Last month, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) took a risk when their producers created a K-drama that differed from past K-dramas. It would mix elements of a traditional drama with reality television, a concept similar to The Office . By happenstance, the show centered on their profession. As a result, Producer was made. The K-drama, starring Kim Soo Hyun , was unrefined and sluggish in the beginning. The coup de grâce was a major drop in ratings halfway through the series. Eventually, Producer found its groove, highlighted by the 10th episode earning its highest ratings for the show at the time .
However, the producers behind Producer wanted more, planning to end the series on an even higher accolade. They earned what they wanted, as reports now show the series finale broke its past record ratings. Not only that, they incorporated enough foreshadowing in the finale to trigger rumors of a second season.
As mentioned earlier, Producer earned its highest ratings for the series with its finale. KBS producers reportedly set up the series for such an outcome by adding more time to the last two episodes, as reported by Koreaboo . For Friday’s 11th episode, both Orange Marmalade and Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook had five minutes shaved off of their shows to give it an extra ten minutes. And for Saturday’s 12th episode, the shows after it were pushed back by ten minutes. The added time helped with closing Producer, which earned a nationwide viewership of either 18.2 percent (TNS Media Korea) or 17.7 percent (AGB Nielsen), as shown by AsianWiki .
Overall, Producer was a success. KBS producers can go home satisfied they ended a series on such a high note. However, the Producer ‘s ending, for some reason, incorporated foreshadowing for the love lines. This, in turn, sparked rumors of a second season (or spin-off). KdramaStars details the love lines between the four main characters — Baek Seung Chan with Cindy, and Ra Joon Mo and Tak Ye Jin — were established but left open-ended, especially between Seung Chan and Cindy, where the former is now exploring his attraction with the latter, something unknown to him because of his constant pursuit of Ye Jin.
Nevertheless, Producer being rumored to have a possible second season excites some. It is also a rarity, because almost all K-dramas are designed to fit within a set number of 12 to 22 episodes. Whether the rumors turn out to be true or not, both fans and those interested in the K-drama, Producer, can enjoy it in its entirety at DramaFever .
[Image via Korean Broadcasting System (KBS)]