'The Idol' is not getting a second season, HBO says

Poster of HBO's ″The Idol″ [HBO]

There will be no season two of HBO's "The Idol."

"The Idol was one of HBO's most provocative original programs, and we're pleased by the strong audience response," an HBO spokesperson told the American press on Monday. "After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers, have decided not to move forward with a second season. We're grateful to the creators, cast and crew for their incredible work."

The show garnered attention in Korea because it starred Jennie from the K-pop girl group Blackpink, alongside Hollywood actors like Abel Tesfaye, better known as The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp.

The series, co-created by Sam Levinson, Reza Fahim and Tesfaye, gained notoriety for explicit sex scenes and nudity. American magazine Rolling Stones in March dubbed the show a "twisted torture porn," and the British newspaper The Guardian in June wrote, "light bondage and heavy sleaze make for the ultimate try-hard TV."

"The Idol" is about an aspiring pop star Jocelyn, played by Depp, who enters into a romantic relationship with a nightclub owner, played by Tesfaye, who later becomes known as a leader of a secret cult.

Its five episodes ran from June 4 to July 2.

The show's premiering episode recorded 913,000 viewers, according to data company Nielsen. Episode two recorded 800,000 viewers on the evening it was released. Further viewership counts for the show are not available.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]