‘Drinking Solo’ Season 2 Being Discussed — tvN In Talks To Produce Second Season Of Alcohol-Themed K-Drama [Light Spoilers]

2016 was a phenomenal year for K-dramas because it marked its comeback after it suffered a slump brought about by the “Kpopcalypse” two years earlier. We got to see many K-dramas attain a domestic double-digit viewership, a rarity in both 2014 and 2015. Not only that, but we also got to see many K-dramas attain a monumental measure of popularity internationally. Descendants of the Sun is so far the best example of this, but other K-dramas have attained such international appeal too even if they didn’t do so well domestically. Uncontrollably Fond and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo come to mind.

However, if we were to talk about the Korean television stations themselves, we would have to say that the Total Variety Network (tvN) probably took this year more so than others. tvN, which is a pay television or cable channel, usually earns between 1 to less than 3 percent in viewership for its K-dramas. That is not the case this year. Reply 1988, Cheese in the Trap, Another Oh Hae Young, Let’s Fight Ghost, Signal, Memory, Cinderella and Four Knights, and The K2 have earned amazing viewership ratings.

Out of all the K-dramas mentioned above, the one that is particularly unique is Drinking Solo. Also known as Let’s Drink and Drinking Alone, it is technically a spin-off of another series which is two seasons long, Let’s Eat and Let’s Eat 2. Unlike the originals though, Drinking Solo was far more successful earning an AGB Nielsen Korea viewership average of 3.562 percent for the nation and 4.078 percent for the Seoul National Capital Area. As for TNmS Media Korea, it earned a straight 4.0 percent for the nation. That is more than double the viewership any of the seasons of Let’s Eat was able to earn. As a result, tvN is in the midst of talks of continuing Drinking Solo with a second season.

The news of tvN discussing a possible second season for Drinking Solo was revealed by an unnamed source of the Korean television company on November 25, as reported by Soompi. The news does align with another media source that previously stated the production staff of Drinking Solo was preparing to make plans for a second season this coming year in 2017.

“We are currently in talks. Nothing has been decided yet.”

For those who do not know what the tvN K-drama Drinking Solo, starring Ha Seok Jin and Park Ha Sun, is all about, the synopsis of the plot describes it as a slice-of-life romantic comedy in which drinking alcohol is considered a plot factor. Jin Jung Suk (Seok Jin) is a handsome and professional star lecturer who has recently been hired at a civil service institute in Noryangjin in Seoul. Joining him is Park Ha Na (Ha Sun), a rookie lecturer who struggles to survive in the private institute world. Their contrasting styles and positions in the hierarchy not only adds fuel to the fire of an interesting professional relationship, but also brings about valid reasons why they like “drinking solo.”

Nevertheless, there was a lot that happened by the conclusion of Drinking Solo especially when it came to the relationship Jin Jung Suk and Park Ha Na ended up having. However, it also concluded in a way that a second season or spin-off was possible. It seems that was the plan from the beginning proven by the aforementioned news of tvN in talks of possibly making a Drinking Solo second season.

Drinking Solo originally aired on tvN on Mondays and Tuesdays from September 5 to October 25. For those who want to check out Drinking Solo for themselves, the entire series is free-to-watch, with ads, in its entirety on OnDemandKorea and DramaFever by its other title, Let’s Drink.

[Featured Image by Total Variety Network (tvN)]