Chuseok Brings a Wave of Fresh OTT Series
Netflix released two big Korean series this Chuseok season: Scandal and Made in Korea 2. Both dropped ahead of the four-day holiday, giving viewers plenty of time to binge. This year’s OTT lineup is especially strong for anyone planning a lazy holiday at home.
Chuseok is Korea’s biggest harvest holiday, similar to Thanksgiving in the United States. Families travel, share food, and bow to ancestors. But once the rituals wrap up, many Koreans turn straight to their screens.
Think of it as the Korean version of a post-Thanksgiving couch marathon, just with more kimchi and fewer football games. So what makes this year’s OTT selection worth your four days off?
Scandal Brings Melodrama Back to Life
Scandal stars Son Ye-jin and Jang Ki-yong in a period drama full of tangled romance and moral tension. Son plays “Madame Jo,” a woman caught between desire and social expectation. Ji Chang-wook rounds out the cast as “Jo Won,” adding another layer of intrigue.
The series is a remake, which means longtime drama fans get a special kind of pleasure. You get to compare the new version with the original, scene by scene. Isn’t that one of the best parts of watching a remake?
Remakes are common in Korean television, and Scandal fits a long tradition of reworking classic stories for new audiences. Costume dramas often use lavish sets and sharp dialogue to explore power and desire. This OTT release leans into that heritage while updating the pacing for modern streaming habits.
Critics have noted the chemistry between the leads carries much of the emotional weight. Son Ye-jin, known for her range in both romance and drama, brings quiet intensity to her role. If you already loved her past work, this feels like familiar territory with a bold new twist.
Made in Korea 2 Raises the Stakes
Made in Korea 2 continues the story from its first season, this time with sharper conflict and darker choices. Hyun Bin returns in a role critics describe as coldly calculated. Fans of the franchise get to see how characters evolve after the events of the earlier installment.
Sequel series carry a unique kind of pressure. Viewers arrive with expectations already set by season one. Does the sequel live up to the tension that hooked so many people the first time?
Early reviews suggest yes, largely because of how the story deepens its exploration of ambition and betrayal. This kind of layered storytelling is becoming a hallmark of Korean OTT production. Streaming platforms have given Korean writers more room to build slow-burn narratives instead of rushing to easy conclusions.
For readers outside Korea, this matters because it shows how local content is shaping global streaming trends. Korean OTT series routinely climb Netflix’s international charts. Made in Korea 2 looks positioned to continue that pattern this holiday season.
Variety Shows Add Balance to the OTT Lineup
Not every Chuseok release is heavy drama. Daehwanjang Gianjang 2, a comedic variety show, also premiered around the holiday. It offers a lighter counterpoint to the emotional intensity of Scandal and Made in Korea 2.
Korean variety shows often blend humor with genuine warmth between cast members. That mix has become a signature of Korean entertainment, appealing to viewers who want something less demanding after a long day of family gatherings. You can watch a tense thriller one hour and switch to easy laughter the next.
This kind of variety matters more than people often realize. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, the diversity of Chuseok OTT content gives viewers real choice depending on their mood. A four-day holiday filled only with dark drama can feel exhausting, so comedic programming plays a real role in balance.
Holiday viewing habits also reflect something deeper about Korean family life. Chuseok brings generations together, often under one roof for the first time in months. That closeness creates warmth, but it can also bring quiet tension, old expectations, and the pressure to perform a certain kind of family harmony.
OTT viewing, in that light, becomes more than entertainment. It offers a shared activity that lets family members sit together without needing to talk about difficult things directly. The same togetherness that makes Chuseok meaningful can also feel heavy, and a good series gives everyone a gentle way to just be in the same room.
What This Means for Global Viewers
Korean OTT content keeps proving it travels well beyond its home market. Scandal and Made in Korea 2 will likely reach international audiences within days of their Korean premiere. That speed reflects how central Korea has become to the global streaming economy.
Will Korean dramas keep setting the pace for global OTT trends. The evidence from this Chuseok lineup suggests yes, at least for now. Strong writing, layered characters, and format range keep pulling in viewers who might not have paid attention a decade ago.
What OTT series are you planning to watch this holiday season, and does Korean content already have a place on your list?
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