The Netflix original series "Sweet Home," which is considered a major force behind the trend of 'K-content,' has released its Season 2 on December 1, exactly three years after its predecessor. 

The new season has garnered a wide range of reactions from global viewers. Some praised the expanded scale and setting of the series, while others criticized it for having too many characters and a stretched-out storyline, sparking curiosity about its overall success.

● Expanded universe offers more to see

Season 2 depicts the survivors, including Song Kang, Lee Si young, and Go Min Si, who have managed to live in a world where humans turn into monsters due to their desires. The survivors move out of the original setting of Green Home Apartment to find a new haven.

While undergoing monsterization yet retaining his sanity, Song Kang volunteers as a test subject for vaccine development, and others like Go Min Si struggle for survival in the safe haven 'Stadium' and the outside world. The battles between military forces and monsters, and Song Kang's transformation into a half-monster, are vividly portrayed with elaborate CGI. The actions of some characters, more cruel than the monsters, continuously pose questions about humanity.

The drama, being the first Korean series to reach the top 3 in Netflix's 'Most Watched TV Shows' globally (according to FlixPatrol), has quickly climbed the charts, entering the top 9 globally on Netflix shortly after its release. 

The American film magazine Collider praised the series, saying, 

"Season 2 is intriguing not just for the evolved monsters, but for raising questions about who the real monsters are. It effectively portrays how terrifyingly awful and fragile human nature can be when controlled by fear and distrust."

● Mixed viewer reactions

While viewers empathize with the drama's message, they have also criticized it for introducing too many new characters at once, leading to a scattered storyline and diminished character development compared to the first season. The addition of a monster task force led by Yu Oh-seong and the special disaster base on Bam Island for monster experiments led to disappointments about abrupt character deaths and underdeveloped conflict narratives between Song Kang and Lee Jin-wook.

K-netizens made comments such as : 

"The story dragged on, making it hard to focus,"

"It feels like a middle stage for setting up Season 3, which is disappointing." 

On KinoLights, an OTT integrated search site, 'Sweet Home 2' topped the 'Today's Ranking,' 

but the viewer satisfaction rate in the 'Traffic Light Index' was polarized, resulting in only 43.59%.

Director Lee Eung-bok previously addressed concerns about the side effects of expanding the series, saying, "We focused on introducing new characters and the expanded universe. Please pay attention to the changes and charm of the characters who have ventured outside into the world."