Picture: The WONDERfools – Netflix
The WONDERfools was one of our most anticipated K-dramas of 2026, and, suffice it to say, the series has lived up to nearly all our expectations. The question now remains: Will Netflix renew The WONDERfools for a second season? The door remains open for a second season, despite the director’s original intentions, but whether Netflix will renew the series remains to be seen.
The WONDERfools is an upcoming South Korean Netflix Original superhero drama series written by Kang Eun Kyung (Gyeongseong Creature) and directed by Yoo In Shik (Extraordinary Attorney Woo), and stars Park Eun Bin, Cha Eun Woo, Kim Hae Sook, Choi Dae Hoon, and Im Sung Jae.
In 1999, in Haeseong City, a freak accident results in a young woman and her neighbors receiving superpowers, but unfortunately for them, their powers are less than perfect and highly unstable. They join forces with Lee Un Jeong, a civil servant, as they investigate mysterious and unexplained disappearances across the city. As tensions mount in the city, the group must overcome villains and their own shortcomings to preserve the peace.
What do the numbers say?
At the time of writing, The WONDERfools has only been available to stream on Netflix for just under 3 weeks.
In that short time, the series has amassed 14.6 million views.
The first week (4 days of data) was relatively disappointing, with only 2.7 million views and a 6th-place debut in the global rankings for Non-English shows. However, in week 2, the series saw a huge resurgence, with a 196% increase in viewing hours, amassing 7.9 million views in one week, and bumping up to 2nd in the weekly rankings.
Week 3 saw a 49% decrease in viewership, but it still pulled in 4 million more views. Suffice to say, the recovery for the series has been great, but we’ll be more intrigued to see what the numbers say if the series can stay in the global top ten list for further weeks.
| Week in Top 10 | Week Period | Hours Viewed | Views / CVE | Weekly Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 10 to May 17, 2026 | 25,300,000 (New) | 2,700,000 | 6 |
| 2 | May 17 to May 24, 2026 | 74,800,000 (+196%) | 7,900,000 | 2 |
| 3 | May 24 to May 31, 2026 | 38,100,000 (-49%) | 4,000,000 | 2 |
Two examples of K-dramas that Netflix has renewed previously, Bloodhounds and Gyeongseong Creature, have been brought to our attention online.
The WONDERfools have already surpassed the view count for the first three weeks of Gyeongseong Creature season 1, and are only just behind by 1.5 million views for both seasons of Bloodhounds.
However, it is important to note that Gyeongseong Creature was renewed months before the first season’s release, and Bloodhounds is one of the rare exceptions where a K-drama is renewed for a second season.
One more thing to note is that, thanks to the number of stunts and visual effects in The WONDERfools, not to mention its star power, the show’s budget is likely to be far higher than that of the vast majority of K-dramas Netflix produces.
Overall, the numbers for The WONDERfools are good after 3 weeks, but given the hype surrounding the show prior to its release, we still would have expected higher numbers in the opening 3 weeks. That being said, our expectations are not Netflix’s, and while the series remains on the global top 10 list, it’ll continue to amass more numbers, increasing its chances of being renewed.
What has Netflix said so far?
Netflix is currently radio silent on the future of The WONDERfools, but one thing fans online may have overlooked is the show’s status as a “Limited Series.” In 99% of cases, shows listed as a Limited Series do not receive a second season.
There are very rare examples of shows that have gone on to be renewed despite being listed as a Limited Series, and those are limited to:
- 13 Reasons Why
- Untamed
- The Perfect Couple (now an anthology)
- Beef (now an anthology)
- The Watcher (S2 yet to be released)
All of these shows either received great critical acclaim or received incredible viewership, which warranted Netflix to produce more.
What has the cast and crew said about season 2?
Not a great deal has been said about the second season of The WONDERfools, but actress Park Eun Bin has hinted at what it could take for a second season:
“Talking about season 2 is probably premature. For now, I hope it receives a lot of love. I hope many people watch it; it has just been released, and there is time, so I think it’s wise to consider what comes next depending on how much accumulated affection it receives.”
Next, director Yoo In Sik confirmed that the story of The WONDERfools was not made with a multiple-season format in mind; however, the door remains open for another season:
“We did not cast or build the story with a season format in mind. There had to be room for the door to stay open within the world we created. There is a possibility that something could happen again, and there is a character who holds the key to solving it. If that flow were completely closed off, I think the story would lose its consistency. If viewers want more, it is a happy question to consider. But we did not make it with Season 2 in mind from the start.”
Not much else has been said so far, but judging from those interview responses, renewal, even for a Limited Series, is possible, but it will rely on strong viewership.
Lastly, if the series were to be renewed for a second season, it would need to secure the lead actors before committing to any future projects. Park Eun Bin is still attached to a second season of Extraordinary Attorney Woo and is currently one of the most in-demand actresses in South Korea.
As for Cha Eun Woo, the actor is currently serving his mandatory military service, and at the start of the year, he was embroiled in a major tax-evasion allegation. But he has since paid the tax owed and apologized for the controversy. His military service ends on January 27, 2027, and, so long as the fallout from the scandal does not affect his career, he will be in high demand.
For now, we will leave our renewal prediction at 50/50. While the series is listed as limited, the director has left the door ajar for a second season, and viewership is recovering from its first-week dip. Fans of the series can improve its chances of renewal by rewatching it and introducing it to friends and family.
50/50
Would you like to see a second season of The WONDERfools on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
