5 K-Dramas that destroyed their own magic with a frustrating Season 2 — from Squid Game to Love Alarm

Some K-dramas end perfectly, emotional arcs tied up, plots resolved, and fans satisfied. But then comes the sequel. You're excited, till you see that they are just pushing past their natural endpoint, and crashed into messy plot twists, underdeveloped characters, or plain viewer fatigue.

Here are five K-dramas that either didn’t need a sequel, or got one that made us wish they hadn’t.

The first season, despite derailing somewhat at the end, was wrapping up well. Season 1 was a brutal, compact commentary on capitalism that ended with the protagonist Gi-hun walking off ambiguously, after his bloodstained wins. But Netflix couldn’t let it rest. Season 2, saw G-Hun charging back into the slaughterhouse where people play kid's games for money, with a rather haphazard plan, or let's face it, no real plan, and then had to watch his friend die. Season 3 is coming too, a finale to this blood-splattered story, it remains to be seen if it redeems itself.

You can watch Squid Game on Netflix

No doubt, we all love a good drama. We love the backstabbing politics and the melodrama, somewhat like a Korean version of Gossip Girl. Penthouse did beautifully in this regard for Season 1. But, by Season 3, viewers were plain confused.vPenthouse was a wild ride—but it burned out in its own melodramatic flames. As users on Reddit have brutally noted, 'it was a waste of time'.

You can watch Penthouse on Viki

Season 1 of Alchemy of Souls was lightning in a bottle, fantasy, romance, and rich world-building that hooked fans fast. So when Season 2 rolled around, expectations were sky-high. But the vibe shifted. Go Youn-jung stepped in as Jin Bu-yeon (housing Naksu’s soul), replacing Jung So-min’s beloved Mu-deok/Naksu. The transition left many fans torn, especially those still emotionally invested in the original pairing.

Yes, Go Youn-jung and Lee Jae-wook had chemistry. But the fire was different. Softer. Some called it growth, others called it a letdown. Gone was the sharp-edged assassin Naksu; in her place stood a gentler, subdued version that didn’t quite hit the same.

The pacing: Rushed. Major conflicts got tied up in pretty bows. And while the visuals were stunning, the emotional punch didn’t land. After the epic build-up of Season 1, Season 2 felt like a beautiful echo—haunting, but not nearly as alive.

You can watch Alchemy of Souls on Netflix

Are we talking about a world where Song Kang doesn't get the girl? Nope, not happening. But that aside, the first season was still cute, if a little dystopian. The second: It killed the chemistry, forced character changes, and made people pick sides in a love triangle no one really wanted anymore. Sometimes, less is more.

You can watch Love Alarm on Viki

This one’s up for debate, but here’s the thing — Sweet Home Season 1 ended with an eerie, open-ended punch. It was gritty, claustrophobic, and raw, locking viewers inside a crumbling apartment complex where survival felt intimate and terrifying. The tension was tight. The monsters were grotesque but weirdly symbolic. And the pacing? Relentless in the best way. Then came Season 2… and it pivoted hard.

Instead of building on that psychological horror, the sequel expanded the universe into a full-blown dystopian war zone. Military camps, bio labs, sweeping desert shots, it looked bigger, sure, but lost the nerve-rattling intimacy. The monsters were creepy, but now drowning in CGI and action-heavy set pieces. The show started to feel more like a zombie war drama than a slow-burn horror.

For fans of the original’s personal stakes and emotional grit, Season 2 felt like a different beast entirely, bigger in scope, but thinner in soul.