Though there has been no official announcement of Season 2 of Celebrity, rumors, and expectations say that 2025 is the year when the series will make a comeback. Two years is a long time to remember the frivolous fights of Season 1, which means that we can expect the series to start with a clean slate and, preferably, more intelligence. Celebrity Season 1 was meant for those who love to put influencers in a box, for those who simply want to see the worst of them, and we have to admit that an entertaining show was made out of that. However, a second season would need more nuance. It cannot be a rehashing of these stereotypes once again simply because it will be repetitive. Celebrity has seen some success, which means that other shows and movies will get on this bandwagon of hating influencers.
So far, criticism of social media or girls who care about likes and followers has always been used as a tool of contrast to show a character’s “real” personality against the influencer’s superficial one. Notice how the influencers in such cases are always women. This is the sexism we were referring to, and Celebrity has not bothered to waver from it, even in the interest of painting a better picture. Our point is that once there is enough content out there making fun of influencers, the tide is going to turn, and people are finally going to start showing them in a more nuanced light. Hopefully, by the time Celebrity Season 2 comes out, this will be the trend, and the series will have the chance to make up for its past insensitivity.
Something that surprised us when watching the series is that while they wanted to show the worst of influencers, they really missed out on so many things. Where were the influencers demanding free stuff in exchange for mentions on their socials? Where were the influencers copying stuff from lesser-known creators? And where was the discussion of what their families thought about their lifestyles? Where were the problematic Andrew Tates and James Charles or even the Jeffrey Stars who continue to be talked about despite their controversies? Also, why was there just a single example of Wang Ro La, who was faking her lifestyle? Why not use that opportunity to address how widespread the problem is? There is also the case of fledgling influencers, who struggle to find their voice, while established influencers start branching out into mainstream channels like reality TV, series, and movies to keep up their relevance. Why did we only see luxury influencers and not those from other genres like fitness, cooking, travel, and a lot more? What are the politics of their world like? What about those influencers advocating impractical clothing hacks that don’t lead to much yet get them the eyeballs? It would have been so entertaining to see them being made fun of. Maybe Season 2 of Celebrity will take care of that aspect.
Then there is the matter of A Ri. At the end of Season 1, she said that she wanted to wash her hands of this business, but can she really do that? Celebrity was hyper-focused on the hate that can come one’s way at the slightest hint of a mistake, but it also showed that there were people who were willing to listen to A Ri’s side of things and wanted her to come back. A Ri had just not seen that due to the amount of hate that she received. That could change once she has time to think with a clearer head. Considering we saw Junho at the end of the season, maybe he will be a part of Season 2. He might create a new love triangle with A Ri and Jun Kyeong. A Ri would need a comeback, and what better way to do that than through a show or an interview? We also haven’t discussed what would happen to her business. She has upgraded her lifestyle and is responsible for those working for her. Even if she shuts down everything, she cannot go back to where she was at the beginning of the season. That means she has to leverage the power of social media in some form or another. We will need the details of this if there is a Celebrity Season 2.
Coming to the other characters, we are really curious about Si Hyeong. In a world where she was one of the most privileged, her goodness was an asset and what made her graceful. Once she gets her divorce from Tae Joon and is probably disowned by her family, she will have to struggle in the real world, where being competitive and cutthroat takes precedence over being nice. It might just be that she and A Ri join hands for a new venture or just start working together completely. There will be a power struggle and some uncomfortable moments since A Ri is not nearly as nice as Si Hyeong. Who knows, Junho might be her love interest instead of being a part of the expected love triangle.
There is also the question of Gabin society. We can assume that they are destroyed, but nothing suggests that they won’t make a comeback. Min Hye may have to serve some time with her husband, and Chae Hee’s family is powerful enough that they can get her out of jail soon. Yu Ran might be done with everything after Min Hye’s betrayal, but she still needs to stand on her feet, as does Angela, who has been kicked out by her husband. While they could have continued with their lives in Season 1 without going after A Ri, they don’t have the option in Season 2. They would have to explain their crimes if they want to come back in the public eye, and they cannot do that without taking A Ri’s name, which means there will be a lot more mudslinging. A Ri’s father’s bankruptcy might also come up in a negative light.
But the thing we are most curious about is A Ri’s relationship with Jun Kyeong. It felt forced, almost like that love story existed just for the sake of it. We sensed neither attraction nor romance between the characters, and if their relationship lasts till Season 2, then it needs to be better fleshed out. To sum it all up, despite the offensive stereotypes, Season 1 of Celebrity was loads of fun, and we expect Season 2 to be nothing different. We would like less screeching, though. That is the one stereotype against women that we would love to see retired from Korean dramas.
