The second season has improved in every sense of the word

Netflix's apocalyptic horror series Sweet Home is set to return for its second season after three years, promising a bigger scale and intensified battles among humans, monsters and in-between creatures.

Based on Naver's eponymous webtoon, the first season of the original Korean series took off instantly after it went on air in December 2020. Its twisted post-apocalyptic tale, fantastical elements and outlandish gore backed by a powerful ensemble cast captivated a global audience.

The second season has improved in every sense of the word, with its world view greatly expanded, producer Lee Eung-bok said at a media event to promote the upcoming series in Seoul on Thursday.

Cast members and director Lee Eung-bok (far R, front row) of "Sweet Home 2" attend a media event in Seoul on Nov. 30, 2023, one day before the series' premiere on Netflix. (Yonhap) 

"In the first season, we focused more on the growth stories of each character (than on the characteristics of the genre), as we didn't have much experience in the creature genre," he said.

"But in this season, we have tried to improve in every aspect, be it filming, art or visual effects," he said.

In preparation for Season 2, Lee said he spent a lot of time in discussing the storyline with the original webtoon writers.

"We have collected unsolved stories from Season 1 to broaden them with new characters based on the original story," he said.

While Sweet Home 1 centers around the struggles of the main protagonist, Cha Hyun-soo, played by Song Kang, and other survivors of the mysterious "infection" that transforms people into monsters in the Green Home, the second season escalates into an all-out survival war as individuals battle the monster curse in the open space.

Unlike other zombie series, the monsters in Sweet Home are actually the result of a curse, not an infection, which makes finding a cure even more challenging.

Song Kang poses for pictures at a media event for "Sweet Home 2" in Seoul on Nov. 30, 2023. (Yonhap) 

Song Kang plays the "special infectee," Hyun-soo, a former recluse who becomes more mature in Season 2 and voluntarily heads to an experimental center to help the authorities find a cure, only to learn that his supernatural power becomes more powerful.

"I thought a lot about Hyun-soo's feelings and guilt, and tried to constantly keep them in mind even in my real life" to absorb himself in the character, he said.

"Sweet Home made me who I am now ... For me, it is really like a great stepping stone to grow as an actor," said the 29-year-old actor, who is expected to begin his mandatory military service in a few months, as required by South Korean law.

The director said Song Kang has grown a lot since they filmed the first season years ago.

"I think Song Kang's growth and that of Hyun-soo went almost side by side ... I got emotional to see how mature he had become during our meetings before the shooting," the director said.

Encouraged by the global success of Season 1, Netflix confirmed in June last year the simultaneous production of the second and third seasons.

The release of the third season "won't take as long as three years," the director said.

The 8-part series is set to premiere Friday.

By Woo Jae-yeon