Finished Already? Breaking the 16-Episode Formula

The era of 16-episode dramas, when viewers eagerly waited two months for each weekly broadcast, has largely faded. Today, we live in the age of 'short-run series', where an entire show can be finished in a single day.

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"Is it already over?" "It feels like it just started". These reactions capture the bittersweet sentiment of viewers following the finale of "Yumi's Cells - Season 3", a TVING original that concluded on the 5th. The third season wrapped up the long journey in just eight episodes.

Compared to the previous two seasons, which each had 14 episodes, the shorter format allowed for a faster pace but also left some viewers feeling that it lacked the depth needed to fully explore Yumi's five-year character arc and romance.

Actor Kim Jae-won-III, who played Sin Soon-rok, shared in an interview that he only realized the season would be short after filming had wrapped. Still, he noted that the story felt more 'compact' as a result. He added that since his character is straightforward and doesn't put Yumi through hardship, it made sense that their relationship progressed quickly toward certainty about marriage. He focused on immersing himself fully in the role.

In the past, most dramas, including miniseries, typically ran for 16 or 24 episodes. Historical epics could easily exceed 100 episodes, and popular shows were often extended due to high ratings.

Today, however, the grammar of drama storytelling has become faster and more concise. Unlike the past, often criticized for slow pacing and repetitive flashbacks, modern series favor 'fast and satisfying' narratives.

Recent dramas such as "Perfect Crown" (MBC), "We Are All Trying Here" (JTBC), and "Filing for Love" (tvN) are all 12 episodes long. Even last year, only a few shows like "Typhoon Family", "You and Everything Else", and "When Life Gives You Tangerines" reached the once-standard 16 episodes.

In this context, actors working on longer series often describe a mix of excitement and pressure in interviews, noting the greater responsibility that comes with sustaining a long narrative.

Short-form content and OTT binge-watching fuel a backlash against flashbacks → ushering in the era of shorter series

This shift has been reinforced by the rise of OTT (over-the-top) streaming platforms. Series like "Squid Game", which helped define the Netflix era, have seen their seasons become shorter over time. Likewise, "Bloodhounds - Season 2" was released with fewer episodes than its first season, prompting similar complaints about narrative depth.

Yoon Seok-jin, a drama critic and professor at Chungnam National University, attributes this trend largely to changes in the media environment brought about by streaming. He explains that while the length of a story can vary depending on its content, the key factor is that the distinction between films and dramas has blurred, making runtime more flexible.

He also points out that binge-watching habits and the rise of short-form content have made viewers less tolerant of repetitive devices like flashbacks. As unnecessary elements are stripped away, episode counts naturally shrink.

Furthermore, as the boundary between film and television continues to dissolve, many directors trained in filmmaking, accustomed to telling stories within a two-hour format, find it challenging to adapt their work for long-form series. Yoon Seok-jin sees this as part of a transitional phase, noting that relatively few film directors have successfully adapted to series production.

He adds that shows like "When Life Gives You Tangerines", "Typhoon Family", and "You and Everything Else" required 16 episodes because their narratives demanded extensive buildup and explanation.

In this light, the decision to make "Yumi's Cells - Season 3" an eight-episode series can be seen as a strategic success. While the first two seasons focused on building Yumi's character and growth, requiring more time, the third season was about tying everything together. A longer format might have risked repeating past conflicts, but the shorter structure avoided that.

Yoon Seok-jin concludes that the sense of disappointment viewers feel is not really about the length, but rather because the show was so well-made that it ended too soon.

Indeed, "Yumi's Cells - Season 3" received strong praise for its quality, with many viewers wishing it were longer.

Its portrayal of Yumi's growth, the lively 'cells', and the romance with Kim Jae-won-III drove its success, topping TVING's weekly paid subscriber contribution rankings for three consecutive weeks, demonstrating its strong demand in the OTT market.

Production Company: Shorter episode counts are a flexible choice driven by narrative, not efficiency

Production companies also emphasize that shorter episode counts are not just about efficiency but about aligning with the story.

One industry insider noted that before 2020, 16 episodes were the norm, but now 12 episodes have become standard, reflecting changing viewing trends.

They added that while filming longer in a single set may be more efficient in theory, prioritizing efficiency over storytelling can easily alienate viewers. As a result, episode counts are not artificially extended for production convenience.

Ultimately, even as the boundaries between film and television blur and audiences favor faster pacing, a series' success still depends on the strength of its narrative.

While some stories require a longer format, others like "Yumi's Cells - Season 3", demonstrate that a shorter structure can be a highly effective creative choice, even if it leaves viewers wanting more.