled out many K-dramas returning for a second season. Here’s how.
Often, when Netflix announces the release of an upcoming series ahead of time, we learn whether or not the Original is a “Limited Series” or a “Miniseries.” Netflix needs to label Originals correctly. That way, subscribers will know immediately whether or not a series is one and done or if they can expect to wait for potential further seasons.
Regarding K-dramas, we often learn this information beforehand if multiple seasons are planned, or a series is split into two halves. Kingdom, The Glory, Love Alarm, and Gyeongseong Creature are examples of K-dramas receiving two seasons for us to learn ahead of time. Some internationally licensed K-dramas, such as Hospital Playlist and Alchemy of Souls, also fall into this category.
A pattern we’ve noticed with Netflix is after the debut season of K-dramas, renewals are left in limbo for months or even years. There are still plenty of K-dramas without a confirmed cancelation, but nothing has been clarified by Netflix.
A Wikipedia contributor named Erik Knecht brought to our attention that Netflix has attempted to rewrite history by altering the labeling of some K-dramas, changing them to a “Limited Series.” Some of these K-dramas were recent releases, while others have been in limbo for over a year.
We’ve seen the following Netflix Original K-dramas (and some Japanese dramas) change to a Limited Series without warning;
- A Time Called You – First Added to Netflix on September 8th, 2023.
- Celebrity – First Added to Netflix on June 30th, 2023.
- The Days – First Added to Netflix on June 1st, 2023.
- First Love – First Added to Netflix on November 24th, 2023.
- Glitch – First Added to Netflix on November 24th, 2022.
- Mask Girl – First Added to Netflix on August 18th, 2023.
- The Sound of Magic – First Added to Netflix on May 22nd, 2022.
A Time Called You, first released on Netflix on September 8th, 2023, first arrived with the “1 Season” label as of December 5th. The time stamp on the Way Back Machine confirms this. Now, if you log onto Netflix and find the series, you’ll see it listed as a Limited Series.
It’s unclear if any of the K-dramas were ever considered for renewal, but arguably, changing their status to a “Limited Series” is much better PR than canceling a large portion of K-dramas.
What are your thoughts on Netflix changing these Original K-dramas into a limited series? Let us know in the comments below!