Some viewers enjoyed watching the drama "Producer" so much that 12 episodes did not seem enough, even if the final episodes were extra long. The last two episodes added 10 minutes each so that they were 90 minutes.
Fortunately, the drama's production team has decided to give fans the gift of an extra segment, which will be aired on June 26. KBS representatives told the Korean media outlet TV Report that the additional episode will be 100 minutes long.
That means that the drama "Orange Marmalade," starring Yeo Jin Goo and AOA's Seolhyun, has been rescheduled for 10 minutes later than its usual airtime.
"Producer" ended its run on June 20 with successful ratings. At its highest, the drama achieved nationwide Nielsen ratings of 17. 7 percent. It averaged 12.5 percent in viewer ratings.
The upcoming additional episode will feature behind-the-scenes-footage of actors Kim Soo Hyun, Gong Hyo Jin, IU and Cha Tae Hyun, as well as some bloopers.
The drama about the making of variety shows was a financial success, earning $7.5 million from commercials and product placement, as well as overseas sales. Broadcasting rights were sold to 12 Asian countries, including China, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. According to the Chosun Ilbo, A Chinese web site paid $2.4 million to secure the streaming rights.
But the drama was expensive to make. The leading roles were played by top stars and the drama featured dozens of cameo appearances from celebrities. According to the Korean media outlet Yonhap News, "Producer" cost $400,000 an episode to produce. This means the profit will not be as dramatic as it might initially seem.
The drama also drew some criticism from industry experts who said that it inaccurately portrayed the interactions between celebrities and the producers of variety shows. In particular, critics said, that the interactions between IU's character Cindy and Gong Hyo Jin's character Tak Ye Jin were misleading, as producers usually have the upper hand when dealing with celebrities.
Still, fans enjoyed a look into the fun and chaotic world of variety shows. And viewers are likely tune in to see more of Kim Soo Hyun's rookie producer character, IU's k-pop princess and the best friend producers played by Gong Hyo Jin and Cha Tae Hyun.
What did you think of this drama? Will you tune in to see the additional episode?
