‘The King: Eternal Monarch’ Season 2 may fail to materialize despite fans' petition

Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers. Proceed with caution if you have not watched the show/movie.

One of the most popular South Korean streaming television series, The King: Eternal Monarch (Korean: 더킹: 영원의군주) went on to become a success weeks after its premiere. The K-drama premiered on SBS TV and Netflix for global audiences on April 17, 2020.

The series received mixed reviews and lower-than-expected domestic TV viewership ratings on later episodes, with news media attributing it to competition on streaming platforms and its weak screenplay and not-on-par production quality.

The King: Eternal Monarch started with the Korean Nielsen Nationwide viewership rating of 11.6 percent on the second episode but the rating hit its lowest at 5.2 percent on the 11th episode, and the series struggled to pass the 6-8 percent viewership rating later episodes.

Despite the K-drama’s lower-than-expected domestic popularity and low ratings in Korea, it was listed as the most popular Korean drama series on Netflix in India, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore and one of the top two in the U.S.

Fans are still craving for more. While some fans think that there won't be a The King Eternal Monarch Season 2 because the first concluded on a brighter note, many are optimistic about the show's renewal.

The King: Eternal Monarch fans launched a petition for part 2. Many believe The King: Eternal Monarch Season 2 is delayed due to the global pandemic that shattered almost all the worldwide entertainment industry with financial loss.

The King: Eternal Monarch Season 2 renewal seems unlikely. Firstly, the first season ends on a happy note without leaving any cliffhangers for another season. If it still happens, the makers may have a hard time deciding whether The King Eternal Monarch Season 2 should be an extension of the first season’s plotline or a new story.  Chances are it would be a new story, which means many of the Season 1 stars may not return to Season 2.

According to What’s on Netflix, the decision to renew the series for a second season will be made by either the productions studios, Studio Dragon and Hwa& Dam Pictures and the distributor SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System).

Lee Gon, a modern-day Emperor of the Kingdom of Korea, attempts to cross the barrier into an alternate reality where the Republic of Korea exists in the Kingdom's stead. He comes across detective Jung Tae-eul, whom he recognizes from an identity card he obtained during the turning point of his childhood: his father's assassination. Lee Gon's half-uncle, Lee Lim, who assassinated the previous king, Lee Ho (Lee Gon's father), is in hiding and assembling armies whilst traversing back and forth between the two parallel worlds.

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