Drama Stove League 2 is effectively dead.. A breakup ending with the production company...

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Will ‘Stove League 2’ be scrapped··· Lee Shin-hwa says it was a “Buksan Ending,” ending contract with production company
Posted: 2026.08.14 08:47

Directly confesses to the 6-year gap following ‘Stove League’
Lee Shin-hwa: “The conclusion was a Buksan Ending”
Announces termination of contract with Baram Pictures
“Many stories were created but ultimately failed to reach fruition”
Lee Shin-hwa, the writer of the popular drama ‘Stove League,’ personally announced that she has terminated her contract with her affiliated production company because she was unable to release a follow-up drama for over six years.
On the 14th, Lee stated on her social media (SNS), “To get straight to the point, it was a ‘Buksan Ending,’” adding, “I recently terminated my contract with the production company I was affiliated with.”
She continued, “There were many stories I created during that time, but due to various circumstances, they ultimately failed to reach fruition.”
The ‘Buksan Ending’ mentioned by Lee refers to the conclusion in the manga ‘Slam Dunk,’ where Shohoku High defeats the strongest Sannoh Industry High but is eliminated in the very next game. Lee used this metaphor to describe her own situation, where she created various stories following the success of ‘Stove League’ but was unable to present them as finished works.
However, this is not a declaration of retirement from writing. Lee stated, “I still hold affection and conviction for the stories that ultimately failed to reach you.” Mentioning the musical ‘Seopyeonje,’ she added, “I wanted to show my stories and communicate with you more than anyone else, but there were ups and downs in my work. However, those emotions have all passed, and since it is nothing to hide, I am sharing this.”
Lee has been under contract with the production company Baram Pictures as an affiliated writer since 2020. When Kakao M acquired Baram Pictures in the same year, it introduced Lee as one of the key creators who would present works with the company.
There were also changes within Baram Pictures. Last July, for the first time in five years since Kakao Entertainment acquired the company, the CEO was replaced. CEO Park Ho-sik stepped down, and Jang Se-jung, the head of Kakao Entertainment's video business, took over as the concurrent CEO.
Since ‘Stove League,’ Lee has not written the screenplay for a follow-up drama. She had been preparing a corporate drama with romantic elements, an idea she had conceived even before ‘Stove League,’ as her next project. She also worked toward the production of ‘Stove League’ Season 2, but that has also failed to materialize to date.
In this post, Lee said, “While I praise my own writing career, which was like a flame, I will respect all the steady things in this world.” She emphasized that the long hiatus following ‘Stove League’ was not merely a period of rest, but a time when many stories were created but failed to reach the audience.