'The Player' hopes to continue tvN's success streak

A scene from "The Player 2: Master of Swindlers," starring Oh Yeon-seo (left) and Song Seung-heon (tvN)

"The Player 2: Master of Swindlers" will be larger in scale than its first season, is set to hit screens with the goal of continuing tvN's successful track record. The cable channel appears to be on a winning streak with hit series such as "Queen of Tears" and "Marry My Husband" capturing audiences worldwide.

"The Player" series, which aired in 2018 on cable movie channel OCN, is making its comeback on tvN. Actors Song Seung-heon, Lee Si-eon and Tae Won-seok, who spearheaded the first season, appear in reprises of their roles in the second season. Joining the new season are actors Oh Yeon-seo and Jang Gyu-ri.

"The Player" series tells the story of Kang Ha-ri (played by Song), a skilled con artist who collaborates with his team of experts to steal from wealthy individuals.

Director So Jae-hyun, who helmed the series, said that the drama series will uphold the success that tvN has been enjoying recently. According to tvN's announcement of its performance in 2024, the cable channel took the lead in nationwide viewership ratings logged during prime time from January to the first week of May, on the back of hit series "Queen of Tears," "Marry My Husband," and "Lovely Runner."

The director added the second season will come back on a larger scale.

"Season 2 will set itself apart from the first season in terms of scale. The scale for the series is bigger than before -- we've also focused more on character development. Since we've switched channels from OCN to tvN, we've made the series more fun and exciting," said So during an online press conference held on Tuesday.

Song added that this time, the characters will be driven by different motivations.

"In Season 1, Kang Ha-ri's life underwent a profound transformation following the unjust death of his father, whom he admired as a role model. This tragedy propelled him to seek revenge. However, in Season 2, the characters unite and act for a different purpose," said Song.

Lee Si-eon, who portrays Im Byeong-min, an expert hacker, hinted the drama series has long-term plans to produce up to five seasons and will aim to produce a lasting impact like the hit crime flick series, "The Roundup," for which, four more sequels are planned.

The first episode of "The Player 2: Master of Swindlers" will air on tvN at 8:50 p.m. next Monday.

By Lee Yoon-seo(yoonseo.3348@heraldcorp.com)