While Korea is one of Netflix‘s most profitable markets for national productions, few have had the impact of “Hellbound.” Based on Yeon Sang-ho’s webtoon of the same name, it was the first Korean drama to make it into the Toronto International Film Festival, quickly became the world’s most-watched series on the platform just hours after its release, and was praised by critics as a production that will leave a lasting impact on the history of TV.
The first season premiered on the platform in 2022 and was set in a society where supernatural beings suddenly appear to condemn people to Hell. These prophecies, known as “decrees,” culminate in a demonstration when three supernatural monsters arrive at the specified time to incinerate the person’s body in a chilling spectacle.
These events lead to the rise of two organizations: the cult-like New Truth Society and the Arrowhead gang, both gaining power through people’s fear. The debut season introduced these factions and their beliefs, while the second installment delves deeper into their conflicts and adds new elements to the story. But now, the question everyone is asking: Will there be a third part to continue the story of this hell-bound community? Warning: Some spoilers ahead!
Season 3 of ‘Hellbound’: Is it happening?
If you’ve watched the final minutes of “Hellbound” Season 2, it’s natural to feel confused about whether there will be a Part 3. Instead of paving the way for a new storyline to unfold, episode six revisits earlier events, recontextualizing moments from the first installment and revealing that the story didn’t end as we originally thought.
Initially, we believed that baby Jae-hyeon survived Hell thanks to the sacrifice of their parents. However, a flashback shows that Jae-hyeon wasn’t spared from death but rather died and was resurrected almost immediately, becoming the first person to do so. This revelation also suggests that what was once seen as the fall of the New Truth Society’s power and the rise of the Arrowhead’s fanatical following will be disrupted by this new information, raising more questions. Is it truly impossible to escape a decree? Does Jae-hyeon have powers like Jung-ja?
The truth is, this ending does not seem to point towards the production of new storylines. Instead, it deepens the uncertainty of questions present from the beginning. In other words, the second installment of “Hellbound” appears to be more of a transition to an inevitable Part 3 that will finally provide answers to the countless unresolved questions.
This wouldn’t be the first time the streamer employed such strategy. When Season 2 of “Sweet Home” was released in 2023, fans felt that it offered little new information and only raised more doubts, which were finally resolved in the most recent installment, released in July.
It seems likely that “Hellbound” will follow a similar path, as no strong conclusions can be drawn from the twelve episodes released so far. While we still have to wait for confirmation from Netflix, a third season is quite likely. If the announcement comes, we can expect a release two years later, following the pattern of the second season, which was announced in September 2022 and released in October this year. If all goes well in the charts, we could see “Hellbound” Season 3 in late 2026!