'Hierarchy' Season 2: Everything You Need to Know

‘Hierarchy’ is one of the most-watched Korean dramas of 2024, coming shortly after ‘Queen of Tears’, ‘Lovely Runner’, and ‘The Atypical Family’. Mirroring the likes of the number one hit ‘SKY Castle’, ‘Hierarchy’ is intense and thrilling, following a private school of rich children who bully scholarship students. With betrayals and relationships broken due to secrets and misunderstandings, ‘Hierarchy’ is beautifully written and intensely played.

Released on Netflix in early June, ‘Hierarchy’ has kept viewers excited for the following episodes. When ‘Hierarchy’ ended in June, hundreds of thousands of viewers were left buzzing, asking the question – will there be a Season 2 and what might it contain?

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What is 'Hierarchy' about?

‘Hierarchy’ follows a scholarship student, Kang Ha, who seems to be innocent and naive against the obvious hierarchy that resides within the school. The rich students dominate the scholarship students, tossing them around and bullying them to get what they want. The head of the bullies?

Kim Ri-An and his friends. Kang Ha quickly reveals to the audience that he has a motive for coming to Jooshin (the school) – revenge. His brother was killed by the bullies and the ‘accident’ was quickly covered up by the Jooshin staff. As Kang Ha investigates his brother's death, he falls in love with Jae-I, the queen of Jooshin, who used to date Kim Ri-An. As the plot unfolds, romance and jealousy blossom and it seems as if no one in the school can be trusted as every student has their own secret to hide. As Kang Ha spearheads a rebellion against the hierarchy at Jooshin, viewers are left wondering whether Kang Ha will succeed against all the odds.

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Who are the cast of ‘Hierarchy’?

Roh Jeung-Eui acts as Jae-I, the female lead in ‘Hierarchy’. Viewers may recognize her from ‘Our Beloved Summer’, where she played an idol as one of the four leads. She also played ‘18 Again’ and ‘Phantom Detective’, completely different roles where you'll get to see the different sides of her!

Kang Ha is played by Lee Chae-Min, who acted in the top romance hits ‘Alchemy of Souls’ and ‘Crash Course in Romance’. His extreme popularity and success made him the host of multiple shows and the most influential actor for his role in ‘Crash Course in Romance’.

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Ji Hye-Won acts as Yoon He-ra, Jae-I's ex-best friend and rival, who first comes off as a shallow enemy who turns into an empathetic character. Her role as a medical patient in ‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay' differs largely from this one, but showcases her acting talent. Kim Jae-Won, the handsome Kim Tae-Ri, is most known for his role in ‘King the Land’, where he played the male counterpart in a romance between the side characters. The cast of ‘Hierarchy’ is diverse and talented, and viewers are extremely satisfied with all of their performances throughout the drama.

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Will there be a Season 2?

The producers of “Hierarchy” are unlikely to confirm rumors of a Season 2 of the drama until several weeks after the drama ends. In general, the probability of Season 2 depends largely on the success and popularity of Season 1. After the final episode of Season 1 is released, producers will watch the national ratings and viewership before deciding on whether to continue to drama with 12 more episodes.

Dramas like “Gyeongseong Creature” have followed this pattern, wherein Season 2 of “Gyeongseong Creature” will be released in late 2024. However, although Season 2 has not yet been confirmed, directors and scriptwriters should already have “Hierarchy: Season 2” written and prepared in advance. This is further evidenced by the fact that ‘Hierarchy’ ended in a cliffhanger, prompting viewers to speculate that ‘Hierarchy’ Season 2 is already in the makes but is yet to be announced.

Image Credit: 티비텐 from Wikimedia Commons

What might happen in Season 2?

A drama's Season 2 is almost impossible to predict given the imagination of the scriptwriters and the infinite possibilities the plot could take from here. However, here's what we know is most likely to happen and what media outlets and viewers speculate. Yoon He-ra and Kang Ha are most likely to return in the sequel as they both appear in the post-credits scene, wherein Kang Ha discovers another dead body (murdered) on the Jooshin campus.

Media outlets also believe that Season 2 will once again revolve around Jooshin, with the applied changes Kang Ha made, but the traditional backstabbing and betrayal that appears in Season 1. New characters are also expected to make their entrance, with perhaps Kang Ha seeing a reflection of himself as a new scholarship student with dark motives. Because ‘Hierarchy’ is not based on a webtoon, however, it is hard to predict what might happen, and we can only wait for the genius of the scriptwriters to surprise us!

As you follow the leads' Instagram and social media accounts, you may find yourself wanting to watch another drama but unsure of what drama you should watch. Take the interactive quiz above to find out what Korean drama you should watch next based on your specific preferences. Make sure to check out our other articles on the top Korean dramas you should watch, updated in 2024! Stay tuned for more Korean drama articles and updates on The Teen Magazine!